Of course this completely speculative in regards to figures, but let's for arguments sake speculate the figures.....
Remembering we need to replace the player leaving in our squad with at least an average of $100,000 players so these figures factor that in....
Thaiday would save us 300,000
Mead 50,000
Glenn 300,000
Sims 100,000
Kahu 300,000
This is of course with them getting replaced with near minimum wage players. Highly rated juniors or proven nrl players get a lot more then this (haas was speculated to be on 200,000 with no nrl experience). Then we have to factor in upgrades to Oates, Sua and others off contract this year, and what if those players we want to be released (not just not re-signed when they are off contract) aren't wanted by other clubs or those clubs want us to pay a portion of their contract?
And "the salary cap is going up" doesn't really mean anything because every teams cap is going up therefore wage demands will go up for every player...
If we did only lose those players I am all for it, but we will lose a few we don't want too if we get into a bidding war for him. I'm not saying we shouldn't get him or that it will make us worse, I'm saying we will take a hit to get him that a lot of people will not like. It's a gamble...