So, I know we've got a transfer rumour thread already, but I thought it might be interesting to see how the squad will line up for next year. So assuming that the guys on 1 year deals don't get renewed, the squad for 2016 looks like this

Jake Mullaney
Etu Uaisele
Adrian Purtell
Matty Blythe
Danny Williams
Harry Siejka
Lee Gaskell
Paul Clough
Adam O'Brien
Adam Sidlow
Tom Olbison
Dale Ferguson
Danny Addy
Jay Pitts
Dan Flemming
Karl Davies
Chris Ulugia
Alex Mellor
Lucas Walshaw
Vila Halafihi
Samir Tahraoui
Adam Brook
Epalahame Lauaki
Steve Crossley
James Mendeika
James Claire
Dane Nielsen
Oscar Thomas

So that's still a big squad and it contains what most people would consider our first choice 13 - which I think is the first time in about a decade that we've been able to say we're keeping the first XIII together for more than 1 season.

I know that Ferres has said that we'll be trimming down the squad for next year but as I can't see too many places that we need additional players I think we have to assume that certain players on that list will be told they don't have a future at Bradford and should look to secure themselves moves away. Examples of that I think are Brook and Tahraouri who've been getting some good feedback at Keighley so there's a possibility of their move being permanent, there's also the overseas quotas to consider

How does it look if those out on loan don't come back for 2016?

Think Uluigia, Uaisele, Tahraouri, will definitely go. Jimmy doesn't rate them enough To belive they will help us go up, so why keep them for another year?

Would be surprised if Brook and Davies are also here. Would be really disappointed if we let Brook go.
Also think Siejka will move on if we get another half back.

Plenty of wheeling and dealing to be done yet.

Only logical reason to keep them is that they're all contracted until end of 2016 - as of course is Siejka.

Honestly can't see how they are going to get into another pro club ,other than London or maybe Sheffield, if they actually commit to going full time. They certainly won't want to just give up a years full-time rugby contract, that's pretty certain.

We've just got another halfback.

So we must need a couple more wingers now

How are we just going to 'offload' all these players that are still contracted for next year? I don't think it's that easy - or cheap - to get them off our books.

Given there's 8 non fed trained on that list ( we're allowed seven) and further assuming rfl wouldn't allow us to register players we don't have quota space for, then I suspect releases for some have already been agreed but not officially announced yet. Sheffield going full time may be a destination for some . Thinking in particular of Davies and ulugia who came along with Peterson. With Peterson already moving to Sheffield they may well follow.

It's not that hard. I mean we've already done it with Peterson and Conroy. It's basically a case of letting players know that their opportunities for first team football are very low and they should perhaps start looking for their next club

Players who signed end of last season who signed a 2 year deal are on more money for the second year. Sheffield are losing 15 players from this seasons squad when they go full time next season, let's hope they take a few fringe players from us.

Let's say we have a few players who are on 30k this year and goes up to 40k next season, would they want to go to a part time club on 15k plus winning and losing pay and also get a full time job

I know what I would rather do

Those are bad examples. Both Petersen and Conroy were ooc at the end of this season, so they would not have been able to demand a payoff. I'm talking about people like Siejka, Uaisele, Ulugia, Davies and those others seemingly out of favour but still contracted for next year.

Fwiw I would still keep Ulugia. I think he's worth another shot and we still need to keep some backup utility backs for injury cover. Hard to comment on Davies because I never saw him play. Uaisele and Siejka can go for mine.

The players in bold are the players that I think will move on. Either that, or season long loans at other clubs if we can't get them off contract.

Think with Jimmy signing a young half-back, it will probably mean Brook moves on.

So that'd be 6 from the 29 definite stays, so I guess that'd leave room for 2 new signings/re-signings giving us a squad of 25 with possible room under the cap

Need a bigger squad than 25 I think. 30 Is good.

Unless we can somehow offload some of unwanted players who are on 2-year contracts, we will have a squad of at least 30

Guess it depends on the injuries we pick up, which is unquantifiable, to be fair. I'd be happy with 26 or 7, and definitely no players that Jimmy just isn't going to play. As I said earlier, we seem to be recruiting with a view to probably still being in the championship next year, which does leave us in limbo to a fair old extent and the uncertainty definitely doesn't help.

I hope that the Bulls start a new reserve team like a number of the SL teams are planning to. If that is the case then we could accommodate a bigger squad but still keep them first team ready.

We've had a massive squad this year, which I think in part was over compensation for last year where we barely had enough players to put out a 17 every week. More focus on quality over quantity is needed for next year, I feel, regardless of what division we are playing in

I can't even begin to comprehend how difficult it must be to try and arrange a playing squad when you have no idea what league you'll be playing in, no idea how much money you'll have to spend and no way of giving anyone any guarantees. It's an absolute nightmare scenario, and it's not something I envy steve ferres for having to do at all.

That's a good point, does anyone have a link to the 'prize money and distribution of central funds please'? What would be the difference between the amounts receieved by ourselves and say, Wakey and Salford or is it purely based on where you finish in the middle 8's?

Lowes likes young players and he and is maybe of the view that being at the bottom of SL and the top of Championship does not represent a huge financial differential and is about no more than 2 or 3 players, on the basis that even in the event of promotion to SL, the type and number of players that could realistically see us challenge for 7th or 8th place are not available to us anyway.

Think that's spot on.

Given that around four or five of this season's squad never even got a game, it's pretty obvious that, given the understandable recruiting dilemma at the end of [ilast[/i year, a few of our recruits were maybe brought in on the evidence of youtube videos, rather than actually having been seen in action. Hopefully that can be avoided this time round.

I see Warrington are releasing Gareth O'Brien, wonder if we have first refusal on him with us letting him go back to them

Where you saw this ?

On the wakie board, releasing 4 players, don't know how true

Ben Evans another rumoured to be on his way out. Would definitely like to see him back.

Can't see GoB still being at Warington next year. Would hope we have some sort of first refusal on him.