Next season

[CaseyJ]

I'll wig out if we sign him!

Where is this coming from? Latest news I can find on him is from when he signed a 1-year extension with the Roosters back in March. Would be a cracking signing.

Here you go mate: https://www.seriousaboutrl.com/super...ailable-85116/

Question regarding him, does/can he play centre? I'm obviously aware of him but don't follow the NRL that much. I mean if we could get him and Cross that would suddenly change things considerably but would most probably mean no prop coming in.

[Dos Cervezas]

I’m not sure on the reasoning of people who would rather Tim Lafai over Deon Cross, if I’m honest. Perhaps it’s the vacant quota place but for a few reasons, if we were looking at Salford players, I would take Cross over Lafai. Firstly, he’s a local lad and has been in our system before but also, he’s younger than Lafai and for me, the better player of the two. It also leaves a quota space vacant so that we could add an additional player come May-June time, should we require.

[wirefox]

I'll wig out if we sign him!

Where is this coming from? Latest news I can find on him is from when he signed a 1-year extension with the Roosters back in March. Would be a cracking signing.

33 yrs old next June

[CaseyJ]

I’m not sure on the reasoning of people who would rather Tim Lafai over Deon Cross, if I’m honest. Perhaps it’s the vacant quota place but for a few reasons, if we were looking at Salford players, I would take Cross over Lafai. Firstly, he’s a local lad and has been in our system before but also, he’s younger than Lafai and for me, the better player of the two. It also leaves a quota space vacant so that we could add an additional player come May-June time, should we require.

Agreed. I wasn't against Lafai but hadn't considered Cross. I think he'd kick on with us. I'd still love to see a season or 2 of Tupou though, I can just picture him bearing down of that dwarf Field on Good Friday and going straight over the top of him.

[Saint.91]

I’m not sure on the reasoning of people who would rather Tim Lafai over Deon Cross, if I’m honest. Perhaps it’s the vacant quota place but for a few reasons, if we were looking at Salford players, I would take Cross over Lafai. Firstly, he’s a local lad and has been in our system before but also, he’s younger than Lafai and for me, the better player of the two. It also leaves a quota space vacant so that we could add an additional player come May-June time, should we require.

Agreed. when you watch him he does all the hard work that goes un-noticed. Runs a good line too, He’s clearly worked hard to get himself where he is (considering he’d never played centre until he joined Salford)
They’re the kind of player we should want in a saints jersey,as he’ll keep progressing and is committed. And like you say leaves a quota space vacant for the right singing!

[Dux]

33 yrs old next June

I don't really care how old he is if he can do a job for us for a year or two.

[Pitman1961]

Agreed. I wasn't against Lafai but hadn't considered Cross. I think he'd kick on with us. I'd still love to see a season or 2 of Tupou though, I can just picture him bearing down of that dwarf Field on Good Friday and going straight over the top of him.

Wigan living rent free in your head pal . Never mind them and concentrate on Saints .

[CaseyJ]

Wigan living rent free in your head pal . Never mind them and concentrate on Saints .

Behave, I don't mention them that much. Do I? It was just an amusing scenario.

[Pasty]

Behave, I don't mention them that much. Do I? It was just an amusing scenario.

Having him here and watching him making mincemeat of Wigan would be pretty good.

[Mike Stephenson]

Looks like Olam is off to Wests Tigers. Still leaves Blake and Hunt without clubs for 2024 as it stands.

It is looking that way isn't it? Storm being willing to lose Olam, shows the faith they have in their other established backs, and also the young emerging talent they have on their books. Likely means the chances of them being willing to let Fa'alogo go on loan, or release the other young players I've spoke about in Anderson or Ieremia, to be very slim.


Looking again at the signings tracker over there, there's Braidon Burns and Corey Allan still unsigned as well. So there's still a few options. All can play centre and wing. Allan can play full back too.

https://www.nrl.com/news/2023/01/01/...nings-updates/

Allan or Blake would be the ones I'd be leaning towards from the 4. That's due to their edge in the speed department more than anything else. 1 year deals.

When you look more widely at the list, so to the centres and wing options off contract end of 2024, the standout names like Nick Cotric, Connor Tracey etc. are likely to secure NRL contracts. Saints could have the same problem next year, is what I'm saying.

[Saddened!]

It is looking that way isn't it? Storm being willing to lose Olam, shows the faith they have in their other established backs, and also the young emerging talent they have on their books. Likely means the chances of them being willing to let Fa'alogo go on loan, or release the other young players I've spoke about in Anderson or Ieremia, to be very slim.


Looking again at the signings tracker over there, there's Braidon Burns and Corey Allan still unsigned as well. So there's still a few options. All can play centre and wing. Allan can play full back too.

https://www.nrl.com/news/2023/01/01/...nings-updates/

Allan or Blake would be the ones I'd be leaning towards from the 4. That's due to their edge in the speed department more than anything else. 1 year deals.

When you look more widely at the list, so to the centres and wing options off contract end of 2024, the standout names like Nick Cotric, Connor Tracey etc. are likely to secure NRL contracts. Saints could have the same problem next year, is what I'm saying.

I have very little knowledge of the NRL, but I'd suggest we sign one of those available players. As you mention, we're not going to be leading the race for any leading NRL players next season and we're highly unlikely to be anywhere near Leeds' offer for Newman. Even if we were, Wigan, Warrington, Catalans and the NRL are all more likely destinations for him than us.

It's useless having this lofty ceiling for potential signings if we're never able to make any that meet it.

[Pasty]

I have very little knowledge of the NRL, but I'd suggest we sign one of those available players. As you mention, we're not going to be leading the race for any leading NRL players next season and we're highly unlikely to be anywhere near Leeds' offer for Newman. Even if we were, Wigan, Warrington, Catalans and the NRL are all more likely destinations for him than us.

It's useless having this lofty ceiling for potential signings if we're never able to make any that meet it.

Sign somebody. Sign anybody!

[CaseyJ]

Sign somebody. Sign anybody!

What's Jack Owens upto?

[Saddened!]

Sign somebody. Sign anybody!

Sign somebody decent should be the motto. The claim there aren't any available, ever, is a tad pathetic.

[Pasty]

Sign somebody decent should be the motto. The claim there aren't any available, ever, is a tad pathetic.

I’m sure that’s true, but they have to be someone who will fit in the team. I’m not sure we need somebody that badly. We are light in the three quarters but maybe Vaughn and Sambou are more ready than we know in which case the problem is solved.

Signing another elderly player with a broken body for two years on a big salary would only tie us down. If a player who fits the bill would come on a one year contract that’s better. If Newman was free he would be a good signing. For me though Vaughn and Sambou are better bets and there is no point bringing in a player who we will be stuck with in 2025 who is eating cap space and isn’t quite good enough.

Hopoate was a case in point; clearly a classy player once and a very decent person but lost his pace and prone to injury. It’s easy to get it wrong and expensive to put it right when you do

[Belgian Saint]

Sign somebody decent should be the motto. The claim there aren't any available, ever, is a tad pathetic.

Believe me I want to see us signe someone, but wingers and centres in the NRL are averaging 500k PA. If we get one from there it’s going to be scraping the bottom of the barrel, unless we find a club wanting rid and willing to subsidise his salary.
Unless we are lucky anyone we get will probably be homegrown.

[STIDDY]

Sign somebody decent should be the motto. The claim there aren't any available, ever, is a tad pathetic.

Too much diffrence in the salary cap between the NRL and Superleague to get anyone "decent" and pretty much no Engish players either. Leigh have signed Matt Maylan from OZ a running half back, in 5 seasons only scored 11 tries compared to our Lomax overworked and injured who scored 11 tries in the one season last year. Our Salary Cap needs to be around 4 million but not sure if we will get there within the next 20 years.,

I have a feeling Vaughan will challenge for centre spot, very highly rated progressed in the academy similar to Percival all those years ago. But Vaughan won't be an instant success needs time to make that transition.

[Nickles Forearm]

What's Jack Owens upto?

Still building an extension at Cunningham's house using only his bare hands and a shovel.

[Saddened!]

Too much diffrence in the salary cap between the NRL and Superleague to get anyone "decent"

There are still a lot of quality players around the fringes of the NRL. There are always players locked behind established stars at certain clubs or who have circumstances that mean they want to move and get some momentum back in their careers. We've chosen not to sign anyone this last couple of years, it's not that they're not there.

The rest of Super League will seven overseas players and if we're only looking domestically, we're unlikely to be challenging again going forward. That would be a big worry given the size of the rebuild we're going to have to do over the next couple of years.

[NSL]

There are still a lot of quality players around the fringes of the NRL.

Five posts ago:

I have very little knowledge of the NRL

Hilarious.

[Saddened!]

Five posts ago:

Hilarious.

Jai Field, Bevan French, Edwin Ipape, Kai O'Donnell, Tom Amone, Curtis Sironen, Sione Mata'utia. None of those are good enough for an NRL deal on more than they earn in Super League. Are none of them worth signing?

I don't need to personally know the inside leg measurements of reserve grade players in Australia to know there are players over there that would be outstanding in Super League. To get into the NRL you need to be pretty good. For every player that makes it as a star in the NRL there will be three or four who don't quite make it initially, be it because of personal circumstances, bad luck with injuries or having genuine superstars ahead of them in their position. At least I admit I'm no NRL expert unlike most who claim to know that every individual we're ever linked with is a terrible player.

There are many players we could sign from Australia who are better than Davies/Bennison. The claims that there aren't any players in the world that could be good enough for us are laughable.

[NSL]

All we now know is that you have no credibility worth speaking of when it comes to the NRL and who we should/shouldn't sign.

The club do, and haven't managed to find anyone a) available b) willing to come over c) worth the outlay and d) good enough to justify signing.

The rest is hot air.

[Pasty]

What's Jack Owens upto?

At last. A sensible suggestion. Better fullback than our current one!

[RJM25R]

Wigan living rent free in your head pal . Never mind them and concentrate on Saints .

Interesting choice of words. After all, Wigan have always been our biggest rivals and have just knocked us off our perch so I’d be astonished if we weren’t, as fans, hoping to get back at them.

I’ve noticed a few baiting posts on here (not just from you…) since we stuttered in 2023 and some Wigan voices reappearing ,some of whom we haven’t heard much from over the previous 4 seasons of absolute dominance.

Joining the forum in October 2023 just as we miss the 5 in a row doesn’t strike me as a dyed in the wool Saint, and your 9 posts to date haven’t seemed like a Saints fan’s opinion, and come across as gloating to me.

[STIDDY]

I’ve noticed a few baiting posts on here (not just from you…) since we stuttered in 2023 and some Wigan voices reappearing ,some of whom we haven’t heard much from over the previous 4 seasons of absolute dominance.

Joining the forum in October 2023 just as we miss the 5 in a row doesn’t strike me as a dyed in the wool Saint, and your 9 posts to date haven’t seemed like a Saints fan’s opinion, and come across as gloating to me.

Definitely some Wigoons Inflitration during October............Jack Mooves has dissapeared completely now has he returned in another disguise.