Re: Squad strength : Fri Nov 25, 2011 11:40 pm  

TheSaints87 wrote:

what would your starting 13's be then?

OK here is my team. Starting 17 at the beginning of the season on the left, easter monday team in brackets.

1. Paul Wellens ( 24. Nathan Ashe)
2. Ade Gardner ( 21. Tommy Makinson)
3. Michael Shenton, (26. Josh Jones, )
5. Francis Meli,
22. Jamie Foster,
6. Lance Hohaia, (20. Lee Gaskell, )
7. Jonny Lomax,
8. Josh Perry, (25. Carl Forster, )
9. James Roby,
14. Anthony Laffranchi, (29. Anthony Walker,)
4. Sia Soliola, (13. Chris Flannery, )
12. Jon Wilkin, (23. Scott Hale, )
11. Tony Puletua, (18. Shaun Magennis,)

10. Louie McCarthy Scarsbrook, (30. Jordan Hand.)
16. Paul Clough, (19. Andrew Dixon,)
15. Mark Flanagan, (28. Joe Greenwood, 27. Danny Jones)
17. Gary Wheeler,

Looking at the two teams we are very forward dominated with not may players that can switch between the forwards and the backs except maybe Flannery. Given that we have only 4 backup backs it makes you understand why we resigned Gardner. Hohaia also provides some great utility covering 6, 7, 9 and to an extent 1. If we get more that 1 injury in these areas then we are struggling.

In the forward we have numbers but not a lot of experence. I do not agree with the squad numbers over 22 not getting near this year idea. In fact I expect to see a lot of Hale and Forster. Forster I expect to be a regular by the end of the season.

Re: Squad strength : Sat Nov 26, 2011 10:11 am  

Noel Cleal wrote:

OK here is my team. Starting 17 at the beginning of the season on the left, easter monday team in brackets.

1. Paul Wellens ( 24. Nathan Ashe)
2. Ade Gardner ( 21. Tommy Makinson)
3. Michael Shenton, (26. Josh Jones, )
5. Francis Meli,
22. Jamie Foster,
6. Lance Hohaia, (20. Lee Gaskell, )
7. Jonny Lomax,
8. Josh Perry, (25. Carl Forster, )
9. James Roby,
14. Anthony Laffranchi, (29. Anthony Walker,)
4. Sia Soliola, (13. Chris Flannery, )
12. Jon Wilkin, (23. Scott Hale, )
11. Tony Puletua, (18. Shaun Magennis,)

10. Louie McCarthy Scarsbrook, (30. Jordan Hand.)
16. Paul Clough, (19. Andrew Dixon,)
15. Mark Flanagan, (28. Joe Greenwood, 27. Danny Jones, 30. Jordan Hand.)
17. Gary Wheeler,

Looking at the two teams we are very forward dominated with not may players that can switch between the forwards and the backs except maybe Flannery. Given that we have only 4 backup backs it makes you understand why we resigned Gardner. Hohaia also provides some great utility covering 6, 7, 9 and to an extent 1. If we get more that 1 injury in these areas then we are struggling.

In the forward we have numbers but not a lot of experence. I do not agree with the squad numbers over 22 not getting near this year idea. In fact I expect to see a lot of Hale and Forster. Forster I expect to be a regular by the end of the season.

Ok The squad may not be limited to the 22.I would certainly hope not. but I also doubt that the squad will change so radically on easter monday.

From last season meli could not backj up games so close and was rested. ie exiles game. Ireckon wheeler would play on easter monday.

Also cant see us playing wigan without a kicker. Gaskell for wigan game. LOmax for cas game. With the young forwards I'd hope they were drip fed into ythe team one as a fifth prop most weeks. Depends if Royce has seen enough to try them.

Re: Squad strength : Sat Nov 26, 2011 11:09 am  

Who is this secret signing the only "she" seems to know about?

Re: Squad strength : Sat Nov 26, 2011 3:48 pm  

bewareshadows wrote:

Ok The squad may not be limited to the 22.I would certainly hope not. but I also doubt that the squad will change so radically on easter monday.

From last season meli could not backj up games so close and was rested. ie exiles game. Ireckon wheeler would play on easter monday.

Also cant see us playing wigan without a kicker. Gaskell for wigan game. LOmax for cas game. With the young forwards I'd hope they were drip fed into ythe team one as a fifth prop most weeks. Depends if Royce has seen enough to try them.

Calling them the Easter Monday team was a bit tongue in cheek. Maybe I should have added Joey Hayes and Tommy Hodgeson so it was obvious.

Re: Squad strength : Sat Nov 26, 2011 6:55 pm  

We look very strong for next season if everyone's fit and stack up well against aging Leeds and Warrington squads and a thoroughly uninspiring Wigan lot. We're screwed when the usual Somme-like injury crisis hits though, but then so is everyone else and Christ knows we're due some luck in that area next season. The trophy shakeup depends entirely on whoever's players are available and firing for the mere 3 or 4 games during the entire season that actually matter even slightly (thank you clueless ****s of Red Hall) and on that basis the whole thing is basically just a lottery, but we have at least as good a chance of having the luck needed at the right point of the season as anyone else does. For once...

Re: Squad strength : Sat Nov 26, 2011 8:43 pm  

Noel Cleal wrote:

Calling them the Easter Monday team was a bit tongue in cheek. Maybe I should have added Joey Hayes and Tommy Hodgeson so it was obvious.

Sorry completely went over my head. Maybe if you called them the Season opener team against London I may have caught on a bit quicker.

Re: Squad strength : Sat Nov 26, 2011 8:49 pm  

Northampton_Saint wrote:

We look very strong for next season if everyone's fit and stack up well against aging Leeds and Warrington squads and a thoroughly uninspiring Wigan lot. We're screwed when the usual Somme-like injury crisis hits though, but then so is everyone else and Christ knows we're due some luck in that area next season. The trophy shakeup depends entirely on whoever's players are available and firing for the mere 3 or 4 games during the entire season that actually matter even slightly (thank you clueless ****s of Red Hall) and on that basis the whole thing is basically just a lottery, but we have at least as good a chance of having the luck needed at the right point of the season as anyone else does. For once...

I think that is what I was trying to say but more eloquently put. People (Saddened) say we are shallow in depth if we have 3 props out, but then so are comparable teams if their first 3 props are out. You can actually juggle our team around with 3 props out and still not have to use a player outside the 22. Hence why I think we look stong. If we actually use our young props we are even stronger. I no longer count megennis as a young prop, (strange that).

Re: Squad strength : Sat Nov 26, 2011 9:35 pm  

bewareshadows wrote:

I think that is what I was trying to say but more eloquently put. People (Saddened) say we are shallow in depth if we have 3 props out, but then so are comparable teams if their first 3 props are out. You can actually juggle our team around with 3 props out and still not have to use a player outside the 22. Hence why I think we look stong. If we actually use our young props we are even stronger. I no longer count megennis as a young prop, (strange that).

Anyone being more eloquent than my good self? I think you'll find that that's a bit of an impossibility there me old china, but I shall let your impertinence pass this once...

Anyway, it's good to see that this board has a gratifyingly rather lower population of clueless signing fantasists than that which infests a certain other Saints-themed discussion website, and even the doom-mongers like Saddened exhibit a degree of common sense with regards to squad depth and player availability, so give him a bit of leeway, eh? Another prop or 2 would make me a lot happier for next season, but in the real world they simply aren't either available or affordable so we'll just have to hope we have 4 of them fit when it matters. C'est la vie.

Re: Squad strength : Sun Nov 27, 2011 12:20 am  

Northampton_Saint wrote:

Another prop or 2 would make me a lot happier for next season, but in the real world they simply aren't either available or affordable so we'll just have to hope we have 4 of them fit when it matters. C'est la vie.

There are lads who played in the U20's last year more than capable of stepping up. Ant Walker, one to watch!!!!!

Re: Squad strength : Sun Nov 27, 2011 7:05 pm  

Looking back to 2006 we had Graham and Roby coming through on the bench as well as the emergence of Maurie as a top notch player. Fringe players standing up and making a real contribution goes a long way to having a good season.

One player who is likely to have a make or brake season is Andrew Dixon. Maggenis seems to have shown he has what it takes and the likes of Hale, Jones and Greenwood are likely to be pushing for a chances at some point. Dixon needs to show he has it in him to play like a first team player week in week out or he may slip down the rankings.