What are they being threatened with? Just dropped from the squad or out the door at the end of the season?

On a separate note it was interesting watching Cunningham's interview about the visit of Huddersfield were he referenced that Brough has the best kicking game in the competition. Also, he talked about Wardle being a fantastic centre/backrower and how he'd love to have him in his team.

I'm probably reading to much into it, but if I was Walsh or Turner I'd be taking notice of them words.

They won,t be at the club going forward was the quote. Won,t apply to Mose as he,s not here next year. So is it just Burns under the cosh at the moment.

Four players was told last chance or they out the team.

Biggest game of the season tomorrow. If we lose this I reckon our season is done. Our confidence will be in tatters and we have 4 very tough games to follow (the next two away at Leeds and Cas).

A win though and we rebuild confidence and go 4 clear of Huddersfield and back in the race with Wigan for 2nd. Massive game this one, no excuses for Saints now, they have to perform.

Makinson - A timely boost or rushed back to try and blunt the recent bad news?

The quotes in the media from Long and KC seems very hollow.

4 players on their last chance - Really ?

We shall see.

Huddersfield started dreadfully but have bulit slowly and quietly.

Saints have flattered to deceive all season.
Too many many cliques and accommodations to be serious contenders.

Flair has been systematically managed out of the team and individuals.

Not just a couple of bad days at the office.
The culture of boring mediocrity is too deeply engrained to be changed in a week.

Milward's era was far from perfect and left some scars but the side could come back from a 40point drubbing
one week and destroy the best with flair and style the next week.

The battle cry this week involves getting into the grind , completing sets and hoping for the best. WOW.

Next season to be based around Walsh and Burns sitting pretty on their fat contracts , Les getting another two years and signing a Kiwi version of Flannery. Oh dear.

Why? He's dramatically outperforming Burns in terms of halfback play at the minute.

4 players warned about their future...Who would we guess at? Burns? Was Amor warned before being given his go this weekend? Turner (if so that's harsh, he isn't as exposed when defending alongside someone who can be d)? Let speculation commence

Amazed if Amor was mentioned. The lad works his backside off every single game & never imo gives less than 100%.

We can agree to disagree on who is performing better out of the two; I would personally rather Burns than Walsh on current form. However to suggest Walsh is dramatically outperforming Burns is ridiculous. Walsh isn't dramatically outperforming anyone or anything at the moment.

Burns, Masoe, Flanagan and Swift.

Which would seem counter productive. Masoe is already gone at the end of the season, rumour is flash is gone to (Salford muted). Burns has another two year big deal in the bank & will be laughing his head off & Swift will be one of the lower earners.

He's got an issue with JT at the moment so one will be him no doubt, the others should be Walsh, Les Dawson & himself. The juries out at the moment on all four

Are we talking about players who aren't putting a shift in or are we talking about ability here?

From what I can see, Flash is a workhorse who tackles everything he can and is always willing to put his hand up for other roles even though he probably isn't the best rugby player you'll see. Swift scores tries, defuses bombs and is always willing to run it out of the 20 whilst that lazy 'I'll bother to play when I want to' Masoe watches on.

Burns also puts a shift in but currently his game management and contribution to the attack is a bit poor.

This thread just seems to be turning into a free for all swipe at the players that people don't particular rate than actual effort.

Don't panic, everyone! JT is here to save the day... www.sthelensstar.co.uk/sport/sai ... ?ref=twtre

Don't panic, everyone! JT is here to save the day... www.sthelensstar.co.uk/sport/sai ... ?ref=twtre

You have GOT to be taking the mickey. I won't defend Burns' go-forward. But the guy is always the first man challenging the kick receiver whilst Walsh looks completely out of his depth tackling for most of the game ON THE WING.

How can you have the supposed brains of the side spending half the game on the wing?

The guy can barely walk. He can't tackle at all. His kicking for territory is non-existent.

Right now the only thing standing in his favour is his ability to kick a ball high.

Saints performed miracles last season winning the GF without halves. But you simply can't go through an entire season with no halves. If you could - there'd be no need for them in the game.

Cunningham has to bench the guy for the rest of the season and look VERY SERIOUSLY at whether he's likely to be anywhere close to fit next because with two key players already with question marks hanging over them for next season (Lomax & McDonnell) we simply can't afford a third.

Well looks like the experiment with JT at loose has failed.

The whole team failed. Another one up performance. Totally clueless with the ball. We must have had 5/6 sets on Hudds line at one point.

Jamie Ellis looked better than both our halves.

Yes, the best gauge of halfback play is whether they challenge a kick receiver.

Walsh defends one in from the wing, as do most halfbacks. Burns defends two in from the wing.

Here was me thinking the things you look for in a halfback are organisation, a kicking game, vision and a passing game (and a running game which neither of them have). Yet despite the fact that Burns has played ten more games, Walsh has made more try assists, more tries, more attacking kicks, more clean breaks and a game winning drop goal. But then again, Walsh does defend out wide, along with every single other halfback...

It's crazy to move Turner to loose (in the second half!). I said we'd be just as leaky down that channel and we were.

To be fair - it was a tough game. Huddersfield were coming with form - but more importantly a settled side. This is something we've just not had in ages.

Can't fault the forwards. Yes, some individual mistakes were made. But the real issue is the link play between the backs and the forwards. It's non-existent.

I think Walsh is struggling so badly with his fitness and lack of confidence that his head for game tactics is completely fried. Danny Brough didn't have to do a great deal to play him off the park.

Toothless, boring, one up rugby. Walmsley and Roby doing most of the graft again. And terrible discipline...we gave away so many needless penalties.

That performance was so bad even Stevie Wonder would have covered his eyes.

The fundamental metric for a rugby league PLAYER (before we even begin to talk about positions) is his ability to contest physically.

Burns can.
Walsh can't.

We where shocking again. No organisation or direction when he have the ball. Someone mentioned that we can 5/6 sets on their line and we only scored from a cheeky drive/scoot. I still think we look shot and tired before we even kick off. Could training be an issue? Also I noticed a little bit of in fighting during stoped play, mainly between Swift and Jones. Either way we need to get a few basics sorted and build. It's starting to feel like Royce is back.

I found that Turner changed our game for the 1st 20mins of the 2nd half. Then we went craps again

The whole squad needs wholesale changes, but we have spent badly on 18 fullbacks, so I guess we shall have to make do.

Walsh's defence cost us the game against Leeds. He did his best to cost us the game against Wire and he did nothing tonight.

All the talent in the world counts for naught if you aren't willing to and/or capable of competing.

And no - not every halfback in the league defends (poorly) on the wing. Keep up.