Wakefield really seem to be improving at the moment.

As you say, the signings of Williams & Caton-Brown are decent, and resigning Fifita for 2017 is massive for Wakey. Couple that with the shipping out of some dead wood, and the emergence of some decent talent in Johnstone & Jowitt, it's looking good on the playing front.

Top 8 last year, John Kear joining the setup to support Chester & drive the club forward as DoR, and I think they're rebranding to drop the 'Wildcats' name (?), there must be a real buzz around that club at the moment.


Salford have largely the same squad that would've made the Top8 if it wasn't for the deduction, but lost their way in the Super 8's. The only notable losses are Josh Griffin & Caton-Brown from last year. They'll still be tough to beat.

Hudds still have a strong side and it'll be interesting seeing how they go having Rick Stone for a pre-season.

Not sure about your logic there Dave. His performances were pretty good from what I saw.

You look at the Wakey side playing in those games, and they were riddled with injuries. Miller, Jones-Bishop, Kirmond, Gibson, Anakin, Moore, Scruton all were out at some point. I'd say it had more to do with that, rather than inferring Fifita was to the detriment of the side.

Leigh did lose a game and we'll stroll into the top 4

Agreed, looks a decent player, my point was he isn't a new signing he was there for half the season.

All teams had injuries, if I was a wakey fan I'd be slightly concerned about the end of season form. I would guess they will finish 9th-11th.

Unless Salford do some serious recruitment, I think they are Rovers best chance to pick off.

My guess for bottom 4, would be Wakey, Salford, Leigh and either Eindnes or Hudds.

Although always seems to be a shock.

Bit confident.
Just like London were in 2015
And the Bulls in 2016
Championship ain't that easy you will be the team most teams raise there game against.

I'm more confident this season the longer we stay in this division the harder it will get but I'd be disappointed if we don't finish top

Tilse is staying. As per loads of previous posts I'm not a fan. However, I'm willing to see if Sheens can do something with him before I start another negative tirade. Maybe the previous coaches didn't know how to use him properly? We'll see...

It will be 23 cup games before the 8's. That will either exaust the squad and need bolstering, or set the mindset for 7 games to ensure our return.
Hence why we need experience players over young loaney's.

They could start by using his offload which is one of his best assets I for one am glad he's staying

Club have made a point of saying he's taken a pay cut, hopefully forestalling some of the negativity. Finished 2016 pretty strongly, I thought.

With Horne signing, I assume the backrow is pretty much sorted (with Addy, Lawler, Donaldson, Clarkson, Blair and Greenword). Looks like we're going to try to work/play ourselves into promotion contention rather than smash our way up - Greenwood offers something a bit different at least. Limited other options, of course. Still one more senior prop to come after Tilse perhaps? Or will Mulhern be 'stepping up' to that role, with Moran being the new 'project'?

6-8 still to be confirmed or come in. Would be good to get our 7 sorted before we're too far into preseason.

Thought senior prop Nick Scruton would be the starting front row with Tilse?

Yep - Scruton, Clark and Tilse would be three of first 17 prop quartet. Just wondering who'll be the fourth.

Things recruitment wise seem to be progressing ok(ish)I am ok with Tilse re-signing. However we need some strike players. Stating the obvious, but losing players like Ken Sio, Kelly,Josh Mantellato not yet committing,Campese gone, Dixon probably going ,who are points scorers and no obvious replacements yet is a big concern.
Salter doesn’t inspire, not convinced by Shaw yet, Marsh who is sometimes anonymous don’t seem to be enough for me(I hope they prove me wrong)
For me the backs look weak, we need some proven experience in these positions, don’t rely on young kids, it does not work, plus a big shed of a second rower would be nice.
This division will not be as easy as some think
Hopefully Sheens has a cunning plan for recruitment. Fingers crossed.

We need to deal in facts here. We now have one of the game's top coaches in charge of us. If he can't polish turds, then nobody can. Tim Sheens has said as a matter of record that he wants a squad of 26-28 come January. He wants to save some cap and strengthen for the middle 8s, assuming we qualify. Unless, I am mistaken, Neil Hudgell has similarly endorsed this view.

There's a bit of negativity around the current squad. Understandable given some of performances many of them were a part of last season.

Remember, we were busted last year and close in many games but lost. We gifted survival to Salford in the MPG.

We have retained core elements of our squad. Except Salter and Horne, I am happy personally with what we have retained so far. We have added 3 new players. The 2 Bradford boys are more than half decent. I'm ambivalent on Scruton.

It's likely there will be 4-5 Tim Sheens signings still on the horizon. I would trust his experience and judgement on players and squad requirements. For now, we should give him time to make his mark, effect his changes and stamp his authority on the team. It can be done, it has been done repeatedly in history and he has to be one of the best qualified coaches to do it and achieve the club's new improvement objectives and bring a steel and winning mentality to our play.

Before we get the odd Duller on here responding unsympathetically to recent posts, remember the Hull squad in 2015 and their collective performance transformations in 2016 following the introduction of 6 new signings including one Danny Washbrook.

Tilse thus far has either not been up to a standard for a bloke his size or his cost. I'm not a believer that he has a good offloading game just because he's done it a couple of times, but that could be a fault with how the team used him. His recovery after a tackle is the slowest in the squad and he plants his feet ready for a tackle and gets sidestepped more often than other forwards. I also don't see him as a leader in the pack. That may all change under Sheens, and I'll gladly and apologise if he improves, we need him to work harder next season than in 2016. Here's hoping.

We need Josh to sign and another halfback.

I thinking the halfback maybe someone we sign nearer the 8's. Those teams last season who had their sights on gaining promotion seem to follow a simular game plan.
5 drives and a kick until August, then sign a creative half and change you approach.
Leigh - Drinkwater
London - Soward
Bradford - Chisholm
It may also allow us to spend some of the cap on a decent second row.

The owner and our very experienced coach obviously do not agree with you about Tilse.

Do you want half the squad to be second rowers? That is the position we are strongest in at this point in time.

Quantity doesn't equal quality.

I would be happy with Blair,Greenwood and Addy as a back 3.

We have quality in Blair and Greenwood. Donaldson and Clarkson very adequate backups in our division to name just four of the squad

2 more in the bag today, Moran confirmed as staying and George Milton joins from Doncaster.

I confess to knowing the square root of bugger all about young George.

There will be a Hull fan along in a minute Stan to let you know all about him

Plays loose forward/2nd row, good going forward, and likes to offload when given the chance. Mobile, covers a lot of ground, and normally played 60mins a game for us.