Price lacked a bit of height and perhaps intestinal fortitude. He was great at bullying opponents in the reserves, but you can't pull that sort of stuff at SL level without being good. And Price just wasn't.

Jonkers was always a touch underpowered, even when he filled out. Stankers had a good football brain but lacked robustness in his game. Look, it's not rocket science. Both Dixon & Ashurst are big lads and whilst they aren't skittling opponents today they certainly aren't being outclassed. Somewhere within the next two years they'll have added a stone in weight and perhaps an extra inch or two in height. Instead of holding their own they'll be physically capable of taking the attack to the opposition.

I'm not sure on Bracek, but IIRC Bannister was only picked before Clough in the first team due to Clough being injured.

But Bannister actually had the skill, and ability. He took to the first team really well, and did really well at any club he was dispatched to.

He just had too many demons.

No, its not. My point was that you don't know whether Dixon's going to turn out as good as James Graham, or if Ashurst going to be the next Ste Bannister, but they need a fair chance, they've proved they can cope as squad memebers, now give them a chance to test their "intestinal fortitute" and see if they can develop further, and let them do it in peace, with bemaoning that they're not world beaters from the off.

I think you've misspelled pints at the end there

We DO know that they are - right now - and at the very least - COMPETITIVE at SL level. We also know that they will fill out by anywhere up to a stone and a half in the next eighteen to twenty-four months.

Yes. There are no guarantees in sport - but there's a good chance that "COMPETITIVE" + extra physicality = MORE competitive. And that can only be good for us.

whose production line? not yours. he only moved to the st helens teams when he was 15, after establishing himself at warrington, had he not been such an avid saints fan, he would most likely have stayed at warrington.




sorry to burst your bubble, but andy is from warrington, his dad is from salford! neither of these make him from st helens!

Although he is saints through and through, im very good friends with him as i grew up with him, playing against him whilst he was at crosfields, and with him at warrington.

as many of you have said, he is a great player, or if not yet, then he will become, hes very solid, and will give everything for the club he supports. i was speaking with him last year and asked him whether hed consider coming back to warrington, should he not start to see saints first team action, and he said he rather stick it out and fight for his place. so you can guarantee an improvement from him, if he isnt making himself a first team player already. he will do in years to come!!!

He isn't off the Saints production line because he only moved to the St.Helens teams when he was 15? That is bemusing.

What the frigg does Andrew Dixon have to do with WWE?

I assume they are insinuating that he looks like him?

I watched the Leeds game back last night and Dixon didn't just cope, I thought he defended manufully and threatened in attack. He's got good feet for a 2nd row, as well.

The thing with Ashurst and Dixon is, I don't think they look that big. I don't know if they have deceptive builds, whether our kit makes our players look slim or whether they do actually lack in size.

A quick review on the saints site shows

Ashurst 186cm 90kg
Dixon 183cm 94kg
[iand to compare[/i
Jon Wilkin 185cm 95kg
Chris Flannery 186cm 100kg
Tony Puletua 192cm 110kg

So, if Mugwump is right and the young lads will be able to put on another stone and a half (which is pretty much 10kg), then they'll at least have the physical size of Flannery.

The information on the website is incorrect, it hasn't been updated for years, you will probably find that the kids information hasn't been updated since they were 16

I said they'll put on anywhere UP TO a stone-and-a-half. Some kids might only push the stone limit. Others higher. Depends on the build, genetics, diet, training regime and a whole host of other factors.

The only certainty is they (as well as Eastmond, Wheeler, Lomax etc.) WILL be considerably bigger in two years.