Fair enough, everyone entitled to their opinion insuppose but I'm shocked that any Wigan fan wouldn't take Soliola in their side, especially now Hansen has gone. I can't see Clubb or Lloyd having the same impact that he has had. Bateman on the other hand may turn into a very good player but it might take a year or two. In Soliola you would have a ready made replacement for Hansen. All hypothetical though of course!

I hope so mate. I'm always optimistic (sometimes blindly if I'm honest) when it comes to Saints but I genuinely feel we have finally strengthened the areas we needed to. A proper no.7 and a few props will hopefully get us challenging again. I'd have loved a new 6 ideally as well but you can't have everything.

Is it 4 consecutive Good Fridays you have won now? About time we put a stop to that!

Its the same reason i wasn't upset about Hansen Leaving you know what your going to get from him and its the same with Soliola, With clubb and Bateman we have no idea because they have shown talent but never developed it at their old clubs. plus we have a couple of youngster such as Greg Burke which deserve a shot before we sign an overseas player.

Aye, if we win this time it'll be five times in a row. There's a chant there somewhere

Haha. Touché! I'm hoping Warrington make it 6 losses in a row and take the attention off us!

In fact, if we win it again this season then I won't care about the 5 defeats!

Back on point, Masoe will miss the first month of the season so our supposed new strength in depth in the pack will be tested early doors. A chance maybe for Beaumont or one of the kids from last year may get another chance. Thompson (who has been picked out as one to watch on sky) or Richards perhaps.

Reading the Red Vee they are putting an awful lot of expectation on the incoming Walsh hope he lives up to it!

He has a superb kicking game, but not the passing game of a Tim Smith or Michael Dobson. He is not a ball rummer at all. I don't think that Saints have a winger the likes of Richards or Monaghan to maximise his kicking game, although I don't know much about the Dawson who they signed from Huddersfield and I suppose they could bring in Gardner who is a decent catcher of the high kick.

Walsh is also a very good goalkicker which is always a bonus particularly in close games. It'll be interesting too see if Saints fans get on his back for not running with the ball if things are not going right for them, just as some Wigan fans did with Tim Smith.

His supposed lack of a running game mustn't hold him back too much, he was joint 7th in the Dally M voting last year. A top 10 player in the NRL will hold his own in Super League I'm sure.

Only issue I see with Walsh and how he fits it to Saints is who will be playing at 6. There is a lack of direct attacking threat at 6 and 7. Lance Hohaia seemed to change from a strike half to a controlling half when he joined Saints if you can get him back as a direct runner you could have a good partnership.

Back on topic (almost) I genuinely see Mose Mosoa as a very risky signing. He looked to have piled on a couple of stone from when he left the NRL to playing in the World Cup. I think you Conditioning staff will really have to earn their money to keep him fit and effective.

I have no doubt he will become a fans favorite due to the big drive and eye catching hits, but I have a feeling a few coaches will relish the prospect of playing against him also.

Size doesnt matter, biggest isnt necessarily the best

He was hardly a liability in the NRL so I'm fairly confident he won't be in SL. As long as we get him properly conditioned then he'll be fine. I genuinely don't think any coach will look forward to playing against him.

Not sure how much of the NRL you saw last year nut he played very short spells. As said he also looked to have put on significant bad wight in about 5 weeks from when his club commitments finished.

Impact Props are very rarely desired these days with successful teams.

His carry is without doubt immense and if you run at him you will come off second best, but I understand he already has a niggling injury requiring surgery which will keep him out of pre season.

If I were a Saints fan I would be concerned by this.

The NRL started to get rid of impact Props a good few years ago, probably the reason he was moved from the Roosters, and linked with the UK last year, if he was seen as an asset he would still be in the NRL.

I do not think the same applies to Walsh. I am sure he could have stayed in the NRL but I expect you have thrown massive money at him as you required a half back so badly.

Big men with niggling ankle injuries though is something I would be very worried about if he were at my club. I hope I am wrong because he is great to watch, and I hope he plays week in week out but I have my doubts about him, his condition deterioration in such a short space of time. From a conditioning point a view it becomes very difficult to stay on top of a players weight, without putting them through lots of aerobic long sessions, this could have a massive effect on his fatigue at the season runs on.

It will be very interesting to see how they handle him.