Royce has also paid tribute to Ade Gardner:

"He has been very good. He has been running the ball in 16/17 times a game; that's like having an extra front rower. He gets us some real go forward and a roll on as the forwards are getting on side.

"When he gets the chance he is finishing well too. He has done a lot of work under the high ball and has really improved and has been in good form. He probably doesn't get the credit he deserves.

"We had a conversation at the beginning of the season and I told him there was an opportunity to get back into the first team and earn a new contract and he said that was all he wanted to hear.

"He has taken that on board, has trained hard and it's no fluke where he is at."



Interesting insight into the Gardner senario

Gardner has been excellent this year so far. His work from around the ruck and more importantly returning kicks has been first rate. More of the same please.

I'd be happy with Gardner and Foster as our starting wingers next year as long as the current form is maintained. If Meli can come back well at centre then he or Wheeler could fill that gap next year too.

To be fair, his strength of finishing has always been good and he's never been shy of work. However, in 2006, he was absolutely superb under the high ball, so much so that not only was he flawless in defence, we turned it into a threat in attack. Somewhere along the lines he's got the wobbles and lost that, if he could get it back, he'll probably extend his saints stay.

He's been pretty solid so far this year. I think we're seeing signs of the old Gardner. He seems to have lost a bit of weight and that half of yard of pace is back. His work rate has upped considerably this year and that's good to see.

Improved he might be but he still looks like he's towing a caravan when he makes a break.

But he makes breaks. That's the important bit.

Is it just me then who thinks that Gardener is an average player playing average rugby ? if Ryan Hall/Tom Briscoe played in the same way that he has been doing you would think they was having a quiet period.

No i think he's average as well, he's having a decent season by his own low standards, coincidentally just as has contract is up for renewal

Correct

Ade puts/brings far more into a game than Hall / Briscoe. He has finally regained his confidence and that can only be good for us. Why pull him to pieces? For everyone that calls him there is always one that defends him. Being a winger these days isn't just about having speed to run down the touchline. If our coach is impressed with him then that will do for me.

Only when he has Kit-Kats

Totally agree.

I don't think people are pulling ade apart. Everyone saying how well he's been this year but we've got a good young player in foster who is more than capable of taking the wing spot if we don't offer ade a new deal.

I think foster is a better all round player than ade. He's faster, safer under the high ball, full of confidence and is also a kicking machine.

Next year it's possible we will lose jammer, Tony p, pryce, flannery and eastmond is gone. So in effect we need to sign two good props as Tony p and jammer are near impossible to replace, we need a backrow to replace flannery and maybe a halfback.

Ade will be on good screw so why not use his wage towards some top class players while he's already replaced by a younger better points machine.

I don't understand your point St Pete we need 2 wingers, so it's not a choice between Gardner and Foster.