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Talk some sense!
19th February 2011, 11:00
I know it's very early in the season but I think theres one area of our squad this year that looks the part.

Our front 6 this year is the best around by far, it has everything and gives us a great platform to work from. James Roby is the best player in Super League and constantly impresses, the league has plenty of good players but James Roby is stand out. Him signing a new deal was the best bit of business Saints could have ever hoped to do during the off season. Then there's James Graham, everybody know what we have in him - but this year he's got the added benefit of having a bigger and better pack around him to share the load. If this is his last season then I believe it could easily be one of his best. Tony Puletua simply doesn't get the credit he deserves, not just from Saints fans but from RL fans in general. He is immense and there is no player like him in the league. He'll make the hard yards all day long but when it comes to the oppositions ten he is a massive threat. And to add to these few there is LMS who as i've said elsewhere looks every inch a Saint, there are players who just look like they were born to play for a club and Louie fits the bill with us. I said when we signed him that I felt he was being brought in to be groomed as a potential replacement for Graham if he goes, whilst still early days he's definitely shown the potential and with still being young he'll definitely soften the blow should James Graham leave.

All that waxing lyrical and we've still got our marquee signing to get involved! We are blessed this year with the guys up front.

Bradford back in the day had a moster pack that everybody raved about perhaps rightly so, but this pack of ours in my opinion betters what Bradford had. Not only do we have the size but we have the pace and agility to back that up with and with James Roby leading them around the field we're in a very, very good position indeed.

saintgeorge
19th February 2011, 11:20
Don't forget you've got Josh Perry to add to this pack!

Talk some sense!
19th February 2011, 11:36
Don't forget you've got Josh Perry to add to this pack!

That to be fair was what i meant with

"All that waxing lyrical and we've still got our marquee signing to get involved!"

But you are certainly right, when you think we've got an experienced Australian international to get involved!

Scouse Don
19th February 2011, 12:02
To be fair we look a lot leaner and meaner and played with speed last night.If we are'nt slowed down by defensive tactics we will be hard to beat this season

superdom
19th February 2011, 12:16
I like Tony P's threat as a second row as well as prop.
To have him being able to cover these positions - along with Workhorse Clough - shows we have a bit of strength in depth.

The Chair Maker
19th February 2011, 12:31
Tony P was a prop tonight, and alos at Cardiff just cos he wears 11 doesnt mean he is playing back row. He runs straight down the middle channels, not out wide as a back row would do.

As for the pack. They are looking impressive early doors. However its a long season, and the real tests of our pack strength, will come against the Wire and Huddersfield.

What i do like about them, is they are very quick around the ruck area, and this has allowed us to get a role on.

The prospect of Jammer and Perry starting in the front row then swapping them over for LMS and Puletua is likely to wreck havoc amongst most SL packs.

One note of caution however, Opposition teams will wise up to our tactics and learn techniques to negate our dominance. So as the season goes on we are unlikely to find the going as easy.

The key so far has been Roby. He is jumping out of dummy half and feigning to scoot but then offloading to forwards coming inside or outside. Sometimes he himself scoots. This is causing nightmares for opposition defences as if they leave Roby he will run riot, but if they target Roby then the Saints forwards find themselves with more space to work in. This in itself creates space in the halves and outwide. Further exaserbating the opposition defensive problems and causing them to fatigue as the game goes on.

Scouse Don
19th February 2011, 14:34
It's fair to say Roby has really stepped up to the plate.I believe him to be the most complete number 9 in world RL.I am judging that on the basis that I reckon he would be first choice at any RL club.

Laner
19th February 2011, 15:23
I am TP's biggest critic. When he gets involved in a game he is devastating - he makes yards and scores tries, but in the past two seasons he gets involved infrequently and he has got the tag of being "lazy" from some fans, me included. Always willing to be convinced a player can be improved and on the evidence of the first two games I am really pleased with him. His workload is up and his impact is even better. Really good so far. Somebody pointed out to me last night that he may have been playing the way he had as that is what Potter wanted. Hope so because I like the "new" TP better.

Gray77
19th February 2011, 15:44
It's fair to say Roby has really stepped up to the plate.I believe him to be the most complete number 9 in world RL.I am judging that on the basis that I reckon he would be first choice at any RL club.

Top 3 anyway mate alongside Smith and Farah. Roby was always going to be the key to the tempo of our play with KC gone. I don't think anybody ever doubted he would take over the No.9 shirt effectively, but the difference between sharing duties with Cunningham and then being 'the man' for 80 minutes takes time and the speed at which he has become the centre of things is impressive.

Lex
19th February 2011, 16:51
We all know about Jammer, all class and capable of doing 80 minutes. Roby is, well, ROBY. TP is looking stronger and fitter than ever, Flannery is a good old fashioned grafter, with a lot of guile. John Wilkin is class, and looks like he is relishing the LF position. Sia when he is the forwards creates havoc and makes some monster hits. LMS looks like he as all the attributes to be a major signing. Cloughie had a great game last night, he always makes good yards, and is difficult to tackle, but against Salford he seems to have added a little bit more speed, and backed up very well. And then of course, there will be JOSH PERRY.
I've only mentioned these players as I see these as first choice, but Dixon, Ashurst and Moore will do a very good job when used, in fact, Moore in my opinion should be in the squad when fit, apart from his last tackle options, he is always busy and grafting.

Albion
19th February 2011, 17:22
Tony P was a prop tonight, and alos at Cardiff just cos he wears 11 doesnt mean he is playing back row. He runs straight down the middle channels, not out wide as a back row would do.

It will be interesting when Perry comes back, where will TP be put? He could be put in the second row or he could be replacement prop. We could have a pack of:

Perry, Roby, Graham,
Solioloa, Puletua
Wilkin

with the likes of LMS, clough, Flannery, Moore, Dixon, Ashurst and Magennis fighting it out for a place on the bench

Northampton_Saint
19th February 2011, 19:09
I think we're looking better at this stage of the season in all areas (even with the injuries) than we have in a very long time, particularly in the forwards. I'm feeling very confident about this season for once - admittedly we've only played Wigan and Salford so far but for the first time in donkey's I'm going into the game against Wire not dreading that we'll finally get turned over this time. Cue 36-10 defeat... :)

wabo
19th February 2011, 19:53
We've got a very good pack no question, but at this stage to say its the best after thumping an atrocious Salford side may be a bit premature.

Wigan have an equally good pack, with the additions of Lima and Hoffman this year, the return of Hock and the development of Tuson, Farrell and Mossop. Leeds have added 2 excellent forwards in Cross and Huaraki.

The Giants pack for me is the pick of the league with O' Donnell, Fa'alongo the standouts but they really do have fantastic strength in depth in the forwards, Gilly, Crabtree, Mason, Horne, Lunt and now they've added Dale Ferguson

ploughman
19th February 2011, 20:01
We've got a very good pack no question, but at this stage to say its the best after thumping an atrocious Salford side may be a bit premature.

Wigan have an equally good pack, with the additions of Lima and Hoffman this year, the return of Hock and the development of Tuson, Farrell and Mossop. Leeds have added 2 excellent forwards in Cross and Huaraki.

The Giants pack for me is the pick of the league with O' Donnell, Fa'alongo the standouts but they really do have fantastic strength in depth in the forwards, Gilly, Crabtree, Mason, Horne, Lunt and now they've added Dale Ferguson

Cas made them look ordinary tonight

Northampton_Saint
19th February 2011, 20:02
I think it's the best pack we've had in a long time and probably the best in the league in pure personnel terms, but agreed it's too early to judge just how good they'll ultimately be when it matters just yet. We do look a bit thin depthwise outside the 10 or 12 first choices and will be buggered if (or more likely when knowing our luck) 4 or 5 go down injured - hopefully we can get the injuries out of the way during the season and have everyone firing come the playoffs. We shall see...

Talk some sense!
19th February 2011, 22:44
We've got a very good pack no question, but at this stage to say its the best after thumping an atrocious Salford side may be a bit premature.

Wigan have an equally good pack, with the additions of Lima and Hoffman this year, the return of Hock and the development of Tuson, Farrell and Mossop. Leeds have added 2 excellent forwards in Cross and Huaraki.

The Giants pack for me is the pick of the league with O' Donnell, Fa'alongo the standouts but they really do have fantastic strength in depth in the forwards, Gilly, Crabtree, Mason, Horne, Lunt and now they've added Dale Ferguson

It is more in a personnel sense to be honest - I can't see a pack in the league on paper that is more complete than our. We all know that games aren't won on paper mind!

Albion
20th February 2011, 14:46
It is more in a personnel sense to be honest - I can't see a pack in the league on paper that is more complete than our. We all know that games aren't won on paper mind!

100% agree, we have the stand-out pack in the league IMO.

reliable sauce
20th February 2011, 14:59
The though of interchanging Graham and Perry with Scarsbrook and Perry, immense

Private Pyle
20th February 2011, 17:44
The though of interchanging Graham and Perry with Scarsbrook and Perry, immense

You're right, the rest of SL will be sh!tting themselves at the thought of us being able to bring Perry on when Perry gets a bit tired ;)

Wanderer
20th February 2011, 18:30
You're right, the rest of SL will be sh!tting themselves at the thought of us being able to bring Perry on when Perry gets a bit tired ;)
Didn't you know we bought the Perry twins? (Man, that would be a treat for us girlies!)

mister chuffy
20th February 2011, 21:17
I am TP's biggest critic. When he gets involved in a game he is devastating - he makes yards and scores tries, but in the past two seasons he gets involved infrequently and he has got the tag of being "lazy" from some fans, me included. Always willing to be convinced a player can be improved and on the evidence of the first two games I am really pleased with him. His workload is up and his impact is even better. Really good so far. Somebody pointed out to me last night that he may have been playing the way he had as that is what Potter wanted. Hope so because I like the "new" TP better.

To be fair to TP he has had a massive workload on his shoulders especially last season with the injury crisis we had. This season should see big T back to his Penrith Panthers days when he crucified teams out wide. Soliola and Tony will be THE second row to be reckoned with when Perry and Jammer are fit, along with Scarsbrook and Clough as bench back-up. Simmons may adopt a similar style of play?

Blobbynator
20th February 2011, 21:49
I've just seen the highlights of the Salford game and THAT pass from Puletua to Eastmond for one of our tries in the 1st half was sensational. He did something similar at Cas away last year too. If Eastmond does go I'll miss the link up play between those two, it is awesome to watch.

Spider Ski
20th February 2011, 21:54
I've just seen the highlights of the Salford game and THAT pass from Puletua to Eastmond for one of our tries in the 1st half was sensational. He did something similar at Cas away last year too. If Eastmond does go I'll miss the link up play between those two, it is awesome to watch.

Thing of beauty.

hazzo21
20th February 2011, 23:03
I think it's the best pack we've had in a long time and probably the best in the league in pure personnel terms, but agreed it's too early to judge just how good they'll ultimately be when it matters just yet. We do look a bit thin depthwise outside the 10 or 12 first choices and will be buggered if (or more likely when knowing our luck) 4 or 5 go down injured - hopefully we can get the injuries out of the way during the season and have everyone firing come the playoffs. We shall see...
The first 10 or 12 forwards?? How many do you want us to have!!
If this was a sarcastic comment then apologies