Spot on Matty, this is exactly what it boils down to. The complete lack of star quality, plus the only ones with a touch of it are desperate to get out of the door to go to the NRL.

What the club need to do is take a punt on is a genuine world class player, I wonder how Saints attendance went up when they signed Ben Barba?

Let’s say a genuine world class player is on 1 million (aus dollars) or £550,000, let’s say they’d be replacing someone on £100,000 so there’s a £450,000 shortfall. (Sam Burgess, Cooper Cronk, Shaun Johnson, Jason Taumilolo and Roger Tuavasa-Sheck in around this amount, this is what type of player I’m talking)

Over 15 games, if the club were £10 up from every ticket sold they’d need an extra 3,000 fans each home game to cover the cost of that player. If it’s £7.50 profit from each ticket, then it would be 4000 extra fans needed.

I’d say it was achievable.

If I remember correctly shirt sales with Barba's name on the back went through the roof last year, add to that other types of merchandise then it probably paid a good chunk of his wage.

Star names help and there’s undoubtedly a malaise hanging over the supporters because we just don’t really sign those wow players anymore but we have enough attacking talent in that team to get more bums on seats.

I look at Cas in 2017 and you couldn’t really say they had any out and out star turns but they played a brand of rugby that brought the people of Cas out in their droves. Our issue when I compare what Lam wants to do with what Cas did do in 2017 is a lack of metre making forwards. They weren't necessarily high profile names (the likes of Sene Lefao, Moors, McMeekan, Millington etc weren’t on arrival at Cas) but they laid the foundations with big bodies and let the likes of Hardaker, Gale and Roberts go to work. I’d say in Hardaker himself, Williams, Gildart, Burgess etc we have at worst as good a set of backs as they did in 2017 bit our pack is in horrendous shape.

In short sort the pack out with some savvy signings (and sign a proper replacement for Williams) and we may see better rugby and bigger crowds. There’s only so long people would turn up to watch a couple of star names but without work on that pack we’re not going to see long term improvements.

I was told this by someone who currently works at the club. I have no reason to believe that they would be winding me up.
If I recall correctly I think that it is Simon collinson who now also runs Marketing together with his previous role. I am terrible at remembering names but hopefully the ageing grey matter is correct this time.

I thought Collinson left the club a while back?

Simon collinson left nearly 3 years ago

massive loss

Not as daft as it first seems.

I understand Matty Peet is returning to Wigan as AL assistant with an emphasis on defensive responsibility.

Sorry you are right Bigred. Collinson left in Sept 17 and MacLeod left last year.
It's McLoughlin who now heads up marketing together with his previous role.
Macleod has gone to Warrington RL.

I agree. Momentum went with it.