very very true. No halfbacks = FAIL

Wigan brought in Deacon to add some knowhow , we will need something similar

He was a utility player, he'd played pretty much everywhere in the backline for Bradford but wanted to settle as a 6. Also we had Longy at the time so he had time to settle in the team

Season ticket burning at the Salford game in protest anyone

I think I'll hold off buying a season ticket for next year though now. Not inspired by next years squad at all so I might just keep my cash and be selective on my games.

We simply MUST have cap space available next year and we need to be bringing in some quality and offloading some of the average players like Ashurst

I've no reason to be pessimistic.

No.1 Saint - feel free to listen to Hohaia's interview. It's on the Saints website somewhere, assuming they have retained the link.

I've seen Lance Hohaia kick. He did one of Stevo's 'chips over the top', regathered and scored. I remember thinking at the time that we have no-one who can do that at Saints. I also love his pace. He can fly from a standing start. And he is evasive. I would imagine how well he goes in the halves will depend on how vocal he is and whether he can organise us. Only time will tell that bit.

Doesn't that merely prolong the problem? The Club needs the supporters to get behind them, fill the fantastic new stadium we have, and give us the spending power we need to compete for/with the best? This is assuming that people are able to afford it of course.

Despite my reservations I have signed up for another 5 years - I have had a season ticket for over 30 and will continue to have one for as long as I am financially able to do so.

I will be at every game no matter how good/bad we are.

Ditto. I'll be first in line behind Blobby and his crew the next time they storm the Director's box though!

#newstadiumriotsnextseason

Maybe your right, but I'll wait and see. There is nothing more painful than watching a team without direction , it's normally dull and more often than not involves a good kicking. I've played in teams with no recognised halves and it's horrible as a forward.

And can you tell me exactly how Saints had any say in the decisions of Jammer, Eastmond and Pryce? They were all out of contract and all free agents as a result. Saints made it clear that they had offered Jammer the 'best deal ever', they offered Eastmond and Pryce deals which they thought reflected their value. These three all want to do different things with their lives than play for Saints. That's a fact. And there is sod all that Saints can do about it short of chaining them all in a darkened room somewhere.

However, Saints could have done nothing and we would have no experienced halfback at all by now. Thankfully they didn't and they planned for the eventuality of having no experienced halfback by bringing in an experienced halfback who Royce has actually worked with and knows, making life easier all round in terms of him (Hohaia) settling in and blending with the team. Saints controlled what they could control and did their best in those areas they couldn't.

I like everyone else with a brain know that you cant do much with players out of contract if they dont want another one however you can recruit PROPER replacements. Hohaia IS NOT A HALFBACK anymore than gardner is a prop. If we had an established halfback then the risk of recruiting a fullback then converting him would be lessened, like when we brought in Leon to partner Longy .. this is not the case. I think the recruitment strategy is at best high risk at worst a total and utter disaster.

Ok. So Hohaia was lying on his interview with Radio Murkeyside then? Have you listened to it yet?

Never mind about lance and what position he plays or would like to play ,he was coming before this announcement, so is not a replacement.

Unless you are really Andy Coulson it is not possible to put a positive spin on another one of top players leaving us. The quality of the squad is going backwards - we are going to be also rans for next season.