Eastmond and Lance I would imagine wage wise maybe a straight swap. But the trut is we don't know. Eastmond was an emerging talent and whilst on a better wage than most youth players whether he was at a level like Long was when he left we just don't know.

Graham was supposedly offered a huge contract, after he has turned that down how much was offered to TP to keep him? Again we don't know. But it's not inconceiveable that what we offered to Graham has been split between TP's top up and Laffranchi. Gardner is not out yet, neither is Leon nor flannery.

I think we'll keep Flannery, we should know soon about Leon as it seams he is looking around given that Saints may have held back on an offer to see if he is fit. Gardner will depend upon how makinson goes?


So at present it's 2 in 2 out a straight swap. I agree maybe we should have signed Hill or some other prop, but we don't know who Saints are looking at? Roby's contract was also increased this year to stop him going to the NRL.

I think we look back say 5 or 6 years we can say we have lost quality, but 5 or 6 years ago, image right payments were possible and Warrington did not have the backing and the stadium they do now. Warrington have increased their quality by now spending at cap which they did not do, our cap has been reduced as image rights have now been ruled illegal at the rate they where used. in the past

It don't matter what backing Warrington have, they still have a salary cap to stay under. We could have bill gates running saints but still can only spend to the cap.

No matter how you try and dress it up, it's obvious saints are trying to do it on the cheap.

Well I shall have to agree to disagree.

So far, Eastmond and Graham are out, Hohaia and Laffranchi in. Two for two. Nobody knows whether Pryce, Flannery or Gardner will be in the team next season. All three have, at one stage or another, stated in the press that they wanted to stay with the Saints. Saints have stated that so far as Pryce is concerned they are waiting for him to get back playing before undergoing negotiations. I think that is extremely wise given that he has been out of action now for a season and a half. Simmons has suggested that Gardner has a chance of a new contract - or did have, before his injury. No word at all on Flannery. In other words, we have no idea what the situation is with regard to ins or outs for next season and so you have no idea whether Saints are doing anything 'on the cheap' or have been beaten in the bidding by Wire or have got people in talks with other people. We have no clue and so why you are assuming the worst I don't know.

I was surprised to hear this news yesterday. I was certainly under the impression that Hill was very much nailed on for you guy's.

Well, you knew more than us! It was just a fans' rumour. Nothing has been said by the club at all.

Man for man

1 Brett Hodgson
Paul Wellens (I reckon these 2 are on comparable money especially with the discount for Wellens)
2 Chris Riley
Gardner (Genuinly no idea who would be on more)
3 Matt King
Shenton (Surely king on more but shenton will not be on peanuts)
4 Chris Bridge
Soliola (Soliola on more)
5 Joel Monaghan
Meli (don't know as Joel was desperate for a move at the time)
6 Lee Briers
Pryce (I'dsay pryce, but Briers will have the discount for the club)
7 Richard Myler
Eastmond (about equal i'd say)
8 Adrian Morley
Perry (not sure but perry would not be cheap)
9 Michael Monaghan
Roby (I think Roby would be on more given the new deal)
10 Garreth Carvell
Graham (Graham on more by far)
11 Louis Anderson
Puletua (TP on more than Anderson)
12 Ben Westwood
Wilkin (not sure, but Wilkin will have a fair chunk)
13 Ben Harrison
Flannery (no idea who would be on more)
14 Mick Higham
Scott Moore ( I imagine higham will be on more, but who knows)
15 Jon Clarke
LMS (probably LMS on more)
16 Paul Wood
CLough (wood I would imagine gets more)
17 Simon Grix
Wheeler (grix maybe?)


Our squad goes to 29, on this site, Warrington only 27.

So when you look at the first 17 of each club I fail to see where we are going cheap. When you look at the rest of the squads, there are mostly youth players apart from Warrington having solimona at 26.

To put it simply though our first 17 are not playing for any length of time as a team. Gardner out for long period this year, as have been or are Pryce, Eastmond, Perry, Flannery, Moore, Clough, Wheeler.

Well you were the only club linked to him, and strongly at that. But evidently not strongly enough.

Are you disappointed that you missed out on him?

Have you had a bad week Pete?

I'd like to see Jordan Hand given a chance at some point given the rave reviews he has had in the u20s and that he has already been given a first team shirt.

I've no idea if we where in for him or not, there was alot of clamour from the fans for him, but fans are very fickle. There was a lot of clamour that we must keep Roby and TP this year, but then we moan because we can't get waterhouse (never mind that there are quota rules) and that we overpay the current set of players. But we still do it on the cheap.

As fans we argue it all ways. We have promoted no young props since Clough and it was hardly an overnight swap. Oh yeh and there is Graham too another waste of space youth promotion and Roby and Moore and Wellens. All these players just dropped in overnight to replace talent we could have bought in.

Never mind that Lomax and Gaskell are playing because can't play won't play are out.
Makinson for Gardner
Dixon, Ashurst and Megniss have been covering Flannery, Perry, LMS and TP during their injuries.

Sometimes it really frustrates me that fans seam to think we have a right to have 1 -30 world class replacements ready. Put out or first 17 and there is Wheeler who would have been promoted from the youth team this year. Hardly a flood of youngster filling up the team.

The big impact for us has been can't play won't play along, meaning yes shock horror we did not have 2 ready world class halfbacks sitting in the squad to jump in and replace them.

Or maybe you mean foster should not be in the team.

Good post bewareshadows.

You were getting all passionate for a minute there!

No I've had a pretty good week

Im just pi$$ed off with all this youth crap the spin doctors at saints are coming out with. I'd rather them just say, we are skint from building the stadium and doing it on the cheap with the squad.

When sir mac goes public that we will have a team to grace the new stadium I'd have expected us to make a pretty big splash in the transfer Market. I was under the impression are lack of recruitment was to save cap space for the first season in the stadium when big names would arrive.

So far we've let the best young product we've produced for years in Kyle eastmond leave for union, we've let our captain and best player in Graham go the Nrl. We've replaced eastmond with a fullback and Graham with a backrow. It just dont make sense.

I think we will be in big trouble next year and when the novelty of the new stadium wears off and we are fighting for the top eight the new stadium will be empty.

Whoever oversees our recruitment wants shooting! We lack fire power all over the field. What club goes years with one centre at the club?

Next year we need a fullback, winger, centre, halfback and two props.

While I can understand your frustration, it's worth remembering that the 'tapping up' deadline means that any domestic signings we make aren't likely to be announced until September. Just because it's all quiet for a couple of months doesn't necessarily mean nothing is happening. Whether there are any good domestic players available is another issue, mind.