For every Bradley Clyde and Paul Sculthorpe there's a Paul Anderson and Darren Smith.

Sure Willie Manu could get injured, but he could also give us two fantastic seasons. Manu is the type of player we need - a line breaking forward who offloads in the tackle. He's worth the risk that some claim he is to be.

Agreed

Are you QUITE sure about this. For each Bradley Clyde there is a Paul Anderson? It's a [ione-to-one relationship?[/i Or are you playing word games and obfuscating the truth that for every Paul Anderson there are two Bradley Clydes or three, or four?

I mean, has faith in science sunk to such a level that we now doubt what anyone over the age of 30 knows only too well - that the body is easier to injure and takes longer to heal?



And Manu is the ONLY option we could pursue? We couldn't, say, save money on him and invest it in a half-back? I think our pack is pretty decent right now. What value can Manu provide that a creative half-back couldn't outweigh?

I haven't got time to reel off a full list of players and compare those who have suffered badly at 30+ to those that haven't, but there are plenty of players who have given plenty of value in their 30's. Some examples at Saints - Kevin Ward, Keiron Cunningham, Darren Smith, Darren Britt, David Fairleigh, Sean Long. At other clubs - Menzies, Hodgson, Carmont, Barrett, Lam etc.



I didn't say he was the only option, I said he is the type of player we need. Our pack is decent, but it doesn't have a great deal of impact apart from Soliola and sometimes Puletua when he's played in the back row. The rest are all grafters really, none are gamebreaking players. Manu brings that ability to a side. Manu is certainly superior to Flannery.

Regarding half backs, well we've just signed Hohaia to play there and should Nathan Brown want a half back, I'm sure he'll be on the lookout for one, but without any quota places who do you bring in? We'd have to release someone (paying out their contract) to even entertain the idea. Look at the OOC list from non quota players and I'd say Manu is arguably the best player on the list who would add to our squad.

Can't see us signing a half back till Brown has had a year with the current players. Signing a half back before he comes would be madness. We would potentially have 5/6 halfbacks on deals for the full period of Browns tenure, with him having no say in choosing any of them.

His attacking choices would be very restricted if this was the case.

If he does not want to play lance or Lomax at 6 or 7, then he would have room to shift about and bring in his own man, but if we put another halfback in the team before he gets here, he will just be able to pick wingers for the next 3 years and props for the next 2 after 2013.

As for Manu his stats are brilliant.

I would say Saints have significant experience of players in their prime picking up serious injuries, and that statistically, players in their mid twenties have been at least as prone to injury as those in their thirties.

Manu not necessarily a done deal. Could be off to Les Cats.

Personally I would take a punt if the money was not too much.

I would
Imagine whoever signs him will be paying top dollar

Is he? Rubbish player anyway.

Watched superleague full time last night and Willie looked like he he didn't want to be at Hull anymore [size=50or he was crap[/size? Hull should drop him so he's fit for us next year

It would be [iannoying [/iand [ifrustrating [/iif we miss out on Manu now.

Manu was crap yesterday, totally anonymous and cost Ull on quite a few occasions with sloppy play. Now I don't like to judge a player on one performance, but it suits my agenda on this thread, so on the back of yesterday's performance I hope you sign him and he brings that fine form he's in with him.

Or he could be saving himself for next year to play infront of decent fans with quality players around him and can't wait to smash Ellis who took his wage rise?

Manu would be a quality signing! Be great to have a wide running second rower in the mould of Joynt or Gilmour again. Also his defence is nine times out of ten very solid yesterday being a exception. He was poor.

manu is past his best!

He would be a good, but not great signing. A great signing would be a world class prop, or a worldclass centre

Not sure if he is the type of player we should be going for.

Why WOULD you reel off a list of players when you know just as well as I do that a 30yo is at much greater risk of injury (and taking longer to heal) than a 20yo?

Sure, there are always exceptions and if you want to roll the dice and hope you get lucky - fine. But successions of scientifically significant samples put this argument to bed decades ago.

Does he have a history of injury?

Whilst he may break down at any point, so might any player, at any age. I presume the club think that the positives his experience brings outweighs the negatives of any injury he may, or may not, sustain in the future.

I probably wouldn't give him a three year deal though.

So basically we want no young un's unless they have a squat running style, no old un's unless they get injured, no overseas as they are just journeymen and no buy in's from other clubs as they don't play as well as they do for their original clubs.

We need 7 fast wingers, four big yard dogs and anyone who does not, currently play for the RL all stars is not what Saints need. Oh yes and another halfback, then another half back when that one is no good, and another half back because the 2nd will be no better than the first or is that 3rd?????

I can understand wanting to build a good team but as fans we seam to do it all year long, win or lose. Manu seams fair game for speculation as he is out of contract and looking around. But we do have a habit of just going on and on about who we want in or out.
Maybe I'm just narked, but I think we have a decent team compared to the rest of SL.

Has this not been made official yet?

He has a very good injury record from what I'm told.

Saints have to get the best available and IMO Manu is the best non quota player out there available. I don't care he's 32 as he's still doing the business on the pitch.

The is a lack of quality available these days and obviously we can't splash the cash like Warrington so we've got to get the best we can and IMO we've failed to do that in recent times.

If we do sign Manu next year then our pack is going to basically all overseas as it will look something like -

Laffranchi
Roby
Perry
Sia
Manu
TP/wilkin

I don't care one bit that our pack might be all overseas if it brings succes. We've still got the young lads being brought in, the likes of jones, makinson, foster, wheeler, lomax, swift etc so it's not like we ain't bringing the youth thru.

The balance of youth and senior players needs to be spot on if teams are to be successful and the last 3yr IMHO we've relied to much on the kids. Our halfbacks have been 20yr old kids, our main weapon last year and match winner with his kicks was foster and I think it's to much pressure if we've got to many young lads playing.

I agree, plus great squad depth that has coped really well with continuous injury problems. We have a good enough squad to compete for trophys, we just need a coach to get the best from them. Adding one or two top players would help of course!