Things Id like to see changed when Nathan Brown comes in. : Mon Jun 04, 2012 3:33 pm  

Having watched 99.9% percent of the games this season I can only remember 1998/2003 being a worse seasons that the current one we are in. So only three average seasons out 17 years of Super League is a remarkable achievement. How many other clubs could boast of such a record??? I know people will say we have lost the last five Grand Finals but at least we were good enough to get there which in my book qualifys as a succesful enough season.

We have some marvellous young kids in our squad like Jonny Lomax, Lee Gaskell, Tommy Makinson, Josh Jones, Adam Swift, Carl Forster to name a few. These kids will become stars of the Super League in the near future but we are lacking in many areas of the side that need addressing. I know these changes cant happen overnight but little changes year on year will make us a better side in years to come.

Here's a few changes I would like to see made.

Paul Wellens has been on of the best Full Backs (if not thee best) in Super League. All good things have to come to an end and I think its time Wello stepped aside and allow Jonny Lomax to takeover the Full Back role. Jonny Lomax has done a great job at Scrum Half but I believe Full Back is his long term position.

We need to inject some serious pace into the three quarter line. Francis Meli and Ade Gardner have been good players for the club but now are sadly in decline and have been for quite sometime. Francis Meli has become a serious liablity under the high ball for a few years now and should be released at the end of the season. As everyone knows Michael Shenton is being released at the end of the year and I would love us to go out to the market place and bring in a Right Centre thats got tremendous pace, good hands and solid in defence. We have never really replaced Willie Talau at left centre but I think Josh Jones should be given a serious run there to see if he is capable of making that slot his own. I think the kid could prove to be a star in the making.

We also have to sign a organising Half Back. As much as I think Jonny Lomax is doing a great job at 7 he hasnt got the organisational skills that we desprately need. Lance Hohaia is never a Stand Off in the memory of man and it competley amazes me why on earth Mike Rush isnt playing young Lee Gaskell at 6 every week.

The forwards with the exception of James Roby, Sia Soliola and LMS need a serious overhaul. Everytime we have played Wigan this season we have looked beaten up before the hooter has even gone for kick off!!! Josh Perry has been hit and miss this year with more misses than hits. Where the hell is the form what earned him a place in State Of Origin??? Anthony Laffranchi has done a sterling job upfront but is more of a backrower than a front rower (also been told a rumour that he is off home at the end of the year due to his wife being homesick) Jon Wilkin has been off the boil for sometime and needs to be told a few home truths in my opinion. There is no doubt in my mind that Wilkin has some serious ability but he cant do it on a consistant basis week in week out.

Re: Things Id like to see changed when Nathan Brown comes in : Mon Jun 04, 2012 3:54 pm  

on_the_charge wrote:

Having watched 99.9% percent of the games this season I can only remember 1998/2003 being a worse seasons that the current one we are in. So only three average seasons out 17 years of Super League is a remarkable achievement. How many other clubs could boast of such a record??? I know people will say we have lost the last five Grand Finals but at least we were good enough to get there which in my book qualifys as a succesful enough season.

We have some marvellous young kids in our squad like Jonny Lomax, Lee Gaskell, Tommy Makinson, Josh Jones, Adam Swift, Carl Forster to name a few. These kids will become stars of the Super League in the near future but we are lacking in many areas of the side that need addressing. I know these changes cant happen overnight but little changes year on year will make us a better side in years to come.

Here's a few changes I would like to see made.

Paul Wellens has been on of the best Full Backs (if not thee best) in Super League. All good things have to come to an end and I think its time Wello stepped aside and allow Jonny Lomax to takeover the Full Back role. Jonny Lomax has done a great job at Scrum Half but I believe Full Back is his long term position.

We need to inject some serious pace into the three quarter line. Francis Meli and Ade Gardner have been good players for the club but now are sadly in decline and have been for quite sometime. Francis Meli has become a serious liablity under the high ball for a few years now and should be released at the end of the season. As everyone knows Michael Shenton is being released at the end of the year and I would love us to go out to the market place and bring in a Right Centre thats got tremendous pace, good hands and solid in defence. We have never really replaced Willie Talau at left centre but I think Josh Jones should be given a serious run there to see if he is capable of making that slot his own. I think the kid could prove to be a star in the making.

We also have to sign a organising Half Back. As much as I think Jonny Lomax is doing a great job at 7 he hasnt got the organisational skills that we desprately need. Lance Hohaia is never a Stand Off in the memory of man and it competley amazes me why on earth Mike Rush isnt playing young Lee Gaskell at 6 every week.

The forwards with the exception of James Roby, Sia Soliola and LMS need a serious overhaul. Everytime we have played Wigan this season we have looked beaten up before the hooter has even gone for kick off!!! Josh Perry has been hit and miss this year with more misses than hits. Where the hell is the form what earned him a place in State Of Origin??? Anthony Laffranchi has done a sterling job upfront but is more of a backrower than a front rower (also been told a rumour that he is off home at the end of the year due to his wife being homesick) Jon Wilkin has been off the boil for sometime and needs to be told a few home truths in my opinion. There is no doubt in my mind that Wilkin has some serious ability but he cant do it on a consistant basis week in week out.

Lomax is never a fullback , Makinson and IMO Swift look like they may be good for that shirt , not forgetting the former NZ international 1 we have doing sod all at 6 atm (who is sadly on a long contract and shows no signs of getting homesick)

Perry is hot and cold - agree

Wilkin has never lived upto his potential unfortunatly

Laffranchi leaving would be a loss but nothing like Graham last year

Josh Jones for me is on course to be our regular 4 and yes a proper replacement for Willie Talau - with luck he'll be partnered with a rejuvenated Shenton (not likely if rumours are true) or Jordan Turner (I'd be happy with that)

FYI Gardner and Meli have never been any good really - Gardner has had his moments(not many) but has always been limited by his lack of pace meaning he is in the 'solid' catagory at best and Meli has been prone to doing 'a Meli' pretty much since we got him (hence he didnt stay in the NRL) - neither are good enough to lace Darren Albert's boots

Re: Things Id like to see changed when Nathan Brown comes in : Mon Jun 04, 2012 4:58 pm  

on_the_charge wrote:

Having watched 99.9% percent of the games this season I can only remember 1998/2003 being a worse seasons that the current one we are in. So only three average seasons out 17 years of Super League is a remarkable achievement. How many other clubs could boast of such a record??? I know people will say we have lost the last five Grand Finals but at least we were good enough to get there which in my book qualifys as a succesful enough season.

We have some marvellous young kids in our squad like Jonny Lomax, Lee Gaskell, Tommy Makinson, Josh Jones, Adam Swift, Carl Forster to name a few. These kids will become stars of the Super League in the near future but we are lacking in many areas of the side that need addressing. I know these changes cant happen overnight but little changes year on year will make us a better side in years to come.

Here's a few changes I would like to see made.

Paul Wellens has been on of the best Full Backs (if not thee best) in Super League. All good things have to come to an end and I think its time Wello stepped aside and allow Jonny Lomax to takeover the Full Back role. Jonny Lomax has done a great job at Scrum Half but I believe Full Back is his long term position.

We need to inject some serious pace into the three quarter line. Francis Meli and Ade Gardner have been good players for the club but now are sadly in decline and have been for quite sometime. Francis Meli has become a serious liablity under the high ball for a few years now and should be released at the end of the season. As everyone knows Michael Shenton is being released at the end of the year and I would love us to go out to the market place and bring in a Right Centre thats got tremendous pace, good hands and solid in defence. We have never really replaced Willie Talau at left centre but I think Josh Jones should be given a serious run there to see if he is capable of making that slot his own. I think the kid could prove to be a star in the making.

We also have to sign a organising Half Back. As much as I think Jonny Lomax is doing a great job at 7 he hasnt got the organisational skills that we desprately need. Lance Hohaia is never a Stand Off in the memory of man and it competley amazes me why on earth Mike Rush isnt playing young Lee Gaskell at 6 every week.

The forwards with the exception of James Roby, Sia Soliola and LMS need a serious overhaul. Everytime we have played Wigan this season we have looked beaten up before the hooter has even gone for kick off!!! Josh Perry has been hit and miss this year with more misses than hits. Where the hell is the form what earned him a place in State Of Origin??? Anthony Laffranchi has done a sterling job upfront but is more of a backrower than a front rower (also been told a rumour that he is off home at the end of the year due to his wife being homesick) Jon Wilkin has been off the boil for sometime and needs to be told a few home truths in my opinion. There is no doubt in my mind that Wilkin has some serious ability but he cant do it on a consistant basis week in week out.

I agree with most of that, especially the pack needing overhaul and more importantly the organising halfback.

However, I don't think lomax can play fullback no more, he's just to big now and IMO not got the pace to play there. I'd prefer makinson there.

I think brown needs to give us structure, we seriously lack being coached.

Re: Things Id like to see changed when Nathan Brown comes in : Mon Jun 04, 2012 5:00 pm  

Also what I forgot to put in my original post was that IMO we need a Loose Forward as Paul Sculthorpe has never been replaced!

Re: Things Id like to see changed when Nathan Brown comes in : Mon Jun 04, 2012 5:06 pm  

on_the_charge wrote:

Also what I forgot to put in my original post was that IMO we need a Loose Forward as Paul Sculthorpe has never been replaced!

2 things to that. firstly the coaches we've had seem to have preferred to use the loose forward shirt as an extra prop but even if they'd given the job to say Wilkin (a ball player) sadly he is no Paul Sculthorpe. If he fills out maybe Gaskell would could be used as an additional pivot wearing 13

Re: Things Id like to see changed when Nathan Brown comes in : Mon Jun 04, 2012 5:07 pm  

St pete wrote:

I agree with most of that, especially the pack needing overhaul and more importantly the organising halfback.

However, I don't think lomax can play fullback no more, he's just to big now and IMO not got the pace to play there. I'd prefer makinson there.

I think brown needs to give us structure, we seriously lack being coached.

Yeah on second thoughts I would go with Makinson and leave Lomax at Scrum Half to develop further. Also agree with your comment we miss being coached properley.

Team for 2013

1. Makinson
2. Swift
3. Shenton/New Signing
4. Jones
5. New Signing
6. Gaskell
7. Lomax
8. New Signing
9. Roby (c)
10.Puletua
11.Soliola
12.Wilkin
13.Laffranchi (if he where to stay???)

Bench

14.Hohaia
15.Flanagan
16.McCarthy-Scarsbrook
17.Clough

Re: Things Id like to see changed when Nathan Brown comes in : Mon Jun 04, 2012 5:16 pm  

This

No1 Saint wrote:

FYI Gardner and Meli have never been any good really - Gardner has had his moments(not many) but has always been limited by his lack of pace meaning he is in the 'solid' catagory at best and Meli has been prone to doing 'a Meli' pretty much since we got him (hence he didnt stay in the NRL) - neither are good enough to lace Darren Albert's boots

I'd love us to get Broughton from Salford-genuine finisher and one of the fastest in the league.

Re: Things Id like to see changed when Nathan Brown comes in : Mon Jun 04, 2012 8:10 pm  

If Lomax isn't a Fullback you best get his name printed on the 1 shirt cos that's where Browny will play him, either there or Prop!!!!

Re: Things Id like to see changed when Nathan Brown comes in : Mon Jun 04, 2012 8:16 pm  

Gi4nts wrote:

If Lomax isn't a Fullback you best get his name printed on the 1 shirt cos that's where Browny will play him, either there or Prop!!!!

why? who has he played so far out of position?

Re: Things Id like to see changed when Nathan Brown comes in : Mon Jun 04, 2012 8:18 pm  

on_the_charge wrote:

Having watched 99.9% percent of the games this season I can only remember 1998/2003 being a worse seasons that the current one we are in. So only three average seasons out 17 years of Super League is a remarkable achievement. How many other clubs could boast of such a record??? I know people will say we have lost the last five Grand Finals but at least we were good enough to get there which in my book qualifys as a succesful enough season.

We have some marvellous young kids in our squad like Jonny Lomax, Lee Gaskell, Tommy Makinson, Josh Jones, Adam Swift, Carl Forster to name a few. These kids will become stars of the Super League in the near future but we are lacking in many areas of the side that need addressing. I know these changes cant happen overnight but little changes year on year will make us a better side in years to come.

Here's a few changes I would like to see made.

Paul Wellens has been on of the best Full Backs (if not thee best) in Super League. All good things have to come to an end and I think its time Wello stepped aside and allow Jonny Lomax to takeover the Full Back role. Jonny Lomax has done a great job at Scrum Half but I believe Full Back is his long term position.

We need to inject some serious pace into the three quarter line. Francis Meli and Ade Gardner have been good players for the club but now are sadly in decline and have been for quite sometime. Francis Meli has become a serious liablity under the high ball for a few years now and should be released at the end of the season. As everyone knows Michael Shenton is being released at the end of the year and I would love us to go out to the market place and bring in a Right Centre thats got tremendous pace, good hands and solid in defence. We have never really replaced Willie Talau at left centre but I think Josh Jones should be given a serious run there to see if he is capable of making that slot his own. I think the kid could prove to be a star in the making.

We also have to sign a organising Half Back. As much as I think Jonny Lomax is doing a great job at 7 he hasnt got the organisational skills that we desprately need. Lance Hohaia is never a Stand Off in the memory of man and it competley amazes me why on earth Mike Rush isnt playing young Lee Gaskell at 6 every week.

The forwards with the exception of James Roby, Sia Soliola and LMS need a serious overhaul. Everytime we have played Wigan this season we have looked beaten up before the hooter has even gone for kick off!!! Josh Perry has been hit and miss this year with more misses than hits. Where the hell is the form what earned him a place in State Of Origin??? Anthony Laffranchi has done a sterling job upfront but is more of a backrower than a front rower (also been told a rumour that he is off home at the end of the year due to his wife being homesick) Jon Wilkin has been off the boil for sometime and needs to be told a few home truths in my opinion. There is no doubt in my mind that Wilkin has some serious ability but he cant do it on a consistant basis week in week out.

In all I imagine most would agree with this. However I would say TP should be in that list of pack players that does not need an overhaul. He just needs a bit of fitness after his injury.

Does anyone remember the drama last year when Wire tried to steal him away from Saints and the relief expressed when he confirmed that he had signed with us for 2 years.

As for Lomax and Makinson, I'd be happy with either at FB, but we need to make a choice and give them a good run out.