Saint Toppy

Hard to tell which position Lomax was playing in to be honest. Named at LF and moved around the field like a LF but took up the 1st receiver position at a couple of the scrums like a traditional stand off. Wellens went off with a knock in the last 20 and he moved to full back then and didn't look out of place in any of the positions. Personally i'd like to see him as Wellens long term replacement at full back with either Wheeler or Gaskell taking over from Pryce at 6. It was also good to see Jamie Ellis make his long awaited come back in the U20's game. I reckon if Eastmond defects to the dark side in 2012 then this lad is more than capable of making the step up to take his place.

Ultimately this result won't stop Wigan winning the hubcap, but what it will do is put a bit of doubt into their minds and show other teams that they need not fear going to the pie dome in the play off's. As for Mason, standing on the ankle of another player is a cheap shot and he should get a ban for that but it acheieved exactly what he set out to do which was completely put Fielden off his game

Has someone lent you a yawnion calculator ? there were nowehere near 800 Bradford fans there, more like 250 -300 max. As for the game itself, aside from the scoreline the most pleasing thing was the way the younger players are performing. Lomax was outstanding at loose forward (though he did switch to full back in the 2nd half), Foster is already miles better than Gardner & Emmett completely out muscled the much bigger & experience Bradford props in Lynch, Scruton & Kopczac. Even more pleasing that Eastmond came through the game unscathed so maybe Saints can get to the GF after all.

Salford are buiding quite nicely for next season. Patten is class and will be the star of the show for them and their other signings, whilst they may not set SL alight they are a step up from what they currently have (though I do have my doubts about Nero as a centre) and will certainly help Salford to be more competitive.

This is a wind up isn't it ? The guy has hardly played for 2 years and the odd game i've seen him play in this year he's looked unfit, overweight and struggling to keep up with the pace of the game. Would have been a great addition to any SL side 5-6 years ago but now he's just a has been Shocking signing for the dulls if true !

He's been a great servant to Salford & to the game. Never quite had that little bit extra to make the step up into the international scene but deserves a lot of credit for sticking with Salford through their bad times as i'm sure a quite a few other SL clubs would have taken him on board. I'm glad Salford have offered him a place in the coaching team as he probably has a lot of respect from the younger players at the club and is a good role model.

Apparently Potter is keen to take him to the Bulls but Flannery would prefer to stay at Saints. However Saints are holding off on making Flannery a new contract offer as they've made offers to other overseas players (rumoured to be Blair & Uate) and are waiting to hear back from them first.

SAINTS Out Confirmed Cunningham (Retiring) Gidley (Retiring) Fa'Asavalu (Yawnion) Matty Smith (Salford) Fozzard (No takers yet) Out Rumoured Meli (Hull) Gardner (Bradford) Flannery (Bradford) Dean (Salford or Widnes) Ste Tyrer (anyone who want's him) In Confirmed Josh Perry Michael Shenton In Rumoured LMS (Quins) Will Sharpe (Quins) Adam Blair (Melbourne) Uate (the winger from Newcastle Knights) I definately think Saints are in the hunt for another forward & a winger so maybe at least 1 of these rumoured signings will come off.

I'm sure had Saints known the seriousness of Pryce's injury earlier in the week then they would have named Gaskell in the 19 as cover. By the time Pryce's scan results came back the squad had been named and Saints had to go with the 19 they had named. Gaskell isn't in the same class as Pryce (not yet anyway) but he does have a pretty decent kicking game and if he'd played i'm sure Saints would have stood a better chance of winning. It was our poor kicking & last tackle options that ultimately cost us the game.

Oh please let it me true, oh please let it be true !!!! Saints must have the 2 worst wingers in SL and both Meli & Gardner are long overdue for replacement. I reckon Jamie Foster has shown enough potential to be given one spot so just a new winger to replace Gardner to find (assuming we can find another club dumb enough to take Gardner). That article made me laugh with the line "Meli a fans favourite" he's one of the most derided players ever to pull on a Saints shirt and there won't be too many on the terraces shedding a tear if he leaves.

And what about Shedingly ? Having 1 shiny new stand doesn't make it an adequate stadium. The south stand is partly closed & one the verge of falling down and the away supporters end is just a few concrete steps in the open air. Their main stand isn't much better and all we hear from the whino's is a 'promise' that they will renovate. Shedingly is 3/4 sh*t hole and the RFL should grow some balls and stop ar*e kissing Hetherington & Co and apply the same rules to Leeds as they have to the other clubs with poor stadia - A warning letter that they must renovate it or risk losing their licence !!

Players develop at different rates. Look at Joel Tompkins, years older than his brother and 18 months ago looked destined for a life in the lower leagues. Inuries gave him his chance back at Wigan and he's developed massively since

I'm pretty happy with this signing. He's not the finished article yet and I dont think Saints will see the best of him next season as there's always a bit of a settling in period when a young player leaves him hometown club where's he's spent his whole career and moves to a new one (Long, Sculthorpe & Newlove were all pretty average in their first seasons but turned out to be fantastic players). Is he currently as good as Gidley or Lyon were - no - Lyon was a freakish talent and Gidley was an established international who has seen & done pretty much everything in the game, but I do think Shenton has the potential to become a really top class centre and his style of play will fit in well at Saints.

Because Bentham is Hetherington's bit*h, he will never give a decision against Leeds whoever they're playing ! I was surprised Ganson never sent him off. The guy does make mistakes but he's one of the few Ref's who has the balls to brandish a red card. I can only guess that he didn't get a clear view of the incident (couldn't see the point of contact), sought the advice of Bentham and wasn't given any, hence had no choice but to only place it on report.

You mean like the 20,000+ wire fans who wen't to Wembley last year but have been nowhere near the HJ this season !!!

I'm sure Mr Hetherington will classify Ablett's tackle as just being 'mis-timed' and state that Bailey just has an 'unusual running style' and instruct the judiciary to clear both players of any wrongdoing

The club stuck by him with his off field troubles, so unless he's been a naughty boy again I can't see why they would wan't rid of him, especially as he's playing some of his best rugby since around 2006.

All signed on free transfers - Damn good pieces of business from the Saints board !

I thought the Bulls were skint ? where is the money coming from for the transfer fee for Pryce ?? because there's not a cat in hells chance of Saints letting him go for free !

Jeeze if these 2 are the level of your ambition then you'll be out of the play-off's for years to come. Gardner is non-existant with out top class centre inside him (he's had Gleeson, Lyon & Gidley) and Meli will cost you as many tries as he scores with some absolute howlers (though he is pretty good when he can be bothered). At Saints there will quite a bit of room left under the cap for next year. KC, Gidley, Maurie & Fozzard are definately leaving. Meli, Flannery, Dean & Wellens have not yet been offered new contracts (though I'd expect Wellens to sign one soon). With only Perry signed so far (with Shenton likely soon) there's going to be money to spare. I'd expect at least 1 more forward from the NRL to be added and huge new long term deals offered to Graham & Eastmond and other improved deals for some of the other youngsters like Ashurst, Dixon, Lomax, Foster, Emmitt & MaGennis.

Bradford cant blame this, its been tough times financially for most clubs. There's only really been Warrington & Leeds who have been splashing cash & signing players over the last few years. Look at Wigan & Saints, they've hardly made any signings (concentrating more on bringing their own youngsters through) and yet they sit 1st & 3rd on the table

and I suppose the only geometry that should get a point would be rectangular then ?

I'd like to see the Magic weekend as a 'Home Grown' Round where clubs can only select 17 players who have come through their own system's. Not only would it increase the rivalry if combined with local derbies (imagine 17 local Saints lads against 17 local Wigan lads), but it would also force clubs to invest even more in their own youth set up's. If clubs knew they didn't have 17 lads who could play 1st team and they would get a real hammering they would soon rethink their development policies.

If Shenton signes for Saints i'll be very happy. He's not in the same class as Newlove yet but he has plently of developing to do. I remember when Newy first came to Saints he was brilliant in attack but his defence was somewhat dodgey and it took another couple of years before he became a truly world class player. Hopefully Shenton will develop the same way. Saints will have a pretty decent set of backs with Shenton, Soliola, Lomax, Pryce & Eastmond in it next year.

If the bulls fans see Potter as their saviour then they're going to be very disappointed. He has experience and a fair amount of tactical knowledge but his personality (or rather lack of) means he isn't able to bond with the players and impart all that knowledge onto them. He simply isn't able to motivate and get the best out of players the way other top class coaches can. This type of personality also doesn't go down too well with ther fans and Potter's reluctance to speak to them makes him seem passionless & disinterested. He's by no means the worst coach Saints have ever had but he's a long way from being the best.