Was Gaskell going to play stand off this year under Royce ?

The answer is no.

Really? Because he was playing stand off when Royce got the sack.

We've been thru this before. I can't be bothered looking for the links again but Royce is on record stating lance will be stand off and lance is on record saying he's been brought in to play stand off.

You was even backing him to be a good stand off.

He only played stand off the year before due to pryce being injured.

Er, when were we in 10th? The 7th game into the season? So what? A season is more than 7 games long. Royce might have got us to 2nd for all you know.

We didn't make it to a CC semi final for the first time in 12 years; we didn't make it to the GF for the first time in 7 years; we got to third by the skin of our teeth and for the first time in 20 years no players from Saints played for the international side (not even the Knights). And to top it off we played the worst rugby those of an older generation than me have ever seen us play. So yes, the results of Eamonn's actions were woeful. He managed to bore the fans to death and still not win a GF.

Royce is also on record saying McManus asked him for feedback on available halfbacks, Royce said there weren't many around but he thought Hohaia could do a job for us. Royce is also on record saying that Hohaia is a good utility player. However, regardless of what Royce said, you cannot change the actual FACT that he was playing Gaskell at standoff when he (Royce) got sacked.


I back everyone to begin with. Despite some stupid people's claims to the contrary, however, I also change my mind when the evidence shows to the contrary. I changed my mind as the season went on because Hohaia does not look to me like a halfback. However, Gaskell does and like so many other fans I wanted to see him back and playing on a weekly basis. He complemented Lomax well.


At first, yes, but towards the end of the season Royce dropped Pryce in favour of Gaskell.

Your obsession with Royce and young players is worrying.

Gaskell played stand off early on as lance was covering for injuries. Lance hohaia would have been first choice #6 had wello been fit.

Leon pryce was put straight back into the team when he returned to injury coming off the bench in the CC win at Widnes when we best hull KR and played until he got injured again. I remember this as Gaskell asked for a meeting because he was dropped.

Lee Gaskell did however get picked over pryce in the play offs and grand final.

I don't dispute Gaskell should be our stand off, I said it when we signed lance. I was never in favour of lance playing #6 as you well know but don't be silly and put all the blame on rush.

We had injuries to both Wellens and Roby early on, didn't we. I think that's why Hohaia wasn't playing 6 at first.

Pretty much everyone agrees Gaskell should be our stand off.

To be frank, the performances against Hull and Bradford last season and the game against London at the stobart the year before stick in my memory as the the worse performances in my time (since '93). We had some pretty turgid performances in '98 and Millward always had a big loss in his locker, but they always tended to at least be against good opposition.
Royce [imay[/i have pulled things around in 2012 like he did in 2011, but I doubt it. Even if he'd not got the sack, his contract would be up now and would not be getting renewed.
6 months in limbo hasn't exactly been marvellous for the club and the likes of Lomax, Gaskell, Foster and Dixon have suffered during it, but at the same time, Makinson and Jones have flourished.

We've now captured the signiture of pretty much the highest profile available coach, who we all know, depsite some draw backs, has a lot of plus points in his armoury and has the ability to get us playing some good stuff. Why don't we look forward to that?

Dixon's one we don't seem to talk about, compared to Gaskell and Foster, but I think losing him is a shame.
He's not the biggest, but his ability to [ihit a line[/i is exceptional and he was one of the few bright spots from early in the season - making a real impact aginst salford, great long range try at london.

Dixon is a player id like to have kept at Saints but a player who im not overly bothered about leaving. He is a talented player with an ability to run a good line and his support play was great too. He tried hard and gave what he had for Saints and you can't really complain about that.

Glad that he is moving to where he will get a game and good luck to him.

I'm kind of enjoying this little clearout we are having.

Well, I don't know about you but I'm certainly looking forward to it. In fact, had Brown not been coming in, I wouldn't have renewed my season ticket for next year. I do have my doubts about Brown - namely, how long before he is looking at the NRL and whether we will tail off at the back end like Hudds did - but I do very much like the way he got Hudds playing and I do very much hope he brings that same flair to Saints. I don't care about final league position, so long as we get into the 8 (or whatever it is in 2013, I assume it will be the top 8 ) but I do want us playing attractive rugby again and I do believe that we have the players to do that, assuming players are picked on their effort and ability rather than because they are senior players and moaning.

I think Brown is the 2nd best coach in super league behind tony smith but my only concern is his constant links to the NRL.

Brown has a tough job on his hands as he's took over a squad with no reconised halves and IMO a unbalanced squad.

Brown's at a stage now where if he wants an NRL job, he's got to make it work at Saints. If he can't do that, he's not worth an NRL gig.

This thread has been through a real range of topics!!

Dixon was never going to stay really, given the amount of class and depth we have in his position. Dixon was simply not going to get a game, so it was best for him to go and develop playing first team elsewhere.