31 replies to this topic

[Wendall]

Winger Francis Meli will see out his Super League career at St Helens after signing a new two-year contract.

The 31-year-old former New Zealand international was out of contract and had been tipped to follow coach Mick Potter to Bradford but has opted to commit his future to Saints.

Long-serving full-back Paul Wellens, 30, who is favourite to succeed Keiron Cunningham as captain in 2011, has also signed a new two-year contract while Australian back row forward Chris Flannery, 30, has agreed a 12-month deal.

http://www.sportingl..._St_Helens.html

Wellens is slowing down every year and surely can't last more than 2 years? Flannery has been an average import and Meli is a disaster waiting to happen! Surely they would have looked to bring in some better quality after 4 losses on the bounce!??

[Chairman M]

Not done that bad for a team missing their first choice regular halfbacks.

Wellens has never had great pace and I'm chuffed he's signed. He beats players over the first few yards with his head anyway, always has done.

[Southerner]

How on earth has Flannery earned himself a contract extension? Ok, I haven't seen every performance but from the games on tv he's been dire. There must be a decent homegrown youngster to fill his position?

[Human Punk]

Flannery doesn't do a great deal, so he probably only deserves one year. Meli can impress and frustrate in equal measure. I thought his GF performance was excellent - if only he'd played like that in previous years Saints wouldn't be rivalling Oldham as RL's biggest losers.

Wellens also had one of his best seasons last year and has earned his deal.

This will give Saints a bit of time to find replacements, especially for Wellens, as there are very few decent full-backs around at the moment.

[bewareshadows]

Winger Francis Meli will see out his Super League career at St Helens after signing a new two-year contract.

The 31-year-old former New Zealand international was out of contract and had been tipped to follow coach Mick Potter to Bradford but has opted to commit his future to Saints.

Long-serving full-back Paul Wellens, 30, who is favourite to succeed Keiron Cunningham as captain in 2011, has also signed a new two-year contract while Australian back row forward Chris Flannery, 30, has agreed a 12-month deal.

http://www.sportingl..._St_Helens.html

Wellens is slowing down every year and surely can't last more than 2 years? Flannery has been an average import and Meli is a disaster waiting to happen! Surely they would have looked to bring in some better quality after 4 losses on the bounce!??

I think the slow arguement is just something people throw at him without actuall rating him as a player.

He made the dream team this year, has been pretty good to excellent in all games for Saints. He'll chase lost causes and is as secure at fullback as any in SL.

Out of all the Fullbacks in SL he is still one of the best. I've not seen Tomkins week in or week out but I would say he would be the only one who I'd place above Wellens, however the cost of buying him would be prohibitively high.

As for Meli, well in attack he is amazing. Defensively he can be a nightmare.
I only hope that the new coach has watched the tapes and works on this part of his game. ie kill the ball dead if you have the slightest need to think.

Flannery I am at a loss. The guy is an average player in SL for mine. He has taken up the loose forward position for Saints since Scully left and has made not passing or kicking the ball an art form.

The guy has no skill, he works hard, is defensively sound, but I'm sorry I want more from a loose forward. want to see a 3rd pivot if who needed can step up to play half back if an injury strikes the halves.

He should have some kicking game and be able to get through gaps and put people into space. As a 2nd rower he is a work horse, but our young lads in the pack can full fill that role easily, no need to spend money or fill a quota place.

Wellens was always going to sign, Meli it was about the balance of whether he would get his 2 years, flannery for me is a mystery. Don't hate the guy, just don't rate the guy. That maybe that I have too high expectations having seen Sculthorpe play there but I still think it's a valid point.

[beefy1]

I can see Wellens moving to loose forward, with one of their new generation playing fullback.

[bewareshadows]

I can see Wellens moving to loose forward, with one of their new generation playing fullback.

With the signing of Flannery I doubt it. Also anyone who covers fullback as soon as they drop the ball it will cause calls for Wellens to return to fullback.

I do hope Simmons comes in with a fresh mind, unafraid to move the big names about if needed, but in all likelyhood would anyone move the dream team full back and put a novice in that position. When Wellens did get injured mid-season, the young lads where not good enough to cover that slot instead we put Pryce in that position, and he did a very good job there. It gave him a whole new lease of life.

[Simon Templar]

I'm actually pretty dismayed that the two imports have been given new contracts. How can Saints declare a policy of only offering 1 year deals to over 30's and then give Kevin Sinfields mate (Meli and 31yrs old) a two year deal ?

I wonder what Sean Longs' thoughts are on this. After all Meli has lost Saints almost as many games as Sean won for us.
Flannery is just an ordinary player IMO. He's had his chance at Saints and I would have hoped he'd have been moved on.
Next season is going to be an interesting one to say the least, with the move to Widnes. I wonder if Saints have already written next year off,with a view to starting off 2012 with a bang at the new stadium with a couple of marquee signings to boot.

[Wendall]

I'm actually pretty dismayed that the two imports have been given new contracts. How can Saints declare a policy of only offering 1 year deals to over 30's and then give Kevin Sinfields mate (Meli and 31yrs old) a two year deal ?

I wonder what Sean Longs' thoughts are on this. After all Meli has lost Saints almost as many games as Sean won for us.
Flannery is just an ordinary player IMO. He's had his chance at Saints and I would have hoped he'd have been moved on.
Next season is going to be an interesting one to say the least, with the move to Widnes. I wonder if Saints have already written next year off,with a view to starting off 2012 with a bang at the new stadium with a couple of marquee signings to boot.

Next year is gonna be a big test with the lack of the home atmosphere and Cunningham gone. Be interesting to see how the youngsters who i rate highly come on, if they progress then Saints will be up there again, thats why I cant understand the signings of Meli and Flannery.

[MrFussy]

I'm actually pretty dismayed that the two imports have been given new contracts. How can Saints declare a policy of only offering 1 year deals to over 30's and then give Kevin Sinfields mate (Meli and 31yrs old) a two year deal ?

I wonder what Sean Longs' thoughts are on this. After all Meli has lost Saints almost as many games as Sean won for us.
Flannery is just an ordinary player IMO. He's had his chance at Saints and I would have hoped he'd have been moved on.
Next season is going to be an interesting one to say the least, with the move to Widnes. I wonder if Saints have already written next year off,with a view to starting off 2012 with a bang at the new stadium with a couple of marquee signings to boot.

I have to agree with most of what you say, the only reason i can see behind giving Meli a 2 year deal is that we could do with him next season due to a lack of quality backs available but he wouldn't have accepted a 12 month deal as he supposedly had other options open to him.

As for Flannery it's an odd one, a good club player but very rarely a standout performer, it seemed like the right time to part ways with him but I guess the club saw it otherwise and at least he won't let anyone down. I can't help but think we'd have been better off keeping Gilmour instead though, he added more pace and strike power than Flannery ever has or will.

I still have high hopes for next season, the squad looks like a pretty good one. Shenton should be an improvement on Gidley as he's looked very tired this year. He's given us good service during his stay but was already past his peak (the immense level he was at 10 years ago) when he came over and Shenton will add more pace and enthusiasm. The pack will also hopefully have more depth. Although we've replaced 4 outgoing props (Maurie, Fozzard, Hargreaves and Emmitt) with just the 2 (Perry and LMS) Maurie and Fozzard weren't major contributors anymore and while it's sad to see Bryn and Jake (who was a great prospect) go I think we've done pretty well.

Having Graham, Perry, LMS, Puletua, Clough and Soliola our pack should in theory be very dominant but sadly as Bewareshadows has said several times it lacks any real source of creativity (Wilkin tries but ultimately doesn't provide this). It will be interesting that's for sure.

[Millman]

When I first saw Flannery I presumed he was a young kid being given a chance rather than an import. He's ordinary, but would be a good signingat the likes of Cas, Wakey, Bradford or Warrington.

[bewareshadows]

When I first saw Flannery I presumed he was a young kid being given a chance rather than an import. He's ordinary, but would be a good signingat the likes of Cas, Wakey, Bradford or Warrington.

I'm still optimistic, it's not like we have a worse squad that this year, in fact it's a little bit better. Even the resigning of Meli is not a total surprise as he offers a little bit more than the younger players do going forwards. But Flannery is no better than clough or dixon for mine and in that situation should have been thanked for his good service.

[Wiltshire Rhino]

Paul Wellens is slow and past his best but still isn't often out of position, is safe under the high ball, deals with grubber kicks well, makes very few unforced errors and makes yards and breaks when he has the ball. I can't stand his whinging to officials (I can't stand it when any players, inc Rhinos, moan to officials) but if I was a Saints fan I'd be happy.

As for the other two.......

Edited by Wiltshire Rhino, 09 October 2010 - 06:35 AM.

[saintsbird]

FFS Meli!!! I despair

Wello fantastic Captaincy surely next year. Mr reliable & another hometown only club player

Flanno can either be great or insignificant

But MELI I really am lost for words......what on earth do these coaches & officials see that no one else seemingly does......he must be cheap is all i can think

Lets hope Simmonds has the guts to ditch him if he doesnt produce, which why should this year be any different.

God am off to have a big pot of tea

[1976PMJwires]

When I first saw Flannery I presumed he was a young kid being given a chance rather than an import. He's ordinary, but would be a good signingat the likes of Cas, Wakey, Bradford or Warrington.

Warrington????? your living in the past.

Westwood , Anderson , Harrison , Solomona..... so they would make ordinary Flannery a GODD signing.


Time for your tablets mate.

[Exiled Wiganer]

It is none of my business, and everyone is entitled to feel optimistic about their own team (I imagine Mick can see Bradford winning something next year), but I cannot understand the thinking behind Saints' recruitment this year. Who looked at their squad and concluded they needed a steady, defensive centre and a couple of big props, when they needed pace and flair and an iconic leader? The one area where Saints have been very strong is among the big forwards, so adding more of the same will hardmy make any difference unless they plan to have all 4 on the field at once.
I read they were after Uate - to aim for him and end up with Meli is a dreadful piece of business.
And who will they look to to get them out of the holes KC* has over the years? It is hard to think of a question to which Flannery is the answer.

[MrFussy]

It is none of my business, and everyone is entitled to feel optimistic about their own team (I imagine Mick can see Bradford winning something next year), but I cannot understand the thinking behind Saints' recruitment this year. Who looked at their squad and concluded they needed a steady, defensive centre and a couple of big props, when they needed pace and flair and an iconic leader? The one area where Saints have been very strong is among the big forwards, so adding more of the same will hardmy make any difference unless they plan to have all 4 on the field at once.
I read they were after Uate - to aim for him and end up with Meli is a dreadful piece of business.
And who will they look to to get them out of the holes KC* has over the years? It is hard to think of a question to which Flannery is the answer.

The pace and flair is lacking and as things stand still will be next season, your right on that one. The problem is the club seemingly can't afford transfer fees so can only take what's available. Uate was never going to be an achievable target given his form and long contract with the Knights, even a massive transfer fee may not have convinced them to sell. Would it not have been even worse business not to have Uate or Meli for next year? It will be interesting to see how Shenton kicks on, big things are expected from him I'm sure.

I think bringing in the two props was good business, our forward play for the last couple of years has been far too reliant on Graham and he looked shattered towards the end of the season (not to mention that next season may be his last with us). If Graham, Perry, McCarthy Scarsbrook, Puletua and probably Clough make up our front row next year then that's only five players so we obviously need them to be big high quality ones.

As for an iconic leader, they couldn't really have bought one of these in, it's a question of hoping that someone will step up and emerge as one surely?

[Vambo]

Flannery & Meli

Wellens earned his deal though. I thought he was a spent force the other year but fair play to him he's been excellent this season.

[bewareshadows]

The pace and flair is lacking and as things stand still will be next season, your right on that one. The problem is the club seemingly can't afford transfer fees so can only take what's available. Uate was never going to be an achievable target given his form and long contract with the Knights, even a massive transfer fee may not have convinced them to sell. Would it not have been even worse business not to have Uate or Meli for next year? It will be interesting to see how Shenton kicks on, big things are expected from him I'm sure.

The flair was supposed to come from Eastmond, Pryce, Soliola and Gidley. Sadly Eastmond got crocked part way through, Pryce is a great runner but does not really give flair. Soliola well injured all season. Gidley just got too old, was still a better than average player but did not have that style he once did.

Next year it looks like we'll still have Pryce unless Bradford up the offer which means all our flair play will come through Eastmond which will be easy enough for other teams to nulify.

I've stated about 100 times, in fact almost every time I've been on here. You need 3 pivots, who can take a ball to the line and kick. Saints have been running with 1 / 1and half since Scully finished. Even before that as Scully was well injured for 3 years. I understand buying the forwards and for mine over all it's a better pack next year than this. But the loose forward and stand off positions at Saints are lacking in kickers and flair players which looks to be the case for the next year unless one of the young lads show something to move Pryce or Flannery from their positions.

I think bringing in the two props was good business, our forward play for the last couple of years has been far too reliant on Graham and he looked shattered towards the end of the season (not to mention that next season may be his last with us). If Graham, Perry, McCarthy Scarsbrook, Puletua and probably Clough make up our front row next year then that's only five players so we obviously need them to be big high quality ones.

Totally agree

As for an iconic leader, they couldn't really have bought one of these in, it's a question of hoping that someone will step up and emerge as one surely?

Again we've been lacking a real leader since Sculthorpe left. Since then the captaincy has been rotated week after week between long , Wellens, Cunningham.
I'm not sure actually how much thought was put into picking a captain, or whether it just happened to be the oldest or longest serving on the field at that moment in time.

I truely think the captain should be a motivator and tactically aware, able to influence a game by either injecting himself into the game or direct others to do so.
Scully could do both. Joynt was a leader by example, goulding was a bit of both.
Recently it just seams to have become a figure head role.

[MrFussy]

I'm coming around to the idea that you stated previously of moving Pryce to 13. The biggest issue I have with that is if Lomax moved to 6 (which would be a much better position for him than being stuck on the wing) it would likely mean that if Gardner leaves as is expected then Meli would have to be played on the wing rather than in the centres. This seems like it's asking for trouble given some of his memorable bloopers, but then again his strike power out wide was a factor for us in doing the treble in 2006 and receiving service from a 6, 7 and 13 would allow him to fully utilise this.

The left over centre slot could be filled by Wheeler if he can ever stay fit or how about giving Tom Armstrong a proper run in the team and seeing what he can do. He's a natural centre and scored 24 tries in 17 games for the under 20's this year, if that doesn't merit being given a chance then I don't know what will.

On that basis the line up could be...

1. Wellens
2. Foster
3. Shenton
4. Armstrong / Wheeler
5. Meli
6. Lomax
7. Eastmond
8. Graham
9. Roby
10. Perry
11. Wilkin / Flannery
12. Soliola
13. Pryce

14. Moore
15. Puletua
16. McCarthy-Scarsbrook
17. Clough

Dixon, Ashurst, Magennis, Gaskell, Frodsham and the other young up coming players.

I reckon it'd be worth giving that line up a try, on paper it looks as good as anything else we could come up with and if it didn't work out we could always revert back to Pryce at 6. Lomax had a couple of games at 13 himself this year didn't he?