If Lomax and Eastmond are 100% fit, they should play in the halves - not Matty Smith.

I disagree, Smith added a massive amount of stability to the team and it's organisation. Pryce could do that were he fit but assuming he's out for the season, Smith IMO has to play every game, whether Kyle returns or not.

Kyle free to create and run at 6 and Smith at 7 organising and probing? It's a dream ticket.

go for a lie down, youre talking sense

Eastmond won't be fit so go with Lomax and Smith (if Jonny's fit enough)

Exactly, exactly, exactly.

Fair comment. Throw Jonny in there and IMO it starts to become clear why Smith would choose a team like Salford where he should be confident of making the first 13, rather than stay with Saints and face a huge struggle to make the 17 on a regular basis.

Well, it appears a lot of our fans value fuel consumption more than top speed

No club in their right mind would take Smith over Eastmond. We may be proved wrong in a few years if we're still struggling to get him on the pitch, but his immense talent is well worth the gamble.

The kicking game's been mentioned, but I think people are forgetting Kyle has a decent and varied boot on him.

I think Smith's main quality by far is his short kicking game. It was his control of Warrington by forcing repeat sets consistently that helped the forwards get on top, it is something we have been lacking lately. If Eastmond's hip is even half bad he isn't going to be able to kick comfortably, hence why I would have Smith in there.

Why do you think

We've got Eastmond, Pryce, Lomax and Wheeler all injured.
Matty Smith is still a St Helens player and therefore available to us - why wouldn't we call him back!?

The only argument that i consider to have any legs is whether we should have brought Matty back and let Scott Moore go instead. I think Smith could have done a good solid job at hooker for us (he did for crusaders), whereas Scotty seems very hot and cold. However, Moore was one of the form hookers at the end of his stint with Hudds and made the dream team and england squad, so assuming he can recapture that form, we'll be vindicated.

Nobody is denying Kyle's 'immense talent'. I'm not even sure people are talking in either/or terms? I know I'm not. What Saints need is both because each brings something of equal value to the halfback partnership which would make it an incredibly effective whole. As it is, without Smith, we don't have the tactical kicking game and nor do we have the organisation. The contrast between Friday night's game and every other game of the season was obvious to anyone with eyes. We just lack those to elements in our game; elements Smith would provide us with. He also brings his individual passion for Saints, which never goes amiss!

And he's not bad looking either. Always a plus!

I think we should though. They're both scrum halfs and play their best rugby at 1st receiver. Both are good enough to command a starting spot at a superleague team, therefore I don't think it would be possible to keep them both at the club and keep them happy, unless we were to get one to swap position.

I don't really like the idea of moving Kyle (to 6 for example). I think he's a very natural 1st receiver, but the pace he possesses tends to get others imaginations placing him all over the pitch. If Kyle (or Lomax) came back tomorrow, I do agree that one of those playing along side Smith would go alright even in the big games coming up.

As I've mentioned, imo we wouldn't have gone far wrong if we'd have kept hold of Matty to do Moore's job.

These games won't do smith's career any harm. If we have a good run, his performances will stick in coaches mind and assuming he does a solid job at Salford for the next 2 seasons, he'll have some interest when it comes to contract renewal.

If they both specifically want the no.7 jersey then I suppose that is a problem but if one was happy with 6 and one 7, or Smith at 9, then they would have complemented each other well IMO. Would cause absolute chaos with their kicks and Kyle's darts and such like. Each one would probably show up stronger in different conditions too. Quite a prospect in rugby league terms given their respective talents.


Agreed.

I know Leon might have appeared invisible in a Grand Final or two, but don't forget the lad entirely.