Lord Tony Smith wrote:
I find it bewildering that the team are just back in pre season training and we still haven't signed a halfback having known we've needed one for about 6 months when it was common knowledge Widdop was going. It's just poor planning.
We did most of our business very early, the crucial element to 2023 recruitment was obviously the pack, Mikaele and Nicholson came in early, and the others were sorted and signed very early in 2022. The two gaps are centre - which I doubt Powell thought was a problem at the start of 2022 - Wardle (didn't work out due to Huddersfield demands) and half back. My guess is that Powell expected Ratchford to take up that position, but as time has gone on, he obviously feels that Ratchford isn't the right fit for that anymore. The talks with Drinkwater seem very advanced and preseason hasn't started in earnest yet. I think some more players link up on Monday, with only Willams absent till the new year, some clubs as far as I am aware haven't started pre-season yet.
There has been a huge overhaul of the playing squad, if we are successful in bringing in a centre and a new half back, its likely 9 players will be in the 17 in 2023 that weren't at the club at the start of 2022. The change I think has been deeper and faster than most expected, if we can get Drinkwater over the line, I think the only issue is centre, which is disappointing given we seemed to be in a good position with Wardle, but sometimes things don't go your way, I don't think the club has done too badly tbh.
