Two huge Super League transfers are “done deals” claims pundit

We have seen the likes of Leeds Rhinos, Wigan Warriors, Warrington Wolves and Hull KR announce signings for 2024 whilst the likes of Hull FC, Leigh Leopards and Huddersfield Giants have been linked with major signings of their own.

One club in an interesting situation are the Black and Whites of Hull, Hull FC.

They went into the season with 20 players off contract. They have signed the likes of Brad Fash and Ligi Sao to new deals, told the likes of Connor Wynne they can leave but have also lost players they wanted to keep in the shape of Chris Satae and Jake Clifford.

Former Hull FC star who knows what it is like to leave the club completing a huge transfer to Hull KR, Paul Cooke has had his say on these exits.

“Ultimately, the players that are leaving the club are a victim of their own success, if you like. And there’s lots of reasons that players leave the club,” he said on BBC Radio Humberside.

“Jake Clifford’s the big one that’s going to miss, isn’t he? He’s going back to North Queensland where his family are from and he had a clause in his contract which said if an NRL club comes knocking, he can go back.

“So first and foremost, when you’re signing a player from overseas, it’s a risk. And particularly this one was a risk because we all knew Jake Clifford could play, he just not got a look in at North Queensland in the previous season.

“He’s going to go back and play at North Queensland and the pull for him is too much.

“Chris Satae is the next one. He’s going to leave Hull and go to the south of France. I said this to Richard the other day, remind me where Catalans sat in the competition?

“So he’s going to the best team in the competition at the minute to win grand finals and Hull FC, with all due respect, are not at that level right now, a consistent level of Catalans dragons. So he leaves to a club and to a way of life down in the south of France to go and try and win a competition or win trophies.

“Adam Swift’s a different kettle of fish because he’s going back towards where he lives. We’re out on a limb a little bit, we’re out 60 miles from the nearest, or 45 miles from the nearest club in Castleford, you know and it’s a long way for them to go.”

He did however praise the retention from Tony Smith:

“So what I will say is don’t panic on recruitment or retention. I think they’ve done some retention deals already in terms of Joe Cater, Brad Fash, to mention a couple.”

He also claimed that two signings are done deals in the shape of Jack Ashworth and Liam Tindall:

“I think they’ve got a deal done for Jack Ashworth already and that won’t be announced or hasn’t been announced as yet. I think Liam Tindall’s done his deal. He hasn’t been announced but he’s done from Leeds. He’ll be done and the other recruitment that they will do, there will be no panic within him and it’ll be announced when Tony wants to tell you. It’s as simple as that.”