Maybe the coaching staff see Gaskell the way I do ( not good enough ) and not the way the rest of you do ( The second coming of Bradley clyde ).

Compared to a stand off who is of the required standard for this club. I have been watching Saints for 30 years and Gaskell does not meet the required standard. You may settle for second best, but I will not.

Wello
Makinson
Shenton
Wheeler
Meli
Hohaia
Lomax
Perry
Roby
Laffranchi
Flannery
Sia
Wilkin

TP
Clough
Flanaghan
TP

Same team as last week but Magennis drops off the bench and TP makes his comeback from injury.

I don't see Saints being able to parachute any other halfback in from any other club this week or next week.

You seam to be talking long term, however as per the thread, I'm talking about this week and next week.

This is a thread about the '19 Man Squad announced for Leeds', not a game in an idealised future maybe 1 year or 3 or 4 years hence. So for this week Gaskell would not be second best, that was the point.

There are plenty of other threads talking about the long term future.
More long term Nathan Brown may not be able to buy a halfback ready made of the 'required standard', unless Lance steps aside and makes space. So Nathan can hardly stand there and fold his arms and say we'll I'm not going to play any of them, as they are not the 'required standard'. In fact if you look at Huddersfield in his first years he took the likes of Brown and turned him into a play maker, before he could get the man he wanted in Brough. So he may well take Gaskell and inject him into the Saints side. Possibly not at halfback, but in a pivot role to give us that kicking game and more option than the current pairing do.

1. Paul Wellens
21. Tommy Makinson
3. Michael Shenton
17. Gary Wheeler
5. Francis Meli

6. Lance Hohaia
7. Jonny Lomax

8. Josh Perry
9. James Roby
14. Anthony Laffranchi
4. Sia Soliola
11. Tony Puletua
12. Jon Wilkin

10. LMS
15. Mark Flangan
13. Chris Flannery
16. Paul Clough

If TP is fit then I'd be inclined to play him from the start. Our penetration from the backs has been limited for sometime now, so we need as much strike on the field from the start as possible. TP gives us something in the pack that we have lacked in recent weeks, he attracts players to him, he can offload in traffic, and bust through tackles.

If we can turn in a defensive performance similar to the wigan game, but get more points on the board early on then I think we'll get the win. If we struggle to score like against Wigan, then it's going to be tight. With the halves struggling, especially in the kicking department, I'd be inclinded to give Wilkin more of a role for this at LF, similar to Sinfield. This would make it more difficult for the opposition to close them down with 3 pivots on the field.

Fair enough. I am, unfortunately, used to reading posts placing Gaskell as the answer to all our woes. He isn't, and never will be, anything more than a journeyman stand-off. If he could bulk up and gain some aggression he may become a decent ball playing second row ala Gilmour. Beyond that Bring in the next gen and ship him out.

I would not say he is the answer to all our woes, but I would not say he is a journey man either. RL is littered with Journey men, who have been shipped out of clubs too early. Gaskell had one year so far and not a bad year at that, well in advance of when he was supposed to be hitting the first team.

It seams he is the marmite of Saints rugby at the moment. But I could well see him playing a Sinfield role, I'm not saying he is a Sinfield, but playing that role. Giving the team deep kicks, and hitting gaps at speed. Whilst a more experienced half is put in place to guide the team about the field.


Brown has take on alot of these journey men at Huddersfield and molded them around brough to make a formidable team.

I'm not a fan of bagging young players, but in my humble opinion, top saint is right, I've seen nothing from Gaskell to suggest he'll be a [itop[/i level half back. He wont be in the same class as brough, let alone tomkins.
I'd love to be wrong but i see Gaskell as a ball playing 13 when he matures

Makes me laugh,ship out the kids but play the 29 year old fulback/standoff wanabee.
Gaskell Is a better standoff than Hoahia,but lets stick with Lance because he's erm on a big wedge,from the NRL or because he says he's a stand off.

The reason given by Rush for sticking with Lance is that he (Rush) thinks stability is important. So basically our first team players could all be playing total crap but Rush is going to stick with them anyway.

And remember, Rush thinks that Gaskell is 'learning his trade' in the u20s.

I haven't seen Gaskell playing u20s, but hope that he has been specific areas to work on,away from the super league spotlight. If he has, then I see no problem. If he has simply been put there to play his game and learn from those around him, then I see little value. However I also se little value in him going to Leigh or swinton to be surrounded by players of lesser ability, and coached by second string coaches.

just wondering but why are we playing on a monday night?
i could understand if it was easter/xmas/bank holiday etc.

TIA peeps.

Money.

More specifically, RL having to dance to the tune of it's Sky Overlords once again.

Footy is off Sky Sports for more than a week.