1. We bed our youngsters in the team, with the view that when our senior players retire. We replace them with good talent.

Long out = Eastmond or Wheeler in.

KC out - Scott Moore in

Tom Armstrong
Jonny Lomax
Chris Dean
Kyle Eastmond
Gary Wheeler
Matty Ashurst
Jake Emmit
Chris Frodsham
Andrew Dixon

Each one of these youngsters have played this year for Saints. Thats 9 St Helens juniors. Imagine if every other team replaced there Lovergroves and Stanley Genes with good young British talent. GB might win something.

2. Soliola is a international centre at the age of 22. What a great signing for not only Saints but Super League.

3. You have just confirmed you no jack sh*t about RL.


Jeez what is with these Hull KR fans ? There was a time i rooted for them to get into SL and believed there bitter rivals FC where the overated and most chaviest team in SL history. Big apology to all FC fans !!

I think dobson is good player but not sure I'd like him at saints. He played really well for wigan when he was there.

I don't buy into all this don't sign players because we got a youth policy.

The is nothing more I'd love than to see wheeler and eastmond are half backs and Moore at hooker and so on but teams still need to sign players because no team can produce a full team from there youth team.

When top class players are up for grabs like thurston we should be in for them.

Sir mac should do what's best for the team.

I agree.

The FACT is St Helens have a great bunch of half back talent. Thats why we dont need to sign anyone.

We DONT have any great young centres in our youth team. Thats why we have signed a world class overseas import.

FFS it's not rocket science. Is Kyle Eastmond or Wheeler good enough to start every game ? We dont know! Have they got the talent to do so ? They certainly have!

I hope you do.

I'd also like to add that signing Thurston is a fantasy. He'll only arrive at 31 plus. With a great big wage packet in his back pocket. Saints do not go for them kind of players. We leave that to Wigan and Warrington.

And looking at recent achievements, i'd say we're doing a fine job.

I agree. Think we are saying same thing.

What worries me though is if long goes and eastmond and wheeler just ain't good enough.

We know wheeler can more than hold his own in the centre but can he direct the team round the park?

Eastmond looks like he could be a top top player and I love seeing him with ball in hand but we don't know if he can handle being our 7 every week.

IMO long will do 1 more year which then gives us chance to bed eastmond in.

my apologies then, as for sticking to youth, id rethink that approach. fc have had the best academy the last 3 years and look whats happened to us, then again a rubbish coach and halfback dont help! who else has been mentioned as a potential st`s target?? stay away from orford or else!!

It's a risk that you take. We could sign Jonathen Thurston on a huge wage packet and he might fail miserably! Just like Monaghan at Warrington.

Whats the bigger risk. Let Eastmond and Wheeler have a go who are probably on pea nuts or splash out on wages and watch them fail.

Tim Smith
Michael Monaghan
Matt King
Brett Mullins
Etc.......

Every signing is a risk, especially at half back.

If saints think eastmond is good enough to take over from long then why don't they play him now?

It's not as if long is playing well is it?

I'd defo take thurston and so would every team in the world.

With players like thurston it's less of a risk as he has done it at every level.

I do see what ya saying though coz every time you sign a player you never know if he will fit in.

Thats a good point. I personaly think sentiment is playing a part.

Just like how Sean is keeping the kicking duties. Despite Wheeler kicking one from the touch line against Catalans at KR. How far is he off breaking our totall points record ?

We are THE club
Newspapers now assume that as we about to (possibly) offload Long that we can just take our pick of the talent at other clubs. They assume no player could possibly refuse the offer of the [sizeV[/size

So that's why longy gives eastmond and wheeler the hard kicks but takes the easy kicks!

What the hell went wrong with longys goal kicking?