In its simplest form, if you compare the team for 2025 c/w the team that started 2024, we have replaced Nicholson with Yates and Drinkwater with Hayes / Leyland. From what Sam Burgess has said, Russell has been brought in to give us 'options' in the second row.

The halfback situation is a bit 'wait and see' as it depends upon whether / how quickly Hayes can come back from a serious injury, but having Leyland there gives us a Plan B.

In the pack Fitzgibbon's fitness is clearly a concern. He only played in 17 out of 33 games last season (and failed to complete 2 of those), so we're going to need Holroyd et al.

Before the 2024 season started, we lost Kasiano. He's never been replaced, and we've missed not having a big interchange prop. Musgrove doesn't seem to punch his weight and whilst Yates, Philbin, Crowther and Holroyd all give 100%, our pack lacks a bit of size.

I'm not worried about our 3/4s. Lindop, Wrench and Taylor-Wray are there for backup and to put pressure on the incumbents.

In summary, I see us as being neither weaker, nor stronger, than at the start of 2024.

Totally with you that our support base is a worry. 
How would anyone throw crap at Jake Thewlis/Holroyd ... it is just sick.  We can't pretend that if we pick lots of youngsters then the negativity will stop.
We have to be very careful judging our support base with those who post on Facebook or various forums. There is a group of people/fans who just don't get involved and don't enjoy the online "banter". 
 

Yes Wrench should have passed - and did in an almost identical position vs Catalan a couple of weeks before, I think he saw the cover coming across from Cas and wasn't confident Sneyd would make the line.

I think the communication can be improved on whats happening with recruitment and the academy etc.  


You hit on a good point in terms of us knowing how the academy prospects are developing, would be good to hear from Chambers every couple of months on topics such as Recruitment / Retention, Development and progression of academy players, Scholarship and PDP progress and Community Club engagement.  I know they can't always tell us who they are chasing and who they are letting go, but to know that we are avoiding signing new backrowers despite an apparent lack of depth because we have a player in the academy who is really promising is good to hear as a fan - just getting some insight in the the strategy rather than the specifics.


On Whitehead specifically it seems to me he hasn't impressed enough in training to get a sustained run in the first team, with younger players coming up behind him who are perhaps more promising, seems reasonable to release him.  If the youth system continues to improve we'll likely see more of it.

He's on $700k a year. There's no way we can afford him. He'll be back in the NRL next year.

Unless he can’t get a deal next year, maybe Parra subsidise his contract next year and we take up his contract fully in 2027 when his demands are lower (if he can’t get a deal in the NRL he’ll have to lower his demands).

Wow $700k, equates to £341k that's a big salary. He would have to be very special for that kind of money. Must be a salary cap issue sending him over here (not read the press) as he is reported to be on Parramattas rosta for 2026.


I do hope Holroyd gets a good run, he is a talent. 


Personally I thought Irwin looked poor at Cas due to the players around him and he looked a bit bigger than the last time we saw him. Once next season rolls around he will be a good size and be able take some hits, or he could be like Gregory and/or Edwards who were masters at not getting whilst being brilliant.