Out on loan for a month to Oldham

Just what he needs to be tested against older men other than the academy.

Good luck to the lad but I think he'll be moving on as Kieron would have used him by now.

www.saintsrlfc.com/news/page/5020? Very strange time to announce it What's gone on?

www.saintsrlfc.com/news/page/5020? Very strange time to announce it What's gone on?

He's OOC next season so Saints need to make a big decision on him, he isn't going to get in before Walsh or Burns and he'll be to old for the Academy?

He's also behind Turner, Charnock and flash in the halves and that basically tells the whole story.

As I posted earlier today on the Saints Juniors thread.







Source was correct then.

Given its a loan, he hasn't left Saints?

I find it quite strange though, 9pm on a Saturday isn't generally when clubs release news, so I wonder why they felt the need to push it out now ...

Maybe Oldham pushed it through so they could bed him in against Oxford?

think thats the last we'll see of him here. Never saw the lad play but he is either 1) Not going to be good enough, or 2)Some sort of personality clash with the top coaches.
At 19/20 if its the latter then its his own fault, you can afford to be a cocky little bugger when you've broke into the team and starred, ala Longy. Not when youve not made it yet

Brown was bigging him up last year and said he would get game time. We've had wello, lance, Burns, walsh, Turner, flash , Wilkin and Charnock all play in the halves before him.

Id say something has happened somewhere down the line. In a way, I can understand what he's saying. He should have been given game time but he's 9th choice for hslves it seems.

I was told about 1 p.m yesterday that he had gone to Oldham. As I said I wondered if it was on loan, but it does seem strange. As far as I'm aware after the 23 rounds are complete no short term or dual reg loans are allowed. It will make it very difficult for the players outside the u19's age limit ( I know Hewitt doesn't fall into that category)

Has anyone on here with insider knowledge heard of proposals for next season regarding reserve/academy rugby?

Bingo.

I've never understood why so many of our fans have been furious that we haven't played him, despite never actually seeing him play. Charnock seems to be ahead of him in the pecking order. It'll be interesting to see if we want to keep him as a half back or a hooker in the long term.

Hewitt isn't in the Oldham team today according to the BBC.

He was getting in at 7 in the u19s in cpl of the games I went. I don't think he's got a future at the club and knows it.

I don't blame him wanting to get out as obviously he wants to play every week.

And the French chap currently at Salford

On the basis of what I have seen it is obvious what the issue is. Hewitt is too small, as a result his defense is not good enough. This was show in the pre-season game against Widnes.

Saints have to decide if he can put on enough bulk to be able to physically handle the league and if so how to give him quality game time in the next 2-3 years while his body matures. For the saints to invest that much time into him he has to be a pretty decent bet. Sadly there is not much clubs can do under the current system than not play him or let him go.

Getting rid of a scrum half purely because he's small in stature at age 19/20 (BEFORE he's finished physically maturing) is a bad idea. Clearly Brown didn't think Hewitt had an obvious size handicap or he wouldn't have bothered mentioning the kid. Let's be honest, Nathan Brown knows more than a thing or two about half-backs. Even if Hewitt doesn't grow another inch - there's nothing to say he can't emulate the outstanding defensive attributes of players such as Geoff Toovey, Allan Langer or even Rob Burrow. All three are about as small as you'll get and yet overcame this drawback with copybook tackling technique. No, I think this has to be about more than just size.

Feel sorry for the lad and I hope he turns a corner at Oldham.

Slightly more concerning is the fact that Hewitt is the THIRD promising half to have exited the club in recent years before establishing himself.

I've seen Dave Hewitt play since he was around 14 and going forwards he's always been an outstanding prospect.
Physically he's not the biggest and can be spotted in defence.
He's exactly the kind of player who needs an U21, 23 or A team environment to step into.
Saints will learn a lot from his time at Oldham.
I may go to the Swinton / Oldham game next week so should be interesting viewing.

Totally agree mate, we 100% need have another age group above the 19s. I've seen fair bit of Hewitt but Imo ive never expected him to make the grade at top super league club.

I've not seen as much of the u19s this year as Id like but my mate told me thst Hewitt was even getting picked for u19s ?

I've been a fair few meeting regarding scholarships etc and all clubs now a looking at how they feel the lad will develop physically as that is such important part of the game these days. They even look at the size of parents to see how big they are etc. Most clubs will usually go for a decent big lad over a decent little lad.

Hewitt now has the chance to prove KC and saints wrong that he's ready.

Scored on his debut for Oldham. Game still ongoing. He started at scrum half with ex academy player Danny Langtree also playing for Oldham.

Think he's scored again judging by Oldham Twitter updates.

How much smaller than Quinlan is Hewitt?

Hewitt not being kept at Saints

Hardly a surprise since he was wanting to leave early in the season but link?

Signed for Warrington.