Re: Team for Next Season : Wed Aug 24, 2011 5:12 pm  

my choices would be

lomax/lance
brotherton/makinson
shenton
meli
(how he can play centre for exiles yet not be rated by us is beyond me)
foster

gaskell/wheeler(for that balance in the kicking game)
lomax/lance

perry
roby
tp
wilkin
soliola
lafranchi

lms
clough
flanaghan
flannery (i`m assuming we are losing moore)

with 3 half backs already on the field i don`t think we would need another back on the bench. but if we did i`d go with wellens. he can play most back slots and offer a bit in the pack. not long minutes but more than we currently use our spare back for.
wi

Re: Team for Next Season : Wed Aug 24, 2011 5:54 pm  

An experimental team I'd like to run with pre season and see how it goes would be along the lines of:

1. Tommy Makinson
2. Dan Brotherton
3. Michael Shenton
4. Francis Meli
5. Jamie Foster

6. Jonny Lomax
7. Lance Hohaia

8. Josh Perry
9. James Roby
10. LMS
11. Sia Soliola
12. Jon Wilkin
13. Anthony Laffrinchi

14. TP
15. Paul Clough
16. Mark Flanagan
17. Flannery / Forster / Wheeler / Wellens (Depending on how Royce wants his rotation to go next year.)

Edit: Personally I think L-Ho has a better kicking game than most are giving him credit for. He's certainly no Dobson / Deacon when it comes to it, but I think he's definitely an improvement on Pryce in that area. Jonny also has developed a very good short kicking game and I feel his long kicking game will improve with more practice.

Re: Team for Next Season : Wed Aug 24, 2011 6:00 pm  

The fact that Simmons has already stated Wellens will be captain next season, to me says that he'll still be first choice FB. He did mention Roby stepping up to take the role vacated by Jammer though, so if he's made joint captain, Wello could drop out of the starting 13.

Re: Team for Next Season : Wed Aug 24, 2011 6:03 pm  

Carlos Alberto wrote:

The fact that Simmons has already stated Wellens will be captain next season, to me says that he'll still be first choice FB. He did mention Roby stepping up to take the role vacated by Jammer though, so if he's made joint captain, Wello could drop out of the starting 13.

Yeah I agree, as much a I love Wello and admire what he has done for Saints I felt deflated when I heard the news as it is highly likely he will be involved in the match day team if he remains captain. I don't think we can afford to keep him there for too much longer.

There is always the possibility he will be an 'off-field' captain if Roby steps up to be a joint captain, but I can't see past Wello starting full back next year.

Re: Team for Next Season : Thu Aug 25, 2011 12:33 am  

SaintsFan wrote: No, you are clearly wrong here CM. According to a number of oracles who contribute to these boards, Hohaia has never played in the halves during his NRL career. Never. This is a FACT, apparently. So therefore you or Hohaia or the club or someone must be lying! I think Hohaia will do well in the halves myself. Just because he has been a bit of a utility player down under does not mean he cannot produce the goods in the middle. As you point out, Pryce was used as a bit of a utility before he came to us - in fact, I believe that we were willing to offer him the 6 spot was one reason he came to us (the other, my guess would now be, was that he thought Bradford were on a downward spiral, we were on the up and he wanted to jump ship; much as that perception is likely to be in his reasoning this time with the Dragons). But look at Lomax. He was Mr Utility last season and is supposed to be a six but while he may never develop fully at 7, he's certainly given it a good shot. No reason to believe Hohaia with all his international and club experience, and experience at both 6 and 1, won't make a better fist of it next season. I'm looking forward to seeing him play there. Hohia HAS CERTAINLY played in the halves for both the Warriors and the Kiwis http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQDIqYpsHWI note his shirt number. Also from wikipedia "He is one of the top points scorers in the club, while also being one of the most experienced. His utility value means that he has now played for the club at halfback, five-eighths, fullback, hooker, centre and lock. ." But anyway i agree with the rest of your post and am looking forward to seeing how he goes.

SaintsFan wrote: No, you are clearly wrong here CM. According to a number of oracles who contribute to these boards, Hohaia has never played in the halves during his NRL career. Never. This is a FACT, apparently. So therefore you or Hohaia or the club or someone must be lying! I think Hohaia will do well in the halves myself. Just because he has been a bit of a utility player down under does not mean he cannot produce the goods in the middle. As you point out, Pryce was used as a bit of a utility before he came to us - in fact, I believe that we were willing to offer him the 6 spot was one reason he came to us (the other, my guess would now be, was that he thought Bradford were on a downward spiral, we were on the up and he wanted to jump ship; much as that perception is likely to be in his reasoning this time with the Dragons). But look at Lomax. He was Mr Utility last season and is supposed to be a six but while he may never develop fully at 7, he's certainly given it a good shot. No reason to believe Hohaia with all his international and club experience, and experience at both 6 and 1, won't make a better fist of it next season. I'm looking forward to seeing him play there. Hohia HAS CERTAINLY played in the halves for both the Warriors and the Kiwis http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQDIqYpsHWI note his shirt number. Also from wikipedia "He is one of the top points scorers in the club, while also being one of the most experienced. His utility value means that he has now played for the club at halfback, five-eighths, fullback, hooker, centre and lock. ." But anyway i agree with the rest of your post and am looking forward to seeing how he goes.

Re: Team for Next Season : Thu Aug 25, 2011 8:36 am  

I'd love to see him to do that to Bailey

Re: Team for Next Season : Thu Aug 25, 2011 12:43 pm  

brook40 wrote: Hohia HAS CERTAINLY played in the halves for both the Warriors and the Kiwis http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQDIqYpsHWI note his shirt number. Oh yeah. I know this. But certain other people on here were doing their usual mocking of me, claiming it was all fiction and in fact Lance had never played in the halves during his NRL career. I knew they were talking bollox but hey, what can a girl do? I'm really looking forward to seeing him in the halves for us. He's a nippy bugger, got a great short kicking game by the looks of it, works really hard and could be just what we are looking for.

brook40 wrote: Hohia HAS CERTAINLY played in the halves for both the Warriors and the Kiwis http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQDIqYpsHWI note his shirt number. Oh yeah. I know this. But certain other people on here were doing their usual mocking of me, claiming it was all fiction and in fact Lance had never played in the halves during his NRL career. I knew they were talking bollox but hey, what can a girl do? I'm really looking forward to seeing him in the halves for us. He's a nippy bugger, got a great short kicking game by the looks of it, works really hard and could be just what we are looking for.

Re: Team for Next Season : Thu Aug 25, 2011 1:04 pm  

i would go along the lines of

1. Wellens/Lomax/Ashe depending on the opposition
2. Makinson
3. Shenton
4. Meli
5. Foster
6. Wheeler/Gaskel
7. Hohia
8. LMS
9. Roby
10. Perry
11. Soliola
12. Flanagan
13. Wilkin ( i would love him to have an old 13 role and be a playmaker )

14. TP
14. Lafranchi
16. Clough
17. any from Flanno,Wheeler,Gaskel,Lomax ( could be devastating off the bench like Roby used to be ),Moore ( if still here ) All depending on opposition and injuries ect.

And in a rare case of plannet alignemt and other such freak events i find myseld agreeing with SaintsFan

Re: Team for Next Season : Sat Aug 27, 2011 8:47 am  

with pryce gone there is a fair chunck of money for someone to come in or a reasonable sum for two people to come in.

so it maybe that we are still looking at those out of contract. but no point spending it on just any old body. if they ain't betterthan our current players no point buying them as they may struggle to get a game.

Re: Team for Next Season : Sat Aug 27, 2011 9:33 am  

brook40 wrote:

i would go along the lines of

13. Wilkin ( i would love him to have an old 13 role and be a playmaker )

14. TP
14. Lafranchi

I also think it is a shame that Wilkin isn't given the no 13 jersey, in fact it seems to go to anyone but him most weeks. He is our most naturally gifted loose forward, probably more of a Harry Pinne than a Scully. However, I think TP and Laffranchi will share the 13 spot next year, rotating between there, the bench and prop, leaving Wilkin in the second row.