WILL former Wharfedale captain and stalwart John Lawn be running out for the Greens next season?

The question is one the Wakefield and Yorkshire hooker is weighing up at the moment as he considers the implications of leaving Wakefield after a season at College Grove to rejoin the club he served from childhood until his move last season.

Lawn has had talks with both Wakefield coach Steve Townend and Wharfedale's Director of Rugby, Michael Harrison, to establish what the future holds for both clubs and how he might fit into their plans.

"Wakefield have said that they would like me to stay and even offered to enhance my wage, but the issue for me is not about money, but about prospects and about being able to dove-tail my rugby into my family and job commitments," says Lawn.

"I've enjoyed my rugby at College Grove and I think as a team we've done fairly well considering the problems we've had to overcome.

"Obviously the decision of Bradford Bulls not to go ahead with the proposed tie-up with the club was a sad blow, but from a poor position in August, when we barely had a squad of players to raise a team from, we've done well.

"There is obviously a question about where Wakefield go from here and what the future holds in terms of who will be staying at the club and who will be in charge of coaching. There are changes afoot, but how that will all pan out remains to be seen. They are looking to put a package together that will enable them to continue as last season in National Division One, but a lot of the players are out of contract, so what will happen is still very uncertain."

While Wakefield's future is very much in the melting pot at this point, Wharfedale are also at a cross-roads in terms of where they go from here after surviving in National Two on the strength of a final day win at Harrogate.

While optimists at The Avenue will believe that the club has enough players coming through to avoid a repeat of this season's uncertainties, others are inevitably less confident about what the current playing staff can achieve.

The problems facing the Dalesmen at this point are not dissimilar to those of Wakefield, the significant difference being that the financial stability of Wharfedale will not be threatened by moves to recruit experienced players and effectively buy some time in a literal sense for the developing players to come through.

To Wharfedale's great credit, the kind of ethos which has brought rapid movement for a number of junior clubs and brought a number of Zurich Premiership organisations to the brink of bankruptsy - and beyond - has never been part of the Wharfedale philosophy.

It is unlikely to change now, but some positive plans need to be put in place for the new season and doubtless details of what is envisaged will ultimately colour Lawn's judgement and how he assesses his options.