i'd let flannery go before faz

I said before the start of the season if Saints are to thrive they'll need Leon Pryce to step upto the mark and play his role as the senior halfback at the club. If he doesn't do that the pressure on Eastmond will be huge and whilst he looks an awesome prospect and a player capable of dealing with expectation it could be a little too much for him.

Would Saints not have been better bringing Matty Smith back into the squad? He's not an Eastmond or a Tomkins but he looks like a guy that could add competition to that Saints squad. He seems to play the game in a simple way and at the side of Pryce or Eastmond could have just taken the pressure of kicking and passing the side around so the other could plauy their natural game.

Bitter much?

I wouldnt say the posting was "bitter" in any way, it was clearly pointing out the "OLD" signings amde by the Hull FC club, as it was stated we had an old team, I presume due to the ages of KC, Wello, Gidley, Fozzy ? Our squad is probably younger than the Hull one actualy, no idea, but presume it is ? If Hull have theri usual run of injuries, then it will be bye bye top 8 chance's wont it. On paper the Hull team is a cracker, if it stays fit N healthy then its game on for your lot and a real tilt at a trophy. Hell, even with injury ravaged teams you have still managed to make more finals in the SL era than most other SL teams, and you even won the CC.

I wouldnt say the posting was bitter, just pointing out some facts.

Not at all. Just, as Syd has pointed out above, stating some facts.

The initial poster stated that Saints had 'Too may old faces now, like FC did you have to freshen things up and remove the old school'

I was pointing out that this wasn't the case, in fact, your star player on Friday was one of the old school that we have removed.

The poster who mentioned the old faces wasn't on about the team being too old. He meant that you have too many players who have been there too long and have gone stale. Like us with the likes of King, G Horne, Lee etc. You need to have a big clear out at the end of the year imo. All sides struggle with injuries but I think we are better equiped to deal with them ten we hae been for the lat few years. Take Long, Fitzgibbon and Berrigan (three of our most influencial players) out of that team and there is no doubt in my mind that we still would have won.

Oh and the fact that a Hull fan came on here with his views about how Saints can improve and was greeted with a Saints fan slating the Hull team and fans strikes me as very bitter.

Again it's got nothing to do with age, the old school is refering to players who have been good but have become stale. Wellens and Wilkin for example aren't old, but look shadows of their former selves.

I think Long hide a lot of Pryces' failings a distinctly average/overrated half.
Replace him and find a good replacement for KFC and they'll be up there again

Where did I slate the Hull team? I think that Hull have a better squad than us this year, I was merely pointing out the discrepancies in the original post. I hope you win something soon, as you could do with removing that defensive chip from your shoulder.

Fair enough, I just read it as you were slating us for having an aging team.

Theres no denying these guys are certainly on the wrong side on 30, Long was brought in for direction and creativity, Fizt an O'meley Leadership in the pack i would imagine, with all three undoubtedly giving some much needed exprience to the younger members of the squad to feed from. From Pre-Season and the season opener we certainly look liik a better organised and creative side, but only time will tell.

We've also kept faith with Youngsters such as Houghton, Washbrook, Hall, Briscoe with the additions of Tansey and Turner, i would'nt say that we have relied on new players all, as you put it, past their best. We have signed players to add to he certain areas of the squad we needed to improve on.

There are some crossed wires here. The post wasn't an attack on Hull's transfer policy, as I have stated in previous replies. It was stating that the initial post was inaccurate, which implied that Saints needed to remove the 'old school' etc, and base their recruitment policy on Hull's. Hull have made some good acquisitions that have complemented their side, that can't be denied, but Saints already have these types of player in abundance. It is young, pacey three-quarters that we require, hence selling one of our 'old-school' in Long despite him still having plenty left in the tank.

I cant help but think the fc faithful have got a little ahead of themselves here! one good game and they are handing out overviews and advice?

Am I the only person who finds it all a little rediculous? they have had one good season in 06 and one good game in 2010! not even Leeds and saints fans go around offering up "from the out side looking in" advice

Although, to be fair, the OP hasn't said anything that Saints fans haven't posted elsewhere.
Why should having opinions on other teams be limited to fans of successful teams?

I said even the top teams don't!

Probably.

I think it's fine that Hull fans are providing us with their perspective. It's useful to listen to the perspective of other fans unless they are just being daft, in which case I just ignore them or wind them up back again. It's a discussion board; people can offer up their POV.

I'm all for an opinion. this just seemed a little more than opnions be bounced around, maybe it is just me then

You seem to be going in the same direction that we did 2 or 3 years back. We made the final in 2006 and backed it with 4th place in 07. Then we lost our main play maker, our full back and lots of experience in Swain and Mcmenemy, and rather than going out and adequately replacing these players we pinned our hopes on what we already had even though it was clear they weren't really good enough. We binned 10 players this year (if you include Broughton and Cordoba) and you need to do similar to get back to the top.

not my team mate I'm a Leeds fan

Well my point still stands.

Leeds are two years away from having to start to replace a huge batch of players. Its always a very difficult process to manage - particularly without unlimited funds and a salary cap.

The difference lies in the reasons why we haven't "adequately replaced" Long and Gilmour, in terms of splashing the cash on big name signings:

a) We haven't the cash spare to do so due to-
i) Current Stadium issues; having to continue to lose money maintaining KR and not making any summountable money from catering in the ground.
ii) Having to find the cash to build the new stadium.
iii) Improving the contracts/salaries of players like Graham, Roby, Eastmond, Wilkin, Clough - something our fans easily forget/ignore.

b) We're choosing to capitalise on the excellent youth system we have developed and bring through large numbers of these academy products, which will/has, in the long term give/n us a better footing with regards to the club trained player rules which will mean that by the next round of franchise applications in 2011 we'll need to ensure that 8 members of our squad are home-grown, 12 are UK trained and only 5 are overseas trained. We may already have double the required home-grown players in our squad already and have the required only 5 overseas-trained players if you don't include Maurie (who's RL training was done here).

Whether the RFL/Superleague bosses review these rules come the next round of franchise applications is anybody's guess sadly.

Although it's one game I think you can be comfortable in predicting that neither Hull nor Saints will win anything this year

Hull may make the play-offs this time though despite their lack of a coach

that statement will be proved wrong this season,as Agar has actually got something to work with.
I think Huddersfield may be the ones to watch for this season.
I may add I like Saints style of play as a rule.As has been said,one game doesn`t make a season.

As an insider looking out, I'd have to say thank god we didn't take the Hull FC advice when it came to player recruitment