Michael Witt

Got to agree with you there Mark. I also think some of the names being branded about are from the minds of wishful thinkers. Realistically would Eastmond leave Saints in the form he is in? Jarryd Hayne, Benji Marshall? Has a few wins gone straight to our heads?

I'll agree with comment on Thomas Bosc. I think he is being wasted at Catalan at the moment, and has shown he has the potential to be one of the best half backs in the league and the all time best French player. However, he hasn't shown any of this form since 2008 and that would be my biggest concern that he was just a flash in the pan for one season.

Irreplaceable.

You're having a laugh right? Current Australian, New Zealand & England internationals no better than Lee Briers? I like Lee, but really Mark you need to take more water with it...

I wanted Kevin Brown until 'that' kick.

preston campbell from gold coast this guy is a class act

Its got to be that young lad from Featherstone Kyle Briggs, sign him up and then loan him back to fev

Seconded, thirded and fourthed

there will be better players in terms of quality
in the game but I doubt we will find someone
who instantly bosses the team like him or shares the
passion he does for the club

he's been the one we build around for so long! Remember
all of the times we have signed other halves
(blakley Walters weston rodwell Sullivan) to name but a few and
lee has seen off the threat of all of these! Ok they weren't
the best but were all bought in to share responsibility
with lee

Yes he is, but he's also 33 this year. Abit too old for Briers replacement

That is exactly my point, you have read my mind. Lee Briers has performed year in year out (often in some very weak sides) and that is why none of the names mentioned will ever have such an impact on our team. Bloody legend.

Regardless of how good we all think Lee is and how big a servant he has been to the club. We have to turn our thoughts to his replacement as he can't go on forever. There will be a time sometime soon when he isn't in the squad. So what are we looking for in his replacement and is there a current or upcoming player who would fit the bill?

as he says we need be realistic,lee as a 1 year extension,for me this would be a year in which anyone new coming in could learn from him,i wouldnt want to wait till he stops before replacing him.

No thanks.

Ideal replacement would be Benji Marshall, but more realistically someone like Kyle Eastmond, Kevin Brown or Thomas Bosc. Maybe a wildcard like Stefan Ratchford as has been mentioned in another thread, depending on salary cap pressures and the availability of others.

There is a dearth of creative ball playing halves in the Northern Hemisphere, which is why it will prove so difficult to replace him. In fact even in the NRL there is a lack of quality stand offs atm, I'd say New Zealand have two of the best in Marshall and Kieran Foran.

Canterbury have a cracker in Ben Roberts. It all seems to point to an overseas signing, regardless.

Kevin Brown

Bobbie Goulding?

Good shout. He's certainly an excitement machine, never quite fulfilled his potential IMO but would be a top stand off in Super League.

Plus with his cousin Tim Cahill living nearby, this should help him settle in the North West.

It would be nice to sign a British player to fill the void Briers leaves. But with a young inexperienced player at scrum half we really need a stand off that can come in and immediately take a game by the scruff of the neck. We have already seen that Myler is not that sort of player (maybe he will become one when he gets older).

Looking at the current stand off's in SL who could fit the bill

eastmond - he is so good, the fact that he is also young and experienced doesnt really matter.. would he come here? rugby union will be a more likely destination.
brown - probably the stand out candidate behind eastmond... but is he good enough?
bosc - not good enough

we should be looking to improve not replace.

I am expecting TS to bring over some real quality from Australia.

One out of left field a bit - Leon Pryce?

Is he any good?

Have we got big hopes for him, like we do with the winger Williams?

I'm not a fan of Roberts he doesnt seem creative enough for me...Noddy probably takes care of all that though...

I like the look of the young kid Ben Barba...but he's just signed an extension with canterbury..he would appear to be a stand off in waiting so roberts may be available in a season or so...

Barba may be available. I mean, it isn't as if Canterbury would forsake a player like Thurston to retain a player like Anasta, is it?

I don`t know if anybody else agrees but their seems to be a lack of quality stand offs worldwide, in the NRL nobody has really pushed Darren Lockyer for Origin or test selection for quite a while.

Lockyer has been one of the best players ever to set foot on a rugby pitch but he`s nowhere near the player of years gone by, he`s little more than a distributor these days as the pace that took him through gaps isn`t quite their anymore.

Ive not seen a stand off for a long while that has made me think "wow" thats the next Darren Lockyer, Brett Kenny or Leon Pryce.

Jarrod Summat.