Raynor interestingly announced his retirement today. The inks just dry on the press release

Must be one of Rayners cartridges

Perhaps the Sky is starting come down a little closer! www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/s ... g_process/

Perhaps the Sky is starting come down a little closer! www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/s ... g_process/

we have really got to get this sorted out soon because a number of our players are thinking of futures elsewhere. Todays Telegraph and argus about jason crookes to hull fc. We need to get our young players tied down. Bateman and whitehead am sure want to stay.

walker - will let go off, is past it and is injury prone.
Jeffries - is not on quota and is good half back but depends on his future performances to see whether he gets contract.
Elima - keep him
Hargreaves - is playing really well so keep.
Nas - one of the best signings in years keep.
sibbit- injury prone, release.
ainscough - keep
donaldson - keep
T.Burgess - think he is off to oz but there is still chance we could keep him so keep.
sammut - he may be going but keep.
addy- sign long term is great prospect.
crookes - sign this lad before anothr club get him.
briggs - sign him on.
pryce - still needs to prove himself.

One of them has to go due to quota

I think these ooc threads, whilst interesting to chat about, are quite depressing for me. We might well have to let lots off that list list go wether we want to or not to balance the books going forward into next season, especialy any higher overseas earners.

Hopefully I'm wrong, and in the rab tinted glasses world I'd agree mostly with Cleck Bulls, but with keeping Nas over sammut, keeping pryce and waiting to see about ainscough as I'm not convinced yet.

Wouldn't mind Wakey keeping Sykes, I hope we do TBH we need a kicker for next year as well. Apparently we are after Elima as well.

PLease, be our guest re Sykes. Not Oli though please.

agreed. keep well away from Elima.

Someone at the club told me Elima has already signed for Wakey.

True, I heard that too..... in 2003

was he selling the big issue?

He was playing guitar, badly, in the arches at Forster Square station, but his disguise couldn't fool me. My baby's gone & left me, crying by myself......ooh yeah.

I reckon it was always going to be difficult to agree a new contract with Elima.
He would certainly want a longer term contract - probably 3 years - than the Bulls might be prepared to offer given the need to make space (and salary budget) for the younger players coming through.

but (if rumours are to be believed) we're about to sell our young players to another team...

I don't see any reason why we couldn't offer a 28 year old international a 3 year deal. He would be amongst my first to sign up and for a good length of time too.

I tend agree with you on that, though my point was about how the Bulls see a long term contract that might conflict with their future promotion of young players and at what cost.
I acknowledge Phillgee's comment about selling young players.

There's a tricky problem in planning for the long term future - say 5 years to 2016 which would see the current 18-20s squad come through at proportionate times.
This balanced against retaining/signing quality players to ensure that the Bulls field a competitive team each season
And herein lies the challenge for the club's future in planning the next 5 years - thus requires a Guiding Mind in all matters rugby.

I doubt any one on the BOD has that depth of experience, and I doubt it could be an in situ coach who will not readily plan further than the term of his contract. Results within his term for him is paramount

Had an excellent game yesterday, don't know why your so keen to get rid of him.

Feel free to sign him full time and you'll find out why soon enough

He is allegedly one of the higher earners at Odsal, yet he was our fifth choice centre, our third choice full back and our third choice stand off. You couldn't fault Sykes for effort, however he simply wasn't good enough to be a regular starter in any of the above positions. He had some very good games such as when we beat Huddersfield at Odsal last season, however those few performances did not occur on a consistent enough basis.



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