Yeah Stu has nailed it.

I think he’ll effectively be next in line if any of our 1,6,7 are injured and may even get time at centre like Welsby did.

At 18 it’s not critical he has a starting shirt yet. He’ll work his way through and find his place in good time.

Bit of weight on him, I think he could kill it at centre with his footwork.

It’s not critical. It will be interesting who plays 1and 6 next season. If I was selecting the team, Welsby would be full back, I think the jury is out regarding Sailors defence. Obviously, if 1,6, and 7 play well, and stay fit, then the lad is going to either play a lot of his rugby in the reserves or on loan.

A big reason I say it’s not critical is when you look at Jack Welsby’s trajectory as a direct comparison. He made 1 performance in his debut year at the same age, followed by 11 the next. Robertson will probably surpass 11 this year so he’s already ahead of where Welsby was.

If our back line next year at full strength is:

Welsby/Sailor
Feldt
NEW SIGNING
Percival
Murphy
Welsby/Sailor
Lomax

Then Robertson could be next in line for any of 1,6,7 or even centre and he will pick up plenty experience and appearances covering various positions like Welsby did. Let's not forget Welsby's most famous moment in a Saints shirt actually came from him playing left centre that night! So I am not worried about Robertson having to have a starting spot nailed down just yet. He can comfortably rack up double figures again whilst playing understudy next season. He’ll still only be 19 at that point.

I’m confident the club will feed him in the right way for the long term good.

Prediction - St Helens will go to Warrington in the playoffs and win. Wigan v St Helens in the semi finals, Hull KR v Leigh in the other one.

After watching today's Wire v Saints game I can't see Saints beating them anywhere, home, away or neutral.
I do think Leigh at home will beat HKR next week.

All comes down to Leigh v Saints - now Saints are almost full strength it could mean they play Salford at home in the playoffs.

Either way I'm convinced it will end up with a Wigan v Saints semi final.

Stories like that always seem to appear when sides have an iffy season. In terms of Welsby, he's had a funny season really. He's never quite looked at his best but is good enough to still have major impacts on games. It's not a Saints/Wigan thing to say that I think he should've gone to the NRL. He's achieved everything in this country now and a move out of his comfort zone can help him to keep progressing. Everyone is different and he may well be a home bird but he surely regrets it in later life if he doesn't go and see how he gets on.

He’s allegedly had a bust up with some of the senior players.

He probably has. Things like this happen at a lot of clubs. Look at Utd- Keane didn’t speak to Giggs for 6 months, didn’t speak to Sheringham or Schmeichel. Sheringham and Cole didn’t utter a word to each other for years.

Welsby certainly looked happy talking about the departing players on the Saints goodbye videos and singing the team song last night.

Said not earlier in this thread, Saints aren't done yet.
I can't see them scoring a load of points against us, Wire or HKR but if the weather turns I could definitely see them defending 12/14 points.

He hasn’t, but you are right, he’s not happy. Stu will obviously know why…..

Please tell Rob.

Saints v Wigan Academy Final a week tomorrow following on from the Reserves GF. The same two clubs year on year produce quality players from superb youth systems. Last year would've been a Saints v Wigan Academy Final too had Wigan not made 47 subs in the SF

Regardless of the rivalry its to be applauded on both sides.

Gutted I can't go as I already have tickets for Utd who are playing FC Twente on the same night