Warrington won't let Parton go out on loan only Dual reg. Wakefield tried in the off season and we're turned down 3 times.

Benefit of hindsight. When he was here, everyone was saying to not make sure he's the next Siejka/Herbert. Signing him because we're desperate for a 7, only for him to turn out to be a bit rubbish and we've wasted our money. I'm sure the decision at the time was based on that and thinking he isn't good enough, let him go and aim for other targets. The fact those targets haven't paid off maybe means Jacks would have improved the squad slightly, but at the time they had to make a decision.



I'm as frustrated as the next person at the lack of scrum half, but I also don't want to see the club completely waste money on someone who's nowhere near good enough as they did with Siejka. The fact Jacks can't even get in the Sheffield team suggests to me he wasn't good enough, and his saved wages may end up being the difference between a 5 out of 10 rated halfback to a 7 out of 10 rated one. If one ever becomes available.





I do think people are contradicting themselves a little though. Complaining about not signing Jacks when we were desperate for a 7. In the same post, complaining about signing Mathers as an emergency replacement for Mullaney. The Mathers signing was identical to the Siejka one IMO. We lost a player late on in the recruitment process, so quickly snapped someone else up (knowing Oscar Thomas is nowhere near the finished article) who turned out to be a bit naff. Everything about the situation tells me it would have been the same thing if we'd signed Jacks.

Difference being we have plenty of players who can play FB. Clare, Thomas, and Campbell (a FB who we signed in the off season.

) We already had cover there.



The HB situation we've got 1 player and seemingly giving everyone a go there.



Even if Jacks was a bit naff, he won't be any worse than what we've seen there so far this year (it can't get any worse) But we could have kept him there and it would have allowed Addy/Purtell/Haggerty to play in their natural position and giving a bit of continuity in team (which is another massive issue that a lack of HB is causing as we're constantly chopping and changing)

I do think that point is nearly as important as the lack of a half. Brilliant as Gaskell is when firing on all cylinders, he does have a fair bit of 'downtime'.

IMO, there are at least 8 players in our first team who could be cut loose. Several of which are likely on a decent slice of cash so their loss would be to our gain.



The trouble is getting the off the books to start with.



Personally, I thought that Jacks was worth a deal. He was coming from a P/T background so would be unlikely to be able to command a huge wage, he certainly wouldn't be earning more than we're paying Mathers. Why couldn't we have gone with a longer trial period as we did with Lovegrove? Give them a chance against the week in week out sides we're likely to be facing and see how he does then.

Keep signing these "squad players" and we'll still be in exactly the same situation but with even more people not playing and 50p to spend on a scrum half.

I like Burns because he is one of those players who seems not to understand the concept of pain. I think therefore hooker is probably his best position, he just doesn't cut it for me as a HB, not creative enough.

Depends what your alternatives are..

If you are covering Burns' wages you need to get value for that money; I'm not sure you will get that with him at SH. You'd be better using the cash trying to bribe the ref.

I am putting my hope in Smith knowing a few half backs who want to come over with him. He doesn't need to be a big name, just someone who is a decent player who can't get a game in the few NRL teams that exist. The problem is the visa conditions may hamper them.



I like Gaskell but hold back from saying he is top class. Two SL teams have let him go and he is months from the end of his contract but nobody has come in to sign him for the remainder of this season. It appears Hull want him. He is a good player in the championship but he still has it to prove at a higher level. What if Smith has a stand off that he prefers? Will Smith want to sign a 35 Yr old in Leon or will he want a 25 year old to build the team around.

Smith is a total unknown and may surprise us all with some of his signings.

Looks like Rangi is available after all according to TotalRL.com



Go on, I dare you

We'd be better off giving Smithy a couple of quid, just to see if he can get lucky in a chook raffle before he comes over..