Retained ... Released .... Recruited... Rumour and opinion!

[marketram]

Cory Aston will be back at Sheffield next season on a month-by-month basis when not needed at whinos.

Kyle Trout still with us? I hear he's signed at Sheffield - or is that extremely old news?

Wilsden can't you name and shame this player who dare not sign for the 8th biggest spenders in the league?

[Blind side johnny]

Cory Aston will be back at Sheffield next season on a month-by-month basis when not needed at whinos.

Kyle Trout still with us? I hear he's signed at Sheffield - or is that extremely old news?

Wilsden can't you name and shame this player who dare not sign for the 8th biggest spenders in the league?

 

 

Where did you read this about Aston MR? I can't find it anywhere - all it says is that Leeds have signed him and paid a fee, nothing about a loan back to Sheffield.

[marketram]

Where did you read this about Aston MR? I can't find it anywhere - all it says is that Leeds have signed him and paid a fee, nothing about a loan back to Sheffield.

It's not official but Mark Aston has asked for this to happen to avoid him going to Fev. Leeds and Fev are happy if they get Jordan Lilley for large parts of the season and Sam Hallas will spend time at Fev and Hunslet.

This has come as McDermott has confirmed Liam Sutcliffe will be back playing in the backs - or will start the season there - with Ashton Golding been their FB. Burrows on the bench.

Id be interested to know who's ahead in the pecking order. Lilley or Aston.

[Wilsden Ram]

Won't name and shame a player who changes his mind and stays put.

We did target another recently released former SL player this week but a certain

nameless and homeless club who have recently had a Supporters bail-out and received a transfer

fee, offered him about THREE times as much as we had left in our approved Budget?????

In my opinion, he will fit in very well with their other 8 or 9 players!

[Sir Jekyll Stocking]

Won't name and shame a player who changes his mind and stays put.

We did target another recently released former SL player this week but a certain

nameless and homeless club who have recently had a Supporters bail-out and received a transfer

fee, offered him about THREE times as much as we had left in our approved Budget?????

In my opinion, he will fit in very well with their other 8 or 9 players!

Sounds fishy to me, WR.

[marketram]

Give up now. Batley have signed Dane Manning and Jy Hitchcox on loan for the season. The gap is too big to claw back now. They are officially a big club in the champ now.

[the old nine ole]

Give up now. Batley have signed Dane Manning and Jy Hitchcox on loan for the season. The gap is too big to claw back now. They are officially a big club in the champ now.

 

 

Yes .. you are right!!  our only hope is that they have a rookie, unproven coach ... whilst we have GM!!!  ....    

[coolie]

Yes .. you are right!! our only hope is that they have a rookie, unproven coach ... whilst we have GM!!! ....

:)

[distantdog]

Give up now. Batley have signed Dane Manning and Jy Hitchcox on loan for the season. The gap is too big to claw back now. They are officially a big club in the champ now.

 

As a Batley supporter, I am delighted with tonight's news and the squad overall. However, having quality players and an impressive looking squad is no guarantee of success. In many ways, it makes Diskin's job more difficult, as expectations are now very high!

 

Matching last season's achievements will in many ways be even more difficult I suspect. I don't think the gap between us and the vast majority of clubs in the Championship will be too great.

[marketram]

As a Batley supporter, I am delighted with tonight's news and the squad overall. However, having quality players and an impressive looking squad is no guarantee of success. In many ways, it makes Diskin's job more difficult, as expectations are now very high!

Matching last season's achievements will in many ways be even more difficult I suspect. I don't think the gap between us and the vast majority of clubs in the Championship will be too great.

Your supporters won't expect to match last season but just remain competitive. In my opinion you have a much stronger side than Fax and Fev and very close to London. You wouldn't often say that before the season, but your squad and the balance of it is to be admired.

Any rams fan that disagrees have their head in the clouds.

[NickD]

Give up now. Batley have signed Dane Manning and Jy Hitchcox on loan for the season. The gap is too big to claw back now. They are officially a big club in the champ now.

The gap was too big before this news to be honest. This is just digging the knife in. Will they finish any higher than last season though?

[coolie]

The gap was too big before this news to be honest. This is just digging the knife in. Will they finish any higher than last season though?

Think the news last night is a statement of intent that top 4 is the minimum requirement for batley.

Even when we was relegated and batley were on the rise

The distance between dewsbury & batley has never felt so great

As I feel now.

The seesaw that is heavy woollen rugby has certainly tipped in batley's favour.

[the old nine ole]

 I have admired the way Batley, like Dewsbury, have not been tempted to mortgage the future and have operated within their means ....  If they are still operating within their means then their squad and general progress are to be admired!! .... But!!   Are they still operating within their means or has the allure of top 4 again just tempted them to be a little bit more speculative, in the hope that another season in top 4 would be a long term game changer ?? 

 

 

And at the risk of repeating myself ...  I still believe our squad only needs a good half back and a barnstorming prop to be very competitive ...  would that really break the bank??

[the old nine ole]

 

 

And at the risk of repeating myself ...  I still believe our squad only needs a good half back and a barnstorming prop to be very competitive ...  would that really break the bank??

 

 

On reflection I am baffled by our recruitment strategy!! 

 

The area in which we were already quite strong being  11, 12, and 13...  ( Spicer, Hale, Luke, Toby and Brown ) and we have added real quality in Walshaw .. I also think Glover could be a good 13 and utility back ... so why did we need both Ollett and Foster? 

 

For me our number 1 and 2 priorities should have been at half back and prop ....  We have absolutely no cover at half back, and for me Speakman, as hard working as he is, is not a 6 ..... I would have signed a ball playing 7 and played Kain at 6 to exploit space! ...   At Prop we only have Stringer, Teanby and Tonks .... thats 2 to start and  1 on the bench ... Tonks as good as he is is not going to make every game!!  ... so that leaves us covering the front row with second rowers as we did for much of last season ... and we all know how that turned out!!   

 

All is not yet lost ... there is still time .. but in my opinion if we don't strengthen in the halves and at prop its going to be a long hard season!!  ....

 

And if I were coach in the last year of my contract .. I would not be pinning my future on DR with Wakey!

[Blind side johnny]

 I have admired the way Batley, like Dewsbury, have not been tempted to mortgage the future and have operated within their means ....  If they are still operating within their means then their squad and general progress are to be admired!! .... But!!   Are they still operating within their means or has the allure of top 4 again just tempted them to be a little bit more speculative, in the hope that another season in top 4 would be a long term game changer ?? 

 

 

And at the risk of repeating myself ...  I still believe our squad only needs a good half back and a barnstorming prop to be very competitive ...  would that really break the bank??

 

 

All Championship clubs have to operate within the salary cap and I expect Batley to be well within theirs; KN is no mug and has had to manage a club on a shoestring for many years - he isn't going to blow the money all of a sudden. They have the good fortune to be benefiting from the present distribution system so will receive considerably more money from the RFL than we will in 2017. Points mean prizes!

[the old nine ole]

All Championship clubs have to operate within the salary cap and I expect Batley to be well within theirs; KN is no mug and has had to manage a club on a shoestring for many years - he isn't going to blow the money all of a sudden. They have the good fortune to be benefiting from the present distribution system so will receive considerably more money from the RFL than we will in 2017. Points mean prizes!

 

 

And of course all clubs operate within the salary cap!!!  ....  especially Sheffield and London!! 

[Blind side johnny]

And of course all clubs operate within the salary cap!!!  ....  especially Sheffield and London!! 

 

Yes, and next season the regulations and examinations are supposed to be much tighter. This is why MS said at the fans forum that a couple of clubs will be finding it difficult to fit within the regulations this season.

 

As far as I know London have never had any problems with salary caps as the regulations allow for losses to be underwritten. I don't believe they have ever reneged on debts nor had a winding up order, unless you know better.

[Wilsden Ram]

London now have the wealthiest underwriter in the Championship.

He continues to display the personal resources and determination

to get them back in the SL - in my opinion.

Hull KR have the biggest fan-base and an underwriter with

similar intentions.

Serious contenders - not speculators!

[DOGFATHER]

Although I'm no expert, the rules regarding the cap state you can spend up to the maximum limit, regardless of which division you are in providing you do not spend more than 50% of your income on the playing staff.

Therefore, to spend £1.8M on playing staff, the club has to have £3.6M income. As a director, I haven't seen anything within the rules, to say you could not put £3.6M in and then pay yourself £1.8M back out as a salary. As a directors salary etc. it would not form part of the playing staff salary cap.

[marketram]

Think the news last night is a statement of intent that top 4 is the minimum requirement for batley.

Even when we was relegated and batley were on the rise

The distance between dewsbury & batley has never felt so great

As I feel now.

The seesaw that is heavy woollen rugby has certainly tipped in batley's favour.

While last season was great for Batley I dont believe they will publicly say top four is their aim.

They will want to be competitive and will want to make Mount Pleasent a fortress. Their squad will be feared even more than it was when they were in full swing last season.

[coolie]

While last season was great for Batley I dont believe they will publicly say top four is their aim.

They will want to be competitive and will want to make Mount Pleasent a fortress. Their squad will be feared even more than it was when they were in full swing last season.

Half a million pound carrot

Can be a great motivator to a ambitious team

[Piggy's mate]

Half a million pound carrot

Can be a great motivator to a ambitious team

They will if they want to be paid the same next season too!

[marketram]

Batley put the knife in and I think Liam Finn has just twisted it.

The chances of us getting a half back from Wakey have just got slimmer. Liam Finn has joined a team in the championship.

[graham fisher]

Batley put the knife in and I think Liam Finn has just twisted it.

The chances of us getting a half back from Wakey have just got slimmer. Liam Finn has joined a team in the championship.

Who?

[coolie]

Batley put the knife in and I think Liam Finn has just twisted it.

The chances of us getting a half back from Wakey have just got slimmer. Liam Finn has joined a team in the championship.

Not to sound to much like an owl

But...

Who,who,who,who,who,who??