if he's contracted until the end of next year, then saints may be seeing how he goes before signing him up on a long term deal

Then why did saints offer ashurst, wheeler and dixon on long term deals?

They hadn't seen them player super league either when they signed.

IMO we should get Kyle signed now as this kid is the real deal. His pace will be trouble for any defence.

He got something about him that a young longy had.

Not true. All three had played for first grade. Wheeler played I think twice last season and also had played a couple of games this season. Ashurst and Dixon had both played this season before they were offered long term contracts (Dixon went out injured early on). All three look fine to me. Wheeler in particular is impressive. I just hope his body proves to be more resiliant in the long term than it appears to be at present.

Maybe 'they' aren't as sure of Eastmond as many fans appear to be? After all, Longy's role is fundamental to the future of the team. Eastmond can't be as quiet as he was on Friday night too often or else he will struggle to hold on to the position. With Ellis in the background and, of course, Smith out at Celtic then he really needs to front up consistently if he is going to stand a chance, I would imagine.

You wrote something similiar when you was in Perpignan but it was a different story.

Do random people always introduce themselves to you randomly and talk absolute shizer!

He aint going anywere but yet again you no that! wind up merchant.

If Eastmond goes it will be [ibecause Saints don't want him and no other reason.[/i

And if we don't want him it'll be because we have someone better.

He may have been quiet last night but he is 20yrs old playing scrum half in a derby. What did you expect? He only started about 5 games!

Don't forget he won us the game and looked like the only player able to make a break.

Do you really think the club would allow Kyle to carry on playing untill his contract runs out for him to move to Union ? If he was off we would be sorting our 500 grand cheque out now because thats not far off what we could ask for him imo.

Rogues as told many lies like this about Saints but changes the person, Location and random person involved each time.

so far:

60 meter try at home against pies,

comes on as sub at jjb to kick goal off touchline then dropped 40 meter drop goal,

takes wolves apart at HJ,

very impressive at stoop last week,

wins a saints and Wigan derby in last few mins.

Not to mention a good try scoring and goal record.

And what as ashurst, dixon done?

I expect him to perform as he has done in other matches, when he hasn't been quiet, that's why I referred to consistency! If he is going to be one of our key players I expect him to perform in his role consistently enough for us to be able to have confidence in his ability, both now and in the future. I'm not saying he should never drop a ball or make a wrong decision or pass inappropriately: judgment for those things will come in time. But he cannot spend 75 minutes NOT probing and seeking out and doing all that scrum half stuff, and just do it once towards the end. IMO that isn't good enough for the pivotal role he is going to play. Next week he may be all over the place doing his thing and if so, great. He needs to be doing that every week. He won't be as effective every week and he will make errors of judgement, etc, as he learns his trade. But he does need to be showing a consistently noticeable presence in every match for him to deserve the shirt after Longy has gone IMO.

You are comparing apples and oranges. Ashurst and Dixon are interchanged, for starters. I think both have scored tries; Ashurst certainly has. They work very hard both in defence and attack and have not looked out of place in their roles at this level. IMO that is more than sufficient for them to be offered a longer term contract. Kyle's role is a different one from that of Ashurst and Dixon. Chances are there will be more Ashursts and Dixons around than Eastmonds, in terms of players in those positions, given the more creative and instinctive characteristics needed for a good scrum half.

I understand what your saying but he is a long lad in a key postion.

If saints are going with youth next year then you are going to have to except that the likes of eastmond and co will have quite games as they learn.

IMO in a ideal world longy would do another year to give Kyle little bit of time to bed in as another year learning would do him good.

The lad is only 20 and still got alot to learn.

I'm not comparing eastmond to dixon or ashurst.

I'm saying why isn't eastmond been signed on longer deal like the other kids?

Please feel free to go back and show where.

Do you believe or not that someone came to me last night to tell me about Eastmond.

If you want to call me a liar fair enough, that's your call, but there were three other people with me who can tell you that it DID happen.

The Perpingan story was NOT about about a Saints player it was about an ex Wigan player now at Hull, and was also true.

Two of the Saints players I have referred to in the past as "being a problem are no longer at your club, one at Celtic and one has had more clubs than Jack nicholas, Quins, Cas, Salford Widnes etc

Was I correct?

when i say long term deal i mean 5-6 years, probably on very good money, whereas the other lads are probably on less.

Kyle was pretty good last night, yet again Leon did nothing to help him out though.

Hopefully Potter has the backbone (i doubt he does) to keep Longy out of the team when he is fit, assuming Kyle continues in his current form.

I agree entirely. I was trying to speak about presence on the pitch, which should be there naturally, as with Tomkins (who is the same age, isn't he?). His craft will be learned over time, but the raw potential should be obvious every week, surely? Or maybe scrum halves have quiet matches?

As for the point about contracts ... either the club aren't willing to commit as yet or Eastmond isn't. Either way, I'm not worried. I'm just glad we've snapped up Wheeler.

I think Leon was too busy trying to get the rest of the team to play as a team! Did you not see him yelling at them all the time? He was working his butt off but sometimes it looked like he was doing it alone, Jammer and Wellens excepted.

Why do people have this blind hatred of Leon? It's ridiculous. He was our best player last night by a long way, I've rarely seen a player work as hard or be as committed as Pryce was last night.

sorry i don't agree. IMO Kyle is showing more than enough raw talent every week.

I also think we are fooked without Kyle as he the only player who looks like making a break.

I think at this moment in time with his attack and his goal kicking he is the most important player.

I,ve been impressed with Leon Pyrce this season, he's doing a lot of good stuff that often goes un noticed, in defence for instance, for example Friday nights double tackle on the 2 wigoon players. He never fails in being in position for the 2nd phase attack. What annoys me is when he isn,t making breaks and scoring trys people say he drifts in and out of the game when he is actually doing the "un-noticed stuff".
Can,t wait for Eastmond/Pryce(Little and Large) to fully click into place, then the opposition will have something seriously to worry about.

I agree. Leon does work hard even when he ain't at his best but if you ever mention wilkin going missing nearly every week the is a uproar.

Leon is a born winner and that shows on the field.

Any criticism of Pryce on last night's performance is utterly ridiculous IMO. I didn't think he was MOM but he tried everything to break their defence down. Don't forget, he is having to try and form a partnership every bit as Kyle is.

jammer was by far best player on pitch

Now, that I do agree with, especially at present with our injury/illness woes.

That annoys me too. He is everywhere, working hard defensively and popping up as needed, usually to make a great pass (one of which would have made a great try last night had Gilmour not dropped the ball!) or kick or whatever. He's had to be a man with a mission this season given the absence of Long (twice) and others.