How old was Jamie Lyon when he came over?

He's played 8 games, and Moore 1 at international level, and More has a [ilot [/ito learn.

Hopefully you are correct and we do sign a prop.

Jamie Lyon played with a number of experienced players though

They both have alot to learn, but the fact they have both been internationals so young shows they are quality. I'm not really concerned about Long or KC going, which is shocking because i thought we'd be stuffed when they left.

I think we'll see some experience signed up in the front row. Our back row is a real strong point with a lot of experience in. Our backs too are very well experienced wellens, gardner, meli, gidley, soliola & pryce are all guys with a lot of experience.

It keeps coming back to props, though.... It's making me nervous, but, i felt exactly the same when lyon left and we didn't announce Gidley till really late in the day, but the board came up trumps with that one!

I don't doubt their talent and ability



Maybe I'm worrying about nothing, but as OM says that front row does need supplementing

I can't really see what all the fuss is about. In the coming years all SL sides are going to have to do with fewer overseas signings and bring more locally produced talent through the ranks. At the current rate of progress we'll get there first and have a strong side that will continue to challenge for honours.

PK we're losing the massive experience of long and Gilmour for certain and perhaps KC. We will still have a raft of experienced big game international players in Wellens, Gardner, Gidley, Meli, Pryce, Graham, Roby, Puletua, Fa'asavalu, Wilkin. Add Clough and Flannery to that mix with Siosola, and Moore and that's a pretty experienced core. Hargreaves wont let anyone down.
Then there's the young uns who've already acquited themselves admirably this season; Eastmond, Wheeler, Lomax, Dean, Dixon, and Ashurst.
One niggling worry is the number of inuries that Wheeler, Lomax, Eastmond and Frodsham are getting. Which begs the question whether they are yet physically up to SL standard.

We might not have noticed them quite so much this season in our young players had we not been forced to rely upon our young players! Potter has said on the Saints website that he would normally anticipate young players perhaps playing four or five matches in their first season. However, these guys have been thrown in far more often than that. Their skills, strength and fitness levels won't yet be fully up to that of first grade and so that surely makes them more vulnerable to injuries when they are having to play weekly matches? I suppose only time will tell. It would be a great shame if four of our best young players turn out to be dogged by injury as that will no doubt spoil their careers. However, I'm still hoping that it's just a case of either misfortune or having not yet adjusted to the demands of first grade rugby league.

Aaaaaah hahahahahahaha. Get your blinkers off! He's not fit to lace Long's boots.

Funniest thing I've heard for a while.

why? Obviously longy has achieved more in his career than mosr can dream, but in this season, comparing performances, i'd have to say eastmonds limited performances have been better than longy's. At 19 longy was nowhere near the player kyle is now, but noone can predict the future.

At 19, Sean Long was very special. I saw him play for Wigan's first team several to cover for injuries and he was brilliant.

Eastmond? Nah.

Would be great if Kyle made you look very silly tomorrow, but it would seem the weather gods have decided they want a forward slogathon (which Wigan will undoubtedly win looking at our bench).

Excuses excuses. Go on, get them in early.

I saw him play too and he didnt look that special tbh - he looked very much like Eastmond does atm - he showed alot of potential

And wigan let him go because??

Hindsight is wonderful.

Anyway, he was let go because he was a troublemaker, allegedly, and less than professional, also allegedly.

Wow, talk about missing the point. He didnt say he would be as good as long, he meant Eastmond will be the next saints number 7. But then I wouldnt expect a wigan schooled idiot to be able to read and comprehend anyway.

Idiot? Takes one to know one, I presume.

Does the hook hurt?

The banter is cranking up a notch, fight, fight, fight!!!

If i could pick a player to play against Wigan tomorrow, i would, without a doubt, pick Long before Eastmond. Although, i have confidence in Eastmond, especially the way hes played recently.

Stroll on.

you were better when you were on holiday.

Most clueless poster?

Hope you didn't cry when Kyle proved you wrong

Straight out of the cadoo book of posting. I make mistake so pretend I was trolling.

You werent trolling, you're just an idiot who cant read and comprehend what people write.

Saddened
You are under-estimating the overall cost to the club of youth development. You seem to only equate the youngsters' cost as their impact on the salary cap. That is very short sighted.

Every youngster that comes through demands a massive investment cost over years. You cannot dismiss this as just an ongoing overhead as the club has invested extra, over and above the norm, in this area.

I think it is no coincidence that Saints have one of the highest 'back room' costs in the league (only lower than Leeds), and the fact that these two teams are consistently top.

It does not necesarily follow that bringing youngsters through is always the cheaper option. It only saves money on the salary cap, but transfers massive costs to support staff.