What a surprise - the backs are given good reviews and the forwards are'nt. Don't have to be a Rugby genius to work out why...

The sad truth is that, with the possible exception of Eastmond, not one of the other youngsters mentioned in this thread would automatically command a place in the 17 man squad, still less in the starting 13.

Just look at the team selections over the last few weeks. Neither KC nor Roby was fit to play in the CCSF, yet both of them played. Last Friday, Jon Wilkin was clearly less than 100% fit but he was selected. Wello has been carrying a knee injury for most of the season and has hardly missed a game.

The likes of Lomax, Wheeler, Frodsham, Dean have yet to prove that they are tough enough to cope with the physical demands of playing at Super league level, week in, week out.

I hope they will make it, but I have my doubts.

out of the young forwards, we wont see anything for a a year or two, cloughy and jammer did very little until 20/21, and they are freakishly early. I reallt think frodsham will be the real deal, not sure about the second rows, Magennis was the best by a mile last year, but has been injured so it may have ruined his development, my best mate played for in the youth setup and was tipped for greatness (at 15) broke his leg in 3 places and that was that really

Exactly. Even Jammer took a while to adapt to the rigours of first team Rugby.

Yet we still have the samed myopic posters who think that unless an 18 or 19 year old is breaking tackles like Kevin Ward, then they amount to no more than a squad player.

Beggars belief at times.

I've seen enough of all the forwards I mentioned earlier (apart from Magennis) to think they are worth keeping on for the next couple of years. Better to keep all these with a view to developing them for the long term than give inflated wages to Gilmour for another 2 year contract IMO.

I think the exact opposite.

I have never been impressed anytime i have seen him to be honest.

I disagree. Wheeler has already commanded the spot at centre. He's been the first choice when fit, after which comes Dean. Wheeler has impressed me more than has Eastmond so far. The others are looking good but they haven't had enough game time IMO for me to give an assessment, with the exception of Dixon and Ashurst and I don't have any complaints about them either.

I think we have been very fortunate in our crop of young players this year. I hope they can kick on next season and really show us what they're made of.

Eastmond and Wheelere are now contenders for the starting 17. Most of the forwards who have come in have managed to do a steady job which is all I'd expect of them at this age. Don't drop off tackles and take the odd ball up is all I expect of the young forwards.

I would really like to see Wheeler at 6 and pushing Pyrce out to the centres, Wheeler reminds a bit like Tommy M, Pyrce would be more dangerous at centre. Would it be worth giving it a go in part of the game.

Wheeler is a couple of years away from being a stand off. I like what we're doing with him i.e. putting him in the centres, in the same way that the Australians have done with their stand offs in the past e.g. Daley, Fittler.

Leon's best centrally, it's where he makes all his breaks. Moving him to centre to accommodate an unproven youngster who has shone at centre would be silly me thinks.

Perhaps next season when Prycey is older and we're planning his retirement they can do it.

Look at the 19 for the Catalans game. No Wheeler, no Lomax, no Dean and no Frodsham. Are they all injured (again) ? Or are they not considered good enough, despite injuries to other players ?

Don't get me wrong. I don't have an agenda against these youngsters, but I do feel that the club is expecting too much of them, too soon.

Yes.

Wheeler, Lomax and Dean have been injured for a few weeks. Frodsham has been injured for ages.

The big problem as I see it for Saints is that this seems a recurring problem with these three players.

How far do you reckon Gaskell is off pushing for a place?