You lost me for a moment there, then I got the drift.

Although to be fair our conditioner last year was getting it in the neck for the injuries.

If Manu was the direct replacement for flannery like you posted above, then obviously you know more than current saints coach Mike Rush who made the comment on the radio this week.

It was also interesting hear Mike talk about how Alex walmsley caught saints eye.

So you reckon Manu was signed maybe to play #6 or #1 then? Manu will play SR in Saints's starting lineup making him of course a direct replacement for Flannery - not as like-for-like player style-wise maybe, but certainly as a body in the first team. Our (probable) pack for next year:

Perry
Roby
LMS
Sia
Manu
LaFrank

Clough
TP
Wilkin
Flanagan

+Walmsley, Hale, Forster, Greenwood, etc.

Do you see any space in that lineup for or necessity for the signing of another big wage SR? If Perry or LeFrank (for the sake of argument) sods off in the summer then we need another prop, and ideally a better player than Moon, from the quota to replace them, not another SR. If Hohaia goes home (and I'd happily pay his airfare if he's thinking about it) then every single cap penny we had would need to go to an NRL half, not a SR. He'd do a good job at centre for us but again half is our screaming priority now and any quota or cap space we have available or that comes available would need to go there.

Was it stated that Nathan Brown had any input? He's in Australia at the moment isn't he?


What? Mike Rush not being direct when interviewed by the press? Never!

I can't recall word for word but he certainly said " direct replacement for flannery"

The story with Alex walmsley - Mike Rush went batley to watch gaz frodshsm who on loan, this guy came off the bench and just smashed through he defence few times. He went watching him again and same thing, few more scouting trips and we made the move for him.

Might be the best thing Gaz Frodsham did

I'd be willing to bet last years wage increase on us not signing an NRL halfback in the next 5 years.

As for replacements, it's always hard to work out who is a replacement for whom as we are all shooting in the dark with regards to wages.

For example was Manu signed on cap space left over from when Eastmond and Graham left??? We were looking at Hill / Griffin and both fell through. I think we may have signed Flanaghan after that but I can't see him taking the same wage as Griffin, but then again speculation.

Dixon and Manu are 2 second rowers on the move this year, so you could replace with 2 second rowers, but I can't see the need personally as we have plenty in the back row.

For mine the signing of Warmsley is the prop we needed left over from last year and Manu is a replacement for Flannery and Dixon.
To me the pack looks quite well spread but there could still be movement if a player wants out. In which case if a player wants out, I'd be happy to have another prop or backrower come in, but really the halves I think we can all agree is where our focus needs to be.

magennis season loan to salford

Good move I reckon.
I've been critical of Magennis, something that I don't tend to be with youngsters, but I think seeing him amongst a different pool of players with help us get a more rounded veiw of his ability.

agreed could be just what he needs

If true we should put all our effort into getting a proper halk back in and get lance playing back up to Roby

Hull FC are signing ex Saint Paul Johnson.

Not sure if its been announced but he's signed.

Hope that's true about Magennis to Salford, would be a good test for him. I would expect him to stand out there too if he is to have any kind of future with us, their pack has been very soft this season.

Yep it's been announced.