I would like to see Makinson as our first choice fullback this year. A definate international IMO. I like Wellens and he has been great for the club but he isn't as much of a threat as Makinson is anymore. My ideal 13 this year would be.

Makinson
Foster
Shenton
Wheeler
Gardener
Hohaia
Lomax
Laffranchi
Roby
Lms
Flanagan
Soliola
Wilkin

Clough
Puletua
Perry
Meli

Decent team but for me Gaskell needs to be in there, I'd also like to see Ashe given a run out, he's really impressed me in his limited run outs. An experimental team I'd like to see:

Nathan Ashe
Tommy Makinson
Michael Shenton
Gary Wheeler
Ade Gardner / Jamie Foster

Lee Gaskell
Jonny Lomax

Josh Perry
James Roby
LMS
Mark Flanagan
Jon Wilkin
Anthony Laffrinchi

Sia Soliola
Tony Puletua
Paul Clough
Lance Hohaia

Although I'd start with Lance on the bench I'd want to use him as much as possible rotating in and out of the Hooker and Half back roles. Whilst this probably wouldn't be what I'd choose as a 13, I wouldn't mind seeing it tried out.

Makinson at fullback, Gaskell at 6 and Lomax at 7 are essentials for me. I will personally organise the first 'Sack the board' riots if we start the season with Wello at 1.

Wellens, as much as I love him for his efforts over the years, is awful. He is easily the worst fullback in the league and contributes nothing. He can't judge high kicks, he cost us tries several times in crucial games last season. He doesn't contribute to the attack, doesn't chime into the line and never beats the first man from kicks.

His time is up.

Give over!!! I should ban you for talking such utter sensationalist claptrap but then our current audience would drop by 10% automatically!

I'm gonna run the risk of being hunted down by an angry hate mob but... I'd send Gaskell out on loan. I don't think his kicking game is consistent enough to warrant pushing Hohaia or Lomax out of half backs maybe it's just me but I don't think he is Saints standard. I know he is a favourite on here but for me he still isn't pulling off the right passes at vital times either and it's something that can only come with experience that i'd rather see him gain elsewhere and keep our halfbacks as they are. I agree that wello isn't the player he was though and last season was a bit of a liability but hopefully he can get some form back because royce wont drop his captain.

Problem is, he's not wrong, Wello was past his best 2 years ago which is strange because he isnt particularly old. Makinson for me is a better player now.
Ashe also shows promise and so Makinson may be of more use in the centres long term.

You'd never catch me arguing that Wellens deserves selection for past glories alone but he was outstanding in the playoff series and his early exit from the Grand Final was a major factor in our implosion in the last 20 mins.

No player deserves a shirt on reputation but as long as Wellens is in that kind of form he's the best fullback at the club.

If he slips below these standards Makinson is a fantastic deputee - what a sensational prospect this kid is. He's gonna be amazing and is already an exciting player.

Like most of Saddened's rants, he's never 100% wrong. I myself was calling for us to play with Eastmond at 1 towards the end of the season, but Wello finished the season very well. To suggest he's the worst fullback in SL is like claiming Wakefield have a better backline than us.

I can understand your claims to want a full back what can beat a man etc as thats the way the game has gone since Billy Slater burst on to the scene and showed playing at FB wasnt all about defence and catching high bombs...

However would all of you on here really leave Wellens out of the 17 every week? Is Makinson that good to replace Wellens straight away? Wellens experience and leadership this season could be vital with the loss of James Graham to the NRL.

Wellens is still a good player, don't let anyone convince you otherwise, but Saints are a team that has consistantly fallen short at the final hurdle, people want us to move forward and make that extra step. Wellens plays well and will pop up with tries and assists through his individual talent, but when he slots into the team move in that 2nd pivot role, I'm afraid he just tends to slow things down and blunten a formerly crisp move. Last year he, didn't look his usual solid self and was beaten too easily too often, although as I have previoulsy said, he finished the season strongly.

The arguement for Makinson is probably that he offers a similar amount, replacing experience with speed and classy handling, but Makinson has the potential to improve, whereas Wellens is heading the opposite direction.

Bear in mind that makinson hasn't been through many big tests at #1, although he played well in the GF.

that about sums it up perfectly for me

I cant see makinson taking the FB spot at all this year.He was employed on the wing for most of last year and only got FB in a game that had already begun. Had Wellens been injured before the GF then Eastmond could well have took that spot or even pryce.

Makinson is more than likely to play wing. the inbalance comes from half back. We have two backs who are far too similar at present and play the same roles. As for gaskell not putting people through I'm pretty sure i saw it last year and the match report from widnes mentions he put someone through. Even royce aknowledged that our kicking game was only sorted with thirty minutes to go.

Lance is the obvious choice at FB as he gives his running options in attack and experience at international level in defence.

But I would not nail down any back position just yet. Far too early and nearly every back has quesstions to answer.

You know you'd miss me.

It was quite noticeable last season that Wello was not quite getting there on a number of occasions. There were instances when he missed timed tackles, did not get to the bomb and at times just not where he should have been; a sure sign of a player on the decline. Wellens has been a great fullback, has being the operative word. I think the board or Simmons made a big mistake when promising Lance slot in the halves when he was the ideal replacement foe Wello.

Personally i wouldn't like to see Lance anywhere near fullback. He was having problems against Widnes receiving kick off's he would be a liability under the high ball as he was a few times for NZ. I think he has got great foot work and ball handling so if he is moved away from the halves for any reason I would like to see him at hooker with Roby moving to loose forward. That said though I can't see him being moved away from the halves.