Is Ratchford not available to play? Not seen any reserve team rugby this year so can’t comment on his recent form but he was very good last year for the Academy and was for me clear MOM in the Academy semi final last year.

I may be in the minority but I think Briers will be the difference for you next year. Wellens knows how to get his team to defend and clearly can motivate them. If Briers can get your attack ticking you’ll be genuine contenders again.

I’d agree Lomax is pretty much done and a shadow of the player he was but there’s life in Walmsley providing his minutes are managed properly.

I'm really interested to see what difference Briers can make. He seemed really popular at Wigan and there was a pick up in performance but it's always difficult to judge exactly what assistant coaches bring when they come in at the same time as the head man and even more so in a side with Field and French back in it and playing well. In his two most recent assistant coaches job, he's had Smith, French and Field in the Wigan side and Reynolds, Mam and Walsh in the Brisbane side. They're two sets of backs who cover pretty much all bases for you in an attack. His contribution was probably huge but I think most attacking coaches worth their salt could do something with those guys.

At Saints he will be coming in to add to the existing coaching team and to work under a head man who has been under pressure. They are getting some new backs in but guys like Welsby and Lomax will still be in those spine positions, so his contribution should be far more noticeable and easy to judge.

Briers may suggest a swap around in the backs. Richardson to full back, Welsby 6 and Lomax at 7.
There will be changes at Saints and I'd imagine Wellens and` Briers have discussed it fully already.
Briers will have an impact, no doubt about that!

I don’t think Wire won it but Saints threw it away. The seasoned pros could not close out the game. Having said that, it was a masterclass from Williams.

Agreed. At 4-16 Saints of old would have probably scored another three or four tries and won at a canter.