Felt genuinely sorry for Foster tonight. Come hail or shine the kid sits there in the stands watching his team mates. Never misses a game.

Now, I can understand the case made by some for dropping him. But is he (not to mention Gaskell) REALLY benefiting from being completely frozen out for the best part of TWO MONTHS? In any case, there's genuine reason to question his demotion on the strength of a few mediocre defensive performances when you consider that Francis Meli has cost us two (possibly even three) Grand Finals and has never so much as heard of the the reserves. At best I'd have kept him away from the bright lights for two or three weeks. I mean, if a player can't see the error of his ways after three weeks in the reserves I very much doubt he'll do so in two months.

Is this how we treat our "precious young talent" these days?

It's a strange situation. It makes me wonder how big his contract was and whether this is the club's attempt to freeze him out to the extent that he asks to leave. When he signed his contract he was looking a great prospect, he'd won us games at the DW with superb performances, was finishing superbly and kicking brilliantly. Did we then over-egg his contract, believing him to be a top class prospect?

Either way it is ridiculous really that Paul Wellens isn't being replaced. We managed to take him off for 7 minutes today and Makinson actually got involved a bit. I cannot understand why Makinson isn't playing 1 almost every week now, with Foster brought in on the wing. But Jamie's stock appears to have fallen so far now that they select academy players out of position ahead of him.

There are only so many spots.

To fit Foster in, that would require dropping

Wellens for Makinson to fit Foster in for Makinson
Shenton for Jones to let Meli slide to centre to let foster on that wing
dropping meli for foster
dropping jones, to let meli slide across to centre to let foster in
dropping makinson


in the end someone would have to make way.

I know some would drop meli in a heart beat, others would drop shenton now he is moving on, wellens would be on others lips.

But regardless of the fans giving up on this year, I think the coaches still want some progression even if that's just being competitive in the playoffs.

If Foster was showing enough then Swift would not be getting in ahead of him, but I still think it's too early to call time on him, but in the end he may have to play elsewhere if he can't get a look in at Saints.

Indeed. Meli. He's leaving at the end of the season anyway, if the Star report is to be believed. He lets us down routinely in defence and - like tonight - is generally retiscent to bend his back. All that is required to bring Foster back is to drop Meli. That will never happen with the present coach.

I too feel sorry for Foster. His tweets are sad to read because he is clearly trying really hard to keep his spirits up and going from playing in a team that for a while was in a winning position in a Grand Final to being frozen out for two months simply because there was a change in coach must be very difficult to take.

Life sometimes is . You've got to knuckle down and get on with it. Either his time will come or he will move on which imho would be a shame.

I said something similar to a mate tonight, I really dont see what Meli offers that Foster couldn't provide.

Not big enough, hardly developed physically at all & light years behind Makinson. Defensively inept, woefully caught out of position regularly & being bitterly honest hasnt got the heart to play top flight RL, not even stand out in reserve grade from what ive seen. Swift & Percival look far better prospects without the spiceboy bull ego & attitude. Another Eastmond that believes his own hype & again cant see him having a future under Brown. Yet to see him beat a man...no pace for wing not sure where anyone would slot him in.

Can't beat a bit of revisionist history, eh? I think you'll find he has [iactually[/i been frozen out for 2 months as his game had collapsed progressively over 12 months and he had become a complete liability worth at least 12 points a game every game to the opposition. Meli and Teflon Boy are far better options in the team right now until/if he gets his act back together so he simply has nowhere to play for the time being. Deal with it.

It is you who is indulging in the revisionist history. He had a very good season last season and I think you are the only one I have seen state that he didn't. He was a bit off form at the start of the season but that happens to all players at some point and it certainly isn't good enough reason to freeze him out for two months.


Meli was utterly lazy (again) yesterday and he is a liability in defence. Meli is never a better option.

Claiming that he isn't up to standard in terms of skill or physical build is one thing but Foster never lacked heart in any game he played. I think that bit is an unfair criticism of him.

He practically lost us the Catalan game on his own. Failed to put his body on the line time, and time again. One of the worst wingers performances ive ever seen. Meli has some right clangers, but he always gets his body there and is at least a physical presence

Meli is leaving at the end of the year and was told about a month into the new season (I posted it on here) but that doesnt mean he should dropped.

What's he doing wrong?

Foster started to believe the hype and become more interested in looking good rather than playing rugby(that's what he's payed to do).

He was playing really poor at the time and was making mistake after mistake and it started to effect him and the team.

Sure enoug, Meli makes mistakes but at the moment you can't fault him and certainly doesn't deserve dropping based on the fact hes leaving.

Utter rubbish. That was a brilliant team effort. How many players had the chance to stop that final try for instance? LMS just tickled one Catalan player as he passed through his hands. Your claim is ludicrous.

And the Catalan game of which you speak happened this season. I was answering the claim that his game was poor LAST season.


Oh, he's a physical presence all right! I'm sure his shirt was still whiter than snow again last night. Meli is lazy and a liability in defence, and he always lowers his game against the tough opposition/in pressure matches. At least he has been consistent in that respect anyway. I knew our number was up in the GF, for instance, when I saw he was on the wing.

All the usual things that I have mentioned already.

Spot on summary. Inept performances cost us games, and not helped by him building his ego before his game. Won't be sad to see him depart to swinton as a part timer whilst training to be a hair dresser. At least he had his 15 minutes of fame.

A brilliant team performance Dianne? We were something like 20 points up & capitulated!! Lol. - our last try, Wheeler's was a lucky intercept when theyd worked yet another overlap & looked like scoring.
Discipline was an issue under Simmons that cost us in the second half, but the game turn was definietly the worst attempt at diffusing a kick from Foster that culminated in a try followed by him flying out of the line in the next set & costing us 12 points in 2 minutes.