I agree to a certain extent.
There are definite shared skills but not universally across the pack.
But the skills still need to be there.

So for me as an example, you can play Westerman at 13 and he can also play 8. But if you play him at 8 his job slightly changes and you need a different style at 13 to compensate.
Defense for a 13 is same as a prop now but attack we play a ball handler.
If you play Crowther I think you'd want one of the props to be a slightly different style etc.
13 used to be the cover tackler but that role is now with the halfbacks.

Equally Tanginoa can play Prop and SR but I wouldn't do that with Fifita.
Angles of running and defensive style are very different.

So I agree getting players who can play multiple roles is a good plan, but sometimes you just have a specialist too.
But, if you get the universal forward, you need to explain it to the fans who consttly criticise the 'playing out of position'. That gives me a headache sometimes.

I see Hull KR have signed a prop from London, I think thats the third prop snapped up from the lower divisions for superleague.

Good to see that there is still a path for players to come through from the leagues below.

I wonder if we were in for any of them? We were told by the club that there are no props available but it reality seems otherwise. Perhaps there are no props available within our budget would be more accurate?

It's a long and hilly path that Greg Richards has chosen. Long time since his Saints days.
Give Aydin and possibly even Eseh a start rather than wasting money on no more than a squad filler. Maybe Rovers don't have any young props coming through?

Mr Carter did say, that Props from lower divisions were been offered big bucks by clubs to signed,and it is a gamble that teams at the top of the salery cap can take .Wakefield have got to get every signing right .and admitted they had got some wrong

Talking about props. Eseh will be 18 by start of next year and will have a full time season under his belt and a full time pre -season. The lad seems to have the size and the energy about him. I can see him playing a handful of games or more off the bench next season. With the lack of options for props I’d be more than happy for us to blow a good amount on one single good prop signing from the NRL and invest a lot of energy in pre season into the likes of Eseh and Aydin to get them to make the step up.

Fifita
Battye
Arona
Aydin
Eseh

Are our current signed on options. Tanginoa needs to be at left SR next season which is as clear as day (only used in absolute emergency). We clearly need one big mean prop. I’d honestly rather have one very good prop than 2 average ones. It’s got to be in our budget though.

We do have a rather large difference on players leaving and coming.

I reckon the rejuvenated Chris Green may well get another 12 month contract.

I think this is only because you have to tell those you are not offering contracts to earlier so they have chance to negotiate.
Outs are always announced well before the ins, even if they've actually signed.

I'd give him one. He's a big unit and shown some grunt recently.

The problem is the third group those are in negotiations but have yet to sign. I would have thought that with only one week of the season left we would know which players are not being retained.

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We do.
The players that are not being offered a contract have already been told.
Those we have offered but are allowed to talk to other clubs already know but may choose to accept. We would have given them a time limit so we can look elsewhere.

Do we who are the ones we have not retained.

I doubt he knows the names, he’s explaining the process.

I wouldn’t. Don’t want players who only put the effort in because their contract is running down, and then go back to being anonymous.

Starting the post with “we do” somewhat indicated that we the supporters already knew who these players were that are not being retained don’t you think. I was merely enquiring because I thought it had already been released.

But we want the rest of the team who only put the effort in because Chester has gone?

Of the few signing we have made so far Gaskell is a strange one for me ,who is he replacing or covering for ,fullback ,half back or loose ,we have Miller ,Lino ,Rocky and max at present so is he our new ball playing loose or are the fore mentioned names going to change before next season .He was obviously Chester’s recruit ,and where does Willy or the next coach see Gaskell fitting in as he’s certainly isn’t a tackling machine like Crowther from what I’ve seen of him at Hudds, so I think we would suffer defensively if put at loose over Crowther although has a good pair of hands , I just don’t know who is going to step aside to accommodate him, or is he a super sub .Be interesting to see it unfold in the coming months .

You would assume that WP would have had some input into the Gaskell signing and the logic behind it.

Personally I wouldn't.

He's been average at best in the two years he's been with us.

A few recent decent games doesn't make up for it in my eyes.

We've done that in the past, and got burnt.

I'm not singling him out either, as we have had a few in the camp, I could say this about, including the player mentioned in the OP.

It wasn't that long ago, most on here wanted him gone. If he does want to go, let him go.

Strange how people see things differently.

To me he makes total sense and pretty much for the reasons you outline.

His versatility is priceless which is vital if you look at the injury horror show of the previous three seasons.

However what I think many are overlooking is that he’s a quality player, a potential match winner. Jowitt is not a match winner and it’s been a long time since Hampshire was. Miller is steady and I’ll reserve judgement on Lino for now.

Kear always said you can’t have enough pivot players and I have always believed that. For a team like us to win the tight games we need players like Gaskell imho and if he stays fit he’s a fine player.

Had a lot of injuries.

You’re not wrong but there are few alternatives out there so for me a one year deal is not a risk. Unless something better comes along I’d keep him.

Gaskell is a great player, when fit. My reservations for his signing are actually getting out there on the field consistently. He is ridiculously versatile and can cover loads of positions. See how he gets on and will be interesting to see where he actually plays.

If he does remain fit he also offers great competition for places. Centre, FB and SO to name but three. All positions you don’t want to go stale.

He’s also played 211 games in his career so I think the injury bit is overdone a little.

Granted he’s at the end of his career now but used wisely he’s still an asset to any team.

Finally let’s be honest, on his day he’s a better FB than Jowitt and Hampshire, he’s the equal of Miller and a match for our three centres,

Why people don’t like this signing does baffle me a little.

Was simply asking where we all think he will end up playing ,not on his abilities as I alluded to he can play various positions to a very good standard ,but will he become first choice or a super sub a bit like Rocky ,who more or less can cover the same positions equally as competent in my eyes . And yes I know that a small squad as ours needs as many players that can wear different caps as possible to see us competitive through the season . I certainly wasn’t belittling the signing I was merely asking the question to as where we think he will play ,or his best position.

Exactly, is there anybody better out there what we can afford, and a one year deal is not a risk by comparison to some on lengthier contracts.

I’m with you on this one Wilbury ,nowhere near the passion and commitment since he’s been here to warrant a extention, putting a few good performances in near the end of his tenure doesn’t qualify for another contract in ,at least in my book anyway