Way ahead of you on that one

I'd be interested in seeing how much persuasion it took not that I think we ever will! I dare say the public face of it will be 'Yeah mate. I was going to go back to Aus mate, but then I had the chance to speak to the Bulls mate, and it was too good a chance to miss. Mate'

I don't think the persuation will have had to have been much, especially if oppotunities in the NRL were looking limited.

This is what you can spend.
These are the players on the books.
This is what we have coming through the ranks.
This is what we'll pay you.
This is what we want - Playoffs next season. Improvement the year after. Continued development of the younger players.

At the end of the day, despite the restraints and results of the past few season, we're still one of the most successful clubs of the SL era and hopefully at the end of this transitional period we can be again.

You seem to have a decent batch of youngsters to fill out your squad. You need a couple of signings, but I think Mick is a coach (Australian Marquee) players will look forward to working with (compared to other SL coaches).

I can't see us making any overseas signings, and tbh I would rather we didn't. I'm actually perfectly happy with the 5 we currently have on our books, with the possible exception of Glenn Hall. But I still believe he will come good once he gets a bit fitter and we play him in his correct position.

cant see us making any major signings at all tbh. even domestic ones. There may be a slight re-shuffle with some of the ooc players leaving and similar quality ones (hopefully slightly better/younger) coming in but think our main improvement next year has to come from the youth coming through and better coaching.

Where are we likely to be able to get someone of a similar quality to Worrincy? Under 10s league?

Agree, it's all about the youth players coming through next season.

He doesn't, but some Saints fans would have you believe that Anderson missed his calling on stage rather than him being a coach that sat fairly emotionless during most matches.

Potter will be a good signing for you.

Precisely. Notwithstanding that Anderson always appeared slightly too smug and overused the Ray Charles look.

Both Anderson and Potter were also slightly unlucky however that they have met an excellent Rhinos champion side in the last 3 years. Any other year they may be treble champions and Potter going nowhere.

I think that's often overlooked. People say Saints aren't as good because they haven't been champions in the last few years. I don't think that's the case at all. To me, it's very much a case of Leeds being that much better. And it hurts me to say that! Not enough credit is given to the Leeds side that has won it 3 years on the trot.

People do have a tendency though to focus on the losing team as playing poor, rather than the winning team as playing well. Such is the nature of sport I think.

I was thinking a bit more generally than one specific player



apart from a very small handful of top notch ooc english players who are going to go for top dollar due to their scarcity,lms and shenton spring to mind, the bulk of the OOC players arent going to offer a significant improvement over the sheriffe,reardon,halley,kopcaks etc that some people are screaming for us to release.
Hence why next year we've got to look for an improvement, via coaching, from the players we already have. The following year we have some quota spots available so may be able to strengthen further.

I'm not certain about this, but I think the only overseas player out of contract is Menzies, and personally I hope he stays.

Menzies & Nero I think. But there's all this stuff about Nero can come off quota. (Since we have to have one less next year regardless)

correct and likewise hope he stays.

The biggest and easiest improvement would be a bit better luck on the injury front. The squad we have isn't as strong as a few years back, but I'm sure if we could keep a few more on the field and avoid having to play people out of position quite so often, we would get better performances from them.

nero does come off quota and quota reduces by one next year to 5. So unless menzies goes we have no quota spots available (and it would have to be a bloody good player to be worth replacing menzies)

Definitely. Despite his age, I doubt there's a single Bulls fan that wouldn't want him staying on in the playing squad for another year. To be honest, I don't think Menzies realises he's 36.

agree entirely and thats why the bit about evans re-signing is imo equally as important as potter signing. Longer he's with us the more our fitness levels will improve as its not an overnight thing to change training patterns/dietery stuff/ physio etc that have ben ingrained for years. Evans combined with new training facilities should make a big difference in that area.

Great signing for the Bulls, criminally underrated at Saints given the squad transition and injuries over his time in charge.

I wanted him to stay on - add Perry, Shenton and Soliola (plus others probably) to his squad and a reasonable run of injuries he would have had us winning trophies. As it happens, he still might this year which would be a terrific achievement in the circumstances.

Coming from consistently one of the best and most responsible Saints posters, I am very pleased to read that.

In fact, in all the circumstances, then if Bulls can't win anything this year (we are not out of it yet...) I rather think I want Saints to. The more I think about it, that would be the best possible alternative result for us.

as long as leeds and wire dont win then i'm not too fussed who does tbh. For the quotient of annoying fans those two top the pile by a mile though. Sadly one of them is highly likely to lift challenge cup at least.

I think the key for Potter will be to develop more of our young players so they become regular 1st team options. Our financial situation, coupled with the fact that there's bugger all decent players available means he'll have to make the best of what we've got. In order to survive when the injuries strike we're going to have to grow our own to fill the gaps.

long term think this seasons prolonged injury crisis could turn out to be very good for the club going forward. Its forced us to give gametime to a decent amount of youngsters who wouldnt have got it otherwise. They may not get straight into 1st team next year when all are fit but if players are carrying niggling injuries then we wont have any hesitation in leaving them out for a week and bringing one of kids in knowing they can do a job. Therefore we shouldnt be in position of players trying to play on with knocks until they break down and require surgery/long absences.

Just thinking this morning the very same, a Saints double would not be so revolting a prospect as in years past.

You say the sweetest things