Prior did well last year but invisible this year Tetevano, Fusitu'a
, Thompson, Sezer and Austin spend most of the season suspended or "injured". They take up far too much of our salary cap compared to what they provide.

Sorry, DO we need them?

Why injured in quotes? Are you implying they are faking it? And if so, does that apply to the likes of Newman and Holroyd? The simple answer to your question is yes, unless you want to be relegated.

I’d prefer us to only go for overseas players when we can’t develop or sign British players for the positions they fill. I’m certain that we could have brought in players better than Prior is now or Tetevano has been for us. We shouldn’t have signed Thompson once never mind extended him, and Sezer and Austin were gambles rather than dead certs. There’s a dearth of good British halves so I can understand signing them, but overall our overseas recruitment has been terrible for years.

Prior is finished, yet staying another season. So we are stuck with him.

We need Holroyd to stay fit next season, I think it's a vital season for Tom, it could be make or break?

Our overseas signings have been pretty poor for a long time, with no strategy I can see. Smith seems to be able to spot duffers quickly. Lets hope he's got an eye for incoming players as well.

By the by, Bodene's outperformed Prior the last few weeks.

yes but that wasnt hard

When Smith was with us briefly he brought in some great overseas players. I imagine he's got plenty of contacts down under and will choose wisely.

Prior is now a major issue - he has a year left on his contract and I don`t blame him for wanting see it out and get his money .
Unfortunately he is finished - on his second stint on Saturday ,he had no go forward and missed 4 tackles in a row and then got hooked.
We should do whatever deal we can with him , and then find a replacement. I would rather take a gamble on a young prop from the Championship or from PNG , rather than take up a quota spot for a player who can no longer make any significant contribution, to the area of the team where we are so weak.

Prior was at fault for Sts' first try in not moving across fast enough to cover Lomax. That was in the first few minutes, and one of his strengths was his mobility. If he's lost that he'll be frankly very little use, as he's always been a bit lightweight for a 'middle'.

He'll have to, given he's only got the one quota spot (not to mention no cap, if GH is to be believed) to play with..

I think Smith will use Prior more sparingly next season if Holroyd can stay healthy we have signed Sangare plus im also expecting Walters to feature more than the 10 appearances this season.

How much input to signings do our coaches get, wouldn't want GH to have to give up his regular "business trips" down under.

Most Leeds coaches have been happy to trust Hetherington's judgement, given he's an ex top flight Head Coach with a pretty sound track record of identifying players. But they've certainly had plenty of input anyway.

It actually seems like Smith is managing the salary cap himself to some degree which probably ties in with GH not wanting to do the DOR role any more anyway - which was of course the plan until Sinfield decided desk jobs weren't for him.

GH's business trips aren't all bad he brought in RS and I was a sceptic at that point. RS also seems to have sorted the discipline so I expect Tet, Fusita and Bentley to play more matches next year, subject to the vagaries of the MRP of course

GH shouldn't be sourcing any overseas players. Our recent record is not good at all. Most of GH's trips to Aus have been made after the better available players have been snapped up, and there seems to be no plan at all to the approach to signing players. Whoever they are, they ought to be amongst the best players in the comp in their positions. Not really something we can say about any of our current crop, except maybe Martin and Sezer (Fusitu'a may get there but needs to get fit and actually play some games).

Smith seems to watch a hell of a lot of rugby, and was coaching in Queensland until April. He'll have far better understanding of what's needed and who might fit the bill than GH, who hasn't coached a side for more than 25 years.

We have good options at prop next season to cover injuries and form, no longer will we have to play players because there is no one else.

Agree with the comments about Prior in the GF. Thought he looked old in that game sadly. Saints were too fast and too strong for him.

Cullen retired, has he?