Also cap management becomes harder the more successful you are, the higher Rover finish the more the players will want to get paid as other clubs get interested, players like Litten and Lewis now involved in the England set up with want more money or other clubs will come calling, so they may have to offer other players less.

You have seen it at Saints, losing top class players to other SL clubs as they can offer more, one good thing about the salary cap, works particularly well in the NRL

I think people are been unfair to wood, he’d be a solid signing. Tall, versatile, good age and wouldn’t break the bank.

With Wynne & Mitch leaving we need some depth in our backs and he should offer that. He’s more rounded and reliable than both and shouldn’t break the bank.

I’m not sure sure he’s a guaranteed starter but I’d give him a chance to fight for it. I don’t think he’s a replacement for swift so if it’s true he’s leaving I hope we’re in the market for an out and out speedster.

I also imagine this puts SKD rumour to bed as I can’t imagine us signing both. Wood is the better option for me. younger, cheaper, domestic and a long term signing

It’s true but I also think the [umost successful[/u SL clubs get a discount because they can pretty much guarantee trophies. And that value can be redeemed with better contracts when the player moves on later in their career. In the NRL - from my limited knowledge of it - teams’ fortunes seem to wax and wane a lot more.

But yeah, it is an interesting point for a club hoping to transition from a couple of good years to competing with Saints and Wigan regularly. It’s maybe the tipping point where having a productive academy has a lot of value.

100%, people saying we should release 15 players and then moaning after being linked to a solid squad player, if he is our main signing I'd be worried, but if Smith think we need another outside back then I'd rather be someone like Wood than spend big, rather save our quota spots and cap space for some forwards.

To be fair most I've read have been fairly positive about it, even the Rovers fans

Definitely true, but there is probably only Wigan and Saints who have that currently in SL and even they have lost both top players (Coote, Fages Bentley) and highly rated youngsters (Nicholson and McDonnell)

Sometimes you can sign experienced players (like McIntosh or Evans for example), and they'll be on higher wages as they're already experienced players but it won't work out, or you can try sign fringe players on lower wages that might work out...like Salford with Cross, Dupree, Croft etc and it works out. Some fans wouldn't be happy unless we signed Ado Carr and Tom Johnstone. You've also got to factor in that we might not currently be the most attractive club to sign for either, not had any form of success for 6 years now, and a few players being recently being paid off, so we might not be able to bring in the calibre of player we truly want just yet...or have to pay a premium to do so

Wood will go with most of our fans good wishes, solid player and full of enthusiasm, I feel Smith rated him a lot higher than Peters does now and that will have played a big part in him moving on. Peters has said if a player doesn't want to fight for a spot then he can go, maybe this was the case here.
Be a shame to see him move on but I feel it was a toss up between him and Senior to leave and it looks like its Wood.

Is Senior OOC?

Wood seems a decent player, who must fit the TS template.
We’ll probably lose Mitch, and definitely Wynne, so it improves the squad.

He’ll offer good value and utility. Saints, Leeds and Wigan supplement their squads with good Academy prospects who won’t be on big wages.
Often they lose a few to clubs, who offer them more money, but it does generally bulk out their squads with solid players.
Think that’s the business plan for Hull now. Easier said than done though.

Wood is a great player to have in your squad, he's full of energy and effort and really versatile too.
He left Huddersfield for more game time, which he got last season under TS, obviously he's not had as many games this season and maybe thinks he'll get game time elsewhere,
Personally I think he'll always be a squad player rather than a first team player, as he's really good in a few positions rather than being great in one.

No he's contracted until 2024.

Thanks, not really a straight choice between Wood and Senior for who leaves like BR suggested then.

Satae going unfortunately big loss for us, hope we sign another big bopper from NRL.

I agree with Satae going Tag needs another year for me, we can't just get rid of virtually every prop baring Fash and Sao, I agree on SKD but thinks it's a done deal so need to back and trust TS plus I think he's bringing SKD in for his experience especially if Danny goes we need a captain. I'd be happy with Wood too.

Shame to lose out on Satae, the lure of south of france is hard competition. Vital part of the rebuild replacing him now.

Don't forget they are signing Gutherson to replace Coote





best one yet of my KR colleague

Yea that’s not happening.

I’d be pretty peeved with Satae as an FC fan because he’s been pretty garbage this season (and he is a player - though needs to work on his defence massively) and all of a sudden, May deadline comes, and he has his best game of the season as so he can get as big contract as he can elsewhere.

He is going to Catalan but if he played for us I’d say good riddance if you can’t be d 90% of the other time when you’re not playing for your contract.

Yeah I agree with that - massive drive against Wigan apart, he's been pretty average all this year to be honest. I would rather sign a 7/10 player week in, week out, than a 10 out of 10 one week, and then a few 5's thrown in

Think this is it with Satae brilliant on his day, but seems to be questions of consistency and motivation, watched him a few times hiding from driving the ball in or out of puff trudging back, but then has moments where he looka destructive.

Sam woods pretty happy with the signing always thought he had solid games against us and his heights a weapon.

Cant see him costing alot on the cap, and i dare say we l have a shrewd one in Tony smith where we see alot more value for the salary cap.

My worry now is that we are now searching for players for every position on the pitch baring FB and the halves. It is going to be a huge overhaul which makes me sadly think players we should really of been look to get rid of will be offered deals.

Shame to lose Satae but hopefully we will bring in one or two of similar ilk as we definitely need some more punch down the middle.

Interesting on SKD especially with the Wood signing. Must mean that Swift is definitely going as well.

Isn't this what most people wanted anyway? Looks like the squad will be pretty different next season.

Seems these are as good as gone:
Lovodua, Evans, Shaul, Satae, Savelio, Wynne, Mitch

With question marks around:
Swift, Houghton, Griffin, Brown and Taylor

Always been very 50/50 on Satae, won't be easy, but think we can get better.

That's the problem satae hasn't set the world alight but is 100% our best prop

If we don't sign better we are weaker like losing Mau we are weaker since He left

Wasn't that long ago we had manu mini and Ellis as a back row depressing seeing lane Griffin and fash now

Taylor no where near 2016/17

We have weakened so much since 2017 its alarming

Have you been alarmed since 2017 or has it just dawned on you how bad things are and you’ve suddenly become alarmed?