Re: Ambitions for this season? : Fri Jan 30, 2015 12:38 pm  

EHW wrote:

I dont think the pack is any weaker. Soliola & Manu out, Vea in on paper is a "loss", but the likes of Walmsley, Thompson, Greenwood, Richards should all be improved this year, making us stronger I reckon.

Its the lack of another experienced grafting prop that worries me. There seems to be a lot of pressure on Richards who is a young prop going into his second season. An injury to any 2 of Masoe, Amor and Walmsley at the same time could leave us in trouble.

Re: Ambitions for this season? : Fri Jan 30, 2015 12:47 pm  

BackrowSaint wrote:

Its the lack of another experienced grafting prop that worries me. There seems to be a lot of pressure on Richards who is a young prop going into his second season. An injury to any 2 of Masoe, Amor and Walmsley at the same time could leave us in trouble.

Worst case scenario is LMS and Thompson are moved up to the front row? Walker should have some game time too.

Even if Mose, Amor, Walmsley and Richards are injured we'd still have LMS, Walker, Thompson and Savelio as a front row rotation, which is far from terrible imo, similar to the team that beat Leeds at LP

Re: Ambitions for this season? : Fri Jan 30, 2015 12:51 pm  

St pete wrote:

Do you think we are stronger than last year ?

Yes, definitely. We're still a little light in the front row (ideally I'd have liked another grafter) but I'm pretty confident in the load of youngsters we've got (sounds like KC sees Savelio as a prop). We've also got a few players who can move up from the back row and do a shift at prop. An injury to Amor would still be worrying though (but then that was the case last year too).

I don't think we'll miss Sia and Manu quite so much. Soliola was great for us but he had his flaws. Manu was a handy player for us but never really went beyond that, IMO. I think a combination of Wilkin/Vea/LMS/Thompson/Greenwood will more than compensate for any loss of work rate and strike power in the back row.

Most importantly, though, there's some real balance to the side for the first time in years. We've got two genuine halves and we'll now have Hohaia coming off the bench as an interchange 9 where I reckon he may finally start to have a significant positive impact on the team. I'm also expecting big things of of our backline this season - switching Turner and Percy seems to have worked wonders, and hopefully we'll be seeing a lot more of Lomax.

Obviously all sorts of things can happen, and perhaps I'm a little over-optimistic, but I think we've got a side that should be in serious contention on all fronts.

Re: Ambitions for this season? : Fri Jan 30, 2015 2:28 pm  

Dux wrote:

Yes, definitely. We're still a little light in the front row (ideally I'd have liked another grafter) but I'm pretty confident in the load of youngsters we've got (sounds like KC sees Savelio as a prop). We've also got a few players who can move up from the back row and do a shift at prop. An injury to Amor would still be worrying though (but then that was the case last year too).

I don't think we'll miss Sia and Manu quite so much. Soliola was great for us but he had his flaws. Manu was a handy player for us but never really went beyond that, IMO. I think a combination of Wilkin/Vea/LMS/Thompson/Greenwood will more than compensate for any loss of work rate and strike power in the back row.

Most importantly, though, there's some real balance to the side for the first time in years. We've got two genuine halves and we'll now have Hohaia coming off the bench as an interchange 9 where I reckon he may finally start to have a significant positive impact on the team. I'm also expecting big things of of our backline this season - switching Turner and Percy seems to have worked wonders, and hopefully we'll be seeing a lot more of Lomax.

Obviously all sorts of things can happen, and perhaps I'm a little over-optimistic, but I think we've got a side that should be in serious contention on all fronts.

So the common perception is that we are counting on the likes of Thompson, Richards, sav and greenwood.

Nobody really knows how they will go this year as with young players anything can happen.

I personally think on paper we are weaker in the loss of Sia and Manu. However, I also believe Vea and Greenwood can fill the void to a degree.

The Burns signing is most important for me, he will take pressure off Walsh avd give us options that isn't relying on Walsh all the time.

Having Lomax and Wilkin back will be like having two new players last year. Lomax is massive for us in attack. He scares teams. Teams now have players to worry about in attack with lomax, burns and Walsh which then should give the wide players better ball.

So IMO providing we can fill the void of losing both second rows then we will go well and should play some good rugby

Re: Ambitions for this season? : Fri Jan 30, 2015 2:48 pm  

I'm hoping that the GF win will up a few players games and also give the youngsters more confidence that they can win the big games. Success breeds success. However the biggest factor for me is how Cunningham goes as coach. We could have the biggest pack in the world, but if he's wrong tactically we'll get beaten by the better teams.

With him being a brand new head coach, I think the 'win everything' thoughts may be a little hopeful.

Re: Ambitions for this season? : Fri Jan 30, 2015 3:01 pm  

Every right to be confident. I think we should be in amongst it for everything: LLS, GF and CC.

We have a young, growing squad that now should have no fears of anyone after what was achieved in 2014.

I don't see us missing Soliola at all, who I felt was overrated somewhat by Saints fans. Manu we'll miss on occasion but he was massively inconsistent in the main.

Big pack that I wouldn't swap with anyone, best halves in the country and a very talented quick backline. I don't look at any other team and think 'we're up against it', put it that way.

Re: Ambitions for this season? : Fri Jan 30, 2015 4:11 pm  

SLS wrote:

Every right to be confident. I think we should be in amongst it for everything: LLS, GF and CC.

We have a young, growing squad that now should have no fears of anyone after what was achieved in 2014.

I don't see us missing Soliola at all, who I felt was overrated somewhat by Saints fans. Manu we'll miss on occasion but he was massively inconsistent in the main.

Big pack that I wouldn't swap with anyone, best halves in the country and a very talented quick backline. I don't look at any other team and think 'we're up against it', put it that way.

Sia carried our pack for two years. Even playing prop for half a season. Pretty sure he would have made most breaks for a forward most seasons. He was our only player that showed any aggression for season after season. To say he's was overated is pretty laughable.

Re: Ambitions for this season? : Fri Jan 30, 2015 4:24 pm  

St pete wrote:

Sia carried our pack for two years. Even playing prop for half a season. Pretty sure he would have made most breaks for a forward most seasons. He was our only player that showed any aggression for season after season. To say he's was overated is pretty laughable.

It is only this year that he has topped the breaks by a forward, Roby and Wilkin both top him every other year. He has also been top 2 in the team for missed tackles consecutively in 4 years and Top 10 for penalties conceded in the same time.

Don't get me wrong, I'm a big fan of Sia, but I don't think he's irreplaceable.

Re: Ambitions for this season? : Fri Jan 30, 2015 4:45 pm  

Magic Superbeetle wrote:

It is only this year that he has topped the breaks by a forward, Roby and Wilkin both top him every other year. He has also been top 2 in the team for missed tackles consecutively in 4 years and Top 10 for penalties conceded in the same time.

Don't get me wrong, I'm a big fan of Sia, but I don't think he's irreplaceable.

We will miss him and I give it 6 weeks before fans on here start moaning about not replacing him. He also played 80 mins when needed.

Agree tho, he could miss tackles

Re: Ambitions for this season? : Fri Jan 30, 2015 5:09 pm  

The Yellow Giraffe wrote:

We are capable of winning both competitions and that should be the aim.
Winning either would be classed as a successful year in my opinion.
Winning neither would be disappointing.

Got to be the aim