Announcing Thompson now gives the fans a boost and another reason to be vocal and behind the team on Saturday. Smithies won't be announced (If he is going) until seasons end. Can't imagine Peet would wan't that kind of distraction. It's counter productive to what is the biggest 2 weeks of the season.

Thompson Cooper Havard Byrne Dupree Ellis Mago Hill O'Neil Leeming Powell Farrell Walters Smithies Nsemba Isa Shorrocks plus next in line from the academy, going to be an awful lot of disappointed forwards next season unless we are going to announce some departures

I'd imagine Hill will be going out on loan somewhere for a full season next year.

Wonder if there are any clauses in the contract if Thompson doesn't ever get back to full fitness.

Intrigued by the comments on here I popped over to Red V.

TBF they are mainly fair comments and not a lot different to when Williams signed for Warrington.

Look on their Transfers and Rumours thread not the Thompson one

Looking at the prop rotation I’d say as others have said Hill will be going on loan, possibly somewhere like Wakefield or Fev.

I can also see a scenario where Thompson is rested for pre planned spells throughout the year in order to ensure he remains clear of his historic head injury issues.

It will allow us to rotate props and keep them fresh.

I asked his dad years ago I think he should play for Wigan is words- "He will never play for Wigan".
Luke lived opposite me in Appley Bridge.
What a signing.What a team we have next year (bloody good one this year mind).

I'm very sure they have. Trying to work it out is the intriguing bit.

Well, just because someone "can't work it out" doesn't mean there isn't one.
Not aimed at you by the way

Someone named the options we have earlier and o think they named 17 Forwards for what are generally 6 starting and 4 sub spots
But they forgot Chan, so that's 18 and that's assuming Powell moves on or that's 19!!!
And that's before we consider next in line from Academy etc.

We have (Currently) 10 "1st team" Backs (I'm including Cust/Thornley/Hampshire) and I'm sure at least a couple of them will move on with Eckersley/Douglas not being a million miles off chances (Eckersley deffo ready) to replace them so were covered decent there.
Add to the a whole host of lads in Forber/Astley/Makin/Farrimond etc who are within 12 months of knocking on the door and that's awesome

I'd rather focus on the positives of that, credit the club, coaches and management, for being able to get us into that position and conventrate on winning Saturday amd then the week after, rather than worry about who plays where 1st game next year
Worrying about will "X" get a game, will Y" start at prop or LF, why have we signed Leeming (after lots of posters particularly on the other forum have had a witch hunt for Powell for 2/3 years - BTW I said 8/9 weeks ago that Sam Powell will have a big part in our end of season and IMO he's certainly showing his worth in his understated way and will get very little credit).

Just seems/feels like sometimes some posters create problems when it's actually a positive over situations

I said about 4 weeks ago that I want everyone fit, everyone fighting for places because you never know Whats round the corner (in response to people worrying about ISA and Havard returning as if it were a bad thing) and lo and behold Byrne gets injured and out for season.

The way Peet/Rads and IL/Danson (and Wane) have all worked together to refresh and rebalanced the squad over the last 18months to 2 years has been fantastic

I'm sure there was a plan

The ambition we’re showing in recruitment/retention is fantastic to see. There will obviously be talk about who plays where, who starts, who is benched, do players make way and so on. That only natural and I don’t think people are creating issue but they’re simply wondering about possibilities and how things will play out.

Naming a preferred 17 going in to 2024 will bring as many varying opinions as we’ll have seen for a while. The competition for places will be intense and one thing is for sure, any young players coming in to the side will have a fantastic group of players to help them along. The buzz about the place feels fantastic and it feels as though the club is on an upward curve. It would be amazing if we can really accelerate all that in this next 2 weeks.

Where’s our favourite Saints poster gone? The one that guaranteed Thompson would not sign for Wigan . Listen to idiots and you finish up becoming one of them.

Don’t forget there is another signing to come

What makes you think Morgan is leaving?

They should be asking why they didn’t sign him. Perhaps it is down to funds. There are not too many good federation players around, we have just recruited two of them. Add to that our great production line and we are well set for the foreseeable future. Saints need to find replacements for Walmsley and LMS, trying to bridge that gap with Matautia and Knowles reminds me of where we were a few years ago.

One guy on Redvee is predicting that Delaney will be mullering Thompson in 18 months, we shall see.