Re: Saints sign Alex Walmsley : Thu Sep 13, 2012 11:20 am  

The Chair Maker wrote:

Potentially in a couple of years Saints will have an absolute monster pack, if Joe Greenwood also comes through fully as he is also about 6ft 5inches tall.

We could end up looking like the circa '90 circus freak team when we had Jones, Harrison and Kay all in the same side.

Re: Saints sign Alex Walmsley : Thu Sep 13, 2012 11:56 am  

he is a monster, and full time training will make him huge. He is a human wrecking ball !!
I watched him at halifax a couple of weeks ago and he was just running over the defence.
the fans wear chanting Beast, Beast, Beast !!! he is better than Chris Hill and far more aggressive
he will be a huge hit at st helens. I doubt he will be back at Batley for long as he will be better
than Perry and Lafranki....mark my words.
Leeds were trying to get him but clearly thought they could do it on the cheap.

Re: Saints sign Alex Walmsley : Thu Sep 13, 2012 11:57 am  

Northampton_Saint wrote:

We could end up looking like the circa '90 circus freak team when we had Jones, Harrison and Kay all in the same side.

The strange thing re that is today, only Harrison would stand out as being tall. Kay and Jones would just be run of the mill sized.

Tony Kay was a real cult figure of mine. Loved his awkward swivel hips style of play.

Dead Ball was rubbish

Harrison was a decent journeyman pro.

Re: Saints sign Alex Walmsley : Thu Sep 13, 2012 11:59 am  

The Yellow Giraffe wrote:

Nothing wrong with being optimistic!

Seriously though, it'll be interesting to see how much game time he gets straight away. I'd assume that this will see the end of TP playing prop, as we now have 5 without him. You'd have to say Walmsley would start the season as 5th choice prop and outside of the full strength 17. Hopefully he can put some pressure on the more senior props.

Our pack is looking good for next year:

Props - Laffranchi, Perry, LMS, Clough, Walmsley

Back row - Soliola, Manu, Wilkin, TP, Flanagan.

That isnt including the likes of Magennis, Dixon, Forster, Greenwood.

I can't see many better packs than that next year.

I'd be tempted to switch TP and Laffranchi

Props - TP, Perry, LMS, Clough, Walmsley

Back row - Soliola, Manu, Flanagan.

LF - Laffranchi, Wilkin (Laffranchi playing at loose when we are going into a game needing our biggest pack, so effectively running with 6 props if we wanted to) Wilkin when we wanted a bit more guile at loose, with Laffranchi moving to the subs bench as a 2nd rower.

Re: Saints sign Alex Walmsley : Thu Sep 13, 2012 12:07 pm  

bewareshadows wrote:

I'd be tempted to switch TP and Laffranchi

Props - TP, Perry, LMS, Clough, Walmsley

Back row - Soliola, Manu, Flanagan.

LF - Laffranchi, Wilkin (Laffranchi playing at loose when we are going into a game needing our biggest pack, so effectively running with 6 props if we wanted to) Wilkin when we wanted a bit more guile at loose, with Laffranchi moving to the subs bench as a 2nd rower.

I agree with that - no way is Boof a front rower and TP does a much better job for us there because of his sheer size. Laffranchi was a really effective back rower in the NRL and could really shine there alongside the others you mention.

Re: Saints sign Alex Walmsley : Thu Sep 13, 2012 12:08 pm  

bewareshadows wrote:

I'd be tempted to switch TP and Laffranchi

Props - TP, Perry, LMS, Clough, Walmsley

Back row - Soliola, Manu, Flanagan.

LF - Laffranchi, Wilkin (Laffranchi playing at loose when we are going into a game needing our biggest pack, so effectively running with 6 props if we wanted to) Wilkin when we wanted a bit more guile at loose, with Laffranchi moving to the subs bench as a 2nd rower.

Thats how I'd play it too.

Re: Saints sign Alex Walmsley : Thu Sep 13, 2012 12:18 pm  

Obviously you would not play the same guys each week, we need to give Forester etc a go and not just for injuries.

A pack of TP Roby Perry Sia Manu Wilkin

sub LMS, Clough, Flanaghan, Forester

is still a good enough pack when playing teams lower down the division and gives Laffranchi or whoever more rest time for the end of season and the youngsters time to develop alongside a strong pack.

Re: Saints sign Alex Walmsley : Thu Sep 13, 2012 12:39 pm  

The Chair Maker wrote:

The strange thing re that is today, only Harrison would stand out as being tall. Kay and Jones would just be run of the mill sized.

Tony Kay was a real cult figure of mine. Loved his awkward swivel hips style of play.

Dead Ball was rubbish

Harrison was a decent journeyman pro.

I dunno about that - all 3 were 6' 5" and over as I recall. Tony Kay was one of my favourite players ever actually - I've never seen another player who clearly loved every second he had playing in a Saints shirt as much as he did. He couldn't either make or break a tackle to save his life but I loved watching him anyway. Harrison was a great meat and potatoes player - if Walmsley ends up as good we'll be doing OK. Jones was quite posssibly the worst player I've ever seen in a Saints shirt...

Re: Saints sign Alex Walmsley : Thu Sep 13, 2012 12:49 pm  

Northampton_Saint wrote:

We could end up looking like the circa '90 circus freak team when we had Jones, Harrison and Kay all in the same side.

Who was Jones?

Re: Saints sign Alex Walmsley : Thu Sep 13, 2012 12:53 pm  

So, is the considered opinion of the posters that this is a good signing, and well done Mr McManus?

I think we should file it for later use, when he fails to win 10 consecutive man of the match awards, and people start to say that our recruitment is appalling. Am sure that people were equally pleased at the signing of great young prospects and current internationals like Shenton and LMS, but time seems to dim some memories.