Re: Saints first choice next year : Sat Sep 28, 2013 8:47 pm  

If we don't sign a stand off, I'd play lance at 6 and let him play a running game. We don't really won't him organising, kicking or ball playing because if I'm brutally he can't do any!

IMO it's it's massively important we sign a stand off because if Walsh gets hurt we are in the same boat as last year.

Re: Saints first choice next year : Sat Sep 28, 2013 9:05 pm  

St pete wrote:

If we don't sign a stand off, I'd play lance at 6 and let him play a running game. We don't really won't him organising, kicking or ball playing because if I'm brutally he can't do any!

IMO it's it's massively important we sign a stand off because if Walsh gets hurt we are in the same boat as last year.

Agree with the last bit but I wouldn't even have at 6 at all, he just never takes the line in and passes straight away. He's best as an interchange hooker to rest/ cover Robes and to cover Lomax if he's injured

Re: Saints first choice next year : Sun Sep 29, 2013 6:52 am  

Saint Simon wrote:

Agree with the last bit but I wouldn't even have at 6 at all, he just never takes the line in and passes straight away. He's best as an interchange hooker to rest/ cover Robes and to cover Lomax if he's injured

My point is, he's better than wello at 6, e can't rely on Gaz Wheeler as he just breaks down every week and we've no other options at 6.

Who else can we play there ?

I think he's trying to be a "proper 6" at the moment by getting involved in ball play and kicking etc but that's because we've no proper halfback to do that for him. Maybe if he took a back step and was just played a free role then maybe we'd get more from him.

The halves are going to be out problem again next year. We can't put the weight of the world on Luke Walsh as he's not a player that thrives on pressure.

It's going to be a real headache for brown IMO wiry who plays 6. I just see it being someone different each week like we've been doing with the centre spot for the last 5 years which IMO isn't ideal. Wello, lance, wheeler, Wilkin, Turner plus others will play 6 next year.

Re: Saints first choice next year : Sun Sep 29, 2013 7:06 am  

The backs basically pick themselves. Lomax, Tommy, Swifty, Turner, Walsh will all have their usual positions.

The pack is the same, I think we will see Amor, Robes, Sia, Manu all start in their positions in the forwards.

I think Walmsley and Moase will be on the bench to provide impact.

So IMO it's the left centre, stand off, starting prop and loose forward that are up for grabs next year plus to bench spots.

Will he play Wilkin at 13 when he's been awful their for years and LMS been playing so well there?


Will Lms be our other starting prop but been a better impact prop ?

Will Lance get another shot at 6 or provide utility from the bench?

Will we ever risk wheeler again ?

It's going to be interesting.

Re: Saints first choice next year : Sun Sep 29, 2013 8:58 am  

I actually think Wilkin keeps the defence guessing at 6 more than Lance. He doesn't make breaks, but at least he holds defenders up now and then by taking the ball to the line.

Re: Saints first choice next year : Sun Sep 29, 2013 9:15 am  

St pete wrote:

The backs basically pick themselves. Lomax, Tommy, Swifty, Turner, Walsh will all have their usual positions.

The pack is the same, I think we will see Amor, Robes, Sia, Manu all start in their positions in the forwards.

I think Walmsley and Moase will be on the bench to provide impact.

So IMO it's the left centre, stand off, starting prop and loose forward that are up for grabs next year plus to bench spots.

Will he play Wilkin at 13 when he's been awful their for years and LMS been playing so well there?


Will Lms be our other starting prop but been a better impact prop ?

Will Lance get another shot at 6 or provide utility from the bench?

Will we ever risk wheeler again ?

It's going to be interesting.

I think LMS will be our starting prop next season with Wilkin at 13. We never replaced Scully and Wilkin was the best man to play that similar role,its took 4 years for Wilkin to be creative and pivotal, obviously this season has shown he has the ability. Reckon Walsh and Wilkin will give Lance a bit more opportunity to be more effective as a running 6.

Can only see Wellens and Wheeler covering for injuries, so they wouldn,t be in my first 17.

Next year could be a relegation season, so extended periods of experimentation should be minimal, on the other hand I would like to see Charnock get some more game time from the bench.

We where seriously lacking mental toughness over 80 mins for near enough every game this season, I reckon this should be a priority for next season, we cant afford a sloppy start to 2014. In theory we should go OK our pack doesn,t look soft centred any more and we have impact from the bench, something thats been missing since Maurie departed.

Re: Saints first choice next year : Sun Sep 29, 2013 9:33 am  

RE: Wheeler to Stand Off. Given that he hasn't managed to play more than around 3 games in total in the first team at Stand Off, how do we now that even if he could stay fit for an entire season, that he would actually be any good there?

Re: Saints first choice next year : Sun Sep 29, 2013 10:01 am  

In all this panic talk about Saints lacking a standoff, no one to my knowledge has mentioned Charnock.

He has just signed a two year contract at Saints which should give people an indication that he is likely to be playing quite a bit at 6 in the coming year.

For me it would make some sense to play him at 6 as he would have an experienced half alongside him in Walsh to ease him into the team.

Re: Saints first choice next year : Sun Sep 29, 2013 11:06 am  

i was going to ask about Walmsley but i have just seen it on this thread so he is staying.Not seen owt about about a new contract.If he is staying thats brilliant.Ever since he arrived at Saints his work ethic has been brilliant.Reminds me a bit like Roy Haggerty head down & go.

Re: Saints first choice next year : Sun Sep 29, 2013 11:51 am  

edon10 wrote:

i was going to ask about Walmsley but i have just seen it on this thread so he is staying.Not seen owt about about a new contract.If he is staying thats brilliant.Ever since he arrived at Saints his work ethic has been brilliant.Reminds me a bit like Roy Haggerty head down & go.

Signed a 3 year contract ending in 2015 I believe so is he's with us for a while yet! He's made a good start, has a few areas to work on but has been a lot better then we could of hoped for!