I wouldn’t even try and compare man for man for next year because it’s so uncertain who’ll be at St Helens. Ultimately Saints were a shambles pre Holbrook and he may not be at Saints next year (I do think he’ll stay though). If he goes the house of cards comes crashing down, especially when us signing George Burgess leads to Thompson going to Souths to replace him.

Burgess could prove a shrewd signing in more ways then one.

Great news about Burgess, I take back my thoughts on Lenagan being tighter than a drum. It’s exaftly what we need in the pack, a proper prop and a ginormous one at that.

I can’t think of anything else to say, other than;

WHAT A SIGNING

Do we now qualify for the free garlic bread?

3 Pages of utter tripe tided up.

Stop replying to people who are obviously on a wind-up - Jesus. I'm sick to death of threads getting derailed because people can't help themselves.

This. 100%.

George Burgess is one of, for me, the biggest and best signings we’ve made in a long time. Him alongside Flower, Smithies, Partington, Farrell and Greenwood in the pack plus Hastings and French in the halves is a proposal that leaves us dreaming of what will be.

Admittedly I’ve been a huge critic this season, and with good reason. But this team for 2020 is one to behold.

Good signing quite envious.

I think you were always going to get some big names for next year a lot of cap spaces freed up was always going to get spent just next year not this... It was fun watching you lot squirm for a bit tho lol

I hope we have some recruitment to be announced that's been kept quiet. Leeds will be looking at improving their pack also I hope that we're not left with whatever left.

I’ve been absolutely hammered on here this season for defending our chairman and Adrian Lam. All I’ve ever said is keep the faith and I stand by that. Fantastic recruitment at a time when we really needed it. I’m excited about next season but I’m still confident we’ll have a say in this season’s play offs. Keep the faith people, keep the faith!

What makes you think that, mate? I couldn't see anything that suggested that unless I'm missing something.

And probably goes without saying but great signing in George Burgess. I think the side for next year is looking really strong. As I said in an earlier thread, it's not just George himself but what he does to the balance of the side. Burgess, Flower, Bullock & Clarke looks a completely different proposition to what we ran with this year. If you think of it in terms of we've replaced Tautai and Hamlin with George Burgess and Mitch Clarke it's hard even to see a comparison. That's a major upgrade in the front row!

What's more we also have Clubb, Navarette, Partington, Byrne and Harvard who have all played their part this year as backup. That's not only quality in the starting 4 but good depth too.

Looking at it now that recruitment has been finalised. Was it still a good idea to have retained Clubb?

I'm still not 100% but at least we have a little more balance in the front row.

I just hope that Clubb and Flower can get away from the niggling injuries they seem to pick up regularly and put in hard yards and long minutes.

Great signing that. I'm also slightly envious.

Unless they are referring to Jake Bibby. In terms of exciting new recruits (no disrespect to Mitch Clark and Jake Bibby) I would have interpreted that to have been George Burgess, Jackson Hastings and Bevan French.

Clubb was like a new player once his contract was signed but then got injured and it’s that injury record that you worry about. There’s good depth next year mind and his minutes won’t need to be huge so if we can afford him then fair enough.

I just wondered when Clubb was re-signed that he might spend some time in the reserves.
The reserves front row was to me looking like Partington, Byrne, Havard and Kibula. All young and relatively inexperienced. Perhaps an older head in the squad used to the aggression of SL might be good for them. Partington might be in the first 17 next year anyway so Clubby could do a job for a few games in the reserves.
Burgess could transform our pack in 2020. An outstanding signing by IL and Rads.