Quote DrFeelgood="DrFeelgood"With respect to squad size, are people concerned because the squad is short or because we're used to having a ridiculously large squad in recent years with several underperforming or underused players? I think the latter might be playing a small part in this anxiety at the moment. I agree that we need more but realistically we're not far off are we? 24 senior players and 6 youth players should be more than enough to get us through the season and with all these pre season games it will give us more than enough chance to give pre season minutes to the inevitable late signings that we make. I don't think a squad of 23 is too far away from completion really. Does anyone have preference over where we need to strengthen, for example?'"
My concern over the number of games is that it increases chances of getting injuries in games that don't matter. We might get a squad of 30/31 but despite that there are some players who, if they got an injury in pre-season, would be a massive loss. I'm thinking Chisholm, Keyes (both recovering anyway!) and Hallas. Why take the risk of so many games? I'd rather see us play 2 or 3 at a push. Even then I'd be wrapping up our playmakers in cotton wool.
Looking at the squad I think we're short in the following areas: Backrow, Wing, Fullback and Centres.
I also think we need another prop and maybe another halfback as any club worth it's salt would go into a season with 3 really. Competition for places and cover for injuries. We can't rely on Reiss Butterworth to cover halfback on his own.
Ideally we'd be recruiting some experienced hard ass forwards. A prop and a backrower. We need cover for Lee Smith who will not get through the season un-injured. Same applies to centre cover. We have Gibson and Oakes then nobody. Only two wingers and one that only has a handful of games to his name.
We're ok for hookers.
