Re: Pryce going nowhere (as if we hadn't guessed!) : Fri Jan 21, 2011 10:47 am  

Saint Simon wrote:

my prediction remains, saints will offer him 2 yrs, bradford will offer him 4, he'll go to bradford, and who could blame a player at this stage of his career

It depends on what happens with Eastmond, but I wouldn't be too upset if Pryce moved on after this season. We'd miss him at first, but I think Lomax has the potential to genuinely stake a claim for the 6 shirt, and by 2012 he'll be at the age where he needs to get on with doing it. The fact that he'll have competition from Wheeler improves the situation as well.

If Eastmond does move on then that changes the landscape somewhat - I wouldn't want to go into 2012 with two youngsters in the halves. Having said that, if Pryce and Eastmond left, that would free up a tasty chunk of salary cap and allow us to go for a big-name halfback who can really control a game (coughThurstoncough). That would take pressure off Lomax/Wheeler.

Re: Pryce going nowhere (as if we hadn't guessed!) : Sat Jan 22, 2011 7:16 pm  

jdrocket wrote:

For example i would have felt quite confident three months ago that Pryce would be in the Bradford kit now because of the number of 'inside sources' i had heard of. They all apparently amounted to nothing.

They usually do! I've learned not to take any notice of what anyone says, except Mr Messy. He seems to know a thing or two, especially about which Saints player is going to be out injured!

I think with James graham saying practically that he wants to be in aus, at a bloming fans forum (he said 50/50 i take that as a sugar coat) he is going to go.

Oh yes, I think most of us are expecting Jammer to leave at the end of 2011. No matter how much money we offered him, if he has a lifelong wish to play in Australia then that is what he will do, given the opportunity (which he now has). But last season loads of people were saying he was off to Warrington!

Morely apparently wants to have a go at salfrod before he retires. I, personally, don't see the harm and would welcome him going to his home town club for a final season. I can't help thinking pryce might do the same.

I agree with you there. I just don't want Pryce to get all sentimental just yet! I think Warrington have probably had the best years out of Morely. Do you think another season and then he'll be gone?

As i said, i think it is fans of rugby trying to account for 2 broken ankles. It sin't a regular occurrence in the span of one season. It was like as soon as he was back on the field he wanted to go off. I would imagine he is just exceptionally unlucky. And this has caused some of the tension over is he going? if he had had a good season with saints this year. Everyone knows whrere they stand.

Yes, I agree. Hopefully he doesn't have a physical weakness but this was more a case of inexperience on his part in managing himself on the pitch or inept conditioning/training. I guess only time will tell.

You imagine the other friendlies will be full team? we had one, against Widnes, where there was a lot of youngsters. I can't account for the Widnes team. They certianly didn't look like yougsters but i wouldn't be surprised if there was a mixture there for both teams.

We're going with a pretty strong squad against Widnes on Sunday. We have four first team players still injured (Wello, Lomax, Eastmond and Perry) but the rest are playing. No doubt they will be rotated and we are starting with Lee Gaskell, a real newbie (only played three bits of games last season) as our scrum half. I don't know how strong a side Widnes is putting out but I'm looking forward to having a peek at Saints under our new coach.

The CC is where Wire win and the competition is getting good. I think the new additions at Warrington will be great but we seemed the real deal last year and we under achieved. If anyone can get Wire thinking the right way it is Lord Tony. I am hopeful but i don't expect a landslide next year. I think i would prefer to be pleasantly surprised.

Fair enough. In the new Monaghan you have recruited it sounds like you have yourself a really good player although I have to say I'm looking forward to seeing him for other reasons just now. When do we first play you? I hope the jokes haven't grown old by then! But seriously. There is no reason why Warrington can't improve on last year. It would take you beating Saints, really, because that was (once again) your undoing last season.

I don't think i would be too out of line saying, sometimes the better team lost.

I totally agree, especially during the last couple of seasons. KC just knew what to do to undermine Warrington. I think it was his sport! I would imagine things will be different this season. I just can't see the hoodoo continuing now he has gone and we are out of KR.

I hope to see the faces of Saints fans in the west stand knowing they were out played and there was nothing their team could do about it.

Actually, it wouldn't surprise me if Saints fans ended up cheering for Warrington when you do finally beat us. Only the first time, mind you! But it wouldn't surprise me. (Unless it's in the knockout stages of a comp in which case scrap what I just wrote!)

Re: Pryce going nowhere (as if we hadn't guessed!) : Sat Jan 22, 2011 10:46 pm  

SaintsFan wrote:

They usually do! I've learned not to take any notice of what anyone says, except Mr Messy. He seems to know a thing or two, especially about which Saints player is going to be out injured!

hmm yeah but it looked so nailed on. Never mind it must be on a par with 'scully signing on boxing day' and 'sinfield was in stockton heath looking at houses'. It sometimes looks really real.

Oh yes, I think most of us are expecting Jammer to leave at the end of 2011. No matter how much money we offered him, if he has a lifelong wish to play in Australia then that is what he will do, given the opportunity (which he now has). But last season loads of people were saying he was off to Warrington!

I think Warrington are linked with everyone now. In fact, it was Eastmond just this week. But yeah, as you say it looks like Graham is going to oz. Any teams interested in him in particular.

I agree with you there. I just don't want Pryce to get all sentimental just yet! I think Warrington have probably had the best years out of Morely. Do you think another season and then he'll be gone?

It is hard to tell. I would guess yes and i hope we start grooming Harrison into a prop this year. As good as Carvell is i don't think he's the best we could have or even the best we have at the moment. Paul wood is a good impact player so he's alright. Think there will be a lot of exits at Wire soon. Hope it is staged like Morely 2012, Briers and hodgeson 2013 and so on. No mass exits like what saints are looking at.

Yes, I agree. Hopefully he doesn't have a physical weakness but this was more a case of inexperience on his part in managing himself on the pitch or inept conditioning/training. I guess only time will tell.

You sound confident of keeping him. If he leaves at the end of the season. Will you think you have gotten the money's worth out of him? He is missing the start of this campaign and missed lots of last.

We're going with a pretty strong squad against Widnes on Sunday. We have four first team players still injured (Wello, Lomax, Eastmond and Perry) but the rest are playing. No doubt they will be rotated and we are starting with Lee Gaskell, a real newbie (only played three bits of games last season) as our scrum half. I don't know how strong a side Widnes is putting out but I'm looking forward to having a peek at Saints under our new coach.

is this the first time Saints have had a run out this year? I can't think of another club that has waited so long. I suppose it is now or never in getting the first team gelled. It is getting a bit late.

Fair enough. In the new Monaghan you have recruited it sounds like you have yourself a really good player although I have to say I'm looking forward to seeing him for other reasons just now. When do we first play you? I hope the jokes haven't grown old by then! But seriously. There is no reason why Warrington can't improve on last year. It would take you beating Saints, really, because that was (once again) your undoing last season.

luckily for you you need only wait till the end of febuary. week 3 i believe. And it is at your (temp) place. I will be making the special journey all the way from Hull to see it. I hope. Best be a win... for Wire As other's have said i hope the stick drives him on to score high this season. I think he will be ready for the chants. I imagine the hard thing was telling his family. Losing to Saints last year was the difference. In fact, Benny's miss last year cost us.

I totally agree, especially during the last couple of seasons. KC just knew what to do to undermine Warrington. I think it was his sport! I would imagine things will be different this season. I just can't see the hoodoo continuing now he has gone and we are out of KR.

gotta say never having to walk past the shed again, avoiding dog muck, is a very happy thought. I think the bog reason, though, that the hoodoo will die is that KC is gone. I think there were points were I didn't know whether i hated him more or respected him more. There were times i wanted to kill him though. That try against Cas was one of them.

:D Actually, it wouldn't surprise me if Saints fans ended up cheering for Warrington when you do finally beat us. Only the first time, mind you! But it wouldn't surprise me. (Unless it's in the knockout stages of a comp in which case scrap what I just wrote!)

That would make my year that. If the entire west stand was just cheering and clapping at HJ. or hopefully at the Halton stadium. Gotta get it out the way early on. It will also make the knockout games when we will meet you more fun. There won't be the added pressure of a hoodoo.

Re: Pryce going nowhere (as if we hadn't guessed!) : Sun Jan 23, 2011 2:50 pm  

Dux wrote:

It depends on what happens with Eastmond, but I wouldn't be too upset if Pryce moved on after this season. We'd miss him at first, but I think Lomax has the potential to genuinely stake a claim for the 6 shirt, and by 2012 he'll be at the age where he needs to get on with doing it. The fact that he'll have competition from Wheeler improves the situation as well.

If Eastmond does move on then that changes the landscape somewhat - I wouldn't want to go into 2012 with two youngsters in the halves. Having said that, if Pryce and Eastmond left, that would free up a tasty chunk of salary cap and allow us to go for a big-name halfback who can really control a game (coughThurstoncough). That would take pressure off Lomax/Wheeler.

I don't agree, we'd be stuffed if leon pryce left and we didn't replace him with a top class halfback. Pryce at times is our only form of attack.

IMO leon is the best stand off in the counrty by a mile and that includes sam tomkins. Leon has got everything, he's big, fast, fit, great attitude and also gets thru a ton of defence which goes unoticed.

I think leon has at least another 3yrs at the top level (if his neck is ok) and we should pull out all the stops.

Leon and eastmond looked pretty good together as our halfbacks which did shock me a little as i thought they wouldn't gel.

I think leon is ay his best tho when he has a ball playing number 7 who can control our team around the park. That gives pryce the freedom to drift in and out of the game and pop up in all sort of postions, which imo is when he's at his best.

Re: Pryce going nowhere (as if we hadn't guessed!) : Sun Jan 23, 2011 6:57 pm  

St pete wrote:

I think leon is ay his best tho when he has a ball playing number 7 who can control our team around the park. That gives pryce the freedom to drift in and out of the game and pop up in all sort of postions, which imo is when he's at his best.

And yet, I thought that today he looked in charge of things. I think he rather likes being the boss halfback.