Who does everybody think will be loose forward for saints this year? I've got a feeling it will be Roby as we have 3 hookers at the club

quite possibly, but i prefer to have Cloughy there used as an extra prop

Robes all the way. The white Hanley.

thats a bit much

I'd like us to consistently play Wilkin there, in a Scully type role. We all know he is capable of being a ball player, so i would like us to give him more responsibility in that sort of role. I don't think we know who pick at Loose forward, last season we had Wilkin, Flannery, Puletua, Clough, Roby and Gilmour all playing there.

for me wilkin and flannery are better in the second row

I reckon it will be roby. He's got good hands, a bit of pace, good step and is deceptively strong. I think he will do a good job there.

Flannery came over here having played stand-off/loose forward at state of origin level didn't he? I'm yet to see anything that suggests he should play there. Like you say, i'd rather him be in the second row. As for Wilkin, i disagree. I think he would be much more effective at loose forward with more responsibility.

i just think we need to give roby more game time and i would give wilkin more responsibility by making him captain he spends more time on the field than cunningham

Paul Clough.

Back three forwards, with their prime functions.
One runner, one tackler and one ball player. It's always worked.

There are a number of players capable of playing loose forward at Saints.

If for example we take Soliola as playing in the centres, then the back two are likely to be Wilkin and Flannery.

That leaves the loose forward as either Clough, Roby, or Puletua.

I suspect Roby will start with Clough and Puletua being on the bench.

We could then have a bench of Moore, Clough, Puletua and Faasavalu.

That represents an absolutely massive bench, with a lot of go forward ability.

As the season progresses then other combinations will i suspect be used to cover for injuries and also to give the youngsters valuable experience.

For example in some games we could play Wellens at loose forward, and have Lomax at fullback
Similarly Wheeler could play centre, with Soliola moving to 2nd row.

We havent even talked about the likes of Dixon, Mcgennis etc who can also cover at loose.

Seconded. I think that Wilkin needs to be treated as a ball playing forward, he isn't big enough to sustain the 'tackling machine' role he was given last season.

The problem is accommodating Moore and Roby in the same team, and I have a feeling that Potter will use Roby at loose.

Roby`s a hooker so why would you play him at 13

I reckon it will be Roby with Wilkin and Flannary as second-rowers.

Because we have two others in the squad and he can play there maybe.
I think thats the debate.

The thing is that if Roby doesn't play loose forward then either he or Scott Moore won't be in the 17 every week.

9. KC
13. Robes

14. Moore

Sean Macgennis - will be on the road to having that position as his own by the mid point of this season.

I think it's totally unfair to expect anything from a kid who has spent 18 months injured. At that age a serious injury like that could ruin his career. He's not just missed a season of rugby, he's missed 12-18 months of development that he won't get back.

Jon Wilkin would be loose forward in my team.

Assuming Soliola will play centre, my first choice pack/bench would be:

Graham
Cunningham
Fozzard
Flannery
Wilkin
Roby

Moore
Puletua
Fa'asavalu
Clough

My pack would be :

Graham
Cunningham
Puletua
Wilkin
Flannary
Roby

Fozzard
Moore
Clough
Fa'asavalu

With Soliola playing centre to Meli.

The only problem is that's an industrious but seriously lightweight back row. I'd like to see either Soliola or preferably Puletua (or maybe even Cunningham?)in the back row to offer a bit more muscle.

I see your point, and my preference would be for Soliola to play back row. But if he was brought into the pack we'd probably have:

Graham
Cunningham
Fozzard
Soliola
Wilkin/Flanno/Clough
Roby

Moore
Fa'asavalu
Puletua
Wilkin/Flanno/Clough

But that would mean dropping one of Wilkin/Flannery/Clough from the first choice pack and I can't see that happening.

A starting back row of Wilkin/Flannery/Roby may be small-ish, but with Graham/Cunningham/Fozzard in the front row with TP/Fas/Clough on the bench I don't think we'd lack too much up front.

There aren't many really big back rows in SL anyway. Of course it may well be that Potter won't play all three of KC/Roby/Moore but from the way he's been speaking, I think he intends to.

I have it on very good authority that Soliola will be featuring in the pack this year not the centres. That's not my opinion or my preference it's what I've heard from a very good source (wasabe).