From the list of players off contract listed on here a while back the ain't any worth going for. Mason and griffin would have been ok signings seeing as we will lack props next year.

Unless we pay for anyone ( will never happen ) then our signings for next year are done. IMO our squad for 2012 is done and that's the team to grace our new stadium.

However, I was told a month or so ago by a saints player that we are in the Market for outside back and a prop but can't see it.

I would suggest that your disappointment then is more to do with your own expectations rather than with Saints. They have signed up two big name foreign players. You might not like them or indeed think they are what we need; but both Laffranchi and Hohaia are good players in the NRL. They are well known names with proven ability. So there are your 'big splashes'. Did you want Thurston or Lockyer or Slater? If so, you were always going to be disappointed!


There has been no 'letting' about it. What do you expect clubs to do? Chain players at the end of their contracts to the pitchside? Both are free agents for next season. Kyle had already once hinted at a union move and Saints clearly worked hard to keep him a further season. In the end though he decided union was what he wanted. Saints had no option there. They can't create an international game that is competitive and attracts 90,000 speccies, which is what he said he wanted! Jammer was offered the best deal the club has ever offered any player, but he wanted to go to the NRL and there is no stopping him (goodluck to him with all that seems to be happening at the Doggies at present!). So Saints did NOT let them go. They chose not to stay. Roby and TP chose TO stay, and they areboth mighty fine players who I think reflect the standard the club wants all the players to aspire to.


If you are talking about Hohaia, he was a stand off throughout his career until his club told him to play at fullback two years ago. If you are meaning Lomax, he was a stand off in the u20s who played at centre, briefly fullback and now plays at 7. And has done a fine job of it for a 21 year old.


Now you're just being silly.

I know all about lance and laffranchi, in fact half the saints fans was asking who he was. I think lance is a good player and will do a job at halfback but he's a runner, he takes the line on and ain't a ball player and we lack a leader who can move us around the field.

Laffranchi is a player I've liked for a long time, he's hard working, good in defence but he's not a prop.

Saintsfan, your just being silly bringing thurston, slater into this because we all know they won't come until they are 30 or older.

Can I point out, I'm talking about our recruitment over the past 5 years when we've lost very important quality players.

While watching the Warrington game on sky last night, Clarke was talking about why Warrington have the edge this year. He referred to Warrington having better strike players, players with the x factor all over the park which is true, they have go to players all over the park.

Look at out team, we lack "goto" players, we lack strike players and x factor players.

I give a lot of credit to McManus for securing the new stadium (not to mention rescuing us from the previous chairman). But his recruitment policy over the last five years has been mediocre.

Things started to go wrong when we re-signed Meli for the first time (when he warranted no such offer). And there have been mistakes (that have cost us) season after season.

It's not that we lack quality players. Far from it. But the squad's balance is all wrong and instead of buying the best coaching talent we are conceding it to rivals and settling for second best.

Very true, the years of poor recruiting and sometimes lack of recruitment is now catching up with us.

Just a shame we've been a good team in a crap stadium and now we are going to be a crap team in a good stadium.

In that he is just like Jonny Lomax, isn't he? As Simmons has just said about Lomax's possible call up to the England squad, he could play in any of a number of positions in the future at that level. Given the opportunity to address areas of his game that may need addressing, Hohaia could be a very good halfback. Jonny Lomax might not have played in the halves either had Eastmond not decided to leave and Pryce been fit all season but would he have automatically been poor at halfback? He has no kicking game either. (I have seen Hohaia kick, as I think I've said already - lovely little chip kicks in fact, just the kind of thing we are missing at present) Lance is incredibly quick from a standing start and an illusive runner. He is also very experienced and valuable as a utility player, something we have needed over the past few seasons due to injuries. I think he is a good acquisition.


I haven't seen Laffranchi play at all so I have no idea whether he will be any good or not. He'll probably take a season to settle in. I wonder whether it will be his hamstring or groin that will get him in the end?

I don't think he is any better or worse than what we have at present.

I think some people are forgetting that this season we have had few of our strike players on the pitch at any one time and quite often the ones that have been on the pitch have been playing busted (Roby and his infected eye against Hull being a case in point). We need a few weeks of stability with the majority of our first team playing together to judge just how good or otherwise our recruitment has been.

Either way, Saints priority has been to get the new stadium up and running and secure the financial future of the club. That Warrington are awash with cash just now is in part because they have a good turnout of fans and numerous income streams into the club. We have had neither for years and why should the directors keep plugging the gaps? The club has to be self-sustaining and that has to take priority. If that means no flashy imports for a few years then I'm all for it. Encourage rugby league in the town by showing the local lads that there is actually a possibility of them getting their moment of glory at Saints if they have the talent and commitment to go for it rather than looking at a bunch of imports blocking their chances.

It will be the ankle that will get laffranchi.

Saintsfan, you say lance will be a good halfback and I agree he most prob will be in terms of running and taking the line on but who do you vision being the other halfback with lance?

Pryce or Wheeler or Lomax or Gaskell!

I'm glad you said that. We agree on something.

I don't think lomax and lance will work.

Chris wanted to sign for Saints. Had his agent approach the club, but we didn't show any interest. Warrington came in in early this week and the rest as they say is history.

From a personal view, we have lost out on a good British front rower, with good ball handling skills (started his playing career as Stand Off) Warringtons gain our loss.

The min another club comes in for a player we are after en that's it as we won't battle for a player as we won't pay the money.