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Quote: Magic Superbeetle "I’m genuinely curious why you think this.

From a Saints fans perspective we have had one of the worst years for managing injuries since the early 2000s. We were effectively on cruise control until Easter, but lost Dodd on Good Friday, followed by Bennison the following week vs Cas and then Lomax did his ruptured his bicep against Salford before the semi final. Hopoate has been a liability all year and was supposed to cover injuries, Makinson and Mata’utia were constantly in and out all year innocuously lost Percival for 4 months. Literally only Hurrell and Welsby made it through the year in the backs, and only Roby, Lees and Batchelor in the pack.

Admittedly the quality of our juniors coming through with the likes of Davies and Royle haven’t been as strong as recent years (ironically using Welsby and Dodd for cover) but expect that to be sorted next year with the likes of Archer, Delaney, Buckley all being another year older. I expect us the be better equipped for dealing with an injury crisis than we were this year.

Getting Dodd back will be like a new signing, and our average points scored with Dodd was 12 points higher than without him. Wing is obviously a question mark with Grace leaving (though arguably Bennison is another year older and hasn’t let anyone down). If we sign a complete dud then yeah we’re weaker overall, but no more so than we were this year.

I remember a post on here around this time last year (maybe 18 months ago) declaring they would like to see how we would perform with 7 out. Well up until the playoffs we regularly had 7/8/9 injured or banned, and that’s not including people like Lomax who in other circumstances wouldn’t have played through. It’s been one of those years where everything that could go wrong seemed to.

Players like Makinson, Roby, Lomax may be another year older but the they’re all more machine than man at times. The qualities they bring to the game aren’t generally built around speed, so with the exception of Roby I suspect they probably have a good 2-3 years left in them minimum. I have seen a post/Twitter comment somewhere suggesting Walmsley fell off this year, but I couldn’t scoff hard enough at that suggestion - it’s just with Lees and Paasi he’s stood out less.

I get the question mark over Wellens. I think any Saints fan would be lying if they didn’t say they feared another Cunningham situation. But everything I have ever heard out of the club says he’s been the best coach at the club for years and have to trust he’s ready for it. His assistant is critical in my eyes. If it’s Long I think I have more concern, but the rumour I heard was Laurent Frayssinous, which is a bit left field but think would be an excellent appointment in my opinion.

I could understand “other clubs catching up” to Saints, I’m not sure I get dropping off?'"

Matty Smith?

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