The main things to take out of last night IMO are that Makinson and Gaskell MUST start....Gaskell looked to have beefed up and cruised around the pitch, also gives us the only option of a kicking game...

I've said since the first play off game against the pies last year that gaskell has to be the first name on the sheet in the halves but as Royce got the balls to drop young superstar lomax or the highly paid world cup winning kiwi?

I think the Saints team that plays at the end of the season will look distinctly different to the one that starts against the Broncos.

Don't you think it's a little unfair that Gaskell won't be first choice?

IMO he earned his right to start after a good season last year.

I can't see gaskell be happy Sat on the bench at the start of the season for me he as to start at six because come up against the top teams in the league without a kicking game and we will get battered he gives us a far better option on the last the anyone else in the team plus he give us a good thirty metres on penaltys which no one else does plus he is the best half back at the club

I do, and I think that is the view of the majority of speccies too. However, the best thing he can do, is to keep performing like he did last night, and prove that he is an absolutely vital cog in a successful Saints wheel. Whilst he is doing that, Lomax, Hohaia, Makinson, Foster, Wellens, Gardner, Meli all eaqually have points to prove, because the inclusion of Gaskell will mean a reshuffle elsewhere, and at least one of them losing their place. Chuck into that mix a fit Wheeler, and Royce really does have some big decisions to make. The chock stone in all this is the Hohaia contract, which sees an aging overseas player, on a sizeable wedge of salary cap, squeezing out some of our best and brightest talent. He is under the greatest pressure to perform, if he doesn't, then we have a major white elephant on our hands.

I definitely agree on Gaskell. He's our most natural and rounded half back with a really strong kicking game. Put Hohaia or Lomax alongside him with the other at full back and you have a strong combination. Makinson has earned his spot in th side but where you play him (full back or wing) is another question.

Did Hohaia go to hooker and Roby to loose forward when Gaskell came on?

No, he played at full back with Gardner going off and Makinson to the wing. We did a fair bit of rotation so he may have played at hooker at some point, but I didn't notice it. He did run out of dummy half a few times and cause problems though so I see that being an option at some stage in the season.

I liked the look of lance at fullback, he looked more at home there and Gaskell looked more at home at 6 so wello IMO has a real fight on his hands with lance and makinson possibly going to fullback.

Jane foster looks to have carried his poor form at the back end of last year in to the year, hes a accident waiting to happen and total liability under any high kick. He's going to have a busy time under the high ball this year.

Gaskell actually came on in the centre for Meli to start with before moving to stand off and changing the game.

Gaskell is a must for us at halfback!