I think Wire could/should go well this season. A collection of experience and exciting players, a new coach which always boosts a team, you should be there or thereabouts towards the play-offs.

The only problems that could arise imo are if the players dont respond to Price, if you get a spate of injuries and if any of the new players get homesick (Roberts).

On paper your first 15 are outstanding and exciting after that I feel its starts to get a little weaker.

Good luck for the season
Matt

Not quite sure whether your a scouser or from East Yorkshire?

If your a Saint then I don't know where your Optimism is coming from. Have you made any signings this off season? You played 20 minutes of scintillating footie in the semi final and that was it.

If Atkins could pass a ball he would be dynamite. The trouble is he gets a rush of blood every time he gets the ball and goes himself. There is nothing like a centre who can draw a man and pass to his winger. Creates so many more doubts in the defenders mind. He runs hard and can make the break, but he usually gets shut down before he does.

Lineham has a surprisingly high strike rate and his stats from the last few years are impressive. Sometimes though last season (especially towards the end) he looked amateur against the lower teams in defence, regularly getting pushed off and waltzed past... I'm hoping it was just his attitude and that Price can fix his drive for professionalism. There's no doubting Lineham is a talent but he's not nearly performing up to his price tag.

Atkins may not pass much but he's generally solid in defence and scores when he's got the ball near the line. He doesn't look any less athletic than he was during the trophy-winning years, but regarding his passing - if it could be fixed it would have been by now. There aren't many good centres available so I guess we should be blessed we have one that scores regularly.

I agree with everything you say Easy Wire. I think as do many who sit around me and who i meet up with at half time that Atkins would not look out of place in the second row. For all sense and purposes he is fulfilling the role of a second row with what he does. Strong runner in that he is difficult to slow down or stop when he is going for it!, Big and tackles when his attitude is right.

I think he could extend his career by 3 4 years if he could effectively make the switch to backrow.
Not that he's too fussed, he's a barber now, so not only one at Saints, we've got his match!