Yeah 100%. Could be something they look at going into next year I think. We are carrying lots of forwards but light in the backs. Likes of Kyle Amor hardly touched a ball. Swap him for a Richie Myler or Gareth O'Brien type player (completely off the top of my head before anyone jumps down my throat) and the squad is much better balanced.

Quite possibly, but who was available? I know the talk before we signed Cust was the likes of Richardson etc. I think they've gambled that Hopoate could give them that flexibility if needed.

That would be the question but I suppose Cust shows that you can always find an option Down Under if needed. There are lads playing NSW and Q cup games who would go very well here nowadays. Guys like Cust, Ellis, Mago, French and Field were playing as many games in those comps as they were in the NRL.

Hopoate was signed to replace Naiqama I think and be first choice right centre. Hurrell was meant to be the luxury item who nobody really knew how he fitted in. But injuries early on to Grace and then Hopoate himself and then Dodd has meant Hopoate has been in and out of the side and hardly at all centre. It's been a bit of a mess to be fair.

I’d even question the need for somebody like Lussick tbh. I think he’s been signed with a view to replacing Roby but the way Roby is playing, I think he’ll go around again. You then have Lussick hardly starting a game for 2 years and he is probably on a reasonable contract.

Easy to look at it with hindsight but the Saints recruitment strategy looks to have been a bit off for the first time in a while.

Not sure on that one. Most squads carry two hookers now and there's only so many chances Aaron Smith can have without doing anything of note.

Like you said with hindsight and injuries we look unbalanced. However if you swap the injuries to Lomax, Dodd and Hopoate for injuries to Walmsley, Lees and LMS then people would be saying we should've signed another prop instead of Hurrell for example. I suppose it's easy for us to be wise after the event and I include myself in that. I was happy with our recruitment at the start of the year so I can't criticise now. I think injuries have exposed some frailties/lack of depth in certain areas.

Having said that, if we go into the playoffs with a fit squad (less Dodd) then I still fancy us.

I don't think you can mate, at least not barring a miracle. Lomax's injury is not going to get better without surgery and is as likely to get worse as stay the same. Virtually no team goes into the back end of a season injury free so the question for you guys is where those injuries occur. The most likely candidate is Lomax, of course, but any injury in the backs could be fateful for you. Makinson is hobbling in many games this year so is that another long term problem? Welsby is an absolute must to stay fit in order for your season not to go completely off the rails, especially with your problems and potential problems in the halves.

The conversation regarding injuries we had early in the season is now proving to be an interesting one. With the same number of injuries that we're currently breezing through, your season is on the cusp of derailment. Interesting times.

Haha couple of bold calls there. To simply say I can't fancy us would be writing us off prematurely mate. And "cusp of derailment" is OTT too. Yes we are out of the cup and that hurts, but we are top of the league and favorites for the GF. So to fancy us isn't at all far fetched. I agree another key injury and we are in a mess. But if we go into the crunch games with a full pack and a 1-7 of Hopoate, Makinson, Hurrell, Percival, Grace, Lomax, Welsby then we have as good a chance as anyone. To suggest we would need a miracle to win it from here is a bit much. Bookes don't offer even money on miracles.

It possibly is a hindsight call that but for the minutes Lussick gets, it feels like he’s not much more than a man being used to give Roby a breather and then you think Aaron Smith could’ve done that but for less money and not used up a quota spot. I sense that one has been done with some real long term thinking in mind.

You’re absolutely the favourites for the Grand Final. It’ll take one hell of an effort from a team to stop you but at least there’s now hope. I didn’t think there was a few weeks ago.

Been disappointed with Lussick not shown much so far

Oh there's more than hope mate. Wigan and Catalans will both have a say. I'll stick my neck out now though and say it'll be a Saints v Wigan GF. I said on Saturday night that that defeat to you at the weekend will fuel us. Sometimes you need a defeat and a big one at that to get the fires burning again and motivate you and I'm hoping that's the case with us.

It’s difficult for him in fairness. I see him as a guy who can play 60-80 minutes and put a mark on a game. He’s getting bits and pieces and it’s tough then to really influence things. I thought you guys might have started him more and benched Roby, just to help him settle in quickly. I don’t see why Roby would retire with how he’s playing and you wonder what Lussick thinks about that.

It will for sure. Had you lost last Saturday with a fully fit Lomax and Dodd in the team, I’d be confident to put every penny I have (£31.24) on Saints retaining the superleague trophy but that halfback trouble has cracked it open. The form of Walmsley also brings Saints back to the pack a little. He is looking human recently and whilst he’s still the best, he’s not mangling teams like last season.

Sorry mate, you misunderstood me. I meant a miracle to go to the end of the season without injuries. I'm certainly not writing you off but I don't think I'm over egging it to say you're on the cusp of derailment. A worsening of Lomax's injury away in my opinion and that's not at all far fetched. I'd even say more likely than the alternative.

Yeah, but he has played #1 tho. Not unreasonable to call him going to FB and Welsby to FB is it.

You've just been unlucky to have three injuries. Like us having Tommy, Cust and Field injured. One isn't a HB, but will have been factored in for cover.