What has got us to where we are is being stocked with forwards, although I do agree with NK that we do need a backrow forward. What we don’t want to do is regress by letting our forwards move to other clubs and therefore reducing the competition for places.

I feel a bit for Eseh and also Sam Walters. They both looked to have big pre seasons but then picked up injuries and have since struggled to get things going. It's tough to come in to a new club and claim a place in such a competitive squad at the best of times but to try and do it after injury is even harder.

It'll be a big pre season for both in 2025 IMO. I think Peet will want to see both really try and smash it and lay a marker down for a place going in to the season. If they can do that without injury trouble, who knows what can happen. Sometimes things are about luck and timing and a spot may open up via another injury or whatever and then those lads might be able to build some momentum.

No concerns over Eseh. He will be here next season training and playing in around a better group with a whole different mentality to the clubs he has been at. He has had to go out and do it tough at struggling clubs and is probably grateful to be back. Hill will step into Coopers spot next season and Eseh will step into Hill's. My advice would be to trust in the process brcause the club can hardly put a foot wrong at the minute. Plus he has a certain Sean O'Loughlin coaching him. If he can't learn from him then he never will.

I’d like to keep Byrne ideally but if his salary has been given to Junior as an upgrade I can’t argue with that decision.

The timing of this Byrne rumour cropping up and then the news on Junior did make me think along those lines. Ultimately you have to make sacrifices sometimes and if this is the case, I don't think anyone will really grumble.

What makes you think that?

What about Cooper’s salary?

Possibly but you'd imagine leaving players salaries very quickly get eaten up by new contracts elsewhere and incremental increases. A lot of new deals have been handed out recently and this one for Junior you'd imagine is a massive increase on his previous deal.

Fingers crossed nobody has to leave but we'll see. I still think ideally we could do with another second rower to balance the squad but maybe that's greedy.

I think it makes sense. You can only have so much cap space out of the 17 each week. Thompson and Havard (to our luck) are both 50-60 minute props and Ellis usually plays 80 minutes at 13. With Hill and Eseh's seasonal upgrades, as mentioned, someone will have to move on to make way. That isn't going to be Mago or Dupree. The same happened recently with Shorrocks and Partington who were both in the squad most weeks but were blocking other players coming through.

Ben Trbojevic?

Scott Sorensen?

Patrick Ah Van?

Faf de whatshisface

Sinbad Kali?

Sinbad the sailor.

NO

Many of these contracts are staggered things.

e.g. if Junior is on a 6 year deal it might not involve a massive pay increase for years 1 and 2, with the bigger money due to kick in down the line.

I’m disappointed in you Whiffy

It could be.
When Junior's salary does start to increase substantially it might coincide with Liam Farrell being offered a reduced term and salary deal. Junior could then take the salary cap reduction for the "club trained' player or what ever it's called.
There's the Non Federation Player concession which we presume is Bevan French, Federation Player concession which again we presume is Luke Thompson with Faz or Harry Smith being the current club trained player.