I think we dropped as far as we can drop under KC, and we quickly recovered. I don't see us dropping too far. We have to trust in the system and trust that we are producing players good enough to make the first team and prosper. Over the SL era we have done pretty well promoting from within, and some of the genuinely top class players we have had in our teams in that time didn't cost us a penny and came from within. These lads may not end up to be at the level of Wellens, Cunningham, Roby, etc, but nobody thought those lads would end up at the level they were going to reach either I suspect.
I remember people going crackers about how Roby was never going to be good enough and we were crazy letting Higham go. I also remember people suggesting we should bin off Luke Thompson and focus purely on Richards... youth development is a funny world with fans!
Lots of decisions over the next few years, as said above we have to trust in the processes. I am sure we’re talking to the right people and have some plans but the club is always so secretive over such things!
It's the nature of sport, some players have great long careers, they still have to retire in the end and be replaced. There are always lots of fans who think those about to replace them aren't as good. Over the years, Saints have been through it many times & have managed the transition well. I expect them to do the same again. We have some of the best young talent in the country & I look forward to seing the incoming young players build great careers of their own for us to enjoy for years to come.
I suppose Lomax and Walmsley don't count really as they'll both be 34 by the end of the 2024 season and we'll be needing to move on from them anyway, whilst to be honest I'd be delighted if re-signing Percival in 3.5 years was something that we really needed to do if you get what I mean.
As for the 2021 ones, well I think we all assume we'll lose anywhere between 3 and 6 of the ones who end this season, but if you look at is a group I'm fairly relaxed about it really because there are some decent earners on that list who will free up some cap space, and we are still a club that players will want to play for. If we lose a handful we will fill in the gaps with the lads we have coming through or a couple of new recruits, I don't think we need to worry too much.
It's the end of 2022 that we need to worry about IMO. Within the list are some of the lads that we should be building a team around in the next 5-10 years and other lads who we already rely heavily on and are elite players in their positions. I think if we give the young lads enough time on the park and enough guarantees that they are the future bedrocks of the side then they will all happily re-sign, but there are names on that 2022 list that I wouldn't want us to do without and they are the worry because they will have plenty of other options, and good ones as well.
I'm Surprised Parcell hasn't been mentioned before. Always played well against us at Leeds,but I don't think he's had too much game time at HKR. Sure he would do a good job,having said that I don't see a lot wrong with Smith. We've been spoiled with Cunningham and Roby.
only in his brief cameos. I have to respectfully disagree on fages kicking game, I find it poor both in selection and execution. For a half back in a trophy winning side his kicking game is very weak. I think Dodds will be a better a player and imo he already will develop a superior kicking and passing game to fages although I grant you he may not be as good in defence
No it isnt the main job but it is now a factor. Richardson has got an opinion on why he is in a team. Lomax did not agree with Richardson, hence Theo became first choice partner. Dodds must be able to hold his own and Lomax will guide him for 12 months. What he is getting now is exposure, he is around the senior team and cameo appearances build confidence.
I think there’s a big difference in defending as a hooker in the middle compared with being a half back on the edge. As the former, you may have props coming at you but it is rare that you are the only defender attempting to stop them. As a half back, however, you are more likely to be asked to tackle one-on-one a centre or second row, either of whom are normally faster and more agile than a prop. Dodd has certainly defended acceptably to date but bigger tests will have to be faced when he is selected as half back. Hopefully, he will be up to it but you only have to read the Casforum to see what fans think of a half (Richardson) failing to defend adequately.
screaming in the family corner, scaring the kiddies
When Dodd had his full game debut against Salford he made a 38 tackles and missed 3 tackles. Richardson if he made so many tackles he would very likely miss very close to 10 tackles, we also remember Walsh had a pretty high missed tackle count as well. Dodd has been learning some tackle technique with Roby in training and at the moment is going for the legs side on.
Where people like Richardson and Jamie Foster go wrong is through youth RL they have got by with a huge amount of fairy dust. Then you hit the big time and its men who are hard, fast and skilful and you need some sort of defence. Murphy and John Woods both used to laugh and say we are not here to tackle. BUT they did and knew when and knew how. Dodds doesn't need to be Theo, but at Saints, Wheeler, Richardson, Gaskell, Foster you soon get found out and moved on. Normally down. Fair play to Theo he is moving down but for a kings ransom.
Numerous Aussie posters on Reddit Claiming Dufty is nailed on for us as Brisbane have pulled out and Coote is going home?
Anyone in the know over here heard anything?
Forwards win games. The backs decide by how much.