Haha yeah mate I'd like to think so.

As for Dawson, I'd rather see McDonnell backing up on the wing and Peyroux/Turner backing up at centre so for me wouldn't be in the top 25. Not much between having him in there or Charnock though for example.

Presumedly the 2 Welsh lads will be pushing for their debut next year too, which pushes Dawson further down the pecking order! Least Charnock has some extra value covering the spine (in particular hooker).

Just makes the contract extension baffling! Reserve team captain?

It depends if they want a "regular" captain or just pick and choose the most senior player each week. I can see someone like Thompson being good for that role in the weeks he isn't in the 1st team.

I'm really hopeful Thompson can re-find his form next year, it would put us in a really strong position in the backrow.

The reserves thing is interesting - by my count we have 32/33 players on the books full time next year as it stands, so we need to pick a few more players, or play u19s

I had huge hopes for Thompson for 2015 and it hasn't panned out. Hopefully he will kick on for next year.

You are so right. He would only come if 2016 was included in the deal.

Why am I not surprised ?

Also hoping we sign a new centre to finish off our squad for next year, but with what we currently have I'd guess our top 25 something like:

1. Lomax
2. Makinson
3. Turner
4. Percival
5. Swift
6. Burns
7. Walsh
8. Walmsley
9. Roby
10. Amor
11. Vea
12. Wilkin
13. LMS
14. Tasi
15. Peyroux
16. Fages
17. Savelio
18. Greenwood
19. Richards
20. Thompson
21. McDonnell
22. Dawson
23. Charnock
24. Knowles
25. Davies

1. Lomax
2. Makinson
3. Turner
4. Percival
5. Swift
6. Burns
7. Walsh
8. Walmsley
9. Roby
10. Amor
11. Vea
12. Wilkin
13. LMS

14. Fages
15. Greenwood
16. Tasi
17. Savelio

18. Richards
19. Thompson
20. McDonnell
21 Dawson.
22. Peyroux
23. Flemming
24. Charnock
25. Ashworth

No point upsetting a player because of a squad number. Percy gets Jones 4 and Walmsley gets Moses 8.

The rest don't have any significance, it will be interesting how high the numbers go up to at the start of the season. We have a pretty big squad next year!

I'm a new poster to the site. It's interesting to see thoughts on our squad composition for 2016.One young player that we saw very little of last year ( I think just the one game v Hull where the whole side were below par ) was Jack Ashworth.Watching him in the under 19's in 2013 & 2014 he was outstanding and very consistent. If we can get him to recapture the form he showed then he could solve our lack of another quality centre.

Hi Jack/Jack's Dad, how are you

My goodness Saddened you caught us / me out how very astute of you!!!

Don't encourage him!

As a point though Ashworths name wasn't among the many many kids announced with new contracts - is he still at the club?

He got a 3 year deal last year, so didn't need a new deal. Maybe Jack's Dad is right, maybe he's quite good if he got a three year deal so young without making an impact on the first team?

I expect the reserves team to be able to answer that question, but I thought he was seen more as a second row?

Correct, he's just completed the first year of a three year deal. I'm not sure how PhilT says he was outstanding in 2014 because he picked up a nasty injury in the first or second game that season and didn't feature again.

From what I seen of him in 2013 he shown plenty of promise and certainly look the part. It's ridiculous to judge him in that one game against Hull. The whole team was flat, but more importantly, that was his first game of any rugby in 15 months.

I was stunned that he was given a three year deal, but they obviously see something in him. He's two years younger than Greenwood so he's got plenty of time and will no doubt Benifit from the reserve structure.

You may well be right he did get injured in 2014 but not sure it was that early on in the year.Whilst not the quickest for centre he is big and athletic with good hands.He may well end up in the second row but certainly was a standout in the centres for the u19's.The reserve team this year will give him an opportunity to show what he's capable of.We'll see.

I wish clubs would stop pushing young centre prospects into the second row just because they have size. There's nothing wrong with a big centre, in fact, I prefer them.

Paul Newlove for example was a high quality, powerful, big centre so I completely agree with you

Mal Menninga, Gene Miles, Greg Inglis to name a few. That size and power out wide is a potent weapon.

Kevin Iro, Scott Gibbs, Keith Senior to name a few more

Paul Loughlin was a big lad for his age, made his debut when he was about 17 or 18 years of age. I don't recall the coach playing safe and sticking him on the wing or in the pack.

I really have a bug bear and that's when coaches don't play the young kids in there preferred position. That's where the lad has trained and played at Academy level so why do coaches persist on moving good powerful centres into the Second Row or Loose Forward? I really cant think of too many players that have been successful at Saints doing this apart from Josh Jones who turned out to be a solid player. I don't really like following the 'Australian Way' but at least when a kid has come through the ranks they are played in there position they have come accustomed to in there Academy. Super League has a whole has probably lost numerous players because coaches wont play them where they play best. I accept at times you can come across a player that might suit another position more in the first team but for me it happens way to often where coaches simply get it alarmingly wrong.

+1

I said the same thing when Saints decided to select Bailey for the first team then shoved him on the wing. Had an awful game, confidence dashed and shoved back in the academy. Never got a look in again and we got Quinlan in instead and the rest is history.

The lad might not be good enough to make the grade at Saints, who knows...but at least give them half a chance by playing them in a position that's more familiar to them. It's like having all your driving lessons in a Ford Fiesta but having to take your test in a Jaguar.