Unless we've signed another centre?

We have, Matty Dawson.

Our centres will be wheeler, Percival, Jones and Turner. That's my big worry, he will swap and change them left right and centre.

If he sees Turner as our 6, he should give him a good run at it and not swap him as soon as he has a bad game. To much messing about from Brown with the team selection IMO. I'm all for resting forwards but not backs. Centres and wingers needs to develop partnerships and so does the halves.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who finds this a bit baffling.

I can see why people have compared Pryce with Turner in terms of style but Leon Pryce at his peak was a brilliant individual player, far better than Jordan Turner at this stage. He also had Sean Long alongside him to ease the pressure.

Walsh could be a fantastic player to be fair and it'd certainly be easier for Turner to play 6 alongside a natural half back than one filling in like Wilkin was, but I still don't see it based on the limited games he's played there. He's had his better games at Centre for us.

Hohaia is a poor option but he's probably the safest option as he doesn't really pick up injuries and he does an OK job without really threatening.

Wheeler is a talented 6 but his season has ended by easter for the last 3 or 4 so to rely on him would be insane at this stage.

Wilkin is a decent option although you lose out from the pack the (and he's not a naturla 6 really), so that's the dilemma you have. Does he play a Sinfield type role or do you keep him at loose for his work rate and defence?

It's a problem position for us and whilst we're stronger with Walsh there I imagine the 6 position will provide plenty of discussion this year and it's somewhere we'll probably be looking to recruit at the end of the season along with the Centre spot.

Personally, I don't think Dawson will feature too much this year, else he'd of had a squad number in the 25. I think he will fit wellens "utility role" next year and then hopefully progress for a spot after that.

As has been said relying on wheeler for anything has proved a dangerous game - I would still be baffled if he wasn't used in the halves for the 3 games he's fit for this year.

Jones and Percival to fight it out for the left centre spot. That should be a good contest, and whilst it will be under the guise of one needs resting, it'll be whoever a playing better which should be good for the team.

It only leaves right centre as a problem, before this it was turners comfortably, so my only conclusion can be someone else is coming in. We were linked to yeaman before Christmas, and personally that seems far too random for someone to have just made it up, so maybe we have found another centre to be brought in?

I don't think we would be bringing anyone in at this stage. I imagine Jones and Percival will start at centre v Warrington with Turner at 6 and Wheeler as back up for both positions.

It's a bit of a trial by fire to put him in against Warrington.

But that's fair in a way. If he copes with the pressure and makes a few decent chances, people will back off. If he is hopeless then I guess it's back to plan B (Lance).

Assuming there is anything in this as it could be all a bit of gamesmanship.


I do have one reservation that worries me slightly.

Last year Percival went very well at Centre he was then rested and got injured.

If we got injuries in the centre's we would have to split up a half back pairing for cover at centre.

Unless we've moved lance on? It was clear from the end of last season brown was willing to give lance a chance at 6, if he wasn't planning on it, why not have jones and meli in the centres and run with turner at 6 then? At least he'd of had some experience going into the new season.

Then there was all the talk that we were trying to move lance on anyway but failed, and failed to bring in a 6 so lance was going to do it, and now a few weeks before the season it's changed again? Something must of changed it imo

I haven't actually seen comments from Brown that state Hohaia was going to play 6 this year though. It's all been an assumption by the fans and the media.

If that's the case why give him the 6 shirt, and have him train there? Must be a bit of a slap in the face for the guy ...

Yes it probably is a bit of a kick in the balls for him. I can't comment on the squad number thing but as far as training is concerned, Hohaia isn't the only one who has trained at 6.

Well maybe he should do something about it then. All he does is get the ball and stand still clueless til he gets tackled or hospital pass it to someone. I've got little sympathy for someone taking well over £100k a year from saints and delivering nothing on the pitch

Me neither mate.

Take the 6 shirt from him then and tell him to play or be left out! I have little sympathy for him losing his place, but there were better ways to go about it ... At least so he didn't go to the press and talk about him playing there!

We finally got rid of the silly sia having the 4 shirt thing now we have a 6 whose not playing stand off!

Which was exactly what many people said about Pryce, he could be great or he could be totally anonymous. Turner doesn't have the highs or lows of Pryce, but they can be equally frustrating, and are likely to go through their careers without ever really fulfilling the promise that they have.

A lot depends on how preseason has gone. If he's been doing a lot of work there it could make a big difference. Plus he'll be more settled at Saints now