Gaskell did indeed defend on the right, alongside Shenton and Makinson. After a scratchy start when he first played at first team level last season he became very good in defence.

I agree that there is no justifiable reason for him to have been dropped and the naff comment Rush recently made about Gaskell 'learning his trade' in the u20s still gets me annoyed. As if a player who has competed in a Grand Final having helped the team get to it in the first place can learn anything from playing in the u20s! To suggest that is an insult to Gaskell and to the fans he thinks he is fooling.

Rush says what he thinks the fans want to hear and most of the team he is full of crap and he will never fool me there is some ill feeling between him and gaskell

Going on last week, I'd bring Perry in to the team for Flanders.
Against Salford they only used him for 15 minutes at the beginning and a short period at the end - he's not exactly an impact player, though, more and honest toiler. If you're not going to let him take the workload, then I don't think you'll get the best from him.

Completely disagree with that, particularly for a half back.

that is not to say I don't agree Gaskell should be playing in the first team, but young halves are constamntly learning, even in the 20s. He may be being asked to work on certain aspects of his game under less pressure.

So why as the club won't let him go Widnes or Salford in loan I no for a fact both have approach saints

They probably think (wrongly in my opinion) that there's nothing to learn at Widnes or Salford which he can't learn at Saints.

Because he's in our plans for this year, given he's making the 17 at Saints recently?

I watched him closely during the warm up for the Bradford game (in which he didn't feature) and he seemed in very high spirits. Read into that what you will.

Rush on Gaskell, Foster, Meli and others www.saintsrlfc.com/news/page/2107 Looks to me like we are lining up to give Meli a new contract.

Rush on Gaskell, Foster, Meli and others www.saintsrlfc.com/news/page/2107 Looks to me like we are lining up to give Meli a new contract.

I'm still adamant they should sign a winger to ensure Meli could play centre for usnext year.

Well we will have to agree to disagree there. He needs to be building on his experience of last season. Going down to the u20s is a backward step, at halfback or anything else.

And like I say, the lad played in a Grand Final. Short of playing against the Aussies in a World Cup, there is no greater pressure than that.

I really don't like Rush and his attitude towards the young players. Why do they have to work harder yet the senior players can just be excused poor performance for year on year.