Squad for next season so far… AS FAR AS I’M AWARE



Next year will be our third season under CC. The last two years have been brilliant and we have been on an upward curve. Now is the start year three and it's going to start to get more difficult. Teams will be ready for us now, next year will really be one of those that could go either way. It's never to early to start worrying





We will all have different ideas as to what players we nee to recruit. However I think we all agree that we can’t sit on our laurels. I’m sure it’s CC’s and JK’s nightmare that this team swaggers into the first game of the new season believing all the hype. They are a good team but not that good. If we don’t improve as a team and as individuals we could very easily be facing a MPG next year. Thats not pessimism that’s just sport.



However thats the job of the coaching staff all we can do is have a bit of fun speculating. This is the squad so far, the ones in italics I’m not sure if they are contracted for next season yet. The ones at the bottom in bold have either left or are OOC.





SIGNED FOR 2018



Scott Grix

Tom Johnstone

Bill Tupou

Reece Lyne

Ben Jones-Bishop

Jacob Miller

Liam Finn

Anthony England

Kyle Wood

Matty Ashurst

Danny Kirmond

Tinirau Arona

Craig Huby

David Fifita

Max Jowitt

Jordan Crowther

Keegan Hirst

Mason Caton-Brown

Chris Annakin

James Batchelor

Chad Randell

Jordan Crowther

Baldwinson

Wray

Ackroyd

Justin Horo



OUT OF CONTRACT



Mikey Sio

Judah Mazive

Bradley Moules



LEFT THE CLUB



Mitch Allgood

Sam Williams

Ashley Gibson

Adam Walker

Jon Molloy

Dean Hadley

James Hasson



That’s a squad of 26 and seven players who have left and three OOC.



I’d say these are straight replacements



Walker<> Baldwinson

Williams <> Randell

Hadley <> Horo

Moules <> Ackroyd

Mazive (might get a second year)



That leaves five players wages free - I know it doesn’t quite work like that but if we have any wiggle room this is where it is.



Gibson

Sio

Molloy

Hasson

Allgood



I’d like to see…



Another Prop (but we are not desparate)

Another Centre

Another Half back



The obvious place to look is the MPG teams Leigh and Catalan - bad team doesn’t automatically mean badd players.



Don’t see a prop that we could afford that I fancy from either team tbh.



Ditto Centres



Halfbacks however - I quite like both Ryan Hampshire (22) and Greg McNally (26) both of whom would do quite well with us. Not that bothered about Drinkwater though he’s not a bad player nor Pelissier as I think Wood and Randell will prove adequate.



That said I think Leigh will wallop Catalan so we won’t get a sniff at either.



Anyway over to you.

I think we need another prop and I believe we are look overseas for one.



We need another half to add competition, I would be happy with somebody like Jamie Ellis.

Not so sure that Leigh will wallop Catalans.



As for positions, half back yes, and prop ye, not sure about a centre. Maybe more a utility back.



There are no props in either side I would take I don't think.



Think Drinkwater's stats to say he is in a struggling side aren't too bad, and Mortimer looks like he could be a good player, though seems to be playing a lot at hooker. Catalans have Walsh, but he's rumoured to be Salford bound.



That leaves the utility player, which there is one at Leigh, who is a local lad, spent a lot of time in his career at either full back or half back, but has spent time in the three quarters in the last couple of seasons

By the way I dont really get the Hampshire hype. Yes I know he is talented and was probably the best junior at his age group in the country but i am yet to see him do it a Super League level. I also dont really know what his best position is and I think that is part of the problem.



I personally think he needs to play in the Championship for a couple of seasons at a team like Fev and i 1 set position so he can learn that position and make it his own and then earn himself a shot at that position for a Super League team.

Crowther is off to Dewsbury for the year isn't he? I'd count him out except in a crisis.



Hampshire there is a good player in there somewhere just needs a real chance. Think he's done ok at Leigh this year in a struggling side.

Me neither tbh but I was looking at availability more than anything else.



I think the biggest problem Hampshire would have if he joined us would be to many people in his ear. Being 'local' isn't all it's cracked up to be sometimes. So we are probably his last choice

I think with Hampshire it has been a case so far of a jack of all trades, master of none. He'd be a decent squad player to have to cover various positions if we decided that was needed but i don't see any specific position that he would be any better than what we have now. It depends what he wants really, if he's happy in that role then i'd happily have him on board but personally for the sake of his career i'd suggest going somewhere where he can make a position his own, if that means a drop into the championship so be it. He is young enough to come again when established.



We want a prop and are looking overseas but from the million pound game i'd happily take Bousquet or Moa if Catalan drop, both a very good forwards.



We need halfback cover and are looking for one in this country, or a hooker with Wood & Randall's ability to play in the halves. Nothing off quota at Catalans excites me there to be honest, at Leigh then i wouldn't be upset if Ridyard arrived, did a decent job at Huddersfield earlier in the season and can kick goals which may be a problem if Finn is injured. Other than that Liam Hood is a Yorkshire lad that could be a handy third choice hooking option that wouldn't cost the earth.



Not sure we need another centre to be honest, With TJ back he and BJB have the wing positions sewn up which leaves Tupou, Lyne, Arundal & MCB fighting for two spots, all of whom can cover wing as well. Given Jowitt could also cover the wing it would take a pretty big injury crisis for anyone else to get a game and if that happens then we should use the loan system if needed.

Salford are having a clear out

Todd Carney,

Olsi Krasniqi,

Adam Walne,

Jordan Walne,

Liam Bent

Connor Williams



Michael Dobson and family want to return to Aus

Full Back - Luke Hooley needs adding to the squad

I wouldn't be surprised if our final quota place is for a Prop because I'm struggling to think of a decent British one we could get.



MC said in an interview that we're after just a top quality Prop for next year to round out the squad, or words to that affect. Obviously things can change as they continue to assess because as others have said we need another halfback as well for me with Williams going. All you have to do is look what happened to Miller this year, to know we need cover. That said I don't know how close to being ready Ackroyd is.



I'm happy with our , Bill's really developed into a quality , with Arundal there as well & Lyne. TJ & BJB on the wing and MCB as back up who can cover as well.

I suppose this begs the question, is he better than Jowitt? I here he is but I've not seen him play tbh.

I've never seen the lad play but heard he tore it up in the U19 games he played. They must think really highly of him with the contract they offered him, 2 and half with option for another year. He's meant to be a good goal kicker as well, always a bonus.