I suspect that is true sadly.

The simple reason you have no halfbacks? Impatience, and throwing them in early and expecting them to be the same player they were when they were unknown to the rest of the league. That, and the unfortunate situation of the one you actually stuck with being turned by a code that can pay more.

Halves and props, they take a long time to mature into the players they can be.

Yet Hohaia is one of the fastest players we have, and was quite an elusive runner...

Elusive runner? When, its his usual show & go or nothing & his blistering pace of yester year is long gone. He is ponderous & so slow decision making any pace he still has is ineffective. I accept he still has some pace but hes been burned on the outside a few times this season in defence....

If only he could defend, pass (at the standard expected of a halfback) and organise.

We took a punt on lance and it failed, a few of us (most) were worried about the length of contract and now that's come to bite us. But without spending real money on a transfer fee we're going to be stuffed. The extra 12k Wigan offered Matty smith looks like small change now doesn't it??

Loan a 7, I say.

I wonder if we could get Trent Hodkinson ... not a regular for the Bulldogs at the moment

If he's not needed for their first grade, surely the experience of playing first team Superleague would be seen as a positive for him (or someone like him)?

Ryan Brierley played well for Leigh on Friday at Wigan.

Dont know him but if he's available , cheap and has potential he's a better option than the we are currently playing in the halves

That's the thing. If we REALLY don't have any halfbacks in the academy, there surely must be a couple knocking about in the Championship that would be willing to step up to Super League on loan. Their clubs would take a few crates of beer in exchange, or possibly the loan of some surpless to requirement players, say A Laffranchi or L Hohaia.

Or Howarth , we should be looking in the championship , I refuse to believe there is no talent hanging round there

Walmsley and Hill are proof that there is!

The frustrating thing for me is the wall of silence eminating from LP. Feels like they are quite happy to not even compete this season.

Aint that the truth, if i was Mr Mc i'd be mad myself!

There has got to be a decent half back in the championship that we could get on a dual registration? Danny Brough was signed from York, surely there is another gem out there somewhere that could do a job for us at this level?

I've watched some great halfback play during Championship matches on a Thursday evening but whether Saints would think that any of those halfbacks were good enough for Saints is another matter.

they cant be worse than what we have now!

Brierley is a good player. Still young and has a shot at SL.

I like Ridyard from Leigh but at 27 think SL is beyond him.

Does anybody else not think its the structure and game plan at fault rather than the players actually playing at 6 and 7. Look at Wigan for example they have runners everywhere. We never seem to have any set moves of any kind (except the blind side move from the scrum which is horrendously predictable and poor).

When our halfs get the ball they have very little options and it is very very flat. At the moment the way we play, any half back would struggle to look good. it's just one out rugby. Wigans 6 and 7 are nothing special they just slot into their robotic system really well, and have a decent kicking game.

You can argue chicken and egg here but a good strong 7 sets plays up and demands runners, they are the team's general. If you are brave enough to watch the first 20 mins of the KR game watch the clips of Dobson, its everything we are lacking.

Totally agree we need an organiser and Dobson would be my choice, but this has to stem from the coaching ie having a game plan as well. We look clueless with the ball and as I said our outside backs and forward runners are flat. A number 7 shouldn't have to constantly tell them to run on to the ball.

The last home game v Catalans I couldn't believe what I was seeing when they had a man sent to the sin bin and the set of six we had from the penalty (30 metres from their line) we did 5 drives.

I see your point and to a degree your right but a 7 is the coaches man on the field , almost a mini coach , a man to enact the plan and boss people about. We have a second row with a big gob and a fullback who is better known these days for flapping his arms round like some kind of demented penguin and shouting at refs than actually providing leadership.

The situation is amplified too of course by other injuries and a general lack of leaders

Your spot on with the reference to a demented penguin he also plays stand off like one.

Agree with the injuries as well to an extent. Obviously roby and lomax will make a massive difference to our attack.

Only time will tell!