It's a new year and the new season isn't far off now!

What's people's thoughts on:

How we will go?

Our starting best 17?

Players to watch?


Happy New Year to everyone! (Except pie eaters)

I think we have strengthened in the main areas that needed strengthening. The signings of Walsh, Amor and Masoe are exactly what we needed and hopefully there is potential with Dawson and Beaumont.

Walsh is our first proper 7 since Long and he'll have a massive influence on our season. A top class kicking game cannot be underestimated and not only will we provide a try-scoring threat from his boot, his kicking in general play should lead to better territorial advantage which is something we struggle with.

In an ideal world I would have liked to have seen a new no.6 come in and I don't agree with the retentions of Wellens, Gardner or Laffranchi. However, overall I'm happy with our squad.

I'm excited to see if Swift can kick on from last year as I was very impressed with him. I'm hoping Walmsley will be even better after his debut season and the combination of Lomax, Walsh and Roby can be the best in SL if they all stay fit.

We have gone far too long without silverware and I'm hoping this is the year we end our bad run. I'd rather win the GF but the Cup wouldn't be a bad consolation!

I expect us to finish in the top 3 and I'd be very disappointed if we don't make at least one final and win one of them.

There are one or two different permutations with our 17 but I don't think this will be far off for the Warrington game:

Lomax
Makinson
Turner
Jones
Swift
Hohaia
Walsh
Amor
Roby
LMS
Soliola
Manu
Wilkin

Masoe
Walmsley
Laffranchi
Flanagan

On paper we certainly look a top 4 side, we need a season with fewer injuries than what we we have endured over the past 3 years, for me thats a significant factor in the no of games we win this season.

We have always been successful with class pivotal players at 1, 6, 7 , 9 and 13, for Lance this could be a big year for him with Wilkin at 13 and Walsh at 7, he will not been under the same pressure to be trying to be creative and will be more of an open play support runner.
As mentioned in the previous thread, left centre is up for grabs, I expect Percival to claim that spot by the second half of the season.

Our pack looks superb with Amor and LMS starting with Walmsley and Masoe offering so much impact that we will not be bossed like we where last season. Manu, Soliola should be great out wide with the centres with Wilkin supporting options for Walsh.

I have a slight worry over Lomax on how Brown will use him to maximum effect, I,m hoping Walsh will provide the correct options.
Most of the top 8 teams look slightly weaker this year, so I,m expecting if kept injury free to be in contention for both finals this year, silverware is long overdue.

We should be better. But that's nothing major, we were truly shocking last season. The season ahead basically hangs on Walsh. If he's the world class scrum half that everyone on here ridiculously assumes him to be, we could be in with a chance. But that chance would only realistically be through us getting a kind draw in the cup. Any injuries or lack of form for Walsh and we're royally up the creek. It is ridiculous that the board hasn't even attempted to bring in another half back, when THERE ARE SO MANY AVAILABLE. I don't see any real quality in our backs bar J-Lo and whilst again the pack should be better, it remains to be seen how many times and for how long we'll be able to get Masoe onto the field. He doesn't seem to be the fittest of boys.

Brown's coaching ability has yet to bear any fruit of any kind and it remains to be seen if there is a future under him. There was very little to be positive about from last season as a whole.

Another thing that is vitally important but none of you have mentioned is the situation with Wellens. When his, absolutely stupid, contract extension was announced, a lot of you jumped on the 'it's okay, he won't play' bangwagon. With him being Captain, that was always unlikely to be true and both Wello and the club have embarked on this ridiculous campaign over the last few weeks about how important he is to the team. His 'I'm okay with handing the 1 shirt over to Lomax, because I've been told I'm vital to the 17' just reeks of him being in that 17 every week again next season. If so, it's like playing with 16 every week. He's not good enough for fullback in SL and that's the only position he can play to a professional standard in. Having him in the 17 every week is like having them playing with weights strapped to their boots.

Another interesting aspect is character. With the likes of Scully, KC and Jammer gone, we haven't had a leader on the field for a while now. If Walsh is that kind of character then great. If not, we're going to be the same fragile, rudderless operation we were last season. It's those kind of characters that pull you out of the mire in the tight games. We've been far too yellow bellied in those for a long time.

4th and a semi final would be my bet.

Happy New Year Saddened....he's off again...

I think this next season will be a good one for us. We have recruited well but, as already mentioned, success will depend a lot on luck with injuries.

I can't wait for the new season to start. I think we will pick up at least one trophy this year, but which one I wouldn't like to say!!

Roll on the new season and Come on you Saints!

Year of the Saints? *shudder*

The balance of our squad is alot better than last season. The front row has much more quality, size and depth this season with Amor and Masoe added to it. Masoe could be a real handful in short burst if we get him fit but I think we'll have to manage him well. LMS needs to show more consistency and I feel with more competition in that area we'll see him kick on this year. Walmsley had a great season last year and will hopefully continue that and Amor is a really good signing - a prop that makes the hard yards, tackles well and does the simple things well, exactly what we needed to compliment Masoe and Walmsley.

I do agree with Saddened that alot hinges on Walsh staying fit. If he settles well and gives us that direction we lacked last season then Lomax in partciular will have a good season.

Something that hasn't been mentioned is having Roby at 9 and Wilkin at loose forward which will benefit us greatly. We basically ran with an average hooker for all of last season, so if he can stay fit we'll be much more of a threat and will be sterner defensively.

The worry is if we pick up injuries to Walsh, Lomax and Roby - our 3 key players. We don't really have much cover for those three and they will be pivotal to our season. The rest of the squad is well covered and there's plenty of speed in the backline with Turner, Swift, Makinson and Percival to cause teams plenty of problems out wide.

The aim should be a minimum of a top 4 place and a possible final.

A couple of points:

Has it occurred to you that some of us have seen Walsh play and that is what our opinions are based on, not just an assumption?

Do you genuinely believe that Swift does not possess any quality? What about Makinson or Percival too?

As others have said, we've strengthened the pack, which is good. I'm slightly concerned that we've reduced the quality of a threequarter line-up which was already one of the least capable in the top half of the table. I really like Percival's skill and speed, but unless he's put on beef, he's simply too small for the modern game. Wouldn't surprise me at all to see Soliola becoming a first-choice centre. We've plenty of pack coverage, but far less at the back.

But it will always come down to half-back. If Walsh is a commanding, directing half, then we've the raw material to win silver. If he can't/doesn't direct play, then we remain a bunch of athletic, but ultimately rudderless, also-rans.

Percival didn't suffer from lack of size last season. You don't have to be massive if you've got other attributes.

And I'll be amazed if Soliola is deemed 1st choice centre at any point. Not sure how you can say you wouldn't be surprised if this happens.

Agreed. It makes us sound inferior. We are not Warrington.

In terms of 2014: I think a top 4 finish and a good cup run is the minimum.

We have a decent set of forwards and a quick back line that is promising. We also have a 7 too and (obv repeating what everyone has said all year) that is a big reason why we were so awful last year.

The only concerns that I have is over Hohaia and Percival. Hohaia has been awful and he really kills our offensive structures which could make Walsh's inclusion a waste of time. I don't agree that he did any better towards the end of last season. Percival needs to improve in some (obvious) areas in order to become a regular starter. Jones is destined for the back row and should only be seen as a stand in for when Percival is unavailable or being rested.

Nathan Brown said at a recent forum that we've gone a couple of steps back in order to allow us to go forward. I think that's something we have to buy into...cough cough saddened.

Percival started to struggle and brown took him out at the correct time. Percival size isn't a major issue for as he's still young and growing but a few extra pounds is needed for him to he a top level centre that I think he can be.

I thought Percival was great with the ball, he's fast, great footwork and knows how to beat a man, that's something we've not had at saints for a long long time.

I think his defence was a big issue and the reason Browm correctly took him out the side before he had any loss of confidence to cause permanent damage. He started off great in defence but did start missing a lot of tackles so I think Brown did the right thing.

I'd start with Jones in the centre and gradually move Percival into the side.

I genuinely don't recall him struggling all that much in defence.

Either way, hopefully Brown and the rest of the coaching staff have been working hard with him over the last few months and he can have a big impact this season. The combination of Lomax, Manu, Percival and Swift could be very damaging on that left hand side.

He was missing lots of one on one tackles. I pointed it out on here and then someone put his stats up and confirmed he was missing tackles.

I just think he wasn't slightly ready to play at that level week in week out but I think he will get better as he gets older and has potential to be a top class player.

With the ball in hand, he was our main attacking player at one point.

I'd like to see us line up as follows...
Lomax
Makinson
Turner
Percival
Swift
Hohaia
Walsh
Amor
Roby
Laffranchi
Soliola
Manu
Wilkin

Masoe
Walmsley
LMS
Jones
I think our starting 17 is the best in SL if I'm being honest. I think we've got a lot stronger while other teams, like Wigan and Warrington, have got weaker. The aging Leeds core is also a year older, so I'd say Huddersfield would be our main rivals. I don't see any reason why we can't win a trophy this year!

Without reverting back to the centre debate, I agree start with Jones- especially for big games early on. He is a defensive rock. But expect to see more of Percival as the season goes on if he is to progress.

I have no issue with Walsh I think his quality is un-questioned and as we where hoping for Dobson at one point last year, I think the club have found a real gem. His kicking game will be a massive difference, but here is where I do have an issue. His kicking game will be amazing if we are employing 2 kickers. Because that way defense's will not be able to close him down.

If we are going to send every kick his way then good teams will close him down and negate his kicking entirely. So that means Wilkin has to start every game to give a second kick option. You can be one of the best kickers in the world, but without a realistic second option you are easily closed down.

When Long had a SCully, Martyn, Hooper, Lyon with him, his kicks were very effective. But once he lost that back up and we only had the occasional hoof from Pryce, he was more easly shut down by the best teams like Leeds. They just targeted him and the team could not get down field.

I'd have been much happier to move Lance to a replacement 9 and have a moderate 6 with a moderate kicking game, than this so far failed experiment to turn him into a 6. When we played Leeds in our last game. Lance had ball in great attacking positions and his feet stuck like glue at times, just unknowing of what to do and his lack of a kick will hurt us.

The pack is arguably the best in SL. Anyone who thinks we have not improved here is deluded. Apart from 9 we could effectively run 2 different packs each week and they would be a match for most teams apart from Warrington, Wigan and Leeds (on a good day).

Other teams have lost quality too so that cannot be lost. I just feel a Sammut would have made the complete set for us.

I'd say top 3 and a final of some sort, after that it's all in the laps of the gods as to whether we win anything.