Realistically

Quote: Saddened! "I wasn't far off with the prediction for tonight. It was clear once Hull's recruitment was complete how things would go tonight. Tonight wasn't a shock, they have a stronger team than us, faster backs and bigger forwards. Unless something goes massively wrong there they are in for a great season. I think they will be my second second team after Catalans, I love their fans and hope they can win something this season.

This time was always going to come when the modern greats left and the team had to be rebuilt. McManus and co haven't made that good a job of it so far. The choice of coach was poor and the lack of investment in players over the last few years is now coming home to roost. If the rot that has been allowed to set in is related to cutting back because of the stadium investment I'm okay with that, but I'd like them to admit it.

You lot will probably deny it and claim we're still headed for Old Trafford, but the truth is that we are now in a large group of teams scrambling for position in the play offs. Leeds, Warrington, Hull, Hull KR, Huddersfield, Wigan, Catalans and Wakefield. There are a lot of very good sides in SL now, all of which have recruited better than us for three or four years now. I'd be delighted with a top 6 finish this year personally, satisfied with top 8. I can't see us winning many against those teams mentioned away from home and trips to places like Cas and Salford are hardly going to be easy for us either.

Which brings me nicely onto good old Harry. Why is he there? Finding his replacement has got to be the big priority in terms of playing matters this season. Another sub-20 points score for us, again failing to do it at home. His influence on the squad is now complete, all of Anderson's plays are gone and everything we do is down to Harry. To make the play offs we are going to have to improve our defense massively as we're going to be averaging around 12 points per game. The excuse a lot of people used was that he was here because of his skills in building a squad. But there is no investment into the squad so that cannot be why he was brought in. Sport is cyclical to a degree and we are about 5 or 6 years overdue a lean spell, but it just seems we are not putting as much effort into it as could be as a club.'"

I agree! Ive been saying the same thing for last 2yrs about our squad recruitment.

IMO this is the worst squad i've seen in my time of watching saints. We are slow,boring and lack any idea in attack. Im not a coach but its pretty obvious we are in urgent need of a ball playing halfback as eastmond and pryce aint going to work and IMO pryce for whatever reason isnt good enough anymore.

On the subject of potter, ive stuck up for him all last year but starting to lose faith in him now. We have no plan A never mind plan B! Its boring one man rugby as it was for most of last year.