I think Saints could be a very dark horse come the play-offs, but I do think the loss of the lad is a bit of a blow, but if you can get the players coming back up to running speed (which will not be easy)in time , you could be a bit of a thorn in the side of some. I don’t know why Smith doesn’t seem to let O’Brien have a good run? the lad does seem to show signs of becoming a half decent player. He’s a very good goal kicker, but unlike Foster he looks more than a one trick pony. I know he’s had more than his fair share of the knocks while with Saints, but I think he will be missed.

Let's not blow things out of proportion, whilst he's been a useful acquisition for us, he's not been that great. His goal kicking has been excellent, but his running game is not great and he's not really replaced Wilkin as the field kicker, just took some pressure off. He's made 7 appearances and not finished the gamed in three of them, so while we might miss him running to the line, we won't miss being a man down.

He's added a bit of stability at the same time Lomax has come back into the team and Brown has decided to field a fairly settled side. Whilst he's not a bad player, he's not been the second coming of Sean Long either.

Rogues does he have to play right now for Warrington to be a force to be reckoned with in the future? No. As you boring people of Wigin keep going on about on all team boards about our future stars. Did Charnley no go out on loan with a longer term view of him playing first team? The future is bright the future is Gareth O'Brien.
If Saints didn't rate him why did Brown opt for him when there are 13 other SL clubs with a raft of talent in their extended squads?
Have a day off Rogues!

Whilst he may not be a world beater, lets not try to underplay his role now he is going back to Warrington.

GOB has allowed others to shine. Like has been said above, he's added another kicker at halfback. That alone makes it harder to defend Saints kicks. Now we are back to one kicker and Wilkin will get battered in the playoffs by defending sides as we will have just the one option. The only option we had mid-season to combat that was to kick on the 4th.

That tactic will get us no-where against teams peaking at the top end of the season.

Fun really, that after almost a full season out, we need the return of Wheeler to bring some balance to the side.

Now that London are looking nailed on for the wooded spoon and not going to Wembley, I wonder if Soward might be up for a loan spell to cover our last couple of league games & the play-offs?

Or perhaps Chase?

Don't forget too that GOB was a pretty handy defender. Some of his tackles, especially for such a skinny guy, were amazing. So we lose that side of his game also. He hadn't been with us long enough, in part due to dirty play from other teams, to adopt much of an attacking role (although he was making progress in that regard) but his defence was definitely a plus for us as of course was his goal kicking (not to mention his almost suicidal willingness to take on the line).

I think we will miss him.

Josh Charnley is only four months older than Gareth O'Brien, and was recalled when we had injuries (at the age of 19)

I think he is a relatively solid young player, with a top class goal kicking game.

Don't think he is as good as Matty Smith was at the same age, and he is no world beater.
For those of us of a certain age, he is more Gus O'Donnell than Sean Long

Personally think he is a lot less talented than any of the young halves we have brought through in recent years eg Gaskell, Lomax, Wheeler, Smith and Eastmond. Going way back he isn't anything like as impressive as the young Lee Briers.

I think his lack of even a sniff of X factor has been born out by Wire choosing to sign Ratchford and Myler, while retaining Briers.

Something else to consider is that he is only 11 months younger than Joe Mellor at Widnes. Mellor had his career put on hold for over 12 months with serious injury. However Mellor is already significantly better than O'Brien, and is a genuine threat in a very ordinary Widnes team.

Correct. IMO of course.

The truth is that the majority of players who go out on loan for any length of time rarely make it at the team they were loaned from.

The difference is we need him now. Not next year. Basically we need any halfback. As we have none.

If we where in a position of strength at halfback then his return would not even get a mention. As it is in the league we have the weakest half back combo. ie none.

It's no fluke that with GOB in the side, we have had a more composed side.

We need him just as much next season as this. Possible he can play 6 as wheeler cannot yet be relied upon.

rlhttps://twitter.com/gareth_obrien/status/368806499008512000rl

Looks like that's the end of his spell at Saints.

"Wanna thank @Saints1890 for the opportunity to play for them these last 8 weeks (the time I wasn't k.o), great blokes enjoyed my time there."

And if there was any doubt... www.saintsrlfc.com/news/page/3287

And if there was any doubt... www.saintsrlfc.com/news/page/3287

Lets not pretend he was the messiah (just a naughty boy!) he's no Longy, tommy God, Wheeler is a better halfback if he can stay fit for the playoffs I'd be happy with him in there, also swift has done nothing wrong and is probably as good as GOB already. With Robes due back soon we won't do too badly.
Just remember for us to get anything out of this season would be amazing