Is Josh Jones not off contract end of the year? I know he's not on the list Wee Waa has presented, but I thought he'd only signed a 1 year deal with Huddersfield and I haven't seen any news of an extension. I think he's a good player, proven in SL, makes metres and can offload the ball. Versatile too. He knows the club and the area etc. so would be the one I'd explore first.
I think Rhyse Martin who you've suggested is a good shout and I agree that Batchelor should be given more game time, to see what he can do.
Looking at the NRL off contract list, no names standing out for second row. Though that's not always essential as sometimes the players are released from their deals when in the interest of both parties. I think that was the case when Thompson came to Saints from Manly.
*Not to be confused with Mike Stephenson, MBE
That list apparently didn't include those who had offers from their current clubs or elsewhere so Jones may still be an option along with anyone else who is OOC but not announced a deal. I'd take Jones though he's a metre eating 2nd row and the general consensus on here seems to be in favour of more of a Taia style player to be signed. Not a tonne of options though so we'll have to move quickly, I expect any agents of unsigned 2nd rows will be contacting Saints sharpish after today's announcement.
Forwards win games. The backs decide by how much.
Last edited by Mike Stephenson; 22nd June 2021 at 23:37.
*Not to be confused with Mike Stephenson, MBE
It's just nice to have a player situation confirmed as well. Though Bentley and Thompson are both leaving and there's various levels of sadness in there at least we know where we stand with those players. As it stands we don't know whether we'll have Coote, Naiqama, Fages, Roby, Batchelor, Amor or LMS next year with Bentley & Thompson definitely out the door and nothing announced on new signings. I know it's only June but it'd be nice to start getting some of these things cleared up.
Forwards win games. The backs decide by how much.
The next thing I think we need to sort out is are we going to offer the coach a new contract.It’s no good signing players to play his style if we are not keeping him.
I think we now have a real opportunity to bring in some proper quality with the amount of money we should be saving for next year.
Lots of ifs and buts still, but assuming Naiqama, Fages, Bentley and Thompson are all going and we replace two of those internally, that should surely give us plenty wriggle room for a top drawer 2nd rower at the very least. Then if there are further departures (Coote, Amor, LMS) we can also bring in a full back and a prop.
On one hand it's quite unnerving knowing there's potentially so many senior players leaving but at the same time it's exciting to think we can bring him some new blood and really refresh the squad. At time we look leggy and aged this season so a bit of a revamp, both in terms of the likes of Dodd/Wingfield coming through and 2 or 3 top quality signings, won't do us any harm I don't think.
NEVER WRITE OFF THE SAINTS
If we can transition Dodd to replace Fages quickly it would be great if we could see Batchelor, Wingfield, Foster and Norman step up so that we can throw more money at a couple of very high quality overseas players. Welsby can fit anywhere in the backline and Simm is good cover for the centre and wing positions. Percival is a problem though and the club will need to assess the situation in a few months if we need another centre or not in the short term.
Yeah, I'm coming round to this way of thinking myself now. It's easy to be critical after a game like last week - I certainly was, but now I'm thinking lets see what happens and look to the future. We've every chance of winning the cup and will most likely be in the mix for SL. The squad clearly needs a freshen up and I'd like to see a new coach. On that note, I'd like us to be looking at a British coach who would be more likely to commit to the club but obviously they're few and far between.
My biggest worry is that Wolfe brings in a group of players who play in his style and assuming he is here for one more season and then goes, we will be left with a group that won’t be attack minded and a new coach will have to try to make something of a squad that isn’t his. Whatever happens, there are at least five if not seven of that senior squad leaving which is a huge turnover of players for this club. I can’t think of another season in 45 years of watching Saints where that has happened.
There is a huge rebuilding job to be done at saints as there are lots of players who are either ready to move on or may be reaching the end of the road.
For me
Backs
FB. Is covered by Welsby so no need to bring in a replacement
Centre: I'd be tempted to keep Kevin as there is so much change its better to keep what we have rather than roll the dice unless we are in for top quality.
HB: again I'd want to keep fages but if he is going that would strengthen the need to keep other backs.
Forwards
Roby: I think we need to be looking to replace he's great but the signs are there that it could be his last season and not convinced the youth prospects are at a high enough level yet.
Then for me (Thompson, Bentley, LMS, Amor) all either going or getting on in years.
I'm also not sure if matautia and passi are going to be kept beyond 2022 unless form improves.
So really apart from Knowles and Walmsley you could be looking at an entire new pack in 12-18 months.
Hence why I would try to retain as much stability in the backs as possible in the next 2 years.
I think the Coach decision is the biggest we need to make immediately; we are looking at a pretty big rebuild now. No point in asking Woolf to start it if he is leaving in 18 months, regardless of form.
Whoever is coach for next season and onwards will really struggle for player quality availability, the Superleague Salary Cap has reduced our bargaining power to get quality players from the NRL, Rugby Union or other Superleague Clubs. I think Superleague should reduce the number of overseas players and make big investments at grass roots level, for a start I would like to see more Academy players in every Superleague Club we need to increase the UK player pool.
I would also like to see Woolf oversee a transition next season, over in OZ that was what he was good at before being a head coach.
Now we look to have some wedge to play with, we should make a play for Williams.
I thought Warrington would have made a announcement before now.
I suggested this in a new thread as soon as he became available. Fages to Huddersfield early, Williams here. It would be a bit shitty on Fages but he’s going anyway. The other option is bring Williams in now on small money and make it up to him next season once we have more to play with.
Lomax seemed fed up of moving positions when we signed Barba but if Lomax moves to fullback we could have Williams and Dodd in the halves. Thats some strike!!!
screaming in the family corner, scaring the kiddies
Him coming back early has thrown a box of spanners in the works it seems. I think it's pretty clear he'd agreed to sign for Warrington for next season, intending to complete the season at Canberra. However them kicking him out made him available and threw it all up in the air. Wigan then made another play for him, as did Leeds. It would seem Warrington have spent the last month trying to shuffle things about to fit him in. Austin to Leeds has been mentioned as has Widdop going back to the NRL immediately. It seems they're having difficulty with getting that part done, it's like being in a chain when buying a house. Williams has stated he's not signed with anyone yet, and he probably hasn't if Warrington can't sort the cap as you can't sign for someone if they haven't got the cap room.
Liam Farrell ? Can you imagine this board ? Half chuffed, the rest of us spitting blood
The latter purely because he’s a Wiganer I hope. He’s been consistently the best 2nd rower in this country for a number of years. He’d walked into our side.
But it’s a complete non starter and pure nonsense that a move would even be contemplated by either party. He’s to Wigan what the likes of Wellens was to us. He’d never make that move.
NEVER WRITE OFF THE SAINTS