Shame it wasn't at Saints, we could've done both.

Where would you improve the squad and who with?

I can be harsh and impatient on here. I tend to assume people share my sensibilities, ie none.

I appreciate I can sometimes be overly aggressive but its' frustrating when you constantly have to communicate with people far, far less knowledgeable than you



I will try harder.

Yes, I'm looking forward to watching it whilst being surrounded by scousers

Fair doos.

I think it has been pretty awesome (the WCC apart

) and as a result we currently sit on top of the league.

4 games in and the attack hasnt clicked...hardly surprising.

As I first said, with the arrival of Eastwood. It would just give us a bit extra, a bit more impact, and would allow Ablett to help out in the centres as he did well last year. Or in the centres with someone like Martin Gleeson. (salary cap allowing of course). Thought he was meant to be going down under this last off season? what happened there??

Watkins isnt ready, bluey clearly thinks he isnt ready hence him only being on the bench,

Ablett isnt a centre, he needs to make a second row spot his own this year, constant changing of his position has led to him making quite a few mistakes,

Gibson is seemingly fourth choice centre, he was a quality youngster, but really shouldnt be 4th choice centre to an ageing senior, a newborn Watkins and a second rower at this stage in his career

and I cant see how smith is going to benefit from learning another position, he has shown he can be one of the best wingers and fullbacks in the league, lets use him there, keep him on the wing, give him a few shots at full back and he will be our number 1 in a couple of years,

however we have shown that we can 'carry' a centre, we proved that last year that when we are strong elsewhere we can have someone fill in there and still win things, but we clearly arent as strong as we were last year, we have lost scruton, ellis, tansey, and toopi, and replaced none of them,

i think we are two players from where we would ideally be, we are smaller up front, and have less cover in the backs, if we have the cap space we should spend it, a 2nd row/centre and another forward would be great one of these is hopefully eastwood, but i would still want someone who can come in at centre and take some pressure off Watkins and allow Ablett to become an out and out 2nd rower

We have/did sign Eastwood, Hetherington or the club can do nothing about the red tape.

Gleeson would without a doubt improve our first team, but in the process would keep Gibson Watkins and Smith/Hall from getting in the first team, given how much Gleeson would cost I don't think it would be a wise purchase for the future.

Our squad looks very well balanced (even without Eastwood who we should now just write off realistically), until you consider that Gibson was unproven before he spent 2 years injured, Watkins is 17 ( and as such should not be overused) and Senior is 32 (and Smith has to cover fullback at the moment and has little or no experience at centre). We have Ablett, but we have lost Ellis who he rotated with last year (which simply didn't work so that might be a bonus). The question is do we live with it or do we look to make a short term addition?
Logically I don't think you can say signing a centre would harm Watkins development. Realistically it's going to be 1-2 seasons before he becomes a regular first team player and by that time we will need a replacement for Senior in all probablility. Gibson is a wild card - odds are he crocked and his time has eluded him, but you can't be 100% and the club obviously feel that way too.
Do we sign a centre? "Is there one to sign?" should be the question. We had a promising young full back in Smith, but we signed Brent Webb to replace Mathers - has that hindered Smith? I don't think so. It also indicates that the club will sign quality (at the right price) when it becomes available. I have no doubts we have been looking for a quality 3/4 for sensible money since Toopi did his knee.
I don't think you can bag people on here for wanting us to sign a quality centre, but likewise for the other side of the argument if their isn't one that's better than what we have for money that doesn't look insane then what do you want? We can't make a player appear out of nothing.

We replaced Tansey with Buderus and Toopi (who didn't play anyway) with Watkins and Gibson.

This is what happens when you commit to a youth policy. Players come up through the ranks to replace departing players.

We have to accept that sometimes the players coming through will take time to adjust or may not even make it. However, it's a good policy and one that has paid rich dividends so why depart from it?

Yeah I know fella, lets hope it doesn't fall through.

Your second point, agreed although i would have thought given the players released and not replaced we'd have enough room (Ellis, Tansey, Scruton, Toopi) granted Buderus wouldn't have been cheap but still thats 4 out and only one in, unless we are still paying for toopi giving that he had a year left on his contract ?