So to add to the debate about who plays in the halves next year, with Keyes & Chisholm contracted and Lilley on loan, League Express is reporting that the Bulls signed Liam Finn for 2019.

Apparently not a done deal but talks have been had. I think he’d be a good fit for us to be honest. Good kicking game and knows how to direct a team around the field. Keyes replacement perhaps?

I would have liked it if we had signed him a few years ago.

Would be a good player for you at Championship level, does the simple things right and worth his weight in successful conversions. Not a fan of his general kicking (too many chips to the corner) but links up well with other key positions.

Fair enough. If we go up then we'll find it much tougher next year and we'll need some older heads.

I don't think Chisholm is contracted, i'm 99% sure i read on twitter that he said it was a one year deal but Bulls released it was 2 years!!!! However i could be wrong.

www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/n ... ith_Bulls/

www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/n ... ith_Bulls/

Thanks

A few days ago would have done me.

Chisholm tweeted on 25th June 2018 that it's only a 1 year deal but club announced 2.

I wonder if it’s 1 year with an option of a second, it’s not unusual for clubs to announce those as 2 years

If Chizzy is on a one year deal then he may have a problem when it comes to an end. I get the feeling that Kear is looking for a more traditional play making half back rather than a "flashy" player. That is not bashing Chizzy but just saying how I see it. All we have now is pass it to to next player or kick it to Ryan. Field positional kicking will improve when Lilley gets in as it is hardly used at the moment other than high kicks on the last tackle.
The Championship is going to be very good next year with hopefully the Bulls and York in there with the current top 6 probably less Toronto. We will not simply walk into a top 4 spot unless we improve massively. I have faith in Kear already planning this but a few of our players are going to have to move on and that includes one or two that some will be upset at.

I agree Woolly. I think we'll see some interesting ins and outs this close season. The squad does need improvement if we're to do more than just stay up (provided we do go up).

I think you're right about what JK wants from his halfbacks. I wouldn't be at all surprised to learn that JK has been keeping Chisholm on a tight leash this season. Perhaps some of it is down to his return from injury but maybe not all of it.

I disagree with you on next year's expectations though. I don't think we can realistically be aiming for top 4. We'll get a bit more central funding if we go up but not a whole lot more. The progression will have to be gradual and if we go all out to get top 4 I can see it ending in disaster. I would be perfectly happy with a solid season finishing anywhere between 8th/9th all the way up to 5th/6th.
The year after we get a bit more funding, we build on that, we improve. Let's bloody well do this properly instead of the boom/bust approach.

If we're in the Championship next season, looking at it this year there's 2 leagues in 1. I'd like us to be comfortably top of the 'second' division and giving Fev, Fax, London and Toulouse a game each time, winning about 1 in 3/4 against them.

IF we get promoted, I'd expect us to make changes to the roster, hopefully some improvements, though given how many are out of contract at the end of every season that's hardly a shock statement. Then, to use the cliché, 'take the games one at a time' and see where we finish up. It will be a tough old division, that's for sure but IF we finish in the top four then brilliant - we'll see where we are in the play-offs, or whatever the system will be in 2019 (if anyone cares to hazard a guess?)

Finn would provide an "old head" and guidance,a Johnny Wolford type for those who remember.Good signing if it comes off imo.

Agreed, although i think the championship will be very interesting next year. Toronto will replace at least one of Widnes/Salford. If they come down they certainly won't be as strong as a Hull KR. Salford will likely go bust (see they are trying to get fans to purchase a new player) and Widnes just seem to want to send lads on IT courses and don't really care about the rugby. Seems to be a real disconnect between fans and club.

Interesting to see what happens to Fev and Leigh with both likely to miss out on the 4. See Leigh are trying to off load players already. However i still expect them to be a strong championship side.

Fev - big difference in what they can spend next year, the D/R seems to be really unpopular amongst rheir supporters, particularly the Luke Briscoe farce. Also chatter about their owner leaving and investing in York.

IF we get promoted i think its just a free swing to try and finish as high as possible. Keep developing the juniors, keep improving the squad, performances and crowds and we'll do alright. Build long term.

If we go up then I hope fans manage their expectations. I know we will on here but some on social media are less worldly.

The squad as it stands is way short of championship top 4 IMO. I don't want to see us risking the finances adopting the "poop or bust" policies of previous regimes.

However there is the risk that structures will change and the P&R route may disappear. Given how much some SL club owners seem to like our club I wouldn't expect we'd get through any franchising assessment.

So let's aim high but not go bust in the process. I think le penguin's post sums up my thinking. Let's consolidate and improve in 2019 then have a tilt at the top 4 in 2020 if possible.

Provided we do go up...

Oh and on topic I think Finn would be an excellent signing if we get him.

Off topic--Congrats to Bradford Lad,Jake Trueman for making the updated England Knights Performance Squad,well done. If only........don't get me started! www.rugby-league.com/article/529 ... announced-

Off topic--Congrats to Bradford Lad,Jake Trueman for making the updated England Knights Performance Squad,well done. If only........don't get me started! www.rugby-league.com/article/529 ... announced-

Is Chissy another Sammut. A player where you start off convinced he's a genius and you scratch your head at why on earth we've somehow managed to net a player of that quality down in the 3rd division. And then week by week it morphs into a grudging "yes he can be awesome but he's gone missing for 20 minutes again", and then gradually drip drip drip you come to realise he's probably not what we need?

And therefore Finn is an old head that we will need in the Championship to replace him?

I was sat in front of Conner Robinson's partner on Sunday, as she was explaining our (not so) full time status to one of the other wags. Apparently we made an approach for Conner at some point this season.

Listening to Mr Beaumont at Batley a few weeks ago, he says that he's pulling out of Leigh after this season.
He said that he's putting a substantial amount in each month in from his own pocket.
He's been known to bend the truth in the past, but he seemed genuine.

I certainly do remember Woolly - hence my user name. This is why I talk about traditional type scrum halves so much. It is not having a go at the likes of Chizzy but I have my own idea of what a scrum half is out there to do and that is to organise and get the others to play at their best when they are struggling.

I am very disappointed in chizzy,, I had him down to blow this division away, no disrespect to the othe halves in this division, but what we saw first time around with him compared to now, we might as well have any one playing in that position because as already mentioned you can telegraph what’s going to happen tackles 1 to 5 pass to next man, tackle 6 bomb to Ryan’s wing, we are like the old Wimbledon F.C., up in the air and hope for the best every set,,, they are becoming or should I say they are a very boring team,,, count how many times in the last 5/6 games we have made breaks from our own 25 and scored,,