It's a strange one. We need all the squad depth we can, but the one position we achieve it in is the wing, which is possibly the easiest position to cover.

Unless Makinson is playing fullback next season, this doesn't sound like a very ambitious use of the salary cap.

OK here is my 2 penith worth.

For years and years I defended Gardner thinking he would just open his legs one day and leave all for dust. It never happened and so I bowed to the majority posistion that he was more of a liability than an asset. Then he comes good. So long as its not stupid money I have no problem keeping Gardner. Some have said that in recent weeks Foster has been a bit slack on keeping hold of the ball. If we did not have Gardner there would be a lack of competition for places on the wing. Competition brings the best out of people and should keep foster and makinson aiming high. It also helps as also some have said that foster wants to negotiate upwards. Ive no problem with this but the club needs to negotiate down so a wing replacement and lomax kicking is a viable alternative.

Kickinbg wise I do hope we are not sitting back and just saying foster is great. We need 2 or 3 kickers regularly practising incvase of injury or if foster gets a better offer.

Lomax would be one but also the other back should see what value a kicking ability adds to your nal.

Makinson and Wheeler are both good goal kickers

Not a patch on jamie foster.

I think Jamie has been little slack on the playing side of things over the last month. Maybe he needs bringing down a peg or two.

Oh without a doubt Jamie is leagues above, I'd happily argue he is the best kicker in the league. I was just pointing out that if Jamie was missing for some reason we have options.

Maybe ade was given another contract because Royce don't get on with a certain winger

If its true that Ade has taken a pay cut then its a reasonable signing,he can provide cover if we need it and pass on his experience to the younger players,its a squad based game and we need to use what we have well.

One of the benefits of having a kicker as good as Foster in the side is that he turns pretty much every 4 points into 6. Is this a good enough reason to keep him in the team if his all round game isn't that great? It's a tricky call. Ade may offer us more in terms of a better all round team performance, but we'll miss those collective points as well if he's not out there to kick.

Really? Well I didn't know this.

Joey Hayes.

Two years is a little generous, imo, although I don't know what he's getting paid.
Having competition on the wing is good, not least in order to keep pressure on Foster to perform with thinking he's guarenteed a spot 'cause of his kicking.

I assume Tom Armstrong will be leaving now.

The reserve reports, combined with seeing the size of him, had me quite excited about brotherton. He's a big unit who's good under the high ball in both offence and attack (a bit like Pat Richaaaards, or whatever they call him), but i guess they still think he's a way off 1st team.

It may let us get makinson out on loan to give him some time in the centre?

I would imagine Makinson will be groomed for full back, and covering for injured wingers.
Prior to his injury Ade was having a new lease of life under Royce, I would have expected a 1 year contract though.

I've never seen him, I'm only going on reports I've heard and, as I mentioned, seeing the size of him. Sounds like a perfect modern day winger - big, safe under kicks (dull as )

What is your analysis on him? What does he lack?

He has pace in a bundance but there is no point having pace if you can't catch the feckin ball. No game awareness at all, No awareness of how a winger should play (in fact I'm sure Mr.Blobby has more nouse when it comes down to how to play the game) Came from Yawnion therefore a real lack in core skills...

Good move if on less cash IMO.

We complain a lot about a thin squad, but then we also complain when we re-sign players who are solid but not world beaters on (assumedly) less cash - which is how you end up with a stronger squad.

He was excellent prior to his injury and provides good competition for places. No issues on this from me.

More to the point, delighted to see Magennis get another 2 years.

I know one swallow doesn't make a summer, but Makinson's kicking was brilliant at Quins.

Sounds awful. When you say he can't catch, to you mean passes or kicks? The reports I've read made it sound like he was a real threat when used under the high ball in attack.

Either to be perfectly honest. On the website it does make him out to be some sort out wonderkid attacking a high ball and scoring a try. But i guess 1/10 oppertunities isn't exactly clinical pal.

Between me and you i think you and I could put in better performances, and I suffer with chronic artheritis

I dont totally agree with the decision, but I can see the logic behind it. If he is on significantly less cash, then we have 3 wingers in the squad, with good coverage at centre and full back. Had we let Gardner go then as soon as a centre or winger gets injured we would have to promote an even younger lad, play someone out of position, or play Tom Armstrong - none of which are desirable.

Assuming that Foster gets a pay rise and Gardner takes a cut, the net effect of the deal in salary cap terms shouldnt change too much.

really??? Magennis is Wheeler MK2 - impossible to judge until he can string more than half a dozen games together. 1 year would have been right for him.

It was. We have a very able alternative there by the looks of it.

Aah well, that's dissapointing, but I guess the match reports aren't there to tell us the bad things about our youngsters.

It speaks volumes about the standard of RL in Britain that a guy like Gardner - who apart from a brief 18 month period - has never offered the club anything out of the ordinary can be an unchallenged fixture at a top club for a decade.

but still more than he could get elsewhere no doubt or are we claiming a Radlinkski like "for the love of the club" deal?

Gdm played for free (if you believe 'honest' Maurice Lindsey) Ade will be getting something