Indeed. We've got the most balanced squad we've had since 2006, and we can't possibly have as bad a year of injuries as last time round. Barring some kind of negative dressing room reaction to the new coach I can't see any reason why we won't finish in the top 4 and give Wigan a hell of a game at MM. In fact, we should realistically be aiming to finish top and win silverware.

If you follow the boys on Twitter it seems that Fozzard was a real negative person to have in the team and especially Wilkin is liking the fact he's not around.
Can't wait to see them two against each other this year.

Wilkin, moaning ? give over

I was always under the impression Fozzy was an extremely popular member of the squad? Perhaps the posts are meant tongue in cheek?

Thats certainly the way i've interpreted them.

yep, seems irony is lost on some people!

Yes I can see they are taking the pi$$ but they must have an element of truth for them all to find it so funny, also for him to be dropped from such a hight last season by Harry Potter.

The "sore legs" one was a running joke - I remember reading something about it in an interveiw with one s of the players.

He sounds like a big life sapper which isn't conducive to creating a winning team at the top level of sport.

I quite like the way we are being written off, and the extra pressure being placed on teams like Wigoon, whose fans seem to believe that they are now firmly back in a golden era of domination of the game. If Saints can stay relatively injury free (and that's a big if!) I think we may quietly go about mounting a challenge for silverware again this year. Win or lose at MM, I think we'll be there or there abouts at the business end of the season.

Anyone?

well noone else seems to want to offer an opinion, so i'll have a go!
This is a huge shout, but i think he could turn out to be the best signing, not just for us, but for any club, he wont have cost the earth, could be here 6 years or more and already seems to be flourishing in a much better team. As i said, a huge shout, but from what ive seen at both friendlies, i'm very impressed so far!
Oh, and its great that he's the only player without a name on his shirt too!

i went on monday and from a neutral point of view

1. Hudds were better than is being reported, very solid and organised as we've come to expect , Brough was his usual box of tricks and Crabtree coming off the bench put in a big show- interesting comments from Nathan Brown not really mentioned in despatches was that he's pleased Earls' testimonial is over - no more off the field distraction

2. Given the first half was non stop whistle blowing ( 22 pens) - you can only form a proper footballing opinion on the 2nd 40.
Saints were trying all sorts of combinations and with Hudds spot on in every sense in the 3rd quarter it was no surprise that the score went Hudds way

3. Some decent patches for Saints , Ive raved about Gary Wheeler for years and if he stays fit- his superb skills will come to the fore, Kyle needs a bit more time realistically to get 100 per cent , Royce knows the defence needs to improve.

4.LMS went fine - he'll come on fine playing with Jammer and dont forget theres still Josh Perry to come in mid march

Doommongers need to just take a step back - as long as the team isnt done in by long term serious injuries they'll be right up there and everyone needs to remember that its a 27 round comp with some very decent sides in it. and having seen a few in pre-season without doubt Wigan are the team to beat- looked ominous so far

Stop being sensible. We want to worry ourselves to death about how crap we will be.



(a very good and constructive post really IMO)

Big call like you say, but it might just be the right call. He's certainly got age on his side and the fact that he'll be surrounded by a better quality of player will only help his course. Lima at Wigan is getting some great reviews to say the least, so he'd be my bet for signing of the season.

I really like lima, as good a signing as perry in my book, but like Perry, i doubt he'll be here for more than just this contract, which i imagine he's getting very handsomely paid for

Well he's 28 now and has a three year contract, but I'm sure we'll get a couple more years out of him after that. All you can ask from any new signing is that they justify their worth. He may have only played two friendly's, but so far he's looking like the prop that all us Wigan fans felt we needed.

As for LMS he won't have come that cheap. Any decent British player immediately commands a premium because of the advantage they hold of not counting on the overeas quota. Plus the fact that more than just Saints were chasing him will have increased his price. But hey if he performs well, justifies his salary and his spot in the team what else can you ask.

That is probably the nearest post to the way I am looking at things for next season. IIRC last season we were being written off by other teams, the press etc. On the downward spiral springs to mind and you'll finish mid table etc. We stood up to be counted in the end, even without any halfbacks which ultimately cost us at the end of the season. I feel this year even without KC on the pitch we have a great squad of players all up to the task in hand. We may take a few weeks to get into our stride but that's nothing new for us. I feel we will be up there at the end of the season. It's nice being underdogs it does take the pressure off.

How on earth do you work that out? Do you know him or have some feedback from his efforts when on other contracts? Does he have a track record of this? I'm sure he could have gotten more money at a lesser club if he was only here for that.

I read that as "I doubt he'll be here beyond the 3 year (or however many years it is) contract he's signed for, as opposed to "he's just here for the paycheck"

Yup, that was what i was getting at, my point is that LMS could see out his career here, I'd like Perry to as well (he may retire after this deal anyway, he'll be 33) but the lure of going back home will always be there.

I'm with you on this. That's how I'm viewing the season too. I'm not even sure that the absence of KC will make as big a difference as the pundits and some fans are claiming, especially if we evolve an attacking play which is less reliant upon barging at the line from 10m out (a KC speciality). I'm sure Jammer, Wello et al can be as motivational and inspirational as KC was, as individuals and collectively. In fact, it could work in our favour NOT to have one great big personality egging us on, who knows? Only time will tell.

I can't remember being as relaxed going into a season, for the first season in ages we're not [iexpected[/i to win anything - and our first 17 is as strong as it has been in a long while and surely we can't have the wrath of the rugby gods (c) P Clarke 2010 in terms of injuries to the same extent this season?

Can't wait, Come On You Saints!

Saints has a pretty strong lure as well. Not many players have left Saints voluntarily over the Super League era, Lyon was only ever going to be here for a couple of years, Darren Albert left a bit prematurely, but most others have left on the clubs terms. I see no reason to think that this is going to change in any way in the next few years.

I would imagine it will be Cunninghams direction and decisions from the play the ball that you may miss, not his actual running from there. A similar worry that some Wigan fans have about the loss of Riddell