Wheeler's possibly the best talent of the lot, but unfortunately he is literall in for a game and out for a month.
Saying that, Lomax was similar last season, so here's hoping.

There's nothing more gratifying as a supporter than young lads coming good, imo.

Hopefully as we go along, more clubs will be producing their own youngsters and creating real competetion amongst English talents. Saints, Wigan, Leeds and Cas certainly seem to have a hatful, but the others are sure to follow given the tightening quota system?

Having watched their development since u8's I'm well aware as well. Still, no harm in chucking a bit of ground bait in while the suns shining eh?

But the sharks threw it back



You can't kid old old kidder!

I say go for it, the Aussies weren't shy in getting Cherry-Evans into the fold after his rise in fortunes neither will NZ with Foran and Johnson.

Is it just me that thinks Jonny Lomax would make a better hooker than scrum half? Not that we'll see him play 9 for Saints while Roby is there but to me his skill set (strong, quick feet, good burst from standing) would be devestating from dummy half. Similiar to Tommy Leuluai

Don't you also have that England fullback aswell? I think its Ryan Tierney. How is he now in the u18s?

Lewis Tierney (Jason Robinsons son). He will move up to the U18's next year (he did play about five games for the U18's at the end of the season.)

It should be a very good (if young) U18's next year with those three plus the likes Callum Wright,
Aaron Lewczenko, Joe Burgess, Josh Rooney, Ryan Sutton etc all joining the squad.

Lomax and Gaskell are excellent.
These last two games v us they showed how good they can be.
Trouble with all half backs they are very dependent on their forwards.
On our previous visit to Widnes in the league game they were nowhere as their pack was totally dominated by the Wigan forwards. Much the same in the semi.
Saints need to bolster their pack for next year IMO to allow these two lads to improve. As good as they are there's plenty of improvement still in them, neither are the finished article.
Graham is a massive loss for them in both his physical presence and his personality on and off the field. Not seen any signing they've made yet that comes close to Graham.
They are both real talents and British RL needs them to develop.
Lets hope Saints can bring them on as they need to and we all need them to.

Saints will be very reliant on their first choice pack next season and can't afford to have many (any in big games imo) injuries.

Their pack will line up along the lines of-

Perry Roby LMS
Wilkin Soliola
Lafrannchi

Bench- Clough Puletua Flanagan Hohaia

A very good starting pack with a tidy bench but their problems will really come if you take one or 2 out for a long spell. If Perry has similar problems to this year and then for instance you take Soliola out (a guys who's had problems in the past) it starts to look a lot weaker-

Puletua Roby LMS
Wilkin Flanagan
Lafrannchi

Bench- Clough Mengennis Dixon Hohaia

That can be said for pretty much every team though and as guys like Lomax and Gaskell have proved youngsters can take their chances when they come along and soon be classed as better players then the ones they've replaced.

If he can stay away from injuries he will be up there with Lomax and Gaskell.

He is a bit like lomax and can play a number of positions pretty well,I would say stand off is his best though.

We also have Flannery..


But then again we have some youngsters from this season who maybe could fit in against lesser teams so we have our full pack for harder games. Players like Hale and Forster could fit in, maybe even our Irish friend McCluskey. However I do agree that we need another prop (or maybe even two) to compensate the big minutes we lost through Graham or any injuries.

I think everyone including the board want one more prop. But its all down to cash in the end. This year we have been working with three props for jmost games if we lost perry and soliola. The flannery would come in to the second row (or moore if rumours of his passing are premature). Laffranchi would move to proping and we have numerous options for second row or loose forward.

Another prop would give us an extremely strong squad but if we dont get one its no disaster the youth props like forester and hale need to get some games.

As for gaskell and lomax a great first year but with lance and wheeler they will have to keep their standards up.
Lomax has shown enough for me to think we needs to offer a longer term deal like tomkins has or grubby fingers maybe heading this way. Gaskell well the same goes for him if he keeps it up next year.

Wheeler is good too but needs to stay fit to earn a contract or he may have to find oppertunities elsewhere. Funnily enough if he stays fit and gets another contract we can accomodate all three as wheeler is a good centre and meli will retire after next year more than likely given his age. So wheeler has a spot just waiting for him to take for his own. As lyon has shown you can play centre and half back so no harm playing wheeler in the centre in two years time with an option for half back if lomax or gaskell get injured, do a gleeson or dont make the grade.

Yes, I'd put them as a pair. They have played as a pair for years and have a real understanding. They complement each other very well.


Too soon.

.
Saints half back partnerships in the junior grades over the last few years
2008
Lomax and Eastmond
Ellis and Wheeler
Smith and Wheeler

2009
Gaskell and Wheeler
Ellis and Eastmond
Gaskell and Ellis
Wheeler and Ellis

2010
Gaskell and Bradbury
Gaskell and Ellis

So they haven't played a lot as a pair over the years making this years partnership even more impressive.

I really like Lomax and Gaskell, not only for their obvious skill and potential, but also for their attitude. Am unsure about Foster who is the one that seems more style over substance, and so am glad that G&L are getting the recognition they deserve.

Am sure it won't take long for them to become "hate" figures - which seems to be a sign of success in the modern era.

Still looks pretty good to me TBH.

Clough and Dixon have been excellent in the play-offs and Magennis is a good young forward.

i am an aussie that watches the english and its about time you produced some top halfbacks! I hope lomax gets picked in the series at 7 with widdop at 6 - the aussies and kiwis know nothing about lomax, he could be a suprise package

I'm on the fence atm with Gaskell but Lomax is the real deal 10x better than what Eastmond was at that stage in his career

Lomax will be England 6 in 2 years time maybe shorter

Can't agree with this.

Jonny's natural position IMO is either full back or scrum half.

Gaskell has a better kicking game than Jonny and stand off is he's best position,watch out for Wheeler as well if he can stay fit,this kid is all class.

I hope he can, everytime I've seen him play for Saints (admittedly only a few times) he's looked quality, then been ruled out by injury. It'd be a real shame if he can't get past this, hopefully he'll have an injury free 2012 and really crack on. Good luck to the lad.

6&7 are the same postion these days either way he will be a England half back in 2 years

Ask Mr Hoffman.

Still can't get over the cheek of people who cheered Jason Hooper having a go at Hoffman for an incident where he was cleary committed to the tackle!

Hooper would have slapped Hoff round the chops for mis-timing his tackle by going way too early.