Now Roberts is confirmed, WHO plays with him??

Ideally, probably not Brown.

Realistically, Brown. Or Ratchford if a new FB materialises.

Interesting one this.

Price said in his interview he highlighted Patton and said he expects him to step up this year. But Brown is still under contract. Hes gone with the England squad but with Gale and Widdop & Williams in the team I'll be surprised he if he features.

I'd much rather see what Patton can do next to a quality half partner than Kevin 'Show and go' Brown.

Brown...you don't pay £130k to have the current England international sit it out or on the bench.

It will be Brown, or will certainly start off that way.

Ideally I'd have liked Brown to have missed out on England selection so he could have been back in the UK working with the new coaching set up in how he plays for us next season. Brown has had success playing in the right structure previously - we had no attacking structure last season, I think an NRL coach coming in will mean we play with a little more structure in 2018 - which will probably help him, he's not an off the cuff style player.

Roberts plays on the left - or seems to in the video I've seen, is Brown happier on the right? Where did he play for Widnes?

With a new coach perhaps Brown will become our missing centre to partner Atkins. Players like Brown & Ratchford are interchangeable these days & could easily deputise as half backs as & when required.

or will that be Bryson Goodwin

I forgot we'd already signed him .

its raining new players

I’m going to have to agree with you,but at same time regardless of what we paid it doesn’t warrant that it should be automatically him.

I’m really unsure of which half will partner Roberts, neither Brown or Patton done enough last season to be granted to start. I don’t care about this playing behind a crap pack etc, a good player needs to overcome and adapt,it’s not like it wasn’t a regular blight.

Anyway if Smith had still been here I’m pretty sure it would be Brown because of the money factor,be interested to see how Price sees it, roll on the next season.

Out of all the halfbacks out there, Brown wouldn't be the one I'd be spending six figures on.

young dec for me..brown can do a job as a loose forward...

I think we have to invest in Dec Patton. I am not sure his confidence was above a snakes belly under TS. The first job of Steve Price is to get him to believe he can run through brick walls and leap over tall building. He has already begun to do this and with the fact he will be a month ahead of Kev Brown in regards time spent with the new coach, he has the time to get to know him and try and impress. He has to be around Tyrone Roberts at every opportunity in training and try and understand what he is thinking and doing.

Didn’t see that coming from you

I guess it will depend on if brown gets a game and how he performs in the wc.

I would ideally like for patton to start but kind of expect Brown to if fit.

To be fair I think it's a fair assumption that whoever starts is there on merit under price rather than salary or reputation.

It's a pity Dec Patton couldn't play #9. A similar role as Smith

was thinking the same get all 3 out on the pitch and if there is an injury to one then we av cover

Patton is the only half back at the club with a long kicking game. And it is a very good long kicking game. His short kicking game is as good if not better than Brown’s.

I’d love Price to turn Patton into a confident cocky type halfback who’d back himself.

I know any top halfback should be able to pass to both sides but even the greatest halfbacks have a preferred side.
So a question for those that saw Patton come through the ranks what is Pattons preferred side?
I know he has played a lot for us on the left edge but was that just to fill the void left by Sandow or is that his stronger side?
Maybe i am trying to manage my own expectations here but i dont expect to start next season like a house on fire. There are a lot of new combinations that need to be developed. Roberts will have to build an understanding with Currie and Atkins who probably wont be back at training until the new year due to internationals and recovery from surgery.
Then on the right edge Goodwin will not probably train with Brown and Russell until the new year as well and then if BMM is coming in then he could be in the frame in front of Hughes?
To add to that the third pivot (Ratchford at fullback) will also not be back at the club until after Christmas.
I am sure it will all come good though and i have for a favourable draw up to easter and grind out a few wins.

Wasn’t Atkins for a hernia op, if so he should be back at start of pre season.

He's Only in the squad. Means naff all that, Brown will not get a game ahead of Widdop, Gale & Williams. Any of those three will start against Australia and if we come close or do the unthinkable and win there is no way on gods green earth Bennett will swap and change a winning half combination.

Brown will only get in if Steve Price thinks he warrants it, I have a feeling that he will choose Patton over Brown in the halves.

This is the advantage of Price over Smith. He will not have his favourites and will pick on performances (according to his sound bites anyway).

If you listen the full interview on the BBC RL podcast it’s quite encouraging that he wants to have input right through the system from junior development all the way up, using his own performance trainers. Hopefully we’ll have something closer to Wigan’s system where the talented youth end up fulfilling their potential more often than not. We don’t have a great record of this under Smith unfortunately - remember how good Rhys Evans looked when he first broke through?

I've read a rumour this morning that widnes want patton. I'd be disappointed if he wasn't given a fair crack with us first really. A season long loan wouldn't be too bad but we have released/ sold 9 now and only 4 in.

I don’t think Price wants Patton out on loan by the sound of it from the interviews. He features firmly in the plans, whether that’s from the bench or a starting spot.