I think its easy to single out Howarth after a bad performance, he went well for saints last year and is a decent enough squad player

Massive shame, I thought Gaz Owen would revel as an interchange hooker with Tommy Lee behind our big pack this season. Seems an odd choice to make following the performance Howarth put in on Sunday.

PS - Sheffield Red Devils.

Shame. He should be ahead of Howarth, and no, it's not a Howarth hate bandwagon. The guy is not good enough. it's not like he hasn't had time to prove otherwise. He's just a distributor, and a slow one at that.

It's all very well loaning these talented youngsters out, but they will eventually get fed-up of playing second fiddle.

You have to wonder whether Theo would have broken through under Noble if it wasnt for the fact the previous coaching staff threw him in when they did. I'm all for the young lads gaining some experience and their going to good a set-up with Sheffield, but what are the chances of them coming back and being given a chance? I know Noble has a poor track record for giving youth a go, but it makes all the hard work people like Alan Hunte do redundant if we offload these youngsters before they're given a fair crack.

Disappointed that over the years Gaz has been overlooked/never fancied by anyone due to his size, shame that as he is without a doubt the most talented hooker in the squad. Good distribution, quick around the ruck, knows when to scoot and when to pass and also comes up with a few tries.

I'm not going to say anything more on what I think of Howarth playing at 9 because you all know what I think.

So your suggesting the young lads loaned out are good enough to contribute to the teams playoff challenge?
I don't think being loaned out did any harm to Josh Charnley or Daryl Goulding.

Gareth Owen would be my choice for a place on the bench at least. At the moment I think we have to see how good Tommy Lee is, but I would think that Gareth Owen can only get better playing with good players around him, and I think he's good enough to be successful at Salford.

I hope he comes back better for his time at Sheffield.

Sounds like the first moan about Noble !
Whatever the previous coaches thought about Theo would have been irrelevant to Nobby. He's made his own judgments over players ,including those he brought in like Emmett.
Players go on loan and can come back all the better for it,think who we had like Goulding and the Bradford winger that Harrison brought in( and who's name I've forgotten !).
For the record I would prefer to see Owen in the squad ,rather than Howarth,but I guess he knows more about the game than I do.
Remember that Noble will have been behind the decision to swap Howarth for Gaskell,for loan spells,so Howarth must have done something to redeem himself in the coach's eyes.

This lad is good enough to earn a place in the first team over Howarth.

Loaning can be a double-edged sword. It gives experience, play time, and puts them in the shop window too. On the other hand it can send out a mixed message to the players themselves, and they can always find themselves further away from where they want to be. You mentioned Goulding, and he was not far from signing for us after he enjoyed his loan spell with us, as Wigan were not that bothered. Then due to injury crisis he gets recalled and earns himself the first choice centre spot. So stayed. It's a good example, both ways, of how loaning could be bad and good.

Stuart Red........
I heard in France where he had been playing,that he is a model now!

Who is a model now? Lost track of thread.

Stuart Redfearn,an example of a successful loan spell all round

Thankyou. I dropped my soup on the floor ,wasnt very nice soup though.

Stu Reardon

Totally agree, and before anyone else says it is of one performance it isn't i have never rated him that highly tbh.
Never took much notice of him at saints so I don't know about last year BUT from my experience of watching him in a reds/devils shirt i haven't seen anything to shout about.

Hopefully howarth can take he faith in which the coaching staff have given him and start to kick on.

Jurys out,

I think it is an excellent move for the development of Gaz Owen.
A well coached club with players from around the globe and the extra benefit of hooker Andrew Henderson also being on the coaching staff,as well as probably being on friendly terms with Brian Noble from their Premier Sports days together.
It could be that Gaz Owen is in the mid to long term thoughts and plans.
I wish him well.

It seems to me the loan of the Walne brothers was of benefit,seeing their performances in 2013 on their return.
I don't think Brian Noble has ignored them or failed to give them a go last year,and retain them,despite their age(s).

Good to see Noble has won you round considering you were suicidal when PV was sacked and he was appointed. Was that really only less than 12 months ago?

Andy Smith IIRC?

i see Cameron Smith has yet to sign a new deal with Melboutne. Just saying.... www.theguardian.com/sport/2014/f ... urne-storm

i see Cameron Smith has yet to sign a new deal with Melboutne. Just saying.... www.theguardian.com/sport/2014/f ... urne-storm

No,I was referring to Reardon

Did we have a Bradford winger by the name of Andy Smith loaned to us during the Harrison era though? Or have I gone mad?

We did: slstats.rlfans.com/index.php?playero=581

We did: slstats.rlfans.com/index.php?playero=581

Quote ="RedUnderTheBed"i see Cameron Smith has yet to sign a new deal with Melboutne. Just saying.... www.theguardian.com/sport/2014/f ... urne-storm'" Like most i`ve not been convinced of Howarth at hooker though a decent squad man, i have been wondering if he is seen as a stop gap for this year with a top line hooker lined up for next year. This said we have some good young hookers at the club, like Owen, Fyldes. The younger of the Fyldes lads looked a classy operator in the Academy game Sunday and looked the best player on the pitch IMO. Next year, if not later in this season, the hooking role could be very interesting.

Quote ="RedUnderTheBed"i see Cameron Smith has yet to sign a new deal with Melboutne. Just saying.... www.theguardian.com/sport/2014/f ... urne-storm'" Like most i`ve not been convinced of Howarth at hooker though a decent squad man, i have been wondering if he is seen as a stop gap for this year with a top line hooker lined up for next year. This said we have some good young hookers at the club, like Owen, Fyldes. The younger of the Fyldes lads looked a classy operator in the Academy game Sunday and looked the best player on the pitch IMO. Next year, if not later in this season, the hooking role could be very interesting.

Good point;well presented.
You have a good memory.I did have my doubts but they were instantly removed by my rugby league oracle,and wonderful man,who told me he would do a great job and this was made intriguing by further comments which knocked me off my feet.
I am so confident that he will do a fine job that I am not panicking about the apparent hoodoo of failing to win a second half;yet !
The player pathway now appears more difficult than ever but young players do feature.He even signed our current first choice hooker at the same age Gareth Owen has gone out on loan - 21 - [url=http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2009/dec/02/crusaders-sign-tommy-lee-rugby-leagueStory[/url

I find it heartening that we have a number of young players,in important positions,out on loan,to other Super League clubs or winning,successful Championship clubs.They can only improve with more regular game time in a more demanding environment.

Sheffield fans seem to like what they have seen so far www.totalrl.com/forums/index.php ... les-today/

Sheffield fans seem to like what they have seen so far www.totalrl.com/forums/index.php ... les-today/