He's got a better passing and kicking game than Long at this stage in his career (and possibly has now, especially passing), he's got a better running game than Goulding ever had even now in his early years. He's a better passer and kicker than Burrow.

What he hasn't got is the experience all the other three had/have to enable him to make the right decision at the right time.

Kyle Eastmond, and before that, Sean Long. Playing a young lad out of position and then sodding him off to Widnes in exchange for an overhyped prop does not equal 'producing' in anyone's world (except those who tout Wigan supporting kids from the age of 3 as future England stars, of course).

Lee Briers broke into our side as a 7 and is an excellent half back.

And to be fair, we've not had to produce any half backs as we've been fairly consistent in the last 15 years in the halves. Martyn and Long were our halves for long periods, then Sculthorpe and Long and then Pryce and Long. We then produced Eastmond to replace Long.

geez mate, seriously, he's almost played a good couple of games for Saints, that's about it, he certainly made a big impact when he first broke into the first team but since then he's struggled off the injury table, every time he goes down he looks like he's struggling to get up.

A talent he is but consistently good he is not.

That was my first thought, and before that Neil Holding.

Don't forget Sean Devine.

He was a Wigan fan, wasn't he

I agree, hes had about 10 good games in the whole 3yrs in the saints team.

Don't believe the hype!

John McAtee

...its also a little known fact that Brett Kimmorley, Andrew Johns, Cooper Cronk and Jonathan Thurston were all products of the Saints Academy early in their careers.

Matty Smith has played in a Grand Final