[quote="Zig":1c4re11a]If you are referring to my post then both parts hold.[/quote:1c4re11a] Not at all. I’m referring the person on the other forum who started the rumour. He/she will soon look silly.

[quote="jonh":2lvuiz8a]Looks like we are doing business early again, in and out which is very positive. Focus needs to be on a secondrow for 2026. Faz and Isa are well past their prime. Jury still out on Walters. Outside of Nsemba couple of youngsters starting to kick on but we can cope with losing Byrne with what we have already at the club.[/quote:2lvuiz8a] Agree re priority must be on the secondrow and it must be someone with some good experience in terms of years and playing at a very good standard.

For me I think Faz has got 2 years left in him as a starter. Obviously not the player he was but still a work horse, fit as a fiddle and has the immeasurable asset of being our leader. Hoping for a massive year from Walters.

[quote="The Yellow Giraffe":3h1znmza]Not at all. I’m referring the person on the other forum who started the rumour. He/she will soon look silly.[/quote:3h1znmza] Fair enough, I apologise. Another person in the know is stating that Lees is going to Wire. I take it, by your comment, that you are confident Lees is extending his stay at Saints?

[quote="Zig":1n8tcerj]Fair enough, I apologise. Another person in the know is stating that Lees is going to Wire. I take it, by your comment, that you are confident Lees is extending his stay at Saints?[/quote:1n8tcerj] Yeah new deals for him and Knowles to be announced before the season starts.

[quote="The Yellow Giraffe":1tme533e]Yeah new deals for him and Knowles to be announced before the season starts.[/quote:1tme533e] Ok thanks. I assume that is where Matautia’s money has gone, together with resigning Delaney.

[quote="Zig":2b3qybmn]Ok thanks. I assume that is where Matautia’s money has gone, together with resigning Delaney.[/quote:2b3qybmn] Yeah it looks that way. Matautia was a strange one because as good as he was, the fact he was a bit of a jack of all trades means him leaving doesn’t leave a gap in a specific position if you get me. For example if Clark left we’d need a hooker, if Percival left we’d need a centre, etc. Whereas with Matautia I feel we have the numbers to cover him as he was playing pretty much a utility/cover role last year. Obviously I wanted another signing in but I don’t feel like there’s a glaringly obvious hole in our squad. Centre is probably most precarious and I would have personally much preferred us to release Hurrell and sign someone a bit more dependable there. As long as it’s one of the young lads and Ben Davies who is used to cover the inevitable Hurrell injury then I can cope with it.

[quote="The Yellow Giraffe":1ktxkcp8]Yeah it looks that way. Matautia was a strange one because as good as he was, the fact he was a bit of a jack of all trades means him leaving doesn’t leave a gap in a specific position if you get me. For example if Clark left we’d need a hooker, if Percival left we’d need a centre, etc. Whereas with Matautia I feel we have the numbers to cover him as he was playing pretty much a utility/cover role last year. .[/quote:1ktxkcp8] You're right of course, but the flip side of that is that you lose quality depth in lots of positions at once. Gives you more flexibility in the same way a good all rounder does in cricketing terms. Not the end of the world in terms of its impact on the quality of your starting XVII, but if you have a worse than average run of injuries then a player like Matautia can be a godsend.

I think Matautia is a big loss for Saints tbh. The versatility he brought was a positive but above anything else, he's just a very good player. There is a real need for Batchelor and Whitley to make major improvements on their form of last year to cover his exit as a second rower and I felt like he could develop in to one of the better props in the league. He brought an aggressive edge in defence as well and was the sort of player you'd trust in big games, so I am surprised no replacement has been brought in, be that a second rower or a prop.

[quote="NickyKiss":2rwrt804]I think Matautia is a big loss for Saints tbh. The versatility he brought was a positive but above anything else, he's just a very good player. There is a real need for Batchelor and Whitley to make major improvements on their form of last year to cover his exit as a second rower and I felt like he could develop in to one of the better props in the league. He brought an aggressive edge in defence as well and was the sort of player you'd trust in big games, so I am surprised no replacement has been brought in, be that a second rower or a prop.[/quote:2rwrt804] He was never a centre though.

[quote="Zig":37jf2ari]He was never a centre though.[/quote:37jf2ari] No, definitely not his position nowadays. I could've understood them not signing a replacement forward for Matuatia had they gone out and got a centre instead but to run with Hurrell again as first choice seems odd.

[quote="NickyKiss":37uf1mqi]No, definitely not his position nowadays. I could've understood them not signing a replacement forward for Matuatia had they gone out and got a centre instead but to run with Hurrell again as first choice seems odd.[/quote:37uf1mqi] I cannot understand the resigning of Hurrell, he looked shot last season and, by all accounts, he suffered a very bad injury. I am sure that Saints could have made better use of their last non-federation trained spot, perhaps there were no suitable players available for the amount of salary Hurrell commands. Maybe he will prove me wrong and fair play if he does.

[quote="Zig":1me7o3gq]I cannot understand the resigning of Hurrell, he looked shot last season and, by all accounts, he suffered a very bad injury. I am sure that Saints could have made better use of their last non-federation trained spot, perhaps there were no suitable players available for the amount of salary Hurrell commands. Maybe he will prove me wrong and fair play if he does.[/quote:1me7o3gq] Probably no one in their academy that can step up and no cap space for a decent replacement

Hurrell will still be difficult to stop with a head of steam. Lateral defence is a big problem though and hard to see him playing a full year without injury.

[quote="MadDogg":irkdk3ek]Hurrell will still be difficult to stop with a head of steam. Lateral defence is a big problem though and hard to see him playing a full year without injury.[/quote:irkdk3ek] Field managed to stop him 2mtrs from the line and force a knock-on in the CC semi

[quote="Zig":1xn4cnhk]I was told this earlier in the week but took it with a pinch of salt. Redvee is already in meltdown.[/quote:1xn4cnhk] lmao Where is the meltdown?

Not a rumour but noticed Toby King saying he hasn't been offered an extension by Wire yet and he doesn't know if he will move on or not. The talk is that he's on a big deal currently but you'd imagine that will drop by a fair amount going forward, wherever he ends up. He could be an option here if Keighran were to head home, even if they decide to give Eckersley the starting spot. If they do promote Eckersley, you do still feel like you'd want the option to use him as a back up fullback or winger (along with the younger players like Douglas, Lowe, Hodkinson etc) and to do that you need another option.

[quote="NickyKiss":27rl03ke]Not a rumour but noticed Toby King saying he hasn't been offered an extension by Wire yet and he doesn't know if he will move on or not. The talk is that he's on a big deal currently but you'd imagine that will drop by a fair amount going forward, wherever he ends up. He could be an option here if Keighran were to head home, even if they decide to give Eckersley the starting spot. If they do promote Eckersley, you do still feel like you'd want the option to use him as a back up fullback or winger (along with the younger players like Douglas, Lowe, Hodkinson etc) and to do that you need another option.[/quote:27rl03ke] That would all depend on what King's expectations are. If he's prepared to be a squad player (i.e. not automatically first choice) and take a salary that reflects that then I could see Wigan considering it given how well he did in 2023.

I think wing might be the position Eckerlsey starting out. Would love that out and our pace on the right wing. Miski turns 30 this year but has another 3 years on his deal (2025,2026 and 2027). That contract feels quite long.

[quote="MadDogg":1n48mc5e]That would all depend on what King's expectations are. If he's prepared to be a squad player (i.e. not automatically first choice) and take a salary that reflects that then I could see Wigan considering it given how well he did in 2023.[/quote:1n48mc5e] As much as I rated King at Wigan I think with the development of Eckersley that ship has sailed. If Keighran departs our centres need to be Wardle and ZE as at his level of ability and age he needs to be rewarded as the next cab off the rank. It may well be Keighrans shirt again in 2026 if he stays but if not ZE is the only man that should replace him, whenever he departs.

[quote="NSW":41igzx4f]I think wing might be the position Eckerlsey starting out. Would love that out and our pace on the right wing. Miski turns 30 this year but has another 3 years on his deal (2025,2026 and 2027). That contract feels quite long.[/quote:41igzx4f] I’m guessing that contract length will be reflected in his salary. I’m thinking he will have sacrificed a few £ for that career ending security at a club who should be competing for trophies throughout that period.

[quote="MadDogg":3s1dckxm]That would all depend on what King's expectations are. If he's prepared to be a squad player (i.e. not automatically first choice) and take a salary that reflects that then I could see Wigan considering it given how well he did in 2023.[/quote:3s1dckxm] I think you're right. He will drop in money but would he drop down to being on squad player money? If other offers were on the table then probably not. He's somebody worth keeping an eye on. One thing that certainly isn't a worry nowadays is his fitness. He seems to have turned in to a fitness fanatic away from the field, which certainly didn't look the case in the year or two before his loan move at Wigan.

[quote="jonh":lheegz73]As much as I rated King at Wigan I think with the development of Eckersley that ship has sailed. If Keighran departs our centres need to be Wardle and ZE as at his level of ability and age he needs to be rewarded as the next cab off the rank. It may well be Keighrans shirt again in 2026 if he stays but if not ZE is the only man that should replace him, whenever he departs.[/quote:lheegz73] I think it would be sensible to extend AK’s deal. Zac is only in the first year of his four year contract and needs time, and competition, for him to fully develop.

[quote="NickyKiss":3bs1dp5n]I think you're right. He will drop in money but would he drop down to being on squad player money? If other offers were on the table then probably not. He's somebody worth keeping an eye on. One thing that certainly isn't a worry nowadays is his fitness. He seems to have turned in to a fitness fanatic away from the field, which certainly didn't look the case in the year or two ybefore his loan move at Wigan.[/quote:3bs1dp5n] More likely that he will end up at Saints.

[quote="Zig":16fihegz]I think it would be sensible to extend AK’s deal. Zac is only in the first year of his four year contract and needs time, and competition, for him to fully develop.[/quote:16fihegz] I wouldn’t be against retaining him for 2026 with Eckersley taking the shirt in 2027.