But there's none available I hear you cry

There aren't good players available anywhere in the world



It's in the paper today that they have signed Blake Green from Hull KR. Another very good halfback, perhaps not the Hull KR halve I'd sign, but I'd take Green at Saints. A Green and Smith combo has potential, particularly when you consider the tide of quality coming through from fullback there. Kicking game tick, creativity tick, unpredictability tick.

When is our next signing being announced? Or are we done for another season now?

Just like the was no props available last year yet unnamed about 8.

Green is a non-fed player. We couldn't sign him if we wanted to. He's also a huge downgrade from the player he's replacing. If there [iwere [/ia lot of good players available Wigan wouldn't be going from a half back pairing of Leuluai/Finch to one of Smith/Green.

We could get rid of a certain Kiwi fullback we've had playing in the halves all season. Tomkins/Green/Smith is so much better than Wellens/Hohaia/Lomax. The Wigan combo has more pace, more creativity and more organisational attributes. It also has a pretty superb kicking game, both long and short.

We also didn't really need to sign an Australian second rower to pretend to be a prop forward.

Agreed.

We've signed a kiwi fullback to play stand off and a average Aussie backrow to play prop and we wonder why we can't beat the likes of Wigan.

Only if he wants to go.

I wish we could ditch Hohaia as easily as you suggest, but I suspect we'll be stuck with him. I'm not suggesting that our situation is better than Wigan's, or that we've done a good job of our recruitment over the last couple of years. I'm just saying that this signing is not evidence that there are good players available. In fact it is quite the opposite - three years ago Wigan wouldn't have looked twice at Smith or Green.

You are right potentially, but half backs can often get better the older they get. Smith looks to be maturing into a very solid player and Green could be a dangerous player.

We should be looking at every possible opportuntity to improve the squad and we're not doing it. Manu in for Flannery is a positive move, Turner in for Shenton isn't. With Wellens and Meli still hanging around it looks we're probably going to be no better than we are this year, i/e solid but not really in contention with our big rivals when it comes to the really big games.

Go to that well known video sharing site and type

Hull kr Blake Green Rugby League Highlights.

He has pace, good hands and a decent kicking game. my only concern is that he has missed a large chunk of this season with injury(ies) mainly a blood clot in his leg. I'd hope that Wigan have given him a thorough medical.

The key is that we are quota full, so unless we can convince a player to go, we are stuck with UK halves and they mostly come with a transfer fee. I would not have wanted smith as I don't think he would have brought the game control and experience we needed in crunch games. There are players out there whether we can get them, well I'd doubt it this year. I've said all along 2014 will be the year brown can make a big impact chopping and changing, I think he can shift something like 7 to 8 players for 2014 and some of those will also be overseas.

I hope I'm wrong but bar 3 games this year Lance has been looking more and more like the square peg in the round hole. I was hopeful after the catalans match that he had settled and started to find some form even if we had to give up on his kicking game.

I agree with you that in order to move up a level we need to be looking to replace our older establishement figures with better, younger players, but I'm just not convinced that we can. If our best option to replace Wellens is someone like Scott Grix, who was mentioned a month or so ago, then we'd be far better off sticking. I'd also be amazed if we could bring in an English player who is remotely as effective as Meli.

You only have to look at the boatload of geriatrics who've just been given new contracts at Wire to see that the market isn't offering high quality options, even for a club with money to spend. Look at Leeds as well - they've just used up one of their non-fed spots on a bloke who has 8 NRL appearances.