Keep or Drop?

Quote: bewareshadows "OK you can tell its been a while since anyone had some rugby. There is alot of rugby to be played before anything is definative and that IMO goes for all players. So with that proviso in mind.

Wellens ~I can see a rolling one year deal. Personally I'd do this at the moment if he finds a new role. I think we need to give someone the chance to make a play for FB for the long term benefit of the club. But he may have a stormer so who knows.

Soliola/Meli/Wheeler~for me all three are connected. Dixon to but to a lesser extent. We need a new centre. If wheller does not step up and take it then the club have to look elsewhere. If they can get anyone better then Meli will get another year. If Sia signs then we cant go NRL and that limits the centre field even more. If Sia goes then we need cover in the second row therefore increasing dixons chances of a new deal. If Wheeler steps up and takes the centre spot then Saints will be keener to keep sia as they will not need his spot for the centre position.

Flannery ~ hardly played recently and at the moment would struggle to get a bench spot in the starting 17. But the formation of the team will be all important. ie loose forward who will play here? back on the bench policy? how gaskell lance and lomax will fit together? So flannery may still be decent but time to give his spot to an up and coming academy lad.

Dixon ~tough one went well in 2010 less so last year but I was really impressed in the GF he ran some of our best lines tackled well and gave us some penetrating runs. If he can increase his fend and or offloads could be a diamond in the rough. For me he's a keeper at least one year but if he storms it then performance will determine the size and length of contract.

Clough ~ Injury will determine whether he cuts a new deal. We need props but who knows who the club have a long term eye on.

Hale? needs to get some games to prove anything. he is a bit of a srodingers cat. is he good is he not. we'll only know if we open the box.

Wheeler ~for me he could be a skillful centre but needs to get injury free. heart has nothing to do with it. at the moment he would be no major loss. but then neither was keith mason at the time and he went on to be a very hany prop. we need them at the moment.

Its all very long winded but contract negotiations arre rarely done based on one player. we have no idea who saints are targeting from out side. what new players will impress both at saints and in other teams and what players are asking for and what intentions players have to go elsewhere?'"

Fully agree with all above points. Would personally re-sign Clough as he was unlucky with injury last year but a very good and underrated forward imo...

Also think a very good point is made on the Soliola/Meli/Wheeler situation as I would re-sign Soliola regardless, but would only offer Meli another year if Wheeler fails to show he can stay injury free and that he can cover the centre position as well.

Would be awesome if we could recruit Jamie Lyon at the end of 2012 (I think that is when his contract at Manly is up) and if we lost Flannery and Meli should have space on the cap and quota for him!!