At the stages in their careers normally that team may still have a few of Jnr, Hill, Eckersley, Farrimond and Forber in there which I guess would the equate to decent amount of potential O'niel been pretty special as well. I always think Douglas looks very able to step up I think he just needs to believe it himself.

Strong rumours this morning that Dagnall is playing on Friday. Half an hour later he is named in the squad and given a first team squad number.

Wellens has gone from being risk averse to all of a sudden giving debuts to lads against the better teams. Had they been drip fed into the team against the likes of London, the transition would be easier but hey ho.

Any of these lads physically ready for a season in the championship Stu ?
It's done Eckersley a world of good playing against experienced blokes and it seems like our go to method when playing academy/reserves is no use anymore development wise

A few have played dual reg. Vaughan has played a few for Swinton and done well and Burns and Lane have played for North Wales Crusaders. Roberts has played for Swinton and is now going to Rochdale for two weeks. Pretty sure Whitby has played somewhere too.

Robertson has gone straight from Academy/Reserves into the first team and looks like Dagnall will do the same

I think Saints see Vaughan as a back rower longer term but he doesn't have the frame for it yet, think he will be fine in the centres in SL and back row if he goes back out on dual reg. Burns has done the best part of 18 months on dual reg and is 24(?), he's certainly physically ready. With that said Wellens has shown precious little faith in either so far.

Interesting that Roberts has gone to Rochdale in light of all the controversy around Swinton.

Naiqama?

Tristan Sailor to Saints.

Trying to find their version of Field/French.

Hopefully he’s more like Lachie Miller/ Tex Hoy

As a 6 he will do well in SL but if hes coming to play full back I've never seen anyone worse under the high ball. Be interesting where they fit him in

1 try in 17 NRL appearances wouldn't fill you with much hope as a Saints fan but the fact Lam fancied him at Leigh would and they can always go either way. Few bits I've seen of him, he doesn't look lightning quick but does look to have good feet. He's probably a decent fit to bring in to the squad for a couple of years while Robertson develops.

Rumours around Naiqama as well. He's 35 years of age (and 36 by the start of next season) and I know options might be limited but I'm sure there must be somebody in the NRL or on the fringes of the NRL that could do at least as good a job but over a longer period. That one seems a really strange move if it's for anything longer than just the rest of this season.

Rumours seem to be him coming immediately just for this season. Seems like Hurrell may be retiring so that would explain that one, an experienced stop gap.

Sailor would provide pace, something we lack but not sure where he would play. If Robertson is trusted to start away at Wigan then its fair to say with an off season under his belt and the chance to put some weight on, he'll get more games next season. You obviously have Welsby and Lomax to consider too plus Mbye so not sure what the thinking is.

Has KN been good for Huddersfield ? I barely watch them play and think he was missing against us.

He was one of saints best in his first spell there

The other factor at play here is that Briers (if indeed is coming to us) will know all about Sailor and will likely have been involved.

A backline with Sailor, Welsby and Robertson under Briers coaching gives me a lot more optimism for a new season than the turgid 5 drives and a kick all season (and mostly under Woolf too but largely dismissed due to our success)

Scored against us at our home game with them but I've not seen many other Hudds games. He would be a upgrade on Hurrell short term definitely defensively. He's kept himself in great shape to be fair and part of me thinks if he does come he would be an asset in helping the young backs coming through

Naiqama just for this season seems a sensible enough move but any longer, not so much. The rumours and signings I'm seeing across superleague highlights what a tricky time it is currently to get players in. There is next to nothing available in terms of homegrown players and the expansion of the NRL is making overseas recruitment more and more difficult. How people think the top league here could go to 14 teams is beyond me.

I would stick with Robertson he needs a long run in the first team. The reserves or a period on loan isn’t going to develop him. Saints need to be bold rather than regressive.