I never said we would make the 8 I said it would be fair progress and it would be. I look at your squad and I see 3 good halfs and that's about it. Yourselves and the likes of Hudds and Wakey we have to displace. Which is easier said than done. It's all speculation at present but I like the look of our squad so far after the release of so many. Will have to wait and see who else comes in as the speculation at the moment is crazy but it's nice to have options and the money for the coach to get his men. I think your squad is Turd you think ours is? Who'd of thought that?

You only have to look at cas for what you can achieve with an average squad and a good coach the truth is the days of great Aussies coming over are long gone we don’t seem to be able to attract average ones now so fans should stop expecting top notch signings because there not going to happen the successful sides all have a lot of players that have come through the ranks everyone moaned last season about signing Tickle but he ended up been a great signing you never know what your going to get really

I'm not convinced by Powell, he is good at finding talent, but his teams have failed in big games and he has poor record at bringing young players through. I think a few years ago you could say Cas had average players, but not now with the players they have. As you say the key is youth and until we get to the level of Wigan and Saints we won't challenge consistently.

I think Powell has done a great job really he does seem to be able to turn a team of cast offs into a team that can challenge ( he has 5 players in his team that we let go) but yes they have failed at the final hurdle a bit like you did in the play offs a couple of seasons running Wigan and Leeds just seem to have that mentality in the big games that sees them through

Difference is Hull got over the final hurdle twice in the same 2 seasons. As much as I think powell is a good coach, he's been a coach for years and has won 2 less major trophies than radford. Winning these games is as much mental strength as ability and powell's teams have yet to show they have that when it matters.

You're like anti-barista

I was on about your failings in the play offs I think the CC is easier to win not saying it’s not a good achievement I just think you had a great chance to make the grand final and you blew it cas did make it to the final although they didn’t turn up

We definitely blew it last year and 2016 we just imploded after the cup win. I'm not sure the CC is easier to win TBH. In many respects it's harder and our runs to the finals in 2016 and 2017 were much harder than the routes to the GF were but I think it takes a really special team to do the double and we just weren't that good. If we hadn't got to wembley in 2016 I think we'd have won the GF as we were flying before wembley

I agree I said at the time that after Wembley I doubt you’ll win another game that year was all about getting the monkey off your back

Compared to other clubs we seem to be slow in announcing our signings this year. On the football side of things we have Peacock and Sheens in charge but Peacock seems to be silent and absent. Is he still at the club? And Sheens 3 year deal appears to have gone quiet. I doubt whether this is appealing to prospective signings?

We have announced three signings. That’s as many as most clubs I think.

I don't think you can use Toronto as a yardstick - they almost needed to announce early to kind of shut up the doubters about one season wonders etc.

Like Keith says, 3 announced already and they were not really announced in a positive PR manner more so mentioned after the match. I think the club will use announcements to continue the positive messages around season ticket sales, so once momentum starts to slow down expect an announcement or two followed by a buy your season ticket message etc. No need now as season tickets are 700 up on this time last year - so may as well hold good news in reserve until needed.

Anyone else reckon Abdul will now be our HB signing after initially thinking he will be going elsewhere? I personally think he'd do a decent job as long as we bring in some new big units in the forwards.

I don't think it's a bad option, relatively cheap ( compared to an aussie ) and know's a lot of the squad. I still see him around East Hull in all of his FC attire still so it doesn't seem to have any legs as of yet.

Still think we will get an aussie personally

Mate of mine (who tells me he's in the know) reckons Abdul is nailed on for us next season..

This Abdul we are "Nailed On" to sign,
Would that be the illusive running line breaking halfback Abdul ? (because we already have a creative halfback)
Or maybe it's the strong tackling, ball carrying centre Jordan Abdul.
Could it be the 3rd pivot, line running fullback Abdul ? or maybe he's an 80 minute hooker now ?


Let's remember his reason for leaving the Dullers is he cannot get regular 1st team rugby.

Does anyone see him as first choice in any position for us ?

Agree with all you have said BitonRobin. Would like to think we are setting our sights a little higher than Jordan. On another note, I see Kopczak has been sold to a rival club, would Rovers fans welcome him?

It's a tough one isn't it. Most of us were calling for him to be signed up after his loan season in the Championship. And just because he was only good in the Championship doesn't mean that he can't hack it in the SL (not sure what went on at FC but injury certainly hasn't helped). First and foremost he's only going to come if more or less guaranteed a 1st team place otherwise why would he leave? I agree though, I'm not sure he'll add any value other than an ok backup to the current squad.

No one can be guaranteed a 1st team place however good they have been in the past. There are too many imponderables. I cannot see him being able to sign for any SL team if he insists on that condition.

to be fair, he was flying for Hull a couple of years a go before injury. He isn't going to get in above the 3 HB's they have got so although surplus to requirements doesn't mean we shouldn't look at him. In a salaried capped sport players will always be surplus to requirement if we didn't try to sign them we wouldn't have a team.

I would rather sign a specialist, but he would provide some cover and provide utility value if you still wanted maguire and atkin as starting half backs. Worth a punt in my eyes don't expect his salary would be huge either

In 2017 Jordan had a very good season for us in the Championship, Sheen's got the best out of him, got him fitter then he had been previously and even managed to utilise him in different potions with some success.
2018 Radford played him in a method that suited his teams style but he couldn't adapt so was sent to Donny.

Does that reflect on Abdul been unable to play to a teams structure or Radford's failure to coach ?

Either way if he's prepared to knuckle down, get fit, listen and learn from what is posibly the most experienced coach in the northern hemisphere, he could be worth a punt. But not if he still believes his own (our his agents) publicity.
He could have a long and fruitful carrier, but not in front of Atkin & Maguire at the moment.

Is abdull playing in a loose forward/playmaker role a possibility,always struck me that position would suit him,obviously tackling would possibly be a weakness.As a matter of interest,kavanagh signed for halifax.

No news yet on either Tim Sheens extending his contract, or Blair or Carney(if they are staying or going) which is a bit of a concern.
Plus other clubs seem to be making signings and strengthening, but as yet it,s very very quiet for us. I,m not counting the three we know about as has already been mentioned they were made public after the Widnes game.
The question is how many teams do we currently seem stronger than, and at the moment I think the answer is not many, London maybe, but who else?. TWP, a Championship side, make six signings (including Thomson) who we were apparently looking at, and admittedly Canada must be an attractive option, but are we being outbid?
It,s been said we want quality over quantity, easy said, but admittedly not easy to get, but I am uncomfortable with the deathly silence, maybe I am been impatient.
Really hope we have some coming. getting thoroughly fed up of battling near the bottom, especially when some other teams have a smaller support base and seem to prosper.
I suppose we have no option but to trust the club, but some positive news would be welcome.
Maybe I am just being a miserable old timer, but I have been lucky to see our good times, but that was a long long time ago.
I want them back!

I would be very disappointed if we signed carney,past his best and plenty of fitness issues among other things and imo a total waste of a quota spot,but as you say no news either way,so patience is a virtue i suppose.

I hope we get Abdul. Quality player. Our second best behind Lunt n his season here. Broke his leg then played in a shambles of a side for the last dozen games. Still set up their scores in the derby. Great option to have in any squad. Halves are not easy to come by and he has a good future in front of him.
On other signings we appear to be doing the same as last year. Appear to be being used and outbid for players. Don't appear to have anything concrete sorted and look like picking up the left overs. Could have 4 overseas spots. If we had anything in the bag would Blair and Carney still be being talked about....looking grim at this point.