That's the point. I think what Stu has said is all fair & right - any side will miss the likes of Smithies and KPP on recent form. But we have a squad full of players who still have ceilings a fair bit above what we saw last season, which should be ominous for the rest of the league.

You would swap him for Jack Farrimond in a heartbeat?

Seen saints have signed Ritson. From what I’ve seen he hasn’t done too bad. His defence didn’t look great.

Ritson and Whitley..... I am beside myself with worry.

Clarke should be good for them but he is a very inadequate replacement for Roby (but, to be fair, how could you replace him???)

Their recruitment so far just screams Cunningham but we will see who else they have lined up

I am not sure that Clark will be a downgrade on Roby, in 2023, from a playing perspective. He looked like he had done a year too long. However, what he won’t have is the respect Roby had in the dressing room and on the training ground. Saints would be mad not to have Roby around the players on a daily basis given the standards that he set (much like Lockers at Wigan). It would also take some of the pressure off Wellens.

They had a consummate...you might even say the ultimate... professional in Roby. I'm pretty sure they aren't getting that with Clark.

We will never have any of our team good enough to play for St Helens
Whitley upgrade on Faz,Walters,Isa,Nsemba
Ritson upgrade on Marshy,Miski
Clarke upgrade on O'neil,Powell.Leeming
Their recruitment is so much stronger than ours.

I don't disagree with your definition of Roby but, in my eyes, his form waned last season and I am sure that Clark can hit Roby's 2023 standards in 2024.

My comments were more about off the field than on it.

Absolutely spot on with that.

I think its fair to say that Clark will be a lot more "loose" than Roby ever was.

In that case I fully agree.

You finished top because the MRP were butthurt about the Knowles appeal last season. Had they played fair saints would have finished top by about 8 points.

In the grand final Wigan were utterly terrible. There were about 7 teams that would have turned you over.

By all means, get giddy about winning the grand final but it’s easily the worst team to win SL since 1996 and definitely the most boring

WW69 you're back, must've been a painful couple of weeks, nah forget that, months, watching the the dullest Saints team ever scrape a few wins together before the Tomkins trot put you out of your misery, capped by a team of plodders none of whom would get into the Saints squad topping the league and then walking off with the big prize, I feel your pain, truly I do

Clearly on't wind up. 7 teams would've turned us over, but we kept the joint best attack (with ourselves) in the league scoreless bar a penalty goal? 10-2 flattered Catalans lets be honest.