thats a f*cking amazing bench imo

Yes please.

I thought that. A cracking bench full of Young Enflish talent who'll get better and better.

Yep that is an awesome team, would be perfect, king and ennis are just what we are missing at the moment. Although i'd keep pat and carmont on their usual side.

It isn't an amazing bench. An amazing bench is
Cooper Cronk
Corey Parker
Ben Hannant
Dave Taylor

(The Queensland bench for SOO Game 2)

The bench I quoted is IMHO in-experienced and young, with the exception of Prescott. Benches need to have experienced players there ready to come on, with probably one/two young players.

Ennis has just signed a contract extension hasn't he? Would be fantastic though, i think matt bowen and matt king are realistic target, although the bench is inexperienced, the starting team has a hell of a lot of experience, just shuffle them round a little, include gareth hock to that team aswell, think it looks awesome then!

inexperienced and young?

what planet do you live on? who says benches need to have experience? what a load of crap

Those players are well established super league competitors who have already contributed to a super league winning season. Farrell is fantastic and looks great off the bench, Mossop has been our best forward this season, Prescott maybe our second best and Mickey Mac is a great hooker to bring off the bench. What's not too like? What the hell are you expecting?

Anyone any idea who bradford are announcing as a signing tomorrow? Had a little look on their board saw allsorts of names thrown about - Sam Obst/Leon Pryce/Thomas Bosc

Cross or Burgess?

Could be! They seem to think its a player from Saints or Catalan though

that nz halfback who's been sacked? his name escapes me but strongly rumoured to be going to the bulls

Seymour

i say strongly rumoured, i read it in the sun on my lunch break

Word on Twitter is that he's signing for Hull FC. That's from an Aussie on Twitter btw. Long's contract is up and he's made of crackers these days so I can see his contract not getting renewed and Seymour from the Warriors coming in

He is equally adept in both positions, but he has been playing the best RL of his career to date fullback. I agree with Madge and he should stay at fullback IMO.



I'd have Finch in the halves with Chase and Leuluai at hooker. Irrelevant though because you've missed the fullback position out in your comparison. The entire spine of the team has to be taken into account. Sam should be played where it's best for the structure of the team IMO.

But a combo of:

1. Pat Richards/Amos Roberts(at present form)
6. Sam Tomkins
7. Rangi Chase
9. Thomas Leuluai

Does not look as strong as

1. Sam Tomkins
6. Rangi Chase
7. Brett Finch
9. Thomas Leuluai

IMO of course, which is the broader view that should be taken into consideration when deciding how we will shape up. It all depends on our recruitment as to where Sam will play IMO. Matty Bowen would be ideal to allow him to move back to halfback. If we sign Rangi Chase (or any other halfback) I think he will stay as a fullback.

I've heard Bradford have signed Newcastle Knights centre Keith Lulia on two-year deal from 2012.

correct

for me matt king is pat richards without the kicking - a good winger with good try scoring ability and good under the high ball

but note - a good winger!!! the guy, like pat, is not a top centre and we should look to invest more wisely as he will command big money.

He's good enough at centre but he is a better winger. I'd be happy with him and Charnley on that right side having a battle for the centre birth.

I'm still curious how Charnley could do in the centre.

IMO Coley and Deacon to retire
Amos Roberts, Karl Pryce, Ben Davies, Johnny Walker, Darrell Goulding surplus to requirements
Carmont one more year
Hoffman back to NRL

So I would want Hock to prop, Joel back to second row, Mossop to gain more size and play prop so I would be after another prop, a right sided centre and a halfback with pace.

I would sign either Mason or Patrick from Hudds (would require a transfer fee), Ben Farrar and either Rangi Chase or Scott Dureau.

1 - S.Tomkins
2 - Charnley
3 - Farrar
4 - Carmont
5 - Richards
6 - Finch/Chase
7 - Dureau/Finch
8 - Fielden
9 - Leulaui
10 - Mason
11 - Hansen
12 - J.Tomkins
13 - O'Loughlin
14 - Hock/Mossop
15 - Lima/Prescott
16 - McIllorum
17 - Farrell/Patrick/Tuson

and O'Carroll ?

As rumours were going round earlier about this, Darrell Griffin has asked to be released from the remainder of his Huddersfield Giants contract and is signing for Leeds Rhinos for the 2012 season.

He was in the 2010 Super League dream team as a centre. He is the best centre that is OOC in Super League. It would be a wise investment. He can't command top money to the extent he did when he originally signed for Wire.

A common trend on here is how people are VERY quick to dismiss any potential signings - offer a solution. Who would YOU sign that is OOC and is a realistic signing?

According to Melis interview Carmont is considering staying

Francis Meli will be out to make it up to his St Helens team-mates in Friday's Engage Super League derby with Wigan at the Stobart Stadium after sitting out Sunday's draw at Bradford.

The former New Zealand international was the only one of six Saints players involved in last Friday's Origin International to be given a rest by coach Royce Simmons and he says he is in debt to the five colleagues who will be playing their third games in eight days.

"I had a bit of a knock and Simmo said you might as well have a rest because it's a short turn-around," said Meli, who was a tryscorer in the Exiles' 16-12 win over England.

"In that respect, I felt guilty and I give the boys full credit. It's tough to back up and then come again and play a derby game on Friday.

"But this week, it doesn't matter how you feel, if you've niggles and that - this is a special game for both teams."

St Helens, beaten by Wigan in last October's Grand Final, will be aiming to making it third time lucky in 2011 after being held to a draw in the opening game in Cardiff and conceding a last-minute try to go down 28-24 at the DW Stadium on Good Friday.

"The last two games have been tight," said Meli. "The last time they got us in the last few seconds and that hurt. We want to get one to tie the series.

"The games don't get any bigger than Wigan or Leeds. It's always a special atmosphere."

While Meli returns for Saints, Wigan recall England full-back Sam Tomkins and Exiles centre George Carmont, who were both rested for Sunday's 22-22 draw at Castleford after picking up knocks at Headingley.

Tomkins was still feeling the effects of a crunching tackle by Meli in which he was dumped into the ground in the closing stages of last Friday's international but the Saints centre insists it was nothing personal.

"I didn't mean to hurt him," he said. "It was just one of those things that happen.

"I hope he gets better. I wouldn't want him to miss this game on Friday night.

"The derby is always important and it's good to have everybody fit."

Meli is equally happy to face Carmont, whose match-winning try for the Exiles was apt reward for an outstanding performance in another impressive season which could be his last as he contemplates retirement.

"He's going real well at the moment," admitted Meli. "He's probably one of the best centres going around this year.

"We were roomies with the Exiles and I told him you stay retired a long time. He giggled and said there's a maybe at the end of it so he's still thinking about it."

So to make that team a reality you need to pay off Amos Roberts (2012) and Darrell Goulding (2013 - who recently signed a new deal). You would get rid of a promising British forward in Ben Davies. You would put more weight on Mossop? And you would pay four large transfer fees for Scott Dureau, Keith Mason, Ben Farrar and Larne Patrick?

With respect - what planet are you on?