WHARFEDALE hopes of having their former captain and hooker John Lawn back at The Avenue next season have ben dashed, (writes Tony Simpson).

Lawn admitted to thinking long and hard about a possible return to the Greens, but has decided to spend another season with Wakefield rather than return to his roots.

The former captain of the Dalesmen had talks with the club's Director of Rugby Michael Harrison about a possible return after just one season in National Division One at College Grove.

With Wakefield's future under something of a cloud, the temptations of coming back to the club he served with distinction had to be weighed very carefully.

"In the end, I simply felt that I would not be being fair to Wakefield to leave them after just one season and to stay there just felt to be the right decision," says Lawn.

"There will be the chance to help with the coaching at Wakefield - as there would have been at Wharfedale - and I'm hoping that will allow me the cut my teeth at senior club level.

"There were a few uncertainties about what the future might hold at College Grove, but I think most of them seem to have been settled in a positive way.

"I believe captain Glen Wilson is staying and there are a number of new players who may be joining the club."

Lawn's decision will be a disappointment for the Dalesmen, but otherwise the general synopsis remains as before, with the only certain departure being Gareth Johnston, who has taken a job in London.

Elsewhere it looks like the mixture as before, although there are irons in the fire on the recruitment front.