Re: Flannery,Meli and Wellens : Fri Oct 08, 2010 1:28 pm  

Im just filled will a sense of..........neutralism.

Meli - two years? Really? I just dont know what the club see in him that is worth a 2 year deal at 30 years of age. I hope its a case of us having lost a number of the older heads last and this season so the club are opting for some stability. Soliola has to be moved into the pack and Meli given the centre spot permanently, otherwise, its a waste of a contact IMO. For someone who gets chased down by Keith Mason from an intercept is indicative of the lack of pace he has for a winger, let alone an outside back. Incidentally, when was the last time we scored a try from inside our own 20? Was Darren Albert still at the club then?

Flannery - in danger of repeating myself here, again a "state of origin" level back rower who should have come over to set the world alight. Sadly he has become a joe average, runs good lines, solid in defence but is nothing special for someone supposedly of that level and taking up a valuable quota spot. 1 year deal may indicate the club has someone else in mind for 2012, but then again, who knows.

Wellens - clearly someone we needed to re-sign but I have my doubts that he will spend the next two years at full back. I dont know if he has the potential to move into the back row or loose forward at such a late stage in his career. If he does, he has to be able to make a real go of it rather than just killing time until he retires. I think we all know that a significant attacking threat, pace and illusiveness is a must in the modern game and with a lack of pace in our outside backs at present, Im not sure that Wello will be a full back at the end of the current contact when hes 32. Time will tell I guess and if he keeps performing the way he has this year, it will take a brave coach to move him.

I dont really think that any of the youngsters we have resigned are the answer at 1, Lomax has the best chance but even he doesnt have the kind of pace that I would like to see in that position. Maybe Im being hyper-critical, but as I say, its more a neutral feeling rather than disappointment or jubilation if you know what I mean.

Re: Flannery,Meli and Wellens : Fri Oct 08, 2010 1:29 pm  

The thing that I don't understand is that it says in the papers today that we had to let Ade Gardner go in order to remain under the salary cap.

How the hell are we anywhere near it with the squad we have compared with the squads at other clubs and with our squads in previous years? Every year for about 5 years we have seen more senior players leave than have come in, with youth players taking up the squad places. This has reduced the quality of our squad dramatically yet we're spending the same?

It doesn't add up.

Re: Flannery,Meli and Wellens : Fri Oct 08, 2010 1:33 pm  

Saddened! wrote:

The thing that I don't understand is that it says in the papers today that we had to let Ade Gardner go in order to remain under the salary cap.

How the hell are we anywhere near it with the squad we have compared with the squads at other clubs and with our squads in previous years? Every year for about 5 years we have seen more senior players leave than have come in, with youth players taking up the squad places. This has reduced the quality of our squad dramatically yet we're spending the same?

It doesn't add up.

I agree. The wages going out must have been more than the wages coming in. Unless we've offered big contracts to youngsters but i can't see how that will have happened.

Re: Flannery,Meli and Wellens : Fri Oct 08, 2010 1:37 pm  

The Chief wrote:

snip

I'm wondering if the board are looking at holding onto flannery to have him in the centre and Meli on the wing - unless we manage to get some of our youngsters fit (Wheeler), Foster gains the coaches faith to take up a centre position or young Tommy Makinson might get a chance. There's also Tom Armstrong. Wheeler's obviously shown the most ability, but until we can keep him on the pitch.......
Regards your feeling to Lomax at full back, I think I'm a little more hopeful than you, although in the next two years Foster and Gaskell may also get a shot at that shirt.

Re: Flannery,Meli and Wellens : Fri Oct 08, 2010 1:42 pm  

BackrowSaint wrote:

Unless we've offered big contracts to youngsters but i can't see how that will have happened.

I think that may be the case to be honest. I dont agree with it, but I guess the club had to do something to secure their services in the face of competition from other clubs.

For example, Emmitt had to go because he was offered a great contract by Cas and would have been silly to turn it down. Saints coudnt have matched it and guaranteed him a place in the 17 to boot.

If Shenton, Perry and LMS are earning more than Gidley, KC, Faas, Fozzard, Hargreaves, Emmitt and Gardner, Id be worried about the clubs recruitment/contract policy. I know Lomax, Wheeler and Foster have signed (much) improved deals, but 50% of Wellens contract is off quota this year and surely they havent offered big increased to Meli and Flanno?

If Im not mistaken, Im sure Eamon said last year that the club had left space under the cap last season for a late signing if needed......am I missing something with the numbers?

Re: Flannery,Meli and Wellens : Fri Oct 08, 2010 1:46 pm  

The Chief wrote:

I think that may be the case to be honest. I dont agree with it, but I guess the club had to do something to secure their services in the face of competition from other clubs.

For example, Emmitt had to go because he was offered a great contract by Cas and would have been silly to turn it down. Saints coudnt have matched it and guaranteed him a place in the 17 to boot.

If Shenton, Perry and LMS are earning more than Gidley, KC, Faas, Fozzard, Hargreaves, Emmitt and Gardner, Id be worried about the clubs recruitment/contract policy. I know Lomax, Wheeler and Foster have signed (much) improved deals, but 50% of Wellens contract is off quota this year and surely they havent offered big increased to Meli and Flanno?

If Im not mistaken, Im sure Eamon said last year that the club had left space under the cap last season for a late signing if needed......am I missing something with the numbers?

Only up to £50, and that is offset by the loss of the £50 allowance that was part of Cunninghams salary, no nett gain for Saints on the allowance.

Re: Flannery,Meli and Wellens : Fri Oct 08, 2010 1:49 pm  

Offside Monkey wrote:

I'm wondering if the board are looking at holding onto flannery to have him in the centre and Meli on the wing - unless we manage to get some of our youngsters fit (Wheeler), Foster gains the coaches faith to take up a centre position or young Tommy Makinson might get a chance. There's also Tom Armstrong. Wheeler's obviously shown the most ability, but until we can keep him on the pitch.......
Regards your feeling to Lomax at full back, I think I'm a little more hopeful than you, although in the next two years Foster and Gaskell may also get a shot at that shirt.

I know what you are saying but Lomax is a natural 6, Wheeler is a 6, Foster is a natural centre masquerading as a solid winger who kicks goals so is vital to the team. I dont think Foster is good/experienced enough (YET) to play centre at SL level, proven at Salford earlier this year. Admittedly, he has improved since that game but centre is one of the most difficult positions on the field with respect to defensive positioning.

I would rather see Pryce at 1 and Wheeler/Lomax given a run at 6 if Im honest. Pryce would offer much more of a threat from that position than either of the youngsters.

Re: Contracts : Fri Oct 08, 2010 1:52 pm  

SaintsFan wrote:

Not necessarily. I groan at the thought of having Meli causing disasters in defence for two bloody years (one year would have been bad enough) but we can't dispose of all of our experienced players in one shot.

Jeez a bit of sense . I'm fine with his 12 months as long as he is droppable if he's not performing. There may not have been anyone available willing to come over for his wage, and his professional attitude will hopefully rub off onto the youngsters around him.

Two years for Meli is 12 months too long for me, same for Wellens.

Re: Flannery,Meli and Wellens : Fri Oct 08, 2010 1:53 pm  

Rogues Gallery wrote:

Only up to £50, and that is offset by the loss of the £50 allowance that was part of Cunninghams salary, no nett gain for Saints on the allowance.

£50 as much as that? £50k I presume you meant.

If thats the case and there is no net gain, lets take him out of the equation. Even then, the numbers dont add up when you consider who has left the squad in recent years, the big earners in particular, replaced with who exactly?

Re: Flannery,Meli and Wellens : Fri Oct 08, 2010 1:56 pm  

The Chief wrote:

I would rather see Pryce at 1 and Wheeler/Lomax given a run at 6 if Im honest. Pryce would offer much more of a threat from that position than either of the youngsters.

That is a very good point. Pryce has played fullback for us before and has looked dangerous in attack. If he can get to grips with his positional play it may be an option.