Personal hatred? Of someone I don't even know?

I dislike him as a player as I don't think he's half as good as some people thin, because I don't like the way he picks and chooses when to have a good game. I dislike the way people like you fawn over him and continually go on about his talent despite the fact that in his 12(?) years at the club we've never won a trophy. Real talent like Sean Long wins trophies. Briers doesn't even compare. And believe me I despise Sean Long, far more than our Mr. Briers. Disliking someone doesn't mean you can't see their merits. I just don't think Briers has all the merits people like you espouse.


RC

At the moment a good game once in a blue moon is better than none. He in my opinion single handedly beat Celtic and was instrumental when he came on against Hull KR. Even at 31 he is still head and shoulders better than any other half back at the club. Sean Long is 32 and he’s picking up trophies at St Helens so the age thing doesn’t matter too much. And also your example of Kyle Eastmond is just hypocritical as even he has been rumoured to have a poor attitude previously on the Saints board!


You are right that we must look long term to replace Lee Briers but the guy is the only option we have this season if we are to compete in any competition. The lack of young half backs out there is very evident, with almost every team in the competition being interested in any Australian half back to be released e.g. Brett Finch. There are other players which need to be released a lot sooner than Lee briers IMO.

Sean long has had a world class team around him, that's what wins trophies, not the mediocre teams we've had in the last 10 or so years. It's only the last couple of years we've had an all round decent team, but when we lose Briers we go into disarray. He isn't the best halfback in the comp, he can be on some days, but to get rid would be the biggest mistake since signing Rodwell. Warrington need him, and by all means look for someone else we can develop to take over his role in the next year or two

Top players don't last forever. In my opinion Briers' performance levels have dropped this season and last, I'd be interested if there were a few stats to prove me wrong, but that's just my opinion. Our side has been built around him, everything has been about him and it's clear for all to see this approach hasn't been successful, as talented as he is, we need fresh blood, we need change and if it means losing Lee Briers for a better future, I'd be happy.

Great. Let's settle for mediocrity. Or, something a bit more radical, we could aim for a player who has a good game every game.



And that's the crux of it: [iat the club[/i. hence why I said if there isn't another young player suitable to start blooding we should be looking to recruit one asap.



Sean Long was winning trophies long before the age of 32. you know what they say about winning being a habit. Long is a match-winner and a world-class player, something Briers never has been and never will bem, but something we should be aiming for if we really have big club ambitions.

Regarding Eastmond - I don't read the Saints board so I don't know anything about the attitude problem you mention, I refer only to what I've seen of him play and how Saints utilise him.



I can't see us being competitive this season with or without Briers. I'm not suggesting that we get rid of him tomorrow but I would really like to see the back of him at the end of this season. that gives us 2 years to rebuild the core of the squad before the franchises are renewed.

Long has never been World Class.

Briers is a proven match winner. He got dropped to the bench and came back all guns blazing and won us our two wins this year. Now he's injured or whatever is a bit unfortunate but if he's back on friday i'd be very confident of a win. I feel has has something to prove now, and I think he will lead us to success this year.

No that quote is actually trying to make the best of our situation at the moment which is completely different to mediocrity








Secondly we are actually agreeing. Briers Is the best we have at the moment and ultimately we do have to replace him. But that’s no easy task. It would be interesting to see who you suggest we replace him with? Myler - would he leave Salford? Tomkins - wouldn’t leave his boyhood Wigan. Eastmond - allegedly similar attitude to Briers and would Saints let him go? As I have mentioned several times the lack of quality half backs is evident especially British ones….

Warrington took a BIG chance on Briers after he had broke onto the scene when Goulding was injured at Sintellins. Maybe now is the time to do the same with another young prospect.

I can't beleive that somebody is using Sean Long as a role model when criticising Briers.

Long has had plenty of rumours around him and his off field habits, has consistently been shown up at Test level, despite claims of him being World Class, and he walked out on his country mid tour.

Long has won many games for Saints just like Briers has won many games for Wire.
Long has many more opportunities to win games with fancy plays though as Saints are far more dominant than Wire are.

At times we see Saints introduce young lads and they look world beaters. Much of the time this is due to the strength of their overall team. Didn't Matty Smith get a hat-trick against us at the HJ a year or two ago, and people were raving that he would be the next big thing. Actually, he is an average player and was simply playing in a dominant team which allowed him to show what he could do.
How often has Briers played in a dominant team?

I would say that the last 18mnths have been his worst at the club, and IMO it was on the back of Cullen trying to remove our reliance on Briers, by bringing in Monas and taking the captaincy off him. Unfortunately, Monas hasn't been up to it, and Briers has struggled taking a back seat.

Ah, well glad thats that settled then.



I've been saying for two years we need to find a replacement. I was laughed at then.

Long has also been considerably helped by the fact he has always played with strong alternative pivots and class play-makers at 6, 9 and 13.

Rugby chick:

Who would you play at 6 and 7 on Friday at Bradford? Also, I want to know who Wedge>Anderson would play there as well...

For the record I would pick Bridge and Briers, with Monas at 9 if he has to be anywhere near the pitch given his complete lack of confidence at the moment.

[size=75This is all presuming we haven't signed Lockyer, Marshall, Long >insert a good half back here< before friday

[/size

I know a lot of Saints fans who have been fed up of Long at certain periods during the last however many year he has been there. Fortunately for them, they have been a good enough team to still get the wins, so the fans don't get on his back.

Every few games he will then come up with a good performance, maybe do something to win the game and gets the plaudits.

We have all seen games where Long passes behind players with the ball going straight into touch, loads of kicks out on the full, and games where he has simply been anonymous. In those games, they have others who step up and carry the team.

When Briers has an off day, nobody steps up and covers for him. We simply die on our ar$es, as has been seen in the last couple of games.

Eastmond/Myler.

Indeed and agreed. That was my point. Briers has been a one man show for virtually all the time he has been at the club.

Fair enough.




To be honest I'd really like to see Myler. He young and from what I've seen a really good player and with some of the big names and experience we have I think he could be brilliant. I hope he could be tempted from Salford, I feel we've a lot more to offer but of course, it's all opinion!

Not so keen on Tomkins and now you've mentioned that about Eastmond I'm not so keen on him either. Plus he's getting a nice taste of what it'll be like to be Long's replacement and I don't think we'd tempt him from Saints. He's got a very promising career with almost guarenteed trophies ahead of him at that club.

Bridge and Briers all day. You can tell monas heart isn't in this club and wants out, so let him go! I've had enough of him after i expected so much and defended him saying the guy needs time etc. He has done nothing for us and he should be out of the door way before lee briers.

Believe me I've been saying it for longer





As I've said on a previous post, I didn't mean get rid of Briers tomorrow. We are stuck for the remainder of the season until we can get rid and replace players. I would [idefinately[/i leave Monas out, I think he does us more harm than good in the halves. I'm fairly happy with Bridge, after being out so long he deserves the opportunity and Briers we don't really have a choice.

We're in agreement again rugbychick. This could be the start of a beautiful friendship....

We beat featherstone in the cup :because we had players who perform 100% for the club for WINNING money, No Win not much pay.

so sick of hearing briers is the bad egg of warrington, he's the only one who's vocal on the pitch, shows a bit of imagination, not scared to try things, (even if they dont work out sometimes), fact is when he wins us a game (drop goal v leeds in playoffs), he's a saint, when we lose a match, the first thing you here from half of our half head fans is, (we need to get rid of that briers) then week after same people are saying we miss briers,
lee briers doesnt deserve half of the crap he gets on this forum.

I'll drink to that my good fellow

Briers has given a lot to the club but I worry that he thinks he IS the club. That is until Smith came along of course. I don't hold with rumours about what he does and doesn't do outside of the games. What I did see yesterday though was some suited players watching the match (Riley, Cooper, Vinnie) and Briers with his jacket and tie discarded. He looked unprofessional.So I guess the guy just doesn't help himself.

As many of you have suggested he is the best we have right now - despite the fact that he is inconsistent and has a poor kicking game. Sadly the players are programmed to play to his style.

I genuinely felt sorry for Monas on Monday. He was devastated after the game. He may not be running the game all that well, and yes he has been disappointing, but until players start running onto the ball, or getting up there with him, he will continue to look an idiot. Harrison is one player who hangs back and runs onto his passes - and he made some good yards and half breaks.

Regardless of who you play where, we have to play wiser. Possession is most definately the key. Therefore the kicking game is essential. Neither Briers nor Monas are completing well placed kicks, no wonder Rau and Hicks had a pop on the line.