I think his move to Cas is a good one. It's a good environment there and some players have blossomed after being discarded elsewhere. I don't for one second want to do your club down, but there is less intense pressure at Cas to be a world beater from the off; in other words your fans have more patience and if you have a 'consolidation' season, there isn't going to be a big backlash.
Still can't believe Leeds have paid a rumoured £150k for Gale, when he's in the twilight of his career and been plagued with injury these past couple of years.
Indeed, I think we’re favourites to go back to back already, even before pre season has started. Throw in another quality prop on top of Thompson, Walmsley, Lees, LMS (and so on) we’ll be near imposssihle to stop. In fact, looking at that list I’m not sure we’ve got room for one unless the fan meant a second row or loose forward.
Paulo to Leigh
It's probably Albert Vete that they are referring to. He's been mentioned a here a few times. Was offered to SL clubs back in September so someone will have a done a deal by now
I expect our new coach put us in a strong negotiating position if we were interested at the time
He’s got very good leg speed for a prop and is a decent offloader judging by his highlights reel
Depends how committed he is if he is coming to Super League. It might be a level below the NRL but you’ll still get found out if you’re coming for a holiday
Back OTT.
Presumably Danny is leaving but when will it be announced?
Saints have just tweeted that we have two players in the England Knights squad - Jack Ashworth and Danny.
Seems a bit odd that there's been nothing on the transfer.
I think Richardson doesn't get the credit his contributions this year merit.
When Fages got injured at the end of March, we were unbeaten but weren't generally firing on all cylinders (struggled to beat Leeds, Salford & HKR at home, for instance). He came in cold against Catalans in a much-changed line-up, and we only lost by 8 in their own back yard. He looked rusty but was better next game when we stuffed early-season pretender Wire, with DR's quick passes to the right helping create space for KN & TM to operate. Next up, we drubbed the piescum, with DR slotting in even better. Then we trounced Hull, our right flank scoring 7 between them, and Catalans.
When brought back into the team, he did fine (the 2 losses to London were with 'reserve' teams, obvs)
To me, the first home win against Warrington was the turning point of the season. It wasn't all plain sailing from then on, of course, but that win, followed up with big wins against wi*an and Hull, ignited the season and left us looking down on the rest.
He was unfortunate in having 3 or 4 different half back partners during his run of games. His biggest contribution was getting that right hand edge working which became very productive for the remaining season.
The criticism he got was mainly for the end of set plays, most of them were actually training ground moves but he took the flak when the executions broke down.
Great to see him very much in the Grand Final post match celebration, he played a part like the others outside of the 17 in getting us there.
Whatever happens re Richardson I think his story is far from over. If given a fair run of games he has always been excellent. Fages has grabbed his chances with his speed and tackling ability but Richardson has he edge kicking wise and the eye for a gap.
Now official apparently
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Not too sure but didn't Richardson play in a warm up game and get injured, then he couldn't get his place back.
At the moment there's no contestvthst Fages is the better player but a good close season can make a difference.
Career wise Richardson would be better staying at Saints and trying to prove his worth to a new coach.
Of course with other good young players pushing for places the club may want to move him on somewhere else.
Think it was journalists who chose it and I can guarantee that I and most other Saints fans will have watched Richardson more. Taking the headlines with drop goals and touchline conversions despite his all round game being poor and there being no good scrum halves who played a full season saw him in that dream team. Justin Holbrook clearly disagreed as he thought Theo Fages was the better option for 2019, despite him never playing scrum half in 2018.
We just had the one friendly against Hull and I think Fages started scrum half and then swapped at half time with Richardson. There was also the situation were Holbrook said something about Fages being first choice because Richardson had missed some of pre season with a groin injury but it was fairly obvious he was just trying to save Richardson the embarrassment of being dropped after everyone saying how great he’d been. Quite a few people fell for it so it had the desired effect.
I think it shows that Richardson isn’t rated at all for him to be leaving before the new coach has arrived and had a chance to watch him. It’s the right decision for both parties though. We get a transfer fee, save space on the cap and can now focus on bringing through Lewis Dodd who is more likely to have a successful career at Saints while Richardson will get to play every week at a decent club. I think he’ll struggle but good luck to him and hopefully it’ll be a good move for him.
This is a twisted narrative.
He was not dropped, he was injured at the start of the season and so could not play.
Fages was the next in line and earned the right to keep the shirt. (which I have no issue with)
Similarly in 2018 Richardson got the shirt and kept it as he had earned the shirt.
If he was going to be dropped because he was not good enough then at any stage in 2018 Holbrook could have took that decision and he didn't.
Life in sport does not work on the basis of someone being top class one week and the worst player ever the next, which seems to be your narrative.
There is a huge amount of ground in the middle where players form peaks and drops, team combinations work and break down.
In this instance you have 2 players who are close in quality but you can't fit both in the same side, so the decision will always be in favour of the player who has earned the shirt until their form drops or they get a substantial injury.