Quote ="Stu M"Agree about the injuries. The relentless, physical way of playing for 3 years under Woolf is starting to show with some players. They are older and wear and tear is showing. If anything they are likely to pick up more injuries not less.
We need to start providing some energy with youth and it will be really interesting to see how Briers works with the likes of Robertson and Whitby. I'm hoping Stephens gets more game time as he was bending the line when he did play last season and has an offload on him. He needs more minutes and for his fitness too.
As for the number of players out of contract at the same time, it's exceptionally poor planning and a lack of vision. I can't understand how that's happened when for years we've been really smart with our retention and more often than not our better players have stayed.
That said there is a large number of that 18 who will leave the club and not many who I would want to keep. Knowles and Lees are the crown jewels in the pack and I'm hoping we keep both. I do have a feeling though that Lees will go to the NRL and I don't blame him. Knowles should be the next captain and money thrown at him. We are a different team with and without him. Now that he is finally over the groin injury he has been carrying for over a year, you can see how important he is.'"
Stephens looks the real deal for sure but I haven't seen someone to build your pack around as yet. His fitness is lacking at the moment and there are props who have that throughout their career. Will he get there with his fitness or is he more of a Mago impact type? Robertson is also an exceptional talent but the caveat there is too much is being expected of him from the fan base. He needs time and having seen some of the comments from your fans I can only hope he gets it. Together with Farrimond they could form an international pairing down the line if given the right development.
The new coaches will add something if the tools they have to work with are available. I'm not convinced they will have though as I've said previously. We'll see.
Lees and Knowles are interesting. I agree that Lees may take the opportunity to try his hand down under. Which leaves Knowles who could present a challenge. He's undoubtedly important to Saints but in the way Ellis has become for us. He's important but he isn't a French or a Smith if you see what I mean. On the one hand you need to keep him but on the other I suspect it will take marquee money to do so. Which means one less spot for a world class half or x factor game breaker (or preferably both as we have in French). Even though you have to go all out to retain him, particularly with all those players off contract, it could, ironically, prove to be a millstone when it comes to rebuilding the squad.
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I remember the Wakefield debacle with Pat not being awarded the try ,I also thought we were done after that but fairplay, things changed and our fans backed the team even more after that.
