I see we have a first team squad of only 28 players compared to Champions Wigan with 33 players
Thoughts please?

Dunno

I'm okay with 28 that may increase with some promotion's.

No point expanding the numbers unless quality players are available. Wigan are surely closer to the cap and may struggle to keep everyone they have in a year's time.

No doubt the club are saving some funds back in case suitable forwards become available mid-season. We might also need to replace Croft in a year's time, and there are quite a few decent players coming off contract that we might want to offer better deals to. Hopefully there will be some younger players coming through who are looking for upgrades as well.

^ This.

My two'penneth, Wigan have an advantage that they have produced and promoted from within and have a great academy that produces first team ready quality year on year. Weve a long way to go to get anywhere near that but hopefully were on the right track now.

Its also far easier to recruit to a winning team which is one of the reasons Weve struggled as Weve had to pay overs to get players in whereas in the past perhaps we could play a bit more hardball with players etc.

All in all, Weve shifted some reight deadwood in the last year / year and a half, there's still (IMHO) still some chaff to cut / move on but when your perennially shopping in the bargain bin after everyone else has done their shopping then don't be surprised when you end up with the odd duff buy.

Yeah but 29 thru to 33 are academy promotions, we (in theory), could promote 5 from ours and then we have the same squad size, will just have to wait until squad numbers are released.

I think we need to try and recruit the very best youngsters and spend more money on developing players with a genuine chance of making the first team.
Upsets me when Yorkshire born players go to the north west teams.

Doubt we will be at 28. Lachlan Miller, Maika Sivo, Harry Newman, Jake Connor, Ash Handley, Brodie Croft, Matt Frawley, Mikolaj Oledzki, Andy Ackers, Keenan Palasia, James Bentley, James McDonnell, Cameron Smith, Jarrod O’Connor, Sam Lisone, Tom Holroyd, Cooper Jenkins, Morgan Gannon, Ryan Hall, Jack Sinfield, Tom Nicholson-Watton, Alfie Edgell, Riley Lumb, Ben Littlewood, Ned McCormack, Toby Warren, Max Simpson, Presley Cassell, Marcus QareQare, Jack Smith, Joe Diskin

Do the last four on the list count as first team squad.

1 Lachlan Miller 2 Maika Sivo 3 Harry Newman 4 Ash Handley (CC) 5 Ryan Hall 6 Brodie Croft 7 Matt Frawley 8 Mikolaj Oledzki 9 Andy Ackers 10 Keenan Palasia 11 James Bentley 12 James McDonnell 13 Cameron Smith (CC) 14 Jarrod O’Connor 15 Sam Lisone 16 Morgan Gannon 17 Cooper Jenkins 18 Jake Connor 19 Tom Holroyd 20 Jack Sinfield 21 Alfie Edgell 22 Tom Nicholson-Watton 23 Riley Lumb 24 Ben Littlewood 25 Ned McCormack 26 Max Simpson (27 Warren, 28 F.McCormack, 29 P.Cassell, 30 J.Smith) Pretty much as was expected in terms of squad numbers I reckon the club have held off announcing any of the other young players who haven’t made their debuts yet as we are still in talks with Harvey Livett apparently 2 other clubs have come in for him so doesn’t look a straight forward signing.

Handley at centre is still a concerning prospect to me. But Arthur presumably knows what he's doing.

Gannon in the 17 is a nice indication hopefully of what he's been showing in training, especially as Arthur hasn't seen him play.

Whilst we could have better quality here or there, the only area we look short in is the back row. We must finish in the playoffs this season.

[quote="batleyrhino":28ef8zla]Whilst we could have better quality here or there, the only area we look short in is the back row. We must finish in the playoffs this season.[/quote:28ef8zla] Top class stand offs are hard to come by. Seriously though, I honestly think he'd be an established first teamer now were it not for the concussions. He's got a lot of potential.

[quote="Seth":1b9nwb8g]Gannon in the 17 is a nice indication hopefully of what he's been showing in training, especially as Arthur hasn't seen him play.[/quote:1b9nwb8g] There is no doubt that Gannon and Holroyd, if they’re back and fit and firing, will be like two extra signings on top of the surgery that’s gone on in the pack. Anyone know if there’s been anything else about Jarrods injury. Arguably look a bit light at 9 in his absence.

[quote="Barrie’s Glass Eye":3ac0eh64]There is no doubt that Gannon and Holroyd, if they’re back and fit and firing, will be like two extra signings on top of the surgery that’s gone on in the pack. Anyone know if there’s been anything else about Jarrods injury. Arguably look a bit light at 9 in his absence.[/quote:3ac0eh64] Apparently he’s done his MCL he’s out until about round 6 is what’s initial been said.

[quote="MjM":20iexgef]Handley at centre is still a concerning prospect to me. But Arthur presumably knows what he's doing.[/quote:20iexgef] I vaguely watched the first half of Boxing day via the stream and I felt Handley tended to drift towards the wing when receiving the ball and taking Sivo's space away. Hopefully I am wrong as this would waste Sivo's main asset.

If all the backs are fit and therefore Connor misses out, who is kicking goals?

[quote="Simmo71":3lh42ejr]If all the backs are fit and therefore Connor misses out, who is kicking goals?[/quote:3lh42ejr] Good point, who is kicking? Who in the 17 is better than Connor? If the answer is no one, then for me Connor has to start. He has plenty to offer in the rest of his game and the importance of going up in 6's rather than 4's cannot be overstated.

Miller can kick goals, IIRC.

[quote="Exeter Rhino":skdpkeid]Miller can kick goals, IIRC.[/quote:skdpkeid] He does, around 68%. Nowhere near good enough imo.

[quote="YosemiteSam":1v7v28vx]He does, around 68%. Nowhere near good enough imo.[/quote:1v7v28vx] Where’s that stat from? Id expect miller to kick but then Connor to take over shen hes on the pitch. All depends on how Connor gets utilised. Croft can apparently kick goals too Interesting that Martin has been given the 17 shirt at KR

[quote="christopher":3sn5bxar]Where’s that stat from? Id expect miller to kick but then Connor to take over shen hes on the pitch. All depends on how Connor gets utilised. Croft can apparently kick goals too Interesting that Martin has been given the 17 shirt at KR[/quote:3sn5bxar] His NRL record plus SL to the middle or so of last year - Total RL iirc. How we use Connor will be critical. He's a talent, and one assumes BA hasn't brought him in to warm the bench.

[quote="christopher":10lpfle3]Where’s that stat from? Id expect miller to kick but then Connor to take over shen hes on the pitch. All depends on how Connor gets utilised. Croft can apparently kick goals too Interesting that Martin has been given the 17 shirt at KR[/quote:10lpfle3] My worry with giving Miller the kicking would be the pressure of the role. I'd rather him focus on being the best full back he can be without adding the expectation of being the kicker. Connor is certainly now the most natural place kicker (with the exception of Sinfield) at the club, it's just a question of whether he starts. If he continues to play like he did on Boxing Day that won't be much of an issue because we'll have to find a place for him. I thought Frawley played well on Boxing Day, but if young O'Connor does miss the start of the season I could see him (Frawley) doing a Dunneman 2004 type role for us off the bench.

[quote="ArthurClues":17h1ecuz]My worry with giving Miller the kicking would be the pressure of the role. I'd rather him focus on being the best full back he can be without adding the expectation of being the kicker. Connor is certainly now the most natural place kicker (with the exception of Sinfield) at the club, it's just a question of whether he starts. If he continues to play like he did on Boxing Day that won't be much of an issue because we'll have to find a place for him. I thought Frawley played well on Boxing Day, but if young O'Connor does miss the start of the season I could see him doing a Dunneman 2004 type role for us off the bench.[/quote:17h1ecuz] I think we’ll see Frawley start at 7, connor on the bench, then when he comes on Frawley to nine to give Ackers a break. I agree re Miller by the way but I think he’ll be first choice kicker when Connor isn’t on Loads of noise on X about Rhys Martin not happy at KR, I reckon its rubbish though.