The length of deal is the issue I heard rather than money. We want him for a year and I think that's what is up for discussion.

If we go into next season with no proper HB cover YET AGAIN, relying on Long and Horne's half season contributions, we deserve all that we get ! It would be sheer madness ! If we have any intentions of competing at the top of SL of course.

Don't forget as Westerman said yesterday he can also play 6.

Your insane

Yes he can but when Long has an extended spell on the sidelines, we are shafted at 7 again.

Come on, have you seen Wigans team.

on paper. you're perhaps illiterate

if we are at full salary cap then you could argue we are trying to compete. if horne and long could form an effective partnership without getting injured then that would also help our cause. on paper we have some quality players, the problem has been keeping them fit enough to discover a bit of form. i would love to have seen what michael maguire could have achieved with our squad last season

i wouldnt play westerman at 6,hes a 13.we have needed a proper loose foreward for a long time.if we start moving westerman around,we will end up with another washbrook.we need experienced half back cover.

Would put a few others in front of us as well, Dobbins included.

IMO Wigan and Wire have the best teams on paper, then you have a band of Us, Leeds, Saints, Rovers and Hudds who are better than the others in some areas and worse in other areas but don't really stand out overall. Then you have Bradford, Salford and Celtic then finally the rest.

Pot calling Kettle Black after that post.

Maybe we need to ship someone out to clear the cap room

In which areas are we stronger than Leeds and Saints? The only possibility I can see is on the wings, which means diddly if you're outperformed down the middle. Everywhere else they're at least as good and mostly better IMO.

Surely with Joes arrival and what we have on board already in Horne and Long fit again, plus the younger players coming through a year older and wiser the situation has already ten fold improved hasnt it??

not really. I was referring to an earlier post which rupert had clearly not read properly. besides that i believe we have a pretty good squad (which is just my opinion)

you are in fact correct , we have a much better squad even after only Joe and sharp arrival, because we have released few , have more coming back to fitness , more coming through the ranks a year older and so we will be much harder to beat this year having kept almost the whole squad together learning and growing together!!

What players coming through then ? Nicklas you mean who hasn't played a 1st team game in the halfes

Nicklas, Kent, Cunningham and Lyn all spring to mind.

I think we have some really good, young talent coming through and the club should be applauded for that. However, I can't agree that we're stronger than the likes of Warrington, Wigan, Leeds and Saints and in my opinion those four teams will finish above us next season - even if Long, Horne et al don't miss a game. It's been proven that to win trophies etc you need to score lots of points and last year we scored 300-400 less than the top four sides. I can't see that changing because we do lack genuine creativity within the squad/side and have done for three or four years. Sean Long has been a terrific player but he didn't have many 'outstanding' games last season and he's now a year older so I don't think we can expect miracles from him in 2011. I think we'll compete next year but I honestly believe that we don't have enough points in us to trouble the likes of Wigan, Warrington and Saints when it really matters.

Sorry mate thought he meant youngsters in just half-back position not overall , josh bowden is the one to watch in next couple of years

Is that the prop? If so, he's looked a good prospect when I've seen him, hits the line well.

Yeah he's the prop

Josh Bowden is a very nice prospect Big unit and runs the line top notch, been improving year on year. Also Jack Aldous (Prop) could have a future another one who wears his heart on his sleeve..

Danny Nicko could be the 1 to make the grade.. watched this kid from a young age at West Hull.. Shame he got the injury at Quins back in july.. As a Super League Number 6 i think and hope he can make it..

Lee Williams (7) not ready yet... Good Kid but long way off..

Cracking couple of 2nd rowers in Cunno and Kenty as we all know.. Both got a future imo.

Having said this.. Aving watched 90% of the games for the 20's last term.. For every 1 quality player we have coming through...Saints,Wigan,Wire and maybe few others have 2-3 top notch young lads coming though and could be special and make the grade.

Wigan and Warrington yes. Plus saints (I reckon)

then Hudds
Then Leeds Rovers, You (maybe bulls)

No worries, about time we produced a good prop, last one was Kingy.