Re: Transfer Talk V5 : Tue Jan 21, 2025 12:59 pm  

Clearwing wrote:

Gentle mick take of a bloke with a great sense of humour, apols if it came across as anything darker.

Not at all, I didn't read it as anything other than a humorous joke. It would be great to be a fly on the wall in business meetings should the situation arise.

Re: Transfer Talk V5 : Wed Jan 22, 2025 7:32 am  

I've nothing but positives to say about Gary Hetherington. Might be past his use by date as thr head of a club, but as a person he's amazing. I've spoken to him on a number of occasions about support for fund raisers and he's nothing but supportive. And you always feel like he remembers you. A great human being at a time when there's doesn't seem to be a lot of them around

Re: Transfer Talk V5 : Wed Jan 22, 2025 10:32 am  

I’ve been really busy with work etc so not had chance to catch up with my source until yesterday.

So Blease & Hetherington are really pushing to sign Watkins but it all depends on dispensation on the cap as we have no wriggle room at all apparently which is a bit of a shock considering we’ve released 10 players and only brought in 5 signings however I think this shows that a fair chunk of our squad is on top money and some probably overpaid for what they produce. If Watkins was to resign for Leeds 50k of his wage would be payed by the RFL due to being club trained.

The Harvey Livett Signing seems unlikely now as Leeds are fully focusing trying to get the Watkins deal over the line.

Finally injury report and it’s the usual case of us been told

Jarred O’Connor- likely return between round 3-6

Alfie Edgell- no return date yet from fractured jaw

Ned McCormack- knock unknown how serious

Ben Littlewood- knock unknown how serious

Jake Connor- knock not thought to be serious and should play this week

Lachie Miller- return to play round 1-2

We’d have to have some serious rotten luck if we lost all 3 fullback options to injury.

Re: Transfer Talk V5 : Wed Jan 22, 2025 10:43 am  

Didn't Littlewood have surgery on his hamstring in December?

Re: Transfer Talk V5 : Wed Jan 22, 2025 1:50 pm  

JRhino1 wrote:

So Blease & Hetherington are really pushing to sign Watkins but it all depends on dispensation on the cap as we have no wriggle room at all apparently which is a bit of a shock considering we’ve released 10 players and only brought in 5 signings however I think this shows that a fair chunk of our squad is on top money and some probably overpaid for what they produce. If Watkins was to resign for Leeds 50k of his wage would be payed by the RFL due to being club trained.

Isn't the club trained dispensation capped at £100k per year, and we are already at that limit?

I'm also confused about the lack of cap space. Blease has said publicly several times that we are still in the market for another signing, if the right player comes along. Is he wrong, or simply making it up?

Re: Transfer Talk V5 : Thu Jan 23, 2025 12:09 am  

Leeds_Luke wrote:

Isn't the club trained dispensation capped at £100k per year, and we are already at that limit?

I'm also confused about the lack of cap space. Blease has said publicly several times that we are still in the market for another signing, if the right player comes along. Is he wrong, or simply making it up?

We may have some cap space but not enough to sign a player on a large contract such as Watkins.

Re: Transfer Talk V5 : Thu Jan 23, 2025 8:49 am  

JRhino1 wrote:

I’ve been really busy with work etc so not had chance to catch up with my source until yesterday.

So Blease & Hetherington are really pushing to sign Watkins but it all depends on dispensation on the cap as we have no wriggle room at all apparently which is a bit of a shock considering we’ve released 10 players and only brought in 5 signings however I think this shows that a fair chunk of our squad is on top money and some probably overpaid for what they produce. If Watkins was to resign for Leeds 50k of his wage would be payed by the RFL due to being club trained.

The Harvey Livett Signing seems unlikely now as Leeds are fully focusing trying to get the Watkins deal over the line.

Finally injury report and it’s the usual case of us been told

Jarred O’Connor- likely return between round 3-6

Alfie Edgell- no return date yet from fractured jaw

Ned McCormack- knock unknown how serious

Ben Littlewood- knock unknown how serious

Jake Connor- knock not thought to be serious and should play this week

Lachie Miller- return to play round 1-2

We’d have to have some serious rotten luck if we lost all 3 fullback options to injury.

Thanks for your service, Jr. What will be, will be, with Watkins. If we pull it off, great. If not, just let Littlewood have a go and see how we get on.

The S+C has been frustrating for a few years. As it's been said, we've been unfit for years, but we've also picked up knocks and injuries like nobody's business. I know Hunwicks left the club half way through last year (though the impact he had on the team in his second spell doesn't seem too impressive, unless I'm missing something) and he just seems to be replaced internally. The partnership with Leeds Met/Beckett/Poly produces some good sports scientists, but we don't seem to bear the fruits of it. Hopefully this is just down to it being an intense pre-season, and it'll ease off during the season.

Re: Transfer Talk V5 : Thu Jan 23, 2025 12:39 pm  

Hearing that Salford will be safe and won't need to offload players

Re: Transfer Talk V5 : Thu Jan 23, 2025 1:44 pm  

I hope that's right. That's the best outcome for the game as a whole.

Re: Transfer Talk V5 : Thu Jan 23, 2025 2:04 pm  

Once were Loiners wrote:

I hope that's right. That's the best outcome for the game as a whole.

It is if it's a long term solution. If it's merely kicking the can down the road for 6 to 12 months then not so much.