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We have just experienced a very interesting and exciting period, during which the club has signed several top players and more or less established its playing roster for 2020. The following year, 2021, looks like being equally fascinating and hectic with the following players completing their current deals: Escare; Gildart; Burgess (Joe); Leuluai, Flower; O'Loughlin (assuming he plays next season); Hankinson; and Sammut.

We should be in a position to recruit more top class talent, given the amount of salary cap that will be available, but it could be argued that we firstly need to concentrate our efforts on retaining and extending the contracts of some of our existing personnel. Any thoughts?

I personally have a feeling lockers will call it quits after this season. I dont see how we have room to sign French, Burgess, Bibby, Hastings and Clarke on the back of just Williams and Sarge going.

Blackpool_Pie wrote: ↑Thu Sep 12, 2019 12:53 am I personally have a feeling lockers will call it quits after this season. I dont see how we have room to sign French, Burgess, Bibby, Hastings and Clarke on the back of just Williams and Sarge going.

Hamlin and T as well.

I imagine both Leuluai and Lockers will call it quits after next season (assuming the latter doesn't retire after this season). I also imagine Gildart will leave for the NRL along with (more than likely) Hastings, meaning signing a top centre and half-back will be crucial. Particularly centre as we're a bit thin in that position as it stands.

Gildart would be the one I’d like to see retained still a lot of work to improve but he and French or Gildart/manfredi would be awesome

I doubt Sammut will stay past this season,same with Escare so that’ll allow for a couple from the production line to move up,as for 2021 I’d say French,Hastings and Gildart will be NRL bound.

fozzieskem wrote: ↑Thu Sep 12, 2019 9:52 am I doubt Sammut will stay past this season,same with Escare so that’ll allow for a couple from the production line to move up,as for 2021 I’d say French,Hastings and Gildart will be NRL bound.

I think the hardest to retain post 2020 will be

Hastings
Gildart
French
Burgess (if form picks up)

i expect the top 3 to be offered NRL contracts

Dare I suggest "fans"

French came here coz no one in aus interested........ defence first in aus which is our gain

Woody1989 wrote: ↑Thu Sep 12, 2019 9:11 am I imagine both Leuluai and Lockers will call it quits after next season (assuming the latter doesn't retire after this season). I also imagine Gildart will leave for the NRL along with (more than likely) Hastings, meaning signing a top centre and half-back will be crucial. Particularly centre as we're a bit thin in that position as it stands.

We have Hankinson as a centre and he has been solid and good value when he played consecutive games in the centre position, only issue is if Lam sees him as first choice, since the Leeds / Hudds games hes been sub & then 18th man so still needs a good run of games to establish himself