Did we sign Cameron Smith? I'm pretty sure we signed Stuart Howarth myself.

He did ok, problem is we've been spoiled for years now. Dwyer, Cunningham, Higham and Roby all top class players who we've seen at 9 for the past 20 years sadly Howarth isnt in that class

Higham? He's terrible.

He did a good job for us back in the day.

That was then

Pointless signing,he adds nothing.
Very slow distribution to a makeshift scrumhalf onto a makeshift standoff gets you nowhere.
We needed a half so we get rid of one for a very average utility player.
Im not slaging him,he Is what he Is,third choice player at the then bottom placed club.

His distribution was not slow.

He did show promise considering his time with the team, and he coped well. Wigan had the first half, but Saints showed real guts and spirit in the second. Hope next time both teams can put out more representative sides. Did think LMS got away with murder in part two, but what the hell, Saints put up a real good show in the second. Well done!

He's a decent fix until Roby's fit, or as good as we'd ever get mid-season. I'd like to see Speakman get some minutes under his belt against Cas though too.

It was.

Considering he only signed for us on thursday and therefore will be unfamiliar with Saints moves and play, i thought he distributed the ball very well.

Weakness is that he isnt really a dynamic runner around the ruck.

However i have noticed this year that Nathan Brown has been trying to move us away from being a team that is reliant on getting trys through breaks on the back of dummy half scoots, in favour of a more balanced attack.

I say this as having watched Roby this year its noticeable that instead or running relentlessly from dummy half, he has been merely stepping out, making a yard or two forward then passing.

This change of style should give us more options and make us harder to shut down.
It wont be merely a case of stop Roby running and you stop Saints.

I also think that by utilising the halves and fullback more in the attack that will move our game away from the midfield area to the more traditional Saints wide play that we as fans like to see.

His distribution was fine, long passes out wide putting pressure on a sliding defence. He was different from Roby maybe people are judging him on Roby,s style of play.
It was noticable as Chairmaker mentioned, Howarth was moving the ball away from the midfield area giving a little bit more space out wide resulting in a faster offensive play.