[StalyShark]

https://www.drfc.co.uk/shark-jones-make ... ts-switch/

Never had a look in this year with Oosthuizen joining sadly. Always did a decent job going on for WGJ last season. Good luck to him.

[Olyy]

Sturgess to Fylde and Nic Dolly released, as well

Surprised at Dolly - he's looked good in the limited game time he's had, and Webber retiring leaves us light there

[Elgar]

Very surprised about Dolly!

Deserved vote of confidence in Ashman though.

Really feel for players released at this time. Who knows when they'll be able to get game time again outside the top tier to get their careers back on track.

[StalyShark]

Surprised too about Dolly given he was the England U20 hooker. Would have expected Ashman to leave for Jockistan if anyone. Does pose a question about Nield again though, are they keeping him a utility flanker/hooker?

[Olyy]

Looks like today is the day of contract announcements:
They've just confirmed that Webber leaves tomorrow (not new news, but just confirmation that he's not here for the remainder of the 19/20 season)

[Olyy]

Rouban Birch gone

[StalyShark]

Rouban Birch gone

Put on a lot of muscle over the two years he’s been here, was very quick but mustn’t have done enough.

[Olyy]

I guess we have to be a bit more harsh in offering academy players contracts, with the reduced cap and our increased spending on international players.

i.e. if Neild has a year left on his contract they can't justify having both Dolly and Neild on the books at the same time,
They have to look at how much game time Birch/Sturgess will realistically get next season with the players we have ahead of them at the moment. Can we justify keeping them contracted for a few 'A' games and maybe a bench appearance in the LV= cup? etc.

It is a bit of a worry that we have the smallest squad in the league (I think?) and are releasing a chunk of our fringe players.

[Olyy]

Ciaran Booth to Connacht (this was announced a week or two ago by Connacht, but just confirmed by Sale)

[Lord Elpus]

Teddy Leatherbarrow leaving tomorrow.

[chris1850]

I know Wikipedia should be treated with caution but it has Cobus Weise as a confirmed signing. Have I missed an announcement?

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of ... _transfers

[Olyy]

I know Wikipedia should be treated with caution but it has Cobus Weise as a confirmed signing. Have I missed an announcement?

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of ... _transfers

Someone jumping the gun - Dimes said a few days ago that contracts are signed pending a visa, which is delayed because of Coronavirus (he has to pass a mandatory English test, but the test centres in SA are closed).

[StalyShark]

Sam Dugdale now as well! I thought that academy intake were pretty highly regarded!

[StalyShark]

James Williams gone now! It’s going to be a bit quiet around the old Man City training ground soon. I hope we don’t have to play midweek teams with players’ minutes restricted as we won’t be fielding a team at this rate!

[Olyy]

Going to be leaning pretty heavily on Manchester Met Uni and Leeds Carnegie if there's an A League next season

[Lord Elpus]

I thought James Williams looked a prospect.

[MikeGC]

The BBC radio Manchester sports report mentioned 8 players leaving.

[StalyShark]

The BBC radio Manchester sports report mentioned 8 players leaving.

That’s the number on the official channels.

[Elgar]

Are these leavers going to be contracted at FC (funded indirectly by Sharks), appear as 'guests' for the Jets and get Sharks contracts again in a couple of years if merited? Perhaps that's a legitimate salary cap hack?

Some of those players being released just doesn't seem right.

[Lord Elpus]

So that's Webber retiring, Jones, Sturgess, Dolly, Birch, Booth, Dugdale, Leatherbarrow, Williams leaving plus Wilson returned to Budgies.
Ten fewer plus Hill & Wiese joining leaves a net loss of 8.

[StalyShark]

I haven’t heard of any U18s being added to the academy either.