He's out with a hamstring problem at present. He's also been out with a gash to the bone problem and a tummy upset problem this season.

Soliola has the knee problems.

They're pretty random problems, aren't they. Certainly not things you'd associate with being [iinjury prone[/i, which is a little consolation during his problems.

Next year will be interesting for our youngsters, I reckon. We've got Ashurst, Dixon, Armstrong, Wheeler, Lomax, Emmitt, Dean & Foster who are no longer complete newbies and will be expected to start to show whether they're actually long term Saints quality.

Would NOT have Wellens as our captain next year. His win record in the role is terrible and I do not think he is the right person.

Pick one from Graham, Pryce or Wilkin IMO. Think Pryce has really stood up this season and always seems to barking orders on the pitch, organising the team; so I'd probably go with him.

I think James Graham has to be made captain. It would be a master stroke in an effort to try and keep him. Wellens plays well when he thinks his spot in the team is under threat. Making him captain would make him an even bigger pudding.

I have heard that LMS is coming to Saints to replace Hargreaves so thats ben taken into account.

1. Paul Wellens
2. Ade Gardner
3. Michael Shenton
4. Sia Soliola
5. Jonny Lomax
6. Leon Pryce
7. Kyle Eastmond
8. Josh Perry
9. James Roby
10. James Graham (C)
11. Andrew Dixon
12. Paul Clough
13. Jon Wilkin (VC)

14. Scott Moore
15. LMS
16. Tony Puletua
17. Matty Ashurst

18. Chris Dean
19. Jacob Emmitt
20. Jamie Foster
21. Gary Wheeler
22. Lee Gaskell
23. Shaun Magennis
24. Tom Armstrong
25. Jamie Ellis
26. Gareth Frodsham
27. Jack Bradbury
28. Paul Johnson
29. Tom Makinson
30. Carl Forster
31. Ben Karalius

So you're saying both Flannery and Hargreaves are leaving at the end of this year?

I have been told about Hargreaves leaving due to being offered a better contract elsewhere while Flannery is just my opinion.

There are a lot of players out of contract but I imagine that not all the young players will get resigned. That is why I have not included Andy Yates. I imagine Jamie Ellis could be in trouble as well.

If we are going to promote players from the u21s and sign 2/3 players we have to cut some players to make space. Its all quite interesting.

Got to be Salford or Crusaders which probably means Balsa Frodsham
will be given an extended deal.

Despite the hype around frodsham, Emmitt's the one taking his chance at the moment. Played well against Leeds the other week in particular.

noel cleal - flannary has been one of our top performers every week this year so i dont see how we wont offer him a new deal, hargreaves will be kept on as we dont have many props for next season, LMS is a direct replacement for fassavalue is it comes off, agree with meli as i just dont rate him and never have, but unless we can sign someone to replace him i dont think we will let him go

Isn't Perry the replacement for Maurie?

If that is true then no doubt about it we can expect another big overseas signing imo.

Outs.

Gidley
KC
Fozzard
Hargreaves
Meli
Flannery
Faasavalu

Ins.

Perry
Shenton
LMS

No way does them 3 signings cover those that are leaving. Not a chance! and with Eamon stating that next years squad is going to be even stronger than i expect to see another 2 signingson top of them 3. If the likes of Wigan can go out and retain there best players on long contracts (Mossop and Tomkins) and still sign 3 quality NRL players then surely we can.

Do you not think we're going to see (continued) belt tightening whilst we're waiting at widnes for the new stadium to be ready?

Besides, I reckon Meli will get another contract and Emmitt is getting picked in front of Fozzybear at the moment.

If the belt gets any tighter it'll snap us in half at the waist.

Smeli won't be given a bumper deal. No one else wants him.

I'd have to agree, i wasnt sure but the lad has really taken his chances and seems to have a professional attitude.

Played well on Sunday as well. Big lad for his age, he doesn't look particularly athletic but he puts the work in. If he keeps it up I could see him taking Hargreaves' place.

I'd also like to add that if Saints dont think Gardner currently warrants a first team place when everybody is fully fit then we must be looking for a winger to replace Meli.

Lomax will be a starter next year imo.

As I mentioned earlier, come the end of next season, there's going to be at least half a dozen youngsters who the coaching staff will have probably made up their mind about, so we'll see them turn into first choice starting 17 regulars a la Clough, or farmed out on loan to Salford a la Smith.

rogues - perry in for fozzard/hopefully LMS for fassavalue

Perry and Shenton(if true) are very good signings for next year, prop and centre are two postions we needed.

I also think we are a top class backrow short for next year, we lack a good tackle breaker in the pack.

I would make lomax first choice winger in front of gardner now(when lomax gets fit) and try and get shut of gardner as he is rubbish. Meli will do for one more year as he's played pretty well.

Wheeler is getting to be a worry, if his bad luck with injuries carry on next year then we are a centre down again,.

All in all for 2011 i would like a backrower, another prop to replace maurie(LMS would do) and maybe a centre as wheeler never ever plays.

Emmitt does have 12 months on Frodsham, and hasn't suffered the season long injuries. But I agree that he has taken his chance when given it.

I assume that the 'tackle breaking' second row next year will be Soliola, especially if Wheeler can keep himself fit.

If we sign another prop, Puletua may also spend more time in the back row.

Puletua is by far a better prop than he is a backrow, he makes big yards and is massive, i would like to see tony p used off the bench to spell perry and graham.

I have watched alot of the NRL over past years and sia ain't really a tackle breaker to be honest, he's more of a good hard runner and big in defence.

When i say we need a tackle breaker in backrow, i mean a player like hock, joel tomkins, ali or just someone that can make things happen in attack.

With perry, graham, tony p and maybe LMS as props, roby, moore as hookers the front row is top class, but our backrows are all grafters, nothing wrong with grafters as they very important but i feel we just need some class to work along the hard work of clough, wilkin, flannery.

Fair Point. I doubt we will be getting one under the salary cap though, just have to hope the likes of McGennis turn into quality players.

Same here, i would much prefer the likes of magennis to come thru rather than bring in 3 NRL players

I realise there's mitigating circumstances, I myself have been keen to see his emergence when hearing about his exploits for Saints and England at junior level, it just a shame injuries have stifled his progress. Hopefully we'll see a bit more of him this year.