Credit to Saints in terms of finding players who seem to thrive in the current system who are not big names. If anything, when they've coughed up for bigger names these past few years like Lance and Josh Perry it hasn't quite worked out.

At Saints it seems that it's sold to these lads that they have the perfect platform to 'become' a big name.

I do miss the days when we'd go out and buy a Newlove or Shorpe but I do enjoy watching a Saints team were half the 17 (and sometimes more) have come through the ranks and are from the local area.

You won't enjoy it so much if we're fourth or fifth next season.

Do you think we're done in terms of (major) signings for next year, or are you just worried that's the case?

No, He's just an idiotic, Trolling Warrington Supporter.

Unless someone says otherwise I'd think we're done. In all this moaning, take it light heartedly, I'm not tipping us for relegation just yet. I'm sure McManus is being really responsible and we'll have stability and be solid, challenging for the top 4 each year. Just feels like we'll be short on trophies as we definitely lack the X-Factor players other clubs have. It seems like the other clubs are striving for success and thinking big and see the marquee player exemption as a benefit. Whereas we are planning for long term sustainability and okay is enough. Why on earth did we support the marquee player exemption when it's as clear as day that the club would never, ever use it? (Other than for saving a bit of cap room on the highest paid current player).

Warrington in particular could be out and out better than us next season, I know people on here mock them but they've added a lot of quality to that squad next season and they aren't far off us now. Wigan are another side almost as good as us now and if Tomkins is back to his usual self and they add a prop it's not hard to see them improving on this year. That would put us as the fourth best side as Leeds are also recruiting really well (Retaining Watkins, signing Cutherbertson and Galloway answers the question about an ageing Peacock). We don't seem to have any real star individuals at the moment. We have Roby and Walmsley yes, but they are not dangerous strike players that win games, they are grinders who help lay the platform. I worry about our pack minus Masoe, where will his impact come from? It won't be from Tasi, who is our version of Tautai. Wigan will have Tomkins, Wire possibly Sandow, Ratchford, Lineham and Eastmond, Leeds have Watkins, Hardaker, Moon, Hall and Burrow who still decimates us. Who in our side sparks panic in the opposition when they get the ball in the opposition half?

I think the club more than ever before seems to be focussed on the bringing and developing the talent from within the club rather than recruiting from elsewhere.

I love a big new exciting signing but I think we've really produced a golden generation of youngsters who will be the backbone of the club for next 10 years, and it's more important to keep hold of them.

I think that Savelio is gonna be awesome for us next year. Greenwood is getting better and better. Thompson and Richards will be looking to push on. Charnock's going to get more minutes and he looks a good lad.

We're hardly an ageing side mate.

But that is a big risk. The club made those same noises a while back. People spoke of Lomax and Gaskell as our halves for the next 10 years and said we didn't need to sign anyone. Players like Lomax, Tyrer, Wheeler have all been ushered in as future greats and fallen way short. There is a balance with squad development. You need to recruit proven quality AND promote the best young players. Peyroux, Dawson, Tasi are not good enough.

Why not blow the marquee exemption on a big name to bring in the crowds, promote the sport and give the youngsters a boost?

We can't judge on the impact Peyroux and Tasi are gonna make because they haven't played a game for us yet. We talked down McDonnell when he signed but up until his injury, he was playing really well. People talked down Quinlan yet he's been like a catalyst for our recent form.

I know we've had high hopes for the kids in the past and been let down by some, but if you look at the likes of Greenwood, Lomax, Makinson, Swift, Percival, Jones (Shame he's leaving) and now Savelio...we've got a golden generation of young lads playing every week who have come through. Buying a big name star would have stifled them. They all have a chance of playing for their country if they carry on improving. We didn't have to go out and buy them. Richards and Thompson might still come good too...

i want a big name signing mate, who wouldn't...but there's a salary cap in place and you've got a choice...you can recruit a big name but you'll lose a couple of them young lads who have shown they can do also do the job. Wigan used to do that, buy a big name and let their talented kids go, and they paid for it years later. The grass isn't always greener.

I think you are being obsessed, with "big names" is good, and the be all and end all in terms of your reality. We have plenty of star individuals in Makinson, Percival, Walmsley, Roby, Greenwood. I can,t believe you've just said Walmsley and Roby are not strike players, these two players probably have the highest strike stats in super league for metres, tackle busts and offloads.

We just need to replace Masoe if we are going to use the impact strategy from the bench.

I,m not sure what your criteria is for an exciting player, is it someone who drinks there own urine, friendly with dogs or just any big name in NRL regardless of whether they fit into the saints structure or not.

Roby is the best player in Super League IMO, and that's hardly a controversial opinion. Walmsley is one of the lead contenders for Man of Steel this year, having made 400m more than the closest other prop (England player Chris Hill), and is third for tackles bust. He's on 93...the next closest prop, Cuthbertson, another Man of Steel possible, is on 53.

We have two genuine, world class players. If we signed a prop from the NRL who was going to average 140m and 4 tackle busts, you'd have no issue with him being our marquee player. If we signed a hooker from the NRL who averaged 36 tackles and 92m a match, in addition to being able to manage a game very well, you'd have no issue with him being our marquee player. Why must we spend our marquee allowance on someone who we don't know whether they will perform for Saints, when we have two proven top quality players that we should be trying our damnedest to keep?

Well you might not like them, but Turner is playing to great effect ball in hand, Percival is considered by many (me included) as real class. Our wingers may not be shoe ins for England, but they both bring a lot to the table. There's obviously a lot of question marks around our full back spot, but that's more to do with who'll be playing it next week. The only other real question mark on the backs for me is the long term direction of the halfves, with two aussies who're likely moving on in the next 2 years.

As forwards go, I'd (like many others) say we need a good hard prop to get us some good yards. Whilst Tasi won't give us Masoe's big go forward plays, he'll add a bit of venom to our defence, which will serve in the same vein. I don't think Richards is quite yet up to scratch for a first 17 shirt and Thompson and Savelio are still green. I do aree with you that a temptation to rely on these guys would be folly. A nice one-two year contract for a hardened front line prop would give these two time to flourish.
Its important to note that we've played a lot of the season without Joe Greenwood and Atela Vea, whom give us a lot of shape and are very important when you've got two hlaves better suited to passing than running.

Vea, Walmsly, now Peyroux - all lower profile signings. I'm sure Peyroux can give as much to the squad as Jones currently is (mainly due to his lack of opportunities).

Stop talking sense.

No place for that round here

I think, Saddened, that we DO have players who scare opposition fans when we're in their twenty. Give Turner the ball within twenty metres and he scores more often than not. Percival is still developing, but his evasion skills are already very good. I think the real issue is that we're not using them as effectively as we might yet, because of Walsh's terrible luck.

But he's getting better with each game. I would put it to you that once Walmsley and Roby have got us into the half, then any opposition fan's heart rate is going to rise if they see Waldh with ball in hand and space on either flank.

If you just forget for one minute that saddened is a troll, in this instance is he right. Everything he says is right

Regards

King James

Sado might say some things for reaction but me and Sado predicted back in 2008 that we was heading for a real baron spell for our standards due to poor recruitment and retention and going all out youth which is always massive risk and I fear we heading that way again.

Just compare our signings for next year. We've brought in some reserve grade somoan, and Tasi which is your normal run of the mill prop who's not first choice at 2nd bottom salford.

We are in dire need of strike players and a prop at least. I worry our halves lack the game management and creativity in attack.

I'm not bagging us but I feel we heading in wrong direction since our grand final win regarding recruitment and retention and while we will be knocking about the top four we will once again struggle to win those big games.