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.

We have a secure Super League future thanks to the work of our Chairman, quite rightly that has been the priority.

We've managed to remain at the higher end of competitiveness, with still hope of silverware this year. I'd also hoped for a star studded line up to take to the new stadium next year, but again the re-signing of Roby and TP are as important and high profile as any new recruit. Our two additions are quality players and if Perry does a Soliola, it'll be like a third top drawer signing. I'm still not convinced we're finished with the 'ins' either.

The future is bright, and top flight, and that's what really matters.

agree with all of this