www.totalrl.com/bradford-bulls-c ... -contract/

www.totalrl.com/bradford-bulls-c ... -contract/

Shame for the kid.

However it gives us some room to make another signing if required.

I was actually looking forward to seeing how he went for us, shame but onward and upwards.

Squad disruption already. Excellent.

Who are the 5 props Ferres states as us still having?

Sidlow
Davies
Tahraoui
Fleming
Bates?

If he's genuinely counting Bates as part of the 5 then we're short of another prop in my opinion. Bates isn't ready for the 1st team yet.

Clough.

I'm certainly disappointed by this, ever since the original article mentioned "subject to visa" - which no other has - I've been nervous about his arrival.. or lack of.

Anyway, I hope we find a suitable replacement or he regains his fitness and does join us as the article hints at as an option.

However, we have a wage gap, and a quota and non-fed spot... should we look to sign another halfback?

Sods law says we'll sign Carvell. But at least Offerdahl wasn't another Danny Sculthorpe or even Ben Evans missing a lot of the early season.

Shame but better it happens now than just before season starts. We could have been paying him through pre-season and then losing him when players aren't available like happened with Carvell last year. We've still five props on board, six if we count bates. Plus we have a full quota ( overseas + non fed trained) available at a time when players are still available.

It is good he was open about it as this does give us a free spot and wage. Good idea about leaving it for a few months and see if we need a certain position covering. Gives us some flexibility but I too was looking forward to seeing him after he was described as someone who was tireless and wanted big minutes just like Fielden used to do. Shame but better knowing now - not a disaster!

Starting to think I'm jinxed. Paid for seaso tickets last year and OK stepped down following day. Paid this afternoon for this years and Offerdahls contract cancelled an hour later



Think I better pay on gate 2016 season

Well, we have the squad depth to cope with this. We've got Addy and Ferguson who could both fill in at prop too so it's not a massive blow.

However, I'm disappointed that we don't get to see him pull on the shirt. But on the flip side we now have some space on both the salary cap and overseas quota which is always a useful thing to have as we may need a player in a different position at some point down the road

I think Pitts, Mellor or *sigh* even Walker should fill in at prop ahead of Addy.

... Fui Fui Moi Moi?!

(even though he's rumoured to be heading to SL)

I think we would have to have a bad injury crisis before Walker goes at prop. We have 5 props at the moment plus Bates who I think will get some games against the lower championship teams. If we do have an injury crisis i'm sure Jimmy will use te cap space to get another prop before putting Walker at prop.

I've been wondering most of the afternoon where this spare cap and quota/non-fed space should go, and there are a few names I can think of but mainly I've been thinking about whether it should be a replacement prop or another half.

In the end I went for using it on another half-back, ideally someone with experience and pushing 30 or above. To be honest, Richard Horne would have been one of my favourites for it. Even Ben Jeffries - who pulled out of joining Leigh with injury could have done a job. Ben Black at Batley would also offer some Championship experience.

Pretty much my thinking too. We aren't over a barrel now, having signed a Scrumhalf, like we were a few weeks ago. We also now have advantage of having a full overseas spot available. We've got time now to have a look at who's available who could give us some competition in halves, which to mind is weakest area of squad if we get an injury. Ideally we'd find someone who could play either of halves roles along with fullback as those are positions where we have least backup, and who offered genuine competition. Better to find someone now on our terms than wait until we get inevitable injury and have to sign someone at short notice, and then have to wait for visas etc.

TBH if Wakey are still struggling to do a deal for Smith I'd be tempted to help them free some money up by making a cheeky offer for Sammut. Whilst he wouldn't be ideal as first choice half option he'd be a great backup option to have. Plus if jimmy sticks with o'brien playing full 80 we could have him on bench instead of 2nd hooker and use him as an impact player. Think he'd be devastating coming on fresh against tired opposition.

Yes Mat he's ideal in broken play so as a back up half and off the bench impact player he would be great, but would he want such a role and in the Championship? even in that secondary role I could see him scoring a million tries. Even more in the second game...

Well when he went to fev on loan mid season it was rumoured tobe a precursor to a permanent move next season. But then fevs plans to go full time were cut back after they fell out with pro biz guy. Can't see him leaving wakefield as Webster seems to have fitted him in to his style of play now in a manner that agar never managed.

Can't see Sammut re-joining to be honest but it would be great if he did. We would actually see the Gaskell/Sammut pairing that we should have seen in 2014.

Re-signing Sammut isn't a bad idea, he'd certainly be a popular addition IMO despite what some people said on his way out.

There could even be a space for Brett Seymour under the right terms.

As daft as it may sound, and how this fits in with making the arrangement work for all parties I dunno, but I wouldn't be too devastated to have someone like Lance Hohaia on loan if he doesn't feature much in Saints plans.

I have really got my head around being a Championship team now!

Sammut was reputedly on 90k a year with us back in 2012. Now I bet he's on less than that now with Wakey but he'll still be on a big amount. Could we afford him?

Also would wakey sell? They'd want a fee.

Prop was the weakest part of the squad prior to this development.

With the cup, qualifiers and playoff, we're looking at 30+ games. If we want to get to the middle 8 in good shape then we need to manage the minutes that Sidlow and Clough are playing. Fleming, Samir and particularly Bates are young with no experience of a long, hard season with SL opposition after 22 games. We've never seen Davies. Back rowers filling in at prop for anymore than a game or two is a certain recipe for a second half blow out score away to HKR, Hull, Wakey.

In summary we're definitely a prop short. I'm a fan of Sammut but leave him at Wakey.(hopefully Smith stays at Salford)

Just a hand grenade to throw in the situation. How would everybody feel if we re-signed Carvell? I for one (if his wages were right) would welcome him back, he would be just what we needed in the championship rugged with a great off-load and bags of experience.

(Wakefield have a major signing to announce on Monday which is heavily rumoured to be Tim Smith)

Jay Pitts is more than capable of playing at prop and I was confusd why Lowes didn't push him up to the fornt row when we needed it and insisted on playing Addy there... unless it was to get Danny tackling more.

I mentioned the name a few weeks ago but it was somewhat disparagingly, but AFAIK Paul Sykes is still available.

There are certainly options out there - in a general sense - of players we've heard of to come in, not to mention the Jimmy approach of players we haven't heard of. None of them are particularly perfect on the face of it but IMO we're more in need of experience half cover that prop.

Because right now neither Pitts or Addy are of sufficient size, strength to play prop at the crucial part of the season. No doubt both would hold their own against York but against Paea, Anderson, Poore, Weyman we wouldn't get out of our own 40 metres.

Last season I wasn't convinced by his signing even before he left, but this year I think he's exactly the type of player who could do well for us. A combination of seeing how a lack of props dicked us and the drop down means I'd welcome him back.

I forgot to say before that I'd also failed to mention Jake Mullaney as an option as a half-back, whether or not someone like Chris Ulugia is a suitable full-back stand in if Jake covers the halves I don't know. One thing we aren't lacking is options but we are lacking another defined and experienced half... and maybe a prop.

And now I'm back with the original conundum again.