He did make mistakes but usually waited till he was on his own line in a big game, Meli style.

The last few week has proved IMO that Gaskell's future at Saints is in doubt and for me he is highly over rated.

If I recall Brown's comment on Hohaia came after Chappers (i think it was) incorrectly stated that Rush & Cunningham had moved him to stand-off from fullback where he had been playing. Which obviously wasn't the case.

Lance is obviously a very good player and will be a useful Saints player ultimately, but is struggling to settle into a team in a process of upheaval and isn't being helped by having no obvious natural position free to be able to play in it. He still looks like a very odd signing to me overall and the fact that he prevents the extra Aussie prop or #7 we need being signed indefinitely makes it all the worse. Unless he was asking really silly money or the medical reports really were that bad then we'd have been far better off taking the gamble on a 3 year offer to Pryce any day.

To me and maybe it's just me, we are a team in transition, we have lots of potential and a few players who are past their best, but probably only Roby and Sia who are at a peak. (Like I say it's only my opinion). Occasionally some of those past their peak turn up and roll back the years having stormers. But they are happening less and less, leaving it to those with potential to fill the gap.

As for Leon, he was never someone to control a game. He was someone who could run strong and create a gap or a nice pass, but he was never the general directing play. He relied on Long for that and when Long was gone his game became all the less for it. He's have about 1 good kick a game. He has not been as far as I am aware the man lighting up Catalan's.

I would think that 2014 should be the year where we look to resurge and anything before then is a bonus. I'm not talking about being out of the races until 2014, but not being hot favourites, like say Warrington currently are.

By the end of 2013 there will be alot of names up for renewal. At this Point Brown can really change the team.

Names up between now and 2013 Wellens, Ade, Meli, Perry, La Franki (but has an option for another year), TP, Clough, Dixon, Flannery (gone), Shenton, Flanaghan, Magennis,

Now I'm going to be harsh but I can see Brown saying don't bother resigning any of these until I've had half a year with them. That's 12 players, basically a full side he could replace after next year.

Those like clough, dixon, wellens should probably only get one year extentions max this year, to not tie Browns hands. If he likes what he see's then fair enough, he can offer further extentions, but if he see's better down the academy, or elsewhere then he should be able to change the team and he will get the benefit in his first year of everyone playing for a contract, (which is always a good incentive).

My 2014 squad line up

Lomax, Makinson, New Centre, Wheeler, New Winger, Lance, Gaskell, New Prop, Roby, New Prop, Sia, New SR, New LF

TP (possibly), LMS, Wilkin, Clough(or Magennis I don't think we will keep both), Jones, Flanaghan (maybe),

Some players are in there, due to length of contract rather than a preferance to keep them. Also we need to have 8 homegrown, it's the rules. No doubt below the first 19 there will be a raft of academy players like most other teams have, but these will change every couple of years so hard to predict who will survive or will be new in 2014.

He rated Steve McNamara. Seriously.