[url=http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5g_poRxA4TGY43QeHPALlGVSR5gFg?docId=N0129591288769276185ARoby fancies the NRL press release[/url

Interesting. With Kyle and Leon also possible departures as there deals expire we could have a dramatically different side in 2012.

can't say i didn't see this one coming

So, a year before both come off contract they both talk up the chance of moving to Australia. I'm not saying it won't happen but we've seen it before. Every time a big players contract is up for renewal we hear of how they would like to try their hand in Aus/At Rugby Union/Professional Darts. I hope they both stay but there will still be a St Helens RLFC at the end of it all.

It's really surprised me that Saddened! has made such a scaremongering thread title as well.

I was going to put "James Roby in 'I want to go to the NRL because my agent told me to say that so I get a better offer from Saints because they are panicking about me leaving aswell".

But it wouldn't fit...

On teletext the headlines something like 'Roby would jump at NRL Switch', yet when you read this comments he says 'Although i'm very happy at St.Helens, i would consider it.'

He doesn't say he would jump at the chance, he says he would consider if the chance come along, just as any player would consider it. I can't see Roby ever leaving us if i'm honest. If he did, he would be a huge loss, obviously.

Sign him up to a long term deal now Saints!

Wasn't KC going to the NRL too?

As much as everyone says that our (English) players would improve by playing in the NRL, these two are proven world class performers and the damage to Saints would be huge if they left at this stage in their careers.

I think there's been too much said about Graham wanting to go for it not to be true, given the choice I would keep Roby anyway and I hope we can. Couldn't blame either though if they wanted to go.

Understandable were they both to leave.
A better lifestyle for themselves, better from an England point of view to that they'll be playing in a superior competition, and better from a Wigan perspective to.

The next 12 months is possibly the biggest in Saints history. We are about to move into a new stadium and we also have pretty much all our best players out of contract - Pryce, Graham, Roby and Eastmond. It could go exceptionally well or disastrously.

If we lost all 4 of those guy's at once we would be in alot of trouble tbh - replacing both halves your hooker and your biggest yard getter would be close to impossible so we would be moving into a new home with a directionless very weak looking team.

Of those, Graham looks set for the NRL. With Eastmond I would throw every last penny to get him to commit to a massive 5-year deal. He had a few injuries last year but all the signs are there - he doesn't have to prove anything.

He can be the future of Saints on the field and the face of Saints commercially. He is guaranteed an international place over the next 5 years. Of those four players, primary school kids on the playing fields will want to be Kyle Eastmond.

If Eastmond was all sewn-up long term I think Roby would sign again for sure.

Whats the point of signing a player on a 5 year deal who plays less than 50% of games throughout the season?

Injuries can happen to any player.
Saints should sign Easmond on a long term deal ASAP,he is the future of our club.
If he can stay injury free we will see Kyle returning to his form before he got injured,the kid is all class and up there for me with Sam Tomkins.

With all these top-quality players off contract this year (Puletua aswell if memory serves) it makes it even more ludicrous to offer Meli a 2-year deal and eat into what money we have left to retain these players beyond next season.

Benji Marshall has to be a good example of what you get if you stick with a player through the injuries. West Tigers could have been forgiven for not offering Benji a new contract but since he signed it he has been the best player in the world and has hardly ever been injured.

Unfortunately, for every Benji Marshall, there is a Paul Sculthorpe.