Am I the only one incredibly worried that Leigh have signed: Willie Tonga, Rangi Chase, Harrison Hansen, Cory Paterson and Reni Maitua.

And we have signed some unknown championship players and have lost one of our best players Jake Mullaney and it's rumored Dane Nielsen isn't returning.

I don't see how we can compete unless we have an ace up our sleeve but the board seem to hint there isn't one and our recruitment could be complete.

No you're not. Last season was our best chance to bounce back to Super League, but Wakefield totally rebuilt for the eights, and other teams made major changes. Leigh's season fell apart at the end and they appear to have reacted, the Super League teams will be stronger, and we can't afford to match them. I think we should start getting used to the Championship until we find a rich sugar daddy.

TBF the message we got about recruitment doesn't seem to be panning out. Didn't they say little recruitment, more quality less quantity?

The thing is, Leigh have taken cast offs from Salford. Now, on paper they're a good side but attitude will have a big part to play in how Leigh go next year.

Our team was the one that got to the MPG and we've kept the majority of that team together. Yes, we've lost one of our major a tracking threats in Mullaney, but there's no sense in knee jerk reactions and complaining the grass is greener elsewhere.

Leigh are pretty much locked into a SL or bust mentality which I hope for the sake of their fans doesn't bite them in the

We will be fine once Leigh get their points deduction for breaking that salary cap.

That won't happen. Why do you think they've been shedding squad players and didn't announce Chase's signature until after the news about the increased championship cap was announced?

As I've said elsewhere, Leigh will have a good 17 on paper, but little in the way of depth and should the behind the scenes troubles that dogged Salford's season follow certain players to Leigh then they might not even have that

The RFL monitor signings/finances, you cannot sign anyone without going 'over the limit'....that's why Rangi Chase wasn't confirmed till 24 hours after the cap was increased.

Leigh have obviously built a team based on SL experience , but it could be that they have looked at availability rather than commitment. From an outsiders point of view it would appear they are determined to gain S L entry at any cost and it's just not that simple.
Could it be that Bradford see the present squad good enough to obtain an 8 position and then splash some cash.

Which is why it will be difficult just to get to the MPG, never mind winning it.

I wouldn't just limit it to Leigh.
From what I can see, the likes of Sheffield and Halifax have improved squads this year too. As well as Wakefield who are likely Super 8 opponents (if we make it).

All the teams, with the exception maybe of Salford, who I would say are our closest rivals in terms of league placings, have improved their squads I would say. I don't think our squad is better than it was last year, especially with the lack of quality in key positions like 1 and 7.

This time last year I was at least confident we could compete in our own division and push as close to promotion as possible without actually getting it. Now I'd say making the Middle 8s is a success and then not finishing bottom of it.

Compared to the squad we started the season with I feel that we have a much better group now but see the loss of Mullaney as being quite damaging. Leigh needed to improve and have done so. Whether they have improved enough remains to be seen. Playing one sided games in the Championship will tell us little. We have a squad full of Super League experience.......more so than last year at this time.

I'd rather have a stable and sustainable club - in any division - than a club spending more than it can afford in a desperate, short-sighted attempt to gain promotion.

Good luck to Leigh in 2016. We had our shot at promotion last year and we blew it. Maybe now it's their turn.

I think we're a good scrumhalf away from a competitive middle 8's squad again.

I think a scrum half is a priority if we're to mount any kind of challenge. Losing Mullaney means we're also missing our best back too. While we should make the 8 I think promotion is out of the question with the current squad.

Looking at Leigh a lot depends on whether some of their loose cannons perform when it matters. On their day they look like realistic SL contenders - unlike anyone else in the championship. However they blew it last year and I wonder if their new guys have yhe right attitude when it gets tough.

There are areas we've improved on. Wings and props are certainly better than what we started with last year, as I would say are centres, even if Nielsen doesn't return.

Key positions are the problem though. Scrum half, fullback and to a lesser extent hooker (with one less cover player than previous) are not as good as last year. The worry is that while we have better cover in some areas, we don't have good first choice in those.

It's going to take at least 1, maybe 2 signings in those areas for me to get confidence back. Not that it'll stop me going, I've already got my season ticket. And not that I'm saying the club should break the bank to do it, I'd much rather the club didn't have financial problems. But purely basing on confidence in the squad, I don't have as much as I did this time 12 months ago.

I still think we'll make the top 4 comfortably, although top 2 is a different matter. We played pretty much the whole season without either Gaskell, Mullaney or Siejka together and on more than one occasion all 3 were missing.

I agree with other posters about feeling deflated, but as others have said, if we can get 1 quality SH, then we're back in with a chance. O'Brien, Gaskell and decent SH would frighten anyone in the middles.

My gut instinct though is that Jimmy isn't in any rush to find one as he seems happy playing Addy or Purtell there which would be curtains for us.

I generally agree. A decent scrum half would completely change my confidence levels. A decent specialist fullback aswell and I'd start to think we may get back into SL. If that SH or FB could also cover hooker in the event O'Brien gets injured, I'd practically mess myself.

I just hope that in the desperation for that quality 7, we don't end up with another Herbert or Siejka.

We managed to reach the MPG last season with an assortment of makeshift halfbacks /fullback. We need to be patient and ensure we get the right people in ..... people that can make a significant difference. It's not like we start the season playing SL opposition. Maybe paying top dollar for 12 weeks would be enough.....when it really matters.

I have wondered for a while if that's the plan with the scrum half. Mentioned it before on here. Go for most of the season using Addy, Purtell and/or Thomas, then come transfer deadline week, go round banging on doors of the good halfbacks who aren't making their Super League 17 most weeks (there's always a couple out there) and throw money at them for 3 months' work. Much like Wakefield did with most of their squad last year.

That worked for them. Although it's always a worry asking a halfback to gel with a team so quickly, and that you make the Middle 8s in the first place.

Quality scrum halfs who can change a squad aren't easy to come by! Bradford will still challenge next year I don't think Sheffield have improved at all! Fax maybe a little bit fev have gone backwards! you will still be up there! If I was lowes I'd got Gaskell/purtell and play behind your pack nice basic rugby! Someone mentioned our depth it isn't as bad you think w Weill line up McNally Kay Armstrong Tonga higson/pownall ridyard chase hock beswick emmit Patterson Hansen Barlow subs higham Hopkins Weston moi moi. Leaving us worthington foster higson/pownall spencer Acton breirley(injured) Dixon matuai pala still got one to come in being announced on Thursday I don't think we will be that bad!

There's also a risk nobody decent is available then or you end up in a bidding war with another club.

I think our base squad is fine - other than the half-back problem and dependent on not losing any more than we already have.

Most of the 'ins' have just replaced the 'outs' who never really featured much anyway, basically just changes in the periphery, though I would agree it certainly isn't the leaner, meaner squad we were led to believe was coming for next season. It does look like Purts is going in the halves and Welham at centre, which is definitely strong enough to finish in the top four, though may be found wanting in the eights - though, I suspect some money will be left for late recruitment as who knows just who may become available up during the season?

I looked back at the 17 that played at Leigh in that first match and we have lost the weaker players and recruited good replacements, but unfortunately we have lost one of our top players. Leigh have also got a better 17. We could do with several other teams being at a similar level as that would create a better league and push our players more. We need tough opposition..

Assuming you're keeping them all, I don't see how anyone questions Leigh's depth. Even in the halves, there's 3 top quality ones, and another who's elsewhere on loan (Reynolds) if it got desperate. The only question of depth will be if Leigh are getting rid of some of those players in order to make the salary cap space for the likes of Chase, Hansen, Paterson & Tonga. That will be confirmed one way or the other when squad numbers go out I suppose.

Beaumont has stated that squad is now complete with the last addition being announced tommorow! So I'd presume everyone is now staying