I am pretty sure we will bring another half back who will probably end up more then just a backup player!

Pre-season training doesn't start for a good few weeks yet, so doesn't make a difference when the signings are made. I'm confident we will make more signings before then.



Why? I'm confident we will.



Why?

I see Saints have given Meli and Wellens 2 year extensions. I thought they had a 1 year only policy for players over 30?

Only if they have very little to offer

Intelligent.

Like Cunningham you mean?

Actually I prematurely submitted I mean't to add at the end ......after that one year had expired.

In other words two years were offered because these players had still a lot more to offer. But hey who am I to argue, its not like Saints have had any success in the last decade is it, nor have they any idea on the capabilities of their players to continue to play at a high level throughout the proposed contract period and or beyond.

Do you beleive this is the case with Francis Meli?

Well based on this season yes. He was saints top try scorer with 21 tries, which is 7 more than our highest try scorer (Tom Briscoe), he has his weakness's but i'd be more than happy with a winger who could get me 21 tries a season, in fact many seem happy with Briscoe's 14 so Meli has quite a way to drop yet. He is still able to make 40 tackle busts in a season as well as 12 clean breaks and 15 offloads, although he did miss 7 games, although I may be wrong, I think some of these were due to his late arrival as a resuly of visa complications (or was that the season before?).

That was 2009, however, at the start of the 2010 season Meli was granted compassionate leave to return home to New Zealand to resolve family issues

You speak higher of Meli then most Saints fans do so fair play to you!

I think the 30 plus policy is a bit of a con really Saints seem to release players when they have a replacement ready to come through or bring in.

Long and Gilmore were replaced by Eastmond and Soliola last year whilst Hargreaves has been released on the back of Perry and LMS coming in.

I suspect Saints dont have full confidence in their younger outside back players coming through just yet to be able to afford to release Meli.

Cant help thinking had it been Hull signing Meli on a 2 year deal there would have been uproar!

Different coach different approach?

Wonder if Simmons had much say in the recruitment this year?

Anyway this is now off topic!

exactly my thoughts.he has or is about to come in and has insisted on total control regarding team affairs?? i also agree with knocker norton-if we had offered meli a 2 year deal,agar would have been slated-AGAIN.instead we have signed a young winger in sharp,which is a better option,long term.

I think you may be right there.

I also think he would have been a far better option than Sharp on the playing side of things but going against Melli is his age and the contract he probably wanted. Sharp is a decent player though.