I would hardly call it a panic buy. We've not had a recognised 6 for 3 -5 years depending on your point of view.

A very slow panic buy.

Above average maybe accurate. It may not. I'm not an officionardo on Burns but having a proper 7 and 6 is what most people are excited about. There are others who follow it closer and are excited about the player. But for me it's having a balanced side for the first time in nearly 5 years.

Burns has probably been the best 6 in the league this season alongside Brown maybe at widnes. Don't know whether that proves or disproves your point tho?

I think the reason people are so pleased with the Burns signing is that he addresses two separate weaknesses in the side. Firstly, he is our first genuine 6 for years (possibly even since Martyn, since arguably neither Hooper nor Pryce were natural stand offs). Secondly, he is a fiery competitor, something that we've been crying out for.

Thirdly it will free up Hohaia to play a utility role off the bench and finally give Roby a breather.

If Cronulla are not in for him

Burns also has a kicking game and seems capable of carrying the load if Walsh got injured.

Yup

I think his goalkicking is as good if not better than Walsh too.

Percival has not got a bad foot on him.

Really all youth players should be practicing their goal kicking as it increases their value and chances of getting picked.

I don't think Burns is anything special skills-wise. Walsh has the skill. But what Burns does offer is a kicking game and some fire in the side, both of which we very much need.

I'd settle for a halfback who can play for more than two weeks without getting crocked. Walsh is genuine class, but counts for nothing when he is is on the sidelines. Obviously anyone can break their leg, but even before that he was missing too many games or playing with injuries

I think that's very unfair on Walsh - yes he's had 2 serious injuries, but he also played through a hyper extension and played more than Wheelers best year. I think Walsh is talked about being injured more than he is, which gives the impression he's out more than he is ...

Yet he missed only two games in his final season with Penrith so maybe the problem isn't Walsh but Saints? Kyle Amor said he had never had a long term injury before the one he suffered during his first season at Saints. The club appear to have written our repeated injury problems off as repeated bad luck but I don't buy that anymore.

I think we have fielded as close as dammit to a full team just twice this season, and the first time was the first game (though we were missing Mosoe on that occasion).

I,ve always questioned our conditioning of players these past 3 or 4 years, year on year we seem to have an injury crisis more so than other clubs.
Did someone break a mirror in the dressing room in 2008 giving us all the bad luck until 2015, if Burns comes to Saints will he fall to the injury curse.

Walsh looked OK at the beginning of the season then gradually he seemed to be more fragile during our conditioning regime, similar to Mose he took quite a while to get to match fitness, would this have happened if they were still in the NRL.

In my opinion they should be looking at this, we can have the best team in the comp but thats no good if half of them are watching in the stands especially if Walsh and Burns could be part of them.

On the conditioning theme, guess who i saw on a jog on knowesley rd last week? the one and only Apollo! Come back to us big man!