You really have got to be the most depressing person in the world!!
Also, much of what you are saying doesnt really stack up.

Apart from the fact that not all these ins and outs have been confirmed you are trying to point to the fact that we are losing 6 players and only gaining two, whereas Warrington are losing 2 and gaining 3.
However you then go on to contradict yourself.
Armstrong and Frodsham have hardly played this season and therefore cant really be considered as major losses. I assume we have other players coming through the reserves who are adeqaute replacements for these.
You say Makinson has replaced Gardner and therefore we dont need a signing to replace Gardner.
So we are really at 3 out and 2 in and one of the outs isnt yet confirmed.
Also one of Warrington's ins havent been confirmed.

All in all, you are clutching a straws big time and making wild and stupid generalisations.

Also, if you seriously think we wont win anything for another 6 or 7 years to take us into double figures then please name your price and I will happily bet that this will not be the case.

A one year extension seems about right for me for all parties.

If gives Saints the safety of having a good no nonsense backrower with experience and a decent amount of ability. While at the same time it gives the younger players a further year to mature and reach the desired level.

I cant believe Saints fans slagging Flanno off. For me he would always be one of the first names on the team sheet as he is ultra reliable in what he does. Just because a player doesnt make big hits or make the odd rhino like charge into a defensive brick wall doesnt mean a player is poor.
Granted i would have preferred Saints to sign a world class backrower, but we arent going to sign a top draw Australasian, and neither is anyone else in SL. Within the UK away from Saints, I can only think of Ben Westwood and Sean O'Loughlin with the necessary experience, that would also be a sizeable improvement on Flannery.

Nice to see you havent responded to my post.
Probably because you are talking out of your backside and have no argument to come back with.
Until we know the make up of our final squad for 2012 then we cant really comment.
We could have a couple of new signings and maybe (although unlikely) leon still with us.
CC semi finalists for God knows how many years and 4 consecutive grand Final appearances in a row doesnt not suggest we are that far off the other teams.
This season we have been decimated by injury and the restraints of the salary cap mean we would never have had the squad to fully cope with all the injuries. Despite that we are still in the top 4 and are favourites to make at least another CC semi final appearance.
You really need to get a bit of perspective and reality in your life.
Failing that, if you are so despondent just stop following the Saints and make all our lives a much happier place.

Look newb, I'm not despondent or pessimistic I'm realistic. I love watching Saints and will support them no matter where they are in the overall scheme of things. Doesn't mean I cannot tell it like it is on a fans forum.

So pipe down or I'll set my friend the orange lion onto you.

Your not realistic though, we have been within the top 2 teams for the last 5 or 6 years and only this year have we slipped, mainly due to injuries. However the season is by no means over and we are still in with a shout on both fronts.
Despite this you are saying we will finish in mid-table based on looking at a squad that isnt even confirmed as complete yet.
You made a post about 5 players leaving and being replaced by 2. Of the 5, one hasnt played all year and the other has played only a few times despite all the injuries. Therefore they cant be considered a major loss. Another of the 5 is yet to confirm that he is leaving. That is therefore a very general statement.
Of course you are entitled to your opinion and it is clear that it is different to mine but I just think you are basing it on things that arent really accurate.
Watch out for the purple octopus, he is the worst of all the coloured animals!!

Oh come on saddened, not pessimistic? Really.

Sure you can tell it like you 'THINK' it is, but just remember everyone in the mental hospital think's they are sane.

I've grown accustomed to your wild prophesys on the end of days for Saints, but anyone new to this forum will take some time to adjust to your reverse positivity attitude, just like I did when I joined at the start of the year. But Saint fan put me right and now I just understand that a mild critism is positive support, a doomsday senario is generally an ok review. I'll start to get worried about Saints when you start saying that Mars being in alignment with venus will cause the decemination of the Saints club. At that point we may struggle to make the top 8.