Alffi_7 wrote:
I think a talisman prop and we are a different side, possibly the retention of Clark was an indication there wasn't any decent options available on the market - possibly there is awareness of a couple of players being available for 2023 and the club wanted to keep their powder dry, difficult to know from the outside, but it certainly seems we have been left behind when you compare the importance we have put recently of recruiting half backs. Below is the full list out of contract as we know it.
Leave: Josh Charnley, Jason Clark, Jack Hughes, Ellis Robson, Eribe Doro
Retain: Mike Cooper, Matt Davis, Riley Dean, Jacob Gannon, Stefan Ratchford
Jury Out: Billy Magoulias, Greg Minikin, Gareth Widdop, Rob Butler, Robbie Mulhern
Doro & Robson I would expect will leave us, of the remaining young players Dean & Gannon are hopefully to be staying with us. Butler I'm not too sure, maybe a drop down to the championship would do him some good to see where his future lies...? He needs to be playing regularly.
J Clark and Hughes I think will move on, you'd think that would leave enough to recruit a good prop, Hughes stock was possibly a little higher when he signed his last deal and whilst Clark wont be a huge earner, I think the two of them would release £150k to recruit a good prop? Davis I'd keep hold of just for versatility, decent squad option to cover 13 unless we have obvious academy prospects to cover there (Whitehead?)
Charnley is a funny one, he'll do well under Powell I'm sure, but I think Powell could get most wingers 20 tries a year with his playing style, Charnley will be on a good contract, can we afford to have that on the wing when we are struggling so much in the middle? I'd probably let him move on as we have bigger problems elsewhere.
Minikin and Magoulias (although I think he has an option in our favour) we will have to wait on, I wonder whether Powell brought Minikin in as the longer term replacement for Charnley?
Ratchford and Cooper should get new deals, Cooper is a no brainer, whether Ratchford is as first choice or a squad player with Thewlis stepping up will be interesting to see, I've seen plenty of good things from Thewlis as a winger, I haven't really seen him have a quality game at full back yet - though his chances have obviously been limited.
Widdop, I guess he will want to return home, two+ years with your kids living on the otherside of the world is a long time, though that will be balanced with a UK contract being much higher than any contract he could get in the NRL. Maybe he could be tempted to stay, he will be a long time retired and wont see anything like this money again in later life you would think. Will also depend on what we have lined up in the market, or whether Powell see's Dean as a long term option.
Mulhern stats wise isn't that much better than Philbin in terms of meters and avg gain - in fact Philbin has been better than him since round 3 onwards, he's part of a problem and could be one to make way.
Don't see the need for any on contract players for 2023 leaving, it would just be a change for changes sake, and some of the players mentioned in this thread will come good.
Two props with one of them being a significant signing (how long have we been saying this for? with possibly a new winger coming in also. In my ideal 17 next year, Philbin is battling with Bullock for that 2nd bench prop spot.
This is a brilliant post Alffi and i agree with everything you've put, i think on current form Bullock would be picked ahead of Philbin everytime. I think Bullock is playing well for us
Statistics: Posted by Or thane — Tue Mar 15, 2022 4:09 pm — Replies 60 — Views 5655
