I'd like to see

Makinson
Foster
Turner
Jones
Meli
Gaskell
Lomax
Laffa
Robes
Perry
Manu
Sia
Wilkin

Lance
Cough
Tp
Lms
This gives you 3 goal kickers.

However I see brown picking

Wellens
Gardner
Turner
Meli
Makinson
Gaskell
Lomax
Perry
Robes
Laffa
Tp
Manu
Wilkin

Lms
Sia
Clough
Lance

Quote: Top Saint "He has only started as fullback once. You are right that he has played there another few times but only for part games to cover injuries/reshuffles. I think he probably does have many attributes that would make him a good fullback. However, I believe his elusive running style is best utilized in the halves and would be wasted at fullback. The only thing Lomax is missing at halfback is an good organizing halfback partner. Not all halfbacks have to be fantastic organizers with a good kicking game. I personally think his best position is standoff with a Danny Brough type scrum half inside him.'" I'm perhaps being pedantic, however the figure of playing 4 times at fullback is backed up by the Rugby League project website. The stats there are compiled by legendary Saints fan Billy Bates. www.rugbyleagueproject.org/match ... 0tLS0tLS0t

Quote: Top Saint "He has only started as fullback once. You are right that he has played there another few times but only for part games to cover injuries/reshuffles. I think he probably does have many attributes that would make him a good fullback. However, I believe his elusive running style is best utilized in the halves and would be wasted at fullback. The only thing Lomax is missing at halfback is an good organizing halfback partner. Not all halfbacks have to be fantastic organizers with a good kicking game. I personally think his best position is standoff with a Danny Brough type scrum half inside him.'" I'm perhaps being pedantic, however the figure of playing 4 times at fullback is backed up by the Rugby League project website. The stats there are compiled by legendary Saints fan Billy Bates. www.rugbyleagueproject.org/match ... 0tLS0tLS0t

We won WCC, Challenge Cup & League Leaders Shield in 2007, and then Challenge Cup & League Leaders Shield in 2008...would hardly call that winning nothing



Gardner was playing very well for us before his injury in 2011 and was imo our best winger in 2012 when he was fit. He is a strong runner of the ball, generally safe and his defence is pretty solid. Scores a lot of tries from kicks (when we have a half decent kicker) - my only fear around Ade would be his fitness as he has missed large parts of last 2 years through injury.

As for starting 17, I would go with:
Wellens
Gardner/Makinson
Turner
Jones
Meli
Gaskell
Lomax
Perry
Roby
Laffranchi
Sia
Manu
Wilkin

TP
Clough/Flanagan
LMS
Hohaia

Nah. Makinson was our best winger in 2012. The only advantage over Makinson that Gardner has is his kick returns. In all other respects he's not as good as Makinson.

I'd disagree with him being generally safe, bar 2006, he's never been generally safe.