I was talking about Graham but the same goes for Eastmond too I suppose. Saints need to make a statement by getting a decent replacement scrum half. If Sean Long ends up back at the club you know the playing side has been de-prioritised for this season

I think that's far too simplistic a viewpoint. It's not easy to pick up a "decent scrum half" in the off season, let alone a few weeks in.

If we as a club had any foresight we'd have seen this happening - most people on here did. Catalans picked up a decent scrum half in the off season, we could have done the same and let Eastmond go.

Which is the reason Dobson is being speculated about so much, getting Long in would be a needed stop gap, as you say who else could you get?
Gale/Bosc/Witt are the only other realistic chances of being pulled from their team at this stage of the season and would they want to be a stop gap? The only long term solution at the moment is Dobson but is he what Saints want long term? Maybe Saints already know who they want for next year and kyle has just messed up their plans?
Long would therefore make perfect sense until 2012

How do we "let Eastmond go" when he has a contract and Bath don't want him yet?

McManus isn't daft, he knows all these things, but he has to deal in reality rather than theory.

Also he was injured for about two months and that was only 2 weeks ago.
So I am assuming he won't be for for another 6 weeks,.

Corrected.

Ok, but that would leave saints with zero direction for 2011, suits me.

It would be a crazy decision. Since he left for Hull he has:

a. Hardly Played.
b. Been decidedly average when he has.
c. Attained the age of 34. Which is not so bad when you are a prop but it's bad news when you are a 7.
d. No pace.
e. Now sustained a further, Achilles, injury and is currently not playing.

Which of the above makes it in any way sensible?

with that description he'd fit right in at Saints.

Clubs, oh sorry Don, some supporters of Clubs do not rule the game, there are more clubs than St Helens, Matters are not going well at the club, the old ground situation a mess! the handling of Eastmond, a mess! and add to the Graham! so get over yourself please, Saints fans on the pitch have been spoiled for far too long, perhaps it is time for a re-grouping, mould you own young players this season, being at Widnes is not going to be a profit making season anyway!

Times like these for Saints are a blessing in disguise, especially for fans. It makes winning or achieving something much more special when it does happen.

You really do have a major downer on Saints, did you get sacked from there once? The stadium is not going up quick enough, we shouldn't sign players, we should have stayed at KR and lost £8m funding for the new ground, Eastmond didn't sign despite being offered a large contract, Graham hasn't signed despite being offered a contract. You almost seem to have an agenda against the club and current owner.

You are Mal Kay and I claim my five pounds.

I,ve just seen Benji Marshall come out of the Chipmunk in Fingerpost and asking where the city of Widnes was.

Where Long was concerned, it was settled, in that Kyle signed for two years, the second of which was last season. A club can't keep holding on to its players just in case the one it really wants decides to leave! Kyle wanted the no.7 jersey and he got it. The club couldn't have done more. It appears to me that they have been taken for a ride by Kyle and/or his agent, and personally Kyle would have no-one but himself to blame if he ended up fired and without any income until his contract with Bath starts. (Assuming they don't want him earlier)

Smith was a difficult one because Saints didn't appear to want him full stop. After all, when Kyle signed at 7, if Saints had been interested in Smith then surely they would have signed him instead? I don't think Smith would ever have been signed by Saints, and Smith did what was best for him in signing for Salford.

James Graham really should make up his mind soon. He hasn't played well this season and maybe that is because he hasn't had his mind on the job either.