Re: Nathan Brown's list of priorities : Sun Apr 08, 2012 8:31 am  

St pete wrote:

And we didn't renew potters contract after finishing runners up in two grand finals and two challenge cup semi finals.

How do you know? I know he left but how do you know that we weren't going to or didn't offer him another contract? I'm glad we didn't. We were dire under him, even thought we still had Longy (for the first year) and Cunningham, Gidley et al to the end of his term.

Re: Nathan Brown's list of priorities : Sun Apr 08, 2012 8:32 am  

What this thread highlights is that browns hands are tied as far as squad composition is concerned. Certainly there is no overseas option, unless he can get rid of hohaia or sia goes home. There doesn't appear to be a great deal available at home to replace the likes of meli, so wouldn't be surprised to see him get another year.

Which means that browns priority is to get the best out if what he has available to him. McGuire did it at the goons, taking a bunch if under achieving journeymen to the title, he will need to do something similar, and will have to squeeze something extra out of the players like rush and KC did for two games. I would suggest that the current squad is good enough to compete, if they are well organised and motivated. If we could add an organiser/leader, we will be up there with the best.

Re: Nathan Brown's list of priorities : Sun Apr 08, 2012 11:06 am  

SomersetSaint wrote:

What this thread highlights is that browns hands are tied as far as squad composition is concerned. Certainly there is no overseas option, unless he can get rid of hohaia or sia goes home. There doesn't appear to be a great deal available at home to replace the likes of meli, so wouldn't be surprised to see him get another year.

Which means that browns priority is to get the best out if what he has available to him. McGuire did it at the goons, taking a bunch if under achieving journeymen to the title, he will need to do something similar, and will have to squeeze something extra out of the players like rush and KC did for two games. I would suggest that the current squad is good enough to compete, if they are well organised and motivated. If we could add an organiser/leader, we will be up there with the best.

This is what Brown has shown at Huddersfield in spades.
FWIW i think we have more talent at Saints than Hudds.

Re: Nathan Brown's list of priorities : Sun Apr 08, 2012 11:22 am  

St pete wrote:

We are in a pickle and glad to see someone else has finally reliased that the recruitment of last year will set us back years. Ive been banging on about it since the start of super league and I think Brown has got one hell of a job on his hands.

To pick out last year alone is nonsensical. The current recruitment trend has been going on for the best part of four years. It includes three coaches with the single common denominator of McManus. And yet he is given a free pass by seemingly every Saints fan.

Re: Nathan Brown's list of priorities : Sun Apr 08, 2012 11:28 am  

The Chair Maker wrote:

This is what Brown has shown at Huddersfield in spades.
FWIW i think we have more talent at Saints than Hudds.

Which is a bit of a comedown from the last four years of preferred wisdom where we KNOW we have a greater pool of academy talent than everyone else.

Re: Nathan Brown's list of priorities : Sun Apr 08, 2012 11:30 am  

Mugwump wrote:

To pick out last year alone is nonsensical. The current recruitment trend has been going on for the best part of four years. It includes three coaches with the single common denominator of McManus. And yet he is given a free pass by seemingly every Saints fan.

If you check my posts you will see I've been calling our recruitment for many years. We let to many players go and never replaced them.

I can understand that it's near impossible to replace the likes of newlove, longy, scully, KC etc but we should have got the best players possible to replace them and not done it on the cheap.

Sucsseful teams still need to recruit to stay on top and IMO saints stood still while the likes of wolves, Wigan, hudds all built teams.

I honestly think our recruitment for years has been poor and we come to reliant on youth.

Re: Nathan Brown's list of priorities : Sun Apr 08, 2012 11:39 am  

It's not just a problem of player recruitment. Many of our difficulties stem from having an academy that is good at producing certain types of players (second row forwards, stand offs, centres etc.) whilst being pretty mediocre at wing, full back, scrum half, prop etc.

This unevenness in production places an enormous burden on the transfer kitty. Especially as good props and halves are always extremely expensive whilst you can pick up a decent second row for change.

Re: Nathan Brown's list of priorities : Sun Apr 08, 2012 11:40 am  

St pete wrote:

If you check my posts you will see I've been calling our recruitment for many years. We let to many players go and never replaced them.

I can understand that it's near impossible to replace the likes of newlove, longy, scully, KC etc but we should have got the best players possible to replace them and not done it on the cheap.

Sucsseful teams still need to recruit to stay on top and IMO saints stood still while the likes of wolves, Wigan, hudds all built teams.

I honestly think our recruitment for years has been poor and we come to reliant on youth.

It might have something to do with the need to make a profit for a change, or would you rather have the bradford financial situation?
We simply have not been able to afford the very best recruits for the last 4+ years or so.

I'm sure that when the impact of the the financial regime (i.e.no external debt and an average 14,000+ crowd etc) kicks in, then Mac's chequebook will be open for business again.

Re: Nathan Brown's list of priorities : Sun Apr 08, 2012 11:47 am  

The Chair Maker wrote:

This is what Brown has shown at Huddersfield in spades.

Not saying Brown has done a bad job, but Hudds have consistently spent the full cap, and apart from some good wins (and equally bad losses) in the regular season, what has he achieved?

Re: Nathan Brown's list of priorities : Sun Apr 08, 2012 11:48 am  

saint at wire wrote:

It might have something to do with the need to make a profit for a change, or would you rather have the bradford financial situation?

Hang on a second. There isn't a single Saints fan I know who would have any problems with McManus reducing player expenditure to secure the stadium, balance the books etc.

It is McManus himself who has year after year after year claimed we are spending up to the cap. You can't blame Saints fans for being puzzled by claims we are spending as much as anyone whilst watching successive teams whose performances are not suggestive of such.

If McManus has embellished the truth about the cap he has brought this on himself because he didn't have to. Saints fans would have accepted the truth at face value. If, on the other hand, he genuinely is paying up to the cap on guys like Meli, Gardner and such - he has also brought this on himself.