The usual retort of the Meli-defenders is [i"his form during the season is good"[/i. I'd argue he has had only two genuinely good SL seasons (by his standards). But it's not like our chances of getting to the Grand Final hinge entirely on Meli's presence in the side. If we took him out - sure, we might take a hit in terms of finishing power. But we would still be in the hunt and capable of contesting the title. Better still, we wouldn't be saddled with the biggest handicap any side has ever had in a GF.

Totally agree. I've been promoting biscuit all along and he should now be given his chance at centre (although I believe his real position is SO and will end up better than gaskell).[u IF[/u he can stay fit, he will also be a good "reserve" for either HB position if need be.

just watched the game again on BBC.What a plank Meli looks when taking the dummy and then he virtually drags Ablett over the line instead of tackling him.
PLEASE can we get rid of this useless waste of space?

Not unless he decides he wants to go home or someone takes him off our hands

Taking the dummy isn't good but as for pulling Ablett over the line, it looks more to me like Lomax pushing him that way. Not critisicing either player for this as i am sure both were actually trying to stop Ableet rather than assist him. Seems wrong to criticise Meli, even discounting the season and just looking at this game. Soliola gave away a penalty at a bad time, Puletua's poor attempted tackle on Burrow in first half, Moore fell off a tackle for a try. Again, not really criticism of these players, just errors that cost us.

Without injuries to Wellens and Shenton, feel we would have won.

None of those players have designated scapegoat status however. Recite the Official One-Eyed Saints' supporters sacred code 50 times as penance for your error: "Meli must take the blame for anything and everything that ever goes wrong in any game regardless of his contribution thereto".

This is becoming pathetic. Meli has been blamed because, well, he dropped an enormous clanger. Had he clattered the ball carrier instead of taking a dummy (which no professional player should [iever[/i take) the game is very much alive. Had he (as part of a two-on-one tackle) stopped Ablett the game would still be alive.

I and most other fans would be quite prepared to cut Meli slack if this was his first major error. All players drop a clanger at some point in their careers and we shouldn't hold such against them. But when a guy becomes directly responsible for costing us THREE Grand Finals it's time to put the horse out of its misery. How much failure is it possible to tolerate before such begins to affect other players around him?

You're not one for giving the opposition any credit, are you?

I think he is but some of Meli's howlers over the last few GF's are nothing short of embarrassing. You'd be disappointed if an amateur made errors like that.

2007: Meli is out-jumped by Lee Smith for a try at 6-19. Perhaps a little harsh this one but he is favourite to win the ball.

2008: Meli drops an easy catch at 16-18 for McGuire's crucial try.

2009: Pathetic attempt to dead a grubber kick by McGuire, Smith again benefits when 8-4 to Saints.

2010: Flaps at Sam Tomkins for his try, 6-16 but well in the game after Wigan's good start.

2011: Mugged completely by Burrow, falling for the dummy and leaving Hall wide open for his try at 16-16. Then, with no regard for the ball whatsoever, literally drags Ablett over the line for the match winning try.

I couldn't have summed it up much better. You know, life's all about learning from your mistakes and trying to prevent them happening them again. Neither Saints nor Meli seem willing or capable of doing such. For years Leeds have been targeting the guy and for years its worked - big time. So much so that if a word existed to describe failure at the highest level in Rugby League it would be "Meli".

[i"He's done a Meli."
"What a Meli!"
"The kid made a right Meli of that one ..."[/i

You can forgive a rookie for a couple of mistakes as it's part of their learning curve, but this is a guy with NRL Grand Final experience and 14 NZ caps before he even signed for us. He has proven time and again that he doesn't have it in the head for these high-intensity games, and playing well in the centres for the increasingly meaningless regular season did nothing to change my opinion.

He simply cannot play for us again in a game of that magnitude.