Theres no chance foster would be ahead of makinson just because of his goal kicking.
Be interesting when Shenton and wello are back.
The team certainly doesnt pick itself this year.

Dixon was excellent again, Makinson proved once again what an excellent defender he is with a number of superb tackles including several potential try saving ones and his goal kicking was adequate at least. Wheeler keeps showing that he could be as good as we've heard he might turn out to be, with a great step off both feet and good upper body strength. Lomax and Gaskell were solid despite playing behind a beaten pack in the first half.

Without wanting to turn this into another Foster debate, I saw nothing last night to suggest that Jamie Foster would be kept out of the team on a regular basis at least on the flank he has been playing on. If anything, my thoughts that Meli is a large factor in the defensive problems down that side were confirmed. Ade played well, especially for his first full game back, and he runs the ball in with much more conviction these days.

As I posted on redvee... for once we seem to have genuine options in the backs with versatility in styles which could, theoretically, allow us to tailor the team both to our AND the oppositions strengths and weaknesses.

Hear, hear - I've been saying exactly the same for the last year, usually being roundly mocked in the process. Wheeler is one of the best talents in the game, and would have a #6 on his back for both Saints and GB/England/Whatever they're called at the moment right now (with Gaskell out on loan developing at Leigh) if he could've stayed fit even a little bit over the last 18 months. Gaskell may develop into a fine player, but isn't quite there yet and just simply isn't and never will be in the same class talent-wise as Wheeler. I think he's frankly wasted playing at centre and will carve many, many teams to pieces if he gets the ball in his hands more often at #6. Dear God, please let him stay fit this season...

i think hohaia should start from the bench and you to start makinson at full back, hohaia doesent really run at the defence he seems to jog or look for the pass where as makinson runs hards into gaps i think saints should play foster and gardner and makinson at fullback with roby and hohaia interchanging at hooker at roby pushing into loose, by the way perry is gash hes a slouch and how he was an australian international i do not know he never made no yards what so ever id stick with clough and laffranci

Perry was a top quality prop when we signed him. He was the current Aussie prop at the time, playing state of origin and also prop in the best side in the NRL.

He's missed nearly 18 month due to injuries and looks to be struggling to get his match fitness back. All his injuries have been to his legs so he's not been able to keep any sort of fitness up while he's been out.

I honestly don't think he's going to regain full fitness and be the prop that we had signed. It's a shame for both the club and player if this is the case.

I think the majority viewpoint is that Makinson in his present form is in the first 13 selection. In the short term I am glad Wello is returning, this is because of the last 3 games it's worrying that we have no team leader presence, something that we need in the tough close games coming up.
If the back line suffers no injuries, then I reckon Royce will have a problem in getting each position into a set role for his game plans. At the moment we have too many "free spirit" players in Gaskell, Lomax and Lance, we need a "tommy Martyn" in the side and that player is Wheeler at 6.
In my opinion Meli should be dropped from the 17 when Shenton returns, I,ll keep on saying it that if we have Gardner and Foster on the wings then Makinson should come inside to centre......he,s good enough.

Jeez, he must have been incredibly lucky then that those three dropped balls all bounced their way to try assists...

Not to mention that lovely grubber which resulted in Dixon's try! (Or were you including that?! I lost count ...)

I can see the arguement for putting Wheeler at 6, however I think overall that would reduce the threat of Saints as a team, whilst putting Wheeler into a role where he will touch the ball more as it will reduce the talent available at centre.

It's a bit like dropping Scully from standoff to put Jamie Lyon in at 6. As player Lyon may have loved playing at 6 for Saints as he would touch the ball more, but as a team we where much more of a threat with 2 creative players on the field. We could not play Scully at centre, so Lyon had to play there.

Same goes currently. Gaskell is not a centre, were as Wheeler is a far superior centre to Meli.

In a line up where we drop Gaskell and put Wheeler along side Lance, that effectively takes out 2 of our creative forces in Lomax and Gaskell and leaves us with meli and Lance.

As a future line up I'd be looking for this.

FB: Makinson
Wing: Ade
Centre: Shenton
Centre: Wheeler
Wing: Foster
Halfback: Lomax
Halfback: Gaskell

Back on the bench Lance.

For me this line up gives us a better attacking threat all over the field than

FB: Makinson
Wing: Ade
Centre: Shenton
Centre: Meli
Wing: Foster
Halfback: Lomax
Halfback: Wheeler

Back on the bench Lance.

I doubt it will happen this year, but next year it's possible.

I think some people have issue with Wheeler being at centre in that they feel it's a 2nd rate role. I think the likes of Iro/Newlove/Lyon/Meniga/Gibbs would argue that you can be creative and effective at centre and still have huge impacts on the game. If I'm not wrong is'nt Newlove still the most highly priced SL player ever.

Also forgot to say, if we don't have Wheeler at Centre, that means when Meli retires, we need to buy in. There for Sia would have to go as he is the only Quota spot available next year.

I don't see it as a second rate role. I see half backs more vital to our attack though and would prefer our strongest attacking pair which for me is Wheeler at 6 and either Lance or Lomax at 7. Just because Wheeler can play well at centre doesn't mean we should stick him there to try and get all the talent we can on the field. You wouldn't have put Lockyer at centre cause he can do a job there. I'd rather have 4 talented players in there correct position than 6 out of position.

I'd like our lineup to look a bit like this.

1. Lomax
2. Makinson
3. Shenton
4. Meli
5. Foster
6. Wheeler
7. Lance

but he's not out of position at centre, he is a better centre than meli. Posible even our best centre at the club.

But he's an even better stand off probably the best at the club so I see a position which isn't his strongest as out of position.

I think we need to keep Gaskell at 6 and show total faith in there, he's the most natural halfback at the club. He's how a stand off should be. He's got good hands, makes breaks and has a kicking game.

I think wheeler at 6 would leave our outside backs with no ball, gaz and lomax like to take the line on and are pure runners and I fear we'd starve our outside backs.

Gaz wheeler is a good stand off but I think he's more effective in the centre for this current saints team.

I don't see any harm in giving him few little bursts at 6 during the game tho if needed.

Meli has to be the one to miss out for me when Foster and Shenton return. If you take his threat close to the line out of the equation he offers very little.

Our backline for this season should be:

Hohaia
Makinson
Shenton
Wheeler
Foster

Gardner to offer back up, although there were occasions were he occupied (or at least it appeared to me) a 2nd row position.

And for all those bagging Gaskell, are you fooking loopy? And I am not worried about Makinson kicking if Foster is out. His technique is sound. Just needs practice at the top level. Looks like he could be a great kicker to be honest.