But Wheeler did stand a chance, unlike the rest. Or do you think that Jones should not have got in ahead of Wheeler.

Wheeler was dropped when Simmons was sacked. He's hardly played first team rugby since. Same with Gaskell and Dixon. And of course Foster has been shipped out completely.

I think Wheeler was doing fine before Simmons was sacked. He had been consistently one of our best players. There was no reason whatsoever to drop him as his form was good. IMO Rush wanted Jones, so Jones it was.

Wheeler was awful in the vast majority of games he played, choosing wrong options, being beat in defence, throwing awful passes. Jones has been consistently very good and has earned his shirt over Wheeler. I don't see your problem, rather just another chance for you to have a pop at rush, unnecessarily in this case.

You need to learn how to read a post.

I said that Wheeler was one of our best players before Simmons was sacked. How was that a comment on Wheeler's performance subsequent to Rush taking over? That's right. It wasn't.

Wheeler's form was great under Simmons. And lots of people on here were also saying Wheeler was one of our standout players at the start of the season, so I wasn't alone in that opinion (for once), not by a long chalk.

Wheeler was dropped by Rush IN SPITE OF being in good form, and replaced by Jones. Wheeler has looked poor in every match he has played since. No surprise really. All our young players from last season have gone backwards under Rush.

But he wasn't though, he had a couple of good games under Royce. He then had a couple of awful games under Rush and was subsequently dropped.

I can assure you I'm perfectly capable of reading your posts, I even managed a dot to dot last night.

But you're wrong though.

You're also incredibly childish.

big big season for mr wheeler next year for me josh jones has been better this year by quite some distance

Wheeler was playing well at time(0) when Rush took over, I agree. He picked up a niggling injury late on against Leeds and subsequently wasn't fit to play against Warrington. This is when Jones took over and played very well when his opportunity came. When Wheeler was back to fitness and came into the squad his form was awful and didn't earn his place back from Jones, rightly so. If you want to continue arguing blindly without presenting any evidence and substance to support your claims then tomorrow I will post all the stats for the relevant games for you to show his dip in form. Just because he was playing well before he got injured, doesn't guarantee his place on return if he plays badly.



A phrase most commonly used by boring people who have their own heads stuffed in a certain orifice. I don't like to conform to the immaturity/maturity badge that society has decided to brand on individuals.

Like I said, Wheeler was dropped by Rush when his form was good. Thanks for finally acknowledging the truth of the matter.

Jones has been better than Wheeler since Rush took over but then he's hardly played and so that wouldn't be difficult.

After accusing me of being unable to read your posts just a moment ago you've not done very well there. Wheeler missed out against Warrington DUE TO INJURY, which is when Jones was selected. Somebody had to play didn't they, or should we have played with 12 players instead? When Wheeler then came back he was poor and didn't warrant a place over Jones. Nowhere in that post or the previous did I state that Wheeler was dropped when his form was good.

Wheeler has gone back this year and has nobody to blame but himself. He's not warranted a place as he's been very very poor.

The game at man city was shocking and I wouldn't have picked him again this season.

He wasn't injured.

Quote ="SaintsFan"He wasn't injured.'" Oh yay, I was hoping you would say that. saintsrlfc.com/news/page/1877 Quote Gary Wheeler is omitted as he continues to recover from a knock in the win over Leeds'" That was the squad announcement for the Wigan match, the week after Warrington. Care to admit you're wrong yet?

Quote ="SaintsFan"He wasn't injured.'" Oh yay, I was hoping you would say that. saintsrlfc.com/news/page/1877 Quote Gary Wheeler is omitted as he continues to recover from a knock in the win over Leeds'" That was the squad announcement for the Wigan match, the week after Warrington. Care to admit you're wrong yet?

You're equating Saints saying something with it being the truth.

A bit like how Gaskell was learning his trade in the under 20s. Saints said that was the reason why he was dropped. However, anyone with a modicum of sense knows that having played in a first team grand final, there is nothing, zip, nada that playing in an u20s game can teach a player.

Just because you're a sucker doesn't make what Saints say the truth. But if you want to be a sucker then that is up to you.

Ahh a grand plot and conspiracy theory, just what all RL fans love. Of course that's much much more plausible than an injury prone player simply picking up a knock. I know for a fact he was injured during that point as I know a physio at Saints. No grand scheme like you would wish, however convenient it is to your story. In fact the week after Wigan we played Castleford were Wheeler featured, guess why that was? Because he had recovered from injury.

You're wrong but you won't admit it you never do, instead you'll make up ridiculous stories in order to somehow substantiate your claims when really everybody else just laughs.

Also anybody who has ever played the game knows that appearing in a high profile match does nothing to develop your ability, it exposes you to the big occasions but doesn't develop you as a player. Grand final or not he was still learning his game.

I'm also no sucker, in fact quite the opposite. I always like to back up any claims that are either made by me or told to me by supplying hard evidence to prove the hypothesis. Something which I have done in this thread and can continue to provide if necessary. On the other hand, you have provided no facts/evidence to support your claims other than a wild conspiracy theory which I know with 100% certainty to be incorrect.

Please try again.

Wheeler is pants, what does it matter if he was injured or not?

RL isn't exciting enough to have a grand plot or attract conspiracy theory. With Saints it's just a simple case of euphemism. Wheeler wasn't injured. He was dropped. Same as all the other young players from last season.

Or didn't you go to the Leeds game at Langtree Park?

He wasn't dropped you insufferable fool.

He was injured, my friend would have no reason to lie to me. He was involved in the treatment of Wheeler's injury, Wheeler then played the week after Wigan as he was fit again.

You're blatant disregard for evidence and facts is infuriating to say the least, you just keep telling your lies if it makes the voices in your head feel better.

Getting personal eh? Oooh er. Watch me tremble.

Like I say, didn't you watch the Leeds game at Langtree Park? All our young players disappeared overnight and hey, Josh Jones turned up. But obviously, like all RL fans, I'm indulging in conspiracy theory.

Or it could just be that Rush is a naff coach either generally or specifically when it comes to the young players.

saintsfan does have a bit of a point though Rush has his favourites and it doesnt look like that is based on form. Gaskell especially has been royally screwed this year

I'd rather not thanks.



Yes I did watch it. Jamie Foster was awful and deserved to be dropped. Tommy was also dropped which shouldn't have happened, however I can understand why it was done. Gaskell is a 50/50 one, he needed to improve a couple of areas of his games, although I would have had him back in by now. However, we're talking specifically about Wheeler here.



I'm not disputing that, I'm disputing the claim that Wheeler was dropped. He wasn't, he was injured.

Definitely, I wholeheartedly agree with her on that point. However, Wheeler wasn't dropped.

Good. Then don't.


You are re-writing history. Jamie Foster wasn't awful. He had a bad game at Bradford (as indeed did most of the team) and had been a bit wobbly here and there following the Catalans defeat (he started that game great with a smashing try from a lovely chip by Gaskell, that other ghost of Saints 2011).


Yup. And but for Gardner's injury, he would probably now be on loan at Salford or something.


And the only way he could do that, having played not only in a first team grand final but for most of the 2011 season, was by playing at first grade. He was just dropped, because Rush wanted to play Hohaia in the halves, in spite of Hohaia and Lomax never being a halfback partnership in a month of Sundays.

Interesting about Lomax. Rush has sung his praises a few times in public in the past. Lomax can have dire games and yet still play.