Any news on when he is back? I've forgotten what he looks like to be honest, so he might well be back playing already.

Should be back by then end of June as long as there's no set backs.

Told me on twitter the specialist is back monday to give him the results on his scan!
He's just waiting for the all clear and hell be back in full training, maybe the Wigan game?

He's going to be back for the Bradford game

I was told he's been in full training for last two weeks and they waiting for the scan results to see if it's fully healed.

Who would you throw out for Leon???

I think leon is important to us and a full fit Leon gives us a better chance of winning something.

He's got to play 6 with lomax as his 7 but my only concern with this is the kicking game. None of them have a good long kicking game. Both can kick the ball but it's hit and miss.

Gaskell has a very good long kicking game but IMO Leon has to play as he's so important to us when he's fit and playing how he can.

The only other option is Leon at 13 but I can't see this happening as Royce likes a big man there like TP, magennis or clough playing like a 3rd prop.

Exactly, Gaskell provides a specialist role that none of the other half backs bar Wheeler can really offer.
So to play Leon, would take out an element of our game. An element that releaves alot of pressure off the forwards to make field position.

I just think, Eastmond, Lomax and Leon offer similar qualities, all can be very good. Eastmond can offer his talents from the wing for me, Lomax has to stay at 6 for mine and Leon just ain't a 7. So it would be either Loose or some kind of roving roll maybe at FB to give Wellens some cover.

Basically we've got 5 half backs and they can't all play.

I think Leon and lomax in the halves. It's such a threat with the ball having them two in the halves. Gaskell can play centre so let him and wheeler fight for the centre spot with meli taking ades spot on the wing.

As I said tho, my only concern is the kicking game of Pryce and lomax.

Next year will be interesting with lance being brought in as a halfback. Next year IMO it's going to be either lomax and lance or Pryce and lance at halves but none have a great kicking game.

I think Pryce will go next year.

There is no way we can accomodate 5 half back on a regular basis and develop our younger players. If that occurs they will simply walk. Gaskell and Wheeler could fight for centre, but that's no position to utilise their kicking game. Loose forward would be an option for say Wheeler, but Royce likes having a prop there. Not even Wilkin can get a game there.

It's healthy to have competition though and with everyone coming back, places are going to be hard to get hold of.

When fit, Wellens is probably pretty safe as our FB option.
Foster has to play given his form and his kicking
Shenton is a given.
Lomax is fairly easy choice
Then Graham, Roby, Perry, TP, Soliola and Wilkin (although wilkin not as safe as the rest).

With LMS CLough as replacement props.

That leaves everyone else chasing a centre , half back and wing spot and 2 bench spots. Ok Meli is a first choice for wing or centre at the moment, but I would not say he was a dead cert, like those above.

I cant see past Lomax and Lance at halves tbh - dropping Lomax or moving him out on the wing or something would be a tragic waste of talent. I'd like to retain Pryce but I'd be putting him at Loose or maybe using him to fill the left centre spot. nothing stopping us rotating players during a game i.e Wello move into centre Lance to FB and Pryce in at 6 for spells

I don't think Pryce is a dead cert to go next year. Royce himself has said he wants to see how he goes when he's back before we offer him a deal which is common sense.

Pryce has said he wants to stay for rest of his career so it's no dead cert he's going.

Pryce is so important to what saints do and IMO if he played in the grand final last year we would have give a better account of ourselves and I also think we'd have won this year at the DW stadium.

Do you think we'll resign pryce??? Really. Royce likes a prop at loose so playing him or any half back there ain't really an option.

FWIW it's in today's Express he's off to Catalans.

True, but I think signing him and Lance would give the signal to Gaskell and Wheeler that it's time to look else where which will leave us short on half backs in 2 years time.

If Pryce is to leave then lomax and lance IMO will Defo play in the halves. Royce has said that lance will play in the halves and on lomax form at 7 this year I can't see how we can move him.

I doubt Royce will play Leon at 13. Royce dies it the new style Aussie way with a big man St 13 which in effect is a extra prop. The Aussies do this and Paul gallan is the perfect example of this. I'd bet my house that TP, clough, magennis or laffranchi will be our 13 in most games with a fully fit squad.

Leon in the centre is a option, it might work out pretty good. He's big, fast, can tackle and good hands but where does that leave wheeler

Exactly.

We have alot of talent at the moment. But none of those mentioned for me have the kicking game of Wheeler or Gaskell.
In which case we'd be playing with a set of running halfbacks. Leeds have done this with Burrows and Maguire, but they had Sinfield kicking from loose. We would not have that as we'd have a prop at loose.

So we'd be playing with no kicking game of any quality, unless Lomax makes it a training issue to take forward.

Only if Simmons stays with his present plan. He began the season playing Wilkin at loose and Wilkin was involved in a more Sinfield style play, which personally I prefer and hope he returns to. I'll be disappointed if we don't have Wilkin at loose playing a running and kicking game.

Maybe Royce has brought lance as wello's replacement but didn't like saying this as wello is a saints legend.

If we are all honest, we will all admit we do need a new fullback sooner rather than later. Wello has been a modern saints legend but I think we do suffer from his kick returns these days, he's still great under the kick and defence but we never get on the front foot these days from kick returns.

I honestly don't think Royce will go with wilkin at 13 when all fit. Last night he even had magennis at 13. It seems it's the way the Aussies have gone which is why most Aussie clubs and saints go with a outside back on the bench as we still have the four props but one in at loose.

I've said in few posts, Paul gallan is the prime example of the prop style 13. Royce loves TP there. I think this is the postion laffranchi will take up.

Perfect centre , as for Wheeler it probably doesnt mean much as he's always injured.

If Pryce goes anywhere it will be back to Bradford i have no doubt about it.

If / when he regains his fitness this year, he has to be in at 6. He's the player most likely to pull off a match winning play that we have.

An on-form Pryce at 6 and J-Lo at 7 is mouthwatering.

It is. But I just can't see it happening. I can't see Pryce being fit.

Only time will tell. I think he'll get back playing and play well. It might take 4/6 weeks but I can't see why he can't back to full fitness.