Matt Calland confirms in today's Courier that Luke will not be returning to Fax but is staying in Sydney to play there. No actual teams mentioned, but at least he won't be playing against us next year.

All the best Luke and thanks for a great year in the Blue & White. Hope we can see you wear it again sometime.

he proved he was what was needed and we are champions. thanks to him for helping achieve this.

I thought Branno was quality and its a shame to see him go, Its not what i would have wanted, But from this its rather clear he is a Journeyman just after a paydeal, I much prefer what we seem to be getting this year, Some Local Lads with experience along with some youth to train up and develop, Hopefully some with loyalty too.

Ido fear however with Branno, Holroyd, Royston gone that we will not be the same expansive attacking team of last year. Time will only tell.

No need to hit the panic buttons just yet... we have time and MH, and I reckon he will pull in some additional attacking talent

Exactly.

sad to see him go, he did everything that was asked of him, even play centre in the biggest game of the season.

at least he hasnt joined anyone in our league

but jones n greenwood to attack too.

I'm sorry, where was i panicking ?. i said time will tell, I have every faith in MH & MC, Unfortunatly i cannot say the same for the BOD.

Yes we have Danny Jones and Miles greenwood, Miles has been out for over a year, Danny Jones should go ok but he is with the big boys now, Hopefully the experience of the ones around him will get him to where we need him to be, He is a young lad and i saw at Keighley when we beat them how much it got to him, he really wanted to prove a point to his home side, Passion and pride are whats needed and he has this in abundance, MC and team can do the rest with the coaching.

Like i say, not worried, just awaiting a Big Gun or 2..

The likes of Nash, Branighan and Bannister weren't exactly "Big Guns" and they did far more than our main "Big Gun" signing Stanley Gene.

The squad is taking a very workmanlike like look about it at the moment, no hot-shots nor Prima-Donnas, just what I want from a Fax team.

Agreed, as much as a "Big Name" signing helps shift shirts/season tickets/sponsorship packages ect, we dont need one at the moment, We have the marketing point that we are champions.

Big Names usually demand big money, and can bring big ego's to the club potentially causing disruption.

If we can retain most of last years squad, and make a few more decent signings (Danny Jones as an example) then we wont have to worry too much

As for Luke Branighan, Im glad he won't be facing us next season, shame he couldnt stay but c'est la vie.

He was a valuable member of the team this year, and won't be forgotten quickly, may see him back one day, we'd never have thought Ben Black would return but it can happen, who knows...

To call him a Journeyman is Unfair, theres a lot of players who move clubs, its a short career and they have to make what money they can, if a player is good enough to warrant a bigger salary elsewhere, or another club is willing to pay more, sometimes its best to let them move on, no point blowing a big chunk of money on one player.

Not sure you boys really need anyone else...

Gene - Clayton
Branighan - Jones
Wrench / Larder (one???) - Smith
Thamghart - Gannon
Royston - Greenwood

Wouldn't be too upset if I was you I tell yea