Makinson, Turner & Jones will all play next year, coupled with cameos from Percival, Swift & if ever fit Wheeler, a bit of experience in the backline is no bad thing.

As for Wellens holding us back, we aint had anything to challenge or oust him or it would have happened, Makinson will probably get opportunities there this yr. That said when Wello wasnt fit or banned, we missed him IMO, Wigan at home at Easter springs to mind.

The point I was making was pace isnt everything or Kev Penny would be a GB regular, to play FB at a top club you need to be a rounded player, the heir apparents ie Lomax, Makinson etc obv werent deemed ready especially when over the last few yrs weve lost some real leaders & experience in Longy, KC, Graham etc, and we were obv loathed to replace Wellens around same time.

There is a bigger picture, im sure better rugby brains than you at Saints have considered it, which is why I said pace was a luxury in saints current position & squad depth. I maintain tho get the halves right & firing & FB isnt suddenly as big an issue, like I said earlier we hardly ripped up SL at the start of the season when Wellens was missing did we!!!

The aussies you mention are outstanding players full stop, Hardacker was hardly anything like a match winner in the playoff series, albeit I accept they all have pace. Wellens time is undoutedly coming to an end, but the quality & length of service deserves a bit more respect than youre monotonous bleating the entire season, if anything the kiwi stealing money at stand off all year & hiding in the centres 4th or 5th receiver was a far bigger issue.

The irony in this is that the Kiwi stealing a living is a World Cup winner who has played fullback for the majority of his career.

He's already doing a big chunk of the defensive work Wellens can't do because he's so slow, so why not play him there?

We also have a very good half back counting down the days until he can join Wigan in the reserves.

Hohaia certainly isnt doing Wello's defensive work, thats ridiculous. Hohaia came as a six & proclaimed himself to be a half back. Yet hes no kicking game, ponderous with ball in hand & has largely last yr pattercaked the ball to the next man out or the telegraphed dummy n go he uses 3-4 times a game with little success.

You wont get any arguments from me re Gaskell he has good hands, a kicking game, acceleration to take on the line & creativity, but there was concerns re his defensive aptitude.

Although it's been a stupidly long time since I've seen him play, I hadn't seen anything worth worrying about regarding Gaskell's defence. Certainly nothing that an extended run in the first team couldn't fix anyway. Hopefully this time around he will be a little more mature and especially a bit more physically developed which will help in all facets of his game - even towards the end of 2011 he was making half-breaks and with a bit of extra strength he will hopefully be getting through the line more often. Coupled with his already good passing and kicking game, we should have the halfback that Nathan Brown is looking for at our fingertips already.

Your kidding!!! Hohaia and Makinson on the other side saved Wellens bacon all the time last season.

I would give Hohaia a lift the airport right now but I have no issue with his defense. It is world class.

I cannot see Brown leaving him at 6.

Why would players moving clubs make it a badly thought out plan? If anything I think this is the kind of thing the RFL want to happen. If decent players end up pursuing careers in the Championship or the bottom end of Super League instead of lingering in the 23's at a top club I think that will ultimately be good for the game.

I'm much less convinced about the merging of academies, though.

I think he will be at Cas Tigers next season.

If he's on Shenton's wing it will definitely help him improve his game if Shenton plays like he used to at Cas

Foster just put on twitter last day as saints player tomorrow off to tie up my move to a club in Yorkshire

Jamie's just tweeted that he's signing for Bradford tomorrow. Well, I assume it's Bradford since that is where he has been rumoured to be going. What he tweeted was that tomorrow will be his last day as a Saints player as he is going to Yorkshire to tie up the deal.

Boys are back in next Wednesday will Jamie be the last out the door

Doubt it.