Yes, I know. I said that!


I don't know where you get the idea from that this will be either his attitude or our intention.


Well, I gather that. But then, lots of people are writing Wello off anyway, mainly because he isn't Billy Slater.

Have you ever had an argument in an empty room?

My point is that whilst some things may have been said on his initial signing, things change, in life and in sport especially and Saints as a club will change they're plans accordingly. I'm sure Lance, as a proffesional player would appreciate that and hope that he would give his all no matter what role we asked of him.

What I can't get my head around is this thinking that the likes of Slater, Hodgson, Tomkins etc playing as an attacking fullback is some sort of new idea.

Just from a Wigan pov Martyn Ryan, David Bolton, Colin Tyrer, Shaun Edwards, George Fairbairn, Jason Robinson, Kris Radlinski etc have all been very good attacking fullbacks. (all with superb pace and capable of scoring from anywhere on the pitch)

You can't compare the way Edwards, Robinson or The Ginger Doormat played to the way the Australian full backs have developed because the attacking game isn't just about coming into the line and being an extra man. It's the way Minichiello attacked the ball when it was in flight that was revolutionary. He was catching the ball on the front foot which is something that nobody has done over here since I've been watching the game. Sometimes players over here occasionally did/have done it but it's usually been due to a poor kick rather than exceptional positioning and bravado. Robinson was just a great kick returner when he got the ball in his hand whilst Edwards and the other guy were just great support players. Edwards at full back is a bit of a red herring anyway because he was hardly there during his peak years and was pretty insignificant when he started his career there.

For me Captain has to be one of the first names on the team sheet and assured of his place week in week out. Realistically you need your captain influencing the game on the pitch both through his own play and how he interacts with teammates.

In my opinion Wellens is not safe in his selection for next season despite how great a player he has been over the years. I would therefore have given the captaincy to Roby.

He's a great guy, but there comes a time to clearly see that the game has changed and a more attacking style of full back is now the way to go, even if their defence is poor. We won't have that!

Who'd have thought 3 months ago that we'd be on here, clamouring for a club legend to be dropped for Kyle Eastmond?

What a fickle mistress sport is.

Or maybe we are just very practical in St Helens and used to reforming characters.

Paul Wellens is still a good club player, and has been a fantastic full back, I dont get all this "he's crap" "drop him" that I read on here sometimes, he's still always in the right place, pops up with tries and puts his body on the line. Okay he may have lost his pace but he's clever enough to make up for that.

I don't think any sensible Saints fan thinks he is crap. Far from it. What we have seen however, is the likes of Tomkins and Hodgson returning the ball at pace and creating a better attacking platform for the forwards to be on. Tomkins is probably making an average of 10 metres more than Wello on a kick return and is leaving Wigan on the front foot when beginning their attacks. Eastmond is capable of this and possibly more due to him being so elusive.

Eastmond doesn't have 1% of Tomkins' bravery though, and bravery is absolutely massive for a full back.

I have visions of Eastmond bottling falling on a loose ball in a big game and costing us.

I echo these sentiments, but am willing to put faith in Kyle in the hopes that he wants to go out from Saints with a bang, rather than the whimper that was prevailing earlier in the season.

Lomax has the bavery you crave, which adds to the case for him being our future #1.

Wello won't play this Sunday.

You might be. I'm not. I think we will be defensively very vulnerable on our line on Sunday.