at the time though, it was a no brainer decision. Goulding was the best scrum half in the game having almost single handedly won us the league in '96 - there was no way that we would release him to keep Briers.

Nobody knew that a few weeks after Briers leaving that Goulding would go into meltdown and end up getting sacked. Still we ended up with Long, so we didnt exactly lose out.

The Long / Eastmond situation is completely different to the Goulding / Briers.

Fair point but when we was on such unbeaten run it was obvious at that time smith was doing pretty good.

What's to say smith wouldn't be our 7 today if he hadn't been dropped for longy.

IMO smith took his chance and was still dropped.

That sends out a message to kids that if you take your chance you will play.

If eastmond plays well then he should stay there.

That's all well and good, but can we please play some decent rugby in the process? It's been really difficult to watch Saints sometimes this season and while I appreciate - and am really glad - that our young guys are being actively integrated into the team, fundamentally we have the same set of players we did last season and yet with the exception of the two Leeds matches and away at Wakey, we really haven't played much like the team of last year. I'm not talking about ultra high standards or anything; just enjoyable to watch rugby league. I don't quite understand why we have to play poorly (and sometimes terribly) while we are integrating young players?

As for my own thoughts on Potter ... the jury is still very much out for me.

I think Mick Potter is doing a decent job considering this is his first season and the team is in partial transition, still top of the league and in the challenge cup.
Most of the games have been boring this season but you can't cast blame on Mick Potters style of coaching. The game has slowed down in the ruck areas and we probably have had some of the worst referee performance ever this year in superleague.
If Mick Potters gets Eastmond, Moore, Wheeler, Lomax, Foster etc up another level then I think the future is bright.........A Potters Dynasty.

Im not gonna compain tbh, he`s doing alright, yes the style has changed a bit, but I think first in the league and still in the cup will do for me