Re: Re: : Sat Jan 04, 2014 1:20 pm  

The Yellow Giraffe wrote:

Come on mate, that just simply isn't true and I think you know it. Soliola would be a starting 2nd row at Wigan and Walmsley as an impact prop is better than Luaki, Powell, Dudson, Crosby. We can all love our club and be passionate but being so obviously biased is pointless.

As much as I hate Wigan, I'm not so blinkered not to realise that Charnley, Green, Flower, Farrell, O'Loughlin off the top of my head would all get into our side.

I like Walmsley a lot but I would not swap him for Crosby or Dudson.

Re: Re: : Sat Jan 04, 2014 1:22 pm  

The Yellow Giraffe wrote:

Come on mate, that just simply isn't true and I think you know it. Soliola would be a starting 2nd row at Wigan and Walmsley as an impact prop is better than Luaki, Powell, Dudson, Crosby. We can all love our club and be passionate but being so obviously biased is pointless.

As much as I hate Wigan, I'm not so blinkered not to realise that Charnley, Green, Flower, Farrell, O'Loughlin off the top of my head would all get into our side.

Agreed that was a daft comment. I'm really looking forward to getting back to competitive good Fridays. The Wigan - Saints derby has taken a backseat for a few years IMO with Warrington being the bigger rival, I reckon that will change next season

Re: Re: : Sat Jan 04, 2014 1:23 pm  

dubairl wrote:

I agreed with Walmsley but not with Sia Soliola, don't get me wrong he is a fantastic player but i still wouldn't want him at Wigan because we have a lot of unknown talent in the 2nd row. Walmsley on the other hand is apart of the new bread of English prop forwards that are coming through, Very tall but heavy and can make meters with 2 or 3 defenders on them. But we don't seem to want impact props at Wigan any more since Madge showed them to be liabilities in the squad, i hope Walmsley develops into something a lot better than an impact player he certainly has the talent.

God honest truth i would want Walmsley and Roby from saints but that is it.

Fair enough, everyone entitled to their opinion insuppose but I'm shocked that any Wigan fan wouldn't take Soliola in their side, especially now Hansen has gone. I can't see Clubb or Lloyd having the same impact that he has had. Bateman on the other hand may turn into a very good player but it might take a year or two. In Soliola you would have a ready made replacement for Hansen. All hypothetical though of course!

Re: Re: : Sat Jan 04, 2014 1:28 pm  

Grimmy wrote:

Agreed that was a daft comment. I'm really looking forward to getting back to competitive good Fridays. The Wigan - Saints derby has taken a backseat for a few years IMO with Warrington being the bigger rival, I reckon that will change next season

I hope so mate. I'm always optimistic (sometimes blindly if I'm honest) when it comes to Saints but I genuinely feel we have finally strengthened the areas we needed to. A proper no.7 and a few props will hopefully get us challenging again. I'd have loved a new 6 ideally as well but you can't have everything.

Is it 4 consecutive Good Fridays you have won now? About time we put a stop to that!

Re: Re: : Sat Jan 04, 2014 1:30 pm  

The Yellow Giraffe wrote:

Fair enough, everyone entitled to their opinion insuppose but I'm shocked that any Wigan fan wouldn't take Soliola in their side, especially now Hansen has gone. I can't see Clubb or Lloyd having the same impact that he has had. Bateman on the other hand may turn into a very good player but it might take a year or two. In Soliola you would have a ready made replacement for Hansen. All hypothetical though of course!

Its the same reason i wasn't upset about Hansen Leaving you know what your going to get from him and its the same with Soliola, With clubb and Bateman we have no idea because they have shown talent but never developed it at their old clubs. plus we have a couple of youngster such as Greg Burke which deserve a shot before we sign an overseas player.

Re: Re: : Sat Jan 04, 2014 1:32 pm  

The Yellow Giraffe wrote:

I hope so mate. I'm always optimistic (sometimes blindly if I'm honest) when it comes to Saints but I genuinely feel we have finally strengthened the areas we needed to. A proper no.7 and a few props will hopefully get us challenging again. I'd have loved a new 6 ideally as well but you can't have everything.

Is it 4 consecutive Good Fridays you have won now? About time we put a stop to that!

Aye, if we win this time it'll be five times in a row. There's a chant there somewhere

Re: Re: : Sat Jan 04, 2014 1:45 pm  

Grimmy wrote:

Aye, if we win this time it'll be five times in a row. There's a chant there somewhere

Haha. Touché! I'm hoping Warrington make it 6 losses in a row and take the attention off us!

In fact, if we win it again this season then I won't care about the 5 defeats!

Back on point, Masoe will miss the first month of the season so our supposed new strength in depth in the pack will be tested early doors. A chance maybe for Beaumont or one of the kids from last year may get another chance. Thompson (who has been picked out as one to watch on sky) or Richards perhaps.

Re: Power Packs. : Sat Jan 04, 2014 2:24 pm  

Reading the Red Vee they are putting an awful lot of expectation on the incoming Walsh hope he lives up to it!

Re: Power Packs. : Sat Jan 04, 2014 2:39 pm  

Sunshine state wrote:

Reading the Red Vee they are putting an awful lot of expectation on the incoming Walsh hope he lives up to it!

He has a superb kicking game, but not the passing game of a Tim Smith or Michael Dobson. He is not a ball rummer at all. I don't think that Saints have a winger the likes of Richards or Monaghan to maximise his kicking game, although I don't know much about the Dawson who they signed from Huddersfield and I suppose they could bring in Gardner who is a decent catcher of the high kick.

Walsh is also a very good goalkicker which is always a bonus particularly in close games. It'll be interesting too see if Saints fans get on his back for not running with the ball if things are not going right for them, just as some Wigan fans did with Tim Smith.

Re: Power Packs. : Sat Jan 04, 2014 3:37 pm  

Rogues Gallery wrote:

He has a superb kicking game, but not the passing game of a Tim Smith or Michael Dobson. He is not a ball rummer at all. I don't think that Saints have a winger the likes of Richards or Monaghan to maximise his kicking game, although I don't know much about the Dawson who they signed from Huddersfield and I suppose they could bring in Gardner who is a decent catcher of the high kick.

Walsh is also a very good goalkicker which is always a bonus particularly in close games. It'll be interesting too see if Saints fans get on his back for not running with the ball if things are not going right for them, just as some Wigan fans did with Tim Smith.

His supposed lack of a running game mustn't hold him back too much, he was joint 7th in the Dally M voting last year. A top 10 player in the NRL will hold his own in Super League I'm sure.