You edited your post

Moore is apparently in line to step up to the Saints fold, if he can just adjust his game so. But ahead of him in his position are two Saints youth products.

Tyrer, well his again is dependent on his development. If he can stop his turnstyle impression over the next season, I see no reason why he won't step into the breach, maybe like Moore another year or so on loan.

Smith is one I have reservations about. Arnold has twice the talent, honing that will see Smith cast aside.

Yeah your right we do have an aging side, however I dont think they will decline as some Wigan Fans are believing.

I think you will probably see Foster play a few games this year, along with Wheeler, Frodsham and probably Emmitt. You mention that we dont have any better options than Puletua, but then state that saints should sign the players that they think best suits to give the best chance of sucess, I think at this moment at time it is exactly what we have done with Puletua. He is a mountain of a man who can act as an enforcer in the front row, or back row, someone we have missed since Paul Anderson left.
You say they wont come through quick enough because of the players that they are trying to replace are better.
Is that not an example of Tyrer for Gidley or Smith for Longy? I think that's the exact same reason you have given for the lads at Wigan.
As you know I dont really rate Wilkin, but our back row, more than managed to hold their own against you last year.
As an aside I disagree with all the people who have said your signing overseas talent and keeping out youngsters, I think your Under 21's are at a better standard than ours currently, and are certainly more hardened. I think yes we will probably see more youngsters at Wigan coming through in the next year or so. However, I think when the 18's come through it may be slightly different.

And that is exactly my point!

Wigan do it and get criticised for letting youngsters go!
Saints do it and ???????????? Nothing said!

I think You may have misunderstood my point, I have no problems with Gidley/Meli/Flannery etc as at the moment there is a dearth of Young Available talent out there that can come in and IMPROVE a side.

IMO NONE of your youngsters are good enough to take the shirts off these established SL & International players week in week out, What I cant get my head round is that if Wigan do it We get slated Yet Saints are doing similar things.

I know what your saying mate, It does seem that some of our lot are quite happy to take aim at You men without 1st checking our own facts. It's worrying all round that the talent doesn't seem to be coming through any more. The team that seems to have done it the most recently is Leeds, maybe it would be good for both teams to have a look at their model and see how that has progressed?

JS and myself are making the same points albeit in slightly different ways.
If the younger British players are good enough and ready then yes replace the overseas players but if they're not what do you do.


As an example I don't expect to see Phil Bailey at Wigan next season AFTER his contract ends, because we have Hock, O'Loughlin, Hansen, Tomkins, Mossop and Farrell.

If we didn't have those players then I would have kept him.

Oh nooooooooooooo. I got the score wrong I must have LOST.

Well here's a start. When we signed Meli we had no viable internal options. Gidley is under contract till the end of the year when we all expect 1 of a selection of our young players to step up .. Foster may be the one. Wigan have an opportunity to blood a youngster as a second choice and what do they do ? Bring in Mr Average Cameron Phelps .. well done

With your in depth knowledge of Wigan reserve and academy Rugby, which player do you think Wigan should have "blooded" instead of signing Phelps?

Well according to what I've read and the fact that he has a first team squad number I would have suggested maybe giving Ainscough some game time and see how he went. As soon as you had Goulding back the backline would have been

Mathers
Calderwood
Goulding
Carmont
Richards

or would you prefer to play Phelps at 3 and drop Goulding .. oh sorry you did do that didnt you...

Ainscough was still playing at U18 academy level the same as Foster. Gouding was injured and unable to train and consequently put on lot of weight.

However he played more games than Phelps last season although Phelps stats are better.

rlhttps://www.superleague.co.uk/statistics_player.php?hs1

Goulding is still only 20 years of age, and remembering what has happened in the past with players playing too much, too soon, it was probably in his best interests.

As I said earlier have a look at Tyrer, Smith , Moore and McGilvray.

Saints don't have a in place for this season, why have one of the youngsters not been blooded ready to take Talaus place.
What they have done is replaced one old man with another.

I reckon if even I came back and played we would still whup their asses no chance at all pies