Can never have enough forwards imo, thats whats killing us at the momment

id be happy to bring in watts,johnson, plus another big rugged prop too as well as keeping moa

That's where Hudds do so well, lots of forwards.

This seasons squad is two players away from challenging imo, a top centre and halfback. At the moment, for next season we are 4/5 players away from that so lots of wirk to be done, the new team has spoke about ambition enough times, time to back it up.

The fact is that the previous regime and Agar ruined the youth set up at our club and so the production line of talent that should be there simply isnt or isnt good enough so we have to fill the gap till in maybe three yaers it starts coming through hence the reason we are after Crookes, Arundel and Johnson. None are the finished article just like an under 21 player wouldnt be but all have potential

I also think we lack depth in the squad and it may take some time to rectify this

This season's squad is further away than that IMO. We have a severe lack of forward cover which we are suffering from right now. Hudds are proving how important a big pack with plenty of cover is.

I trust our new regime to get it right but with recent rumours about Manu, Turner, O'Meley, Moa etc.. next season is starting to worry me very much as it will be very difficult indeed to replace all of those players (and more).

Next season is starting to look more like another one of "transition" to me. I don't know what they sold to Ellis in order for him to sign but our new regime is going to have to find a lot more quality for next season that I imagined they would have to.

My guess, fwiw, is that you'll make a couple (at least) of impressive(-ish) Aussie signings from the NRL, alongside the youngsters that have been touted. It might not quite offer the value it once did, but with one overseas spot already free, plus questions over the futures of Moa, O'Meley and McKinnon, you'd look to have a fair bit of scope.

Plus, rumours of departures, is different to actual departures. I'm really not sure now, but in my occasional role of a cut-price anti-Barista, I half-suspect the Manu thing to be a manufactured emergency, with a last minute reprieve eliciting lots of ecstatic

and


Timely-est boost... ever!


If not, they've made a proper hash of managing the story.

I think that it is probably the latter. An unexpected kick in the teeth to our new regime's new beginning. They have told us to expect the odd disappointment but signing Ellis only to go and lose Manu, is so disappointing and is not going to bring back the "lost fans".

It's obviously very early days as far as 2013 goes but with the expected departures, we have a hell of a lot of recruitment of the highest quality to do!

I'm not sure that's fair. If they were given to understand that he'd be signing - and all the talk in the press has given that impression - only to have him change his mind at the last minute then there was never going to be a way to manage the story well. If they'd tried to play down how much they wanted him to stay nobody would have believed them anyhow.

Surely Sharp will get a new deal but they havent mentioned starting talks with any ither players

Ins or outs
O'meley LET GO
manu KEEP
turner KEEP
aspinwall LET GO
moa KEEP
martin LET GO
mckinnon LET GO (if believed is true)

OOC
nicklas KEEP
whiting KEEP
kent KEEP
sharp KEEP
burnett LET GO

And next year would line up like

Horne
Briscoe
Yeaman
New face
Sharpe
New face
Seymore
Lynch
Heremia will be like a new signing and a cracker at that!!!
Ellis
Tickle
Manu
Westerman

New prop
Moa
Ocarrol
Whiting
Pitts
Bowden
Houghton
Plus youngsters coming through..

Looks good to me if the new faces we bring in are quality and no more squad fillers, the starting squad are all familiar with the calls and game plan and then apart from three new faces it’s a settled squad….to be fair I think Ellis could fit in anywhere at a minutes notice..

And tbf, if he stays they've played a blinder.

If he's completely changed his mind, and blown a hole in it, I kind of see what you mean. But why trail it, rather than just wait 'til he'd signed then use it as another show of ambition? Wise with hindsight, I guess.

If they'd waited until it had been decided on way or the other, they could have created a feel-good narrative either way (in light of Ellis signing). Now it is either going to be perceived as fantastic or calamitous. Not that it is really either, but perceptions can set the tone.

Agree with this. If (when) we are told Manu is leaving, I can see the club countering it in the few days after with a big signing and/or contract extensions for Whiting and Sharp.

This one from a friend of my wife, £200,000 for Ben Jones Bishop for 2013.

At least a change from talking about Manu.

Why would BJB come to Hull when he's a first choice winger at Leeds?

No chance in BJB coming, although I will be happy to eat my words if he does come.

If we want a young English centre who isn't Arundel. I could see us making a move for Matty Blythe.

Where were they talking. In the pub it appears.

Give £200K to Leeds? I dont think so

BJB is a full back playing on the wing. Would be a great replacement for McKinnon. Still very much doubt the deal mind.

Yes I know but I don't see why he would come here apart from that he's so eager to get the 1 jersey that he's willing to leave Leeds. Apart from that I reckon he'll stay as a winger for the rest of his career or within the next couple of years he will replace Webb as Leeds first choice fullback.

If we are chucking 200K about it wants to be a better player than BJB and preferably a halfback.

The same can be said when we signed westerman.

Not really Westerman was a lot higher profile IMO.

Also it wasn't 200K.

You'd sign one of the 2 best 2nd rowers in the world and play him at prop?

Also, says a lot that you've spent the last month championing Turner, say we should keep him, but then either don't see a place in the squad for him or don't even remember him enough to mention him.