gaskell was one of the big improvers under woolford last season

A rugby league player who suffers from anxiety seems to be in the wrong job to me, we need people who thrive on pressure and challenge , not the opposite. In anycase, i doubt he is going anywhere because no other club is stupid enough to pay the wages he is on. I only saw that he played well once we had turned the corner and was not instrumental in making that change, but we will see how he goes at the start of the season this year. I will say what i have always said about Gaskell, if we were paying him the wages of a utility player capable of covering a number of areas i would be happy with his contributions. However, we are paying him to be a key halfback, and in that respect he is very bad value for money.

Absolutely understand your comment in relation to wages as I will always have a bee in my bonnet about gaskell and rankin replacing Connor, where we basically paid 4 times the salary for 2 players who werent quite at the same level.

However, with the current squad, I genuinely think gaskell is the best FB and half we have, and I agree with Jools that without the DB shackells he has the opportunity to flourish

so the pack is it good enough for 2019? can it stand up to the opposition..

ikahihifo
matagi
clough
english


other options are taai, lawrence, smith and walne (whatever is going on with him)

matagi should improve with a full pre season and hopefully ikahihifo can be the blockbuster we know he can be if wooldford hasnt upset him, clough will do what he always does and be solid, english should improve again too...might even have taai ahead of him... those 3 would take some handling!

interchanges are to go from 10 down to 8 next season so will have to be fitter, may not suit ikahihifo

Where's thorman

just having a break , still with the club

Good for him. Glad to hear he’s coming back to us soon.
He was a brand new Dad and instead of taking off time to be with his little boy and missus he worked his knackers off trying to turn us round. He now deserves some time with his family.

Is that the line the club is going with at the moment

It's not a 'line'. He lost a member of his family. I'm sure the last thing he wants to deal with is rumours

Well Kevin Naiqama arrived yesterday for St Helens while Uate, Frawley & Matagi are still over there.

The club mentioned last year that Matagi had come early and his family were joining him over here at the start of November so he could hit the ground running in pre season and have a huge 2019. Yet i've no doubt by the time he gets over here that he will have missed 2 months of pre season. It ok saying they are doing a programme over there but is it really the same as training with your club? fair play to Seb, Taai and Rankin for this because they have all been here since day 1 of pre season.

Again, Uate was due to arrive on the 18th and hasn't. Examiner stated on Monday that both Uate and Frawley should both be here yesterday and again doesn't look like they are.

sooner they arrive the better, cant do with another slow start which could be likely with the new key positions we have in the team

woolford says they are looking at getting another back in.... cover for the wingers ... if uate or jerry get a long term injury then might be asking abit much for the seniors to do alot of games... will see if it comes off.. mamo gone now so wants some more depth in the backs

Incorrect

fair enough, the club leaves fans guessing then , they havent said anything so we will just have to presume hes still there

Frawley is here.
Uate- I hope he’s truly committed-taken long enough to get his signature on the dotted line.
I know it can’t be easy and they will have affairs to sort before they can make the move.

As soon as we signed Frawley he posted on Instagram how we couldn't wait to get over here which is what I like to see. I've seen nothing of the sort from Uate and I feel he could turn out to be a total let down. The fact it took him so long to sign suggests to me he wasnt overly keen in the first place.

Matagi should have also wanted to be here for the full pre season.

Its disappointing more so from Uate as he has hid months off with his injury but also from Matagi whos fitness was an issue last year so should have wanted to hit the ground running this season.

I assume we only start paying their wages once they have arrived and started training with their new club, therefore we might be trying to save a few bob by not insisting they are here for the start of pre-season training.

Can’t see that. Signing a contract with a gap in pay? Why would they since they don’t have to. Last year we had half the squad missing at this time due to internationals so it’s not too much an issue providing they join soon.
Uate seems to be keeping up with his fitness going by his social media accounts. (Certainly looks in good shape

)
He also posted two days ago it would be his last session somewhere so hopefully he’s landing soon.

Hearing Ollie Roberts is flying in pre season and judging by the pictures i've seen he looks in quality shape. Could be like a new signing himself next season.

Dale Ferguson if behind his injury worries and can stay fit could be a real asset. Both Fergie & Roberts were massive let downs last season.

roberts was awful last season

ferguson was good but had too many injuries

need our second rowers to step up this coming season, mellor should improve again too.

uate on the plane, frawley here.... patience jake lad

We are being linked in the media with Gareth widdip who has put in a transfer request. Now that would be a signing.

staying in the nrl, till the end of 2019 anyway!

Heard that one before....

So if rumours are true and Joe Wardle is coming back with losing Seb. It makes us very strong in the 2nd row and very weak in the front row for me.

1. Where do we see him playing?
2. Will a fully fit Joe Wardle make our starting 17 now?

We have the best physio in Dave O Sullivan who should keep him fit (hopefully)

If we lose Seb I will not be impressed. At all. And of our front row gets battered I will be saying "I told you so"

Wardle was never a second row.