Our full team that obviously doesn't normally have Sean O'loughlin, Harrison Hansen, Lee Mossop and Eamon O'carroll is that ?..

You still haven't explained why Saints have signed Perry, Soliola or Puletua instead of playing all this young talent like you say?

Puletua was signed in 2007, Soliola for this season (fat lot of good he's been) and Perry for 2011. That is not even one a season. All those men are big guys. With the exception of James Graham - a locally grown player, note - it generally takes many years for young players to grow that kind of size. Like all teams, we need bulk as well as everything else. As it is, we are using Jake Emmitt, who is a 20 year old prop that we have dual loaned to Leigh. We also use Ashurst (presently injured) and Dixon (who was injured against you) who are young second rowers (not yet 21) but not props (although they have played as props sometimes due to Maurie being injured for so long). We also have Magennis, who has so far played one first grade game this season after 18 months out injured, who is either a prop or second rower, I can't remember, and he is 20 years old, and we also have Johnson, who is 22 and who played in his second game for a few minutes against Wigan. We also use Hargreaves, lately of Wigan, who is in his very early 20s, sometimes as a prop although he too is a second rower. And then there is Clough, a locally grown product and either 22 or 23, who is a second rower but is frequently used as a prop due to injuries to our big men. We have had Maurie out for months now (again) and with Tony P out as well, the only big guys we have left are Fozzard (pretty useless due to his age, but British) and Graham. Perry is being brought in to complement that as this is now the second season where basically Graham has been left as our sole big guy.

Now, what was that you were saying?

So why do you have a problem with Greg Eastwood, the 22 year old world cup winner? Surely your little theory applies to both teams or does this justification for signing over seas players only work with St Helens?

We lost eastmond, pryce during the game which is our to halfbacks, we also had wilkin and cunningham out which are our other two ball players.

We had nobody to throw the ball around as our ball players was all out.

Because we have recruited fewer than one overseas player per season since 2007 and only then because young guys are not big guys and we needed big guys. All the rest of our recruitment has been either general British (Fozzard being our only new British recruit and he's hardly new) or locally British and young (Lomax, Eastmond, Dixon, Ashurst, etc) Instead of recruiting Eastwood, why didn't your club give one of your young players a chance? At Saints, we have opted for the young players. We are probably losing Maurie next year and/or Fozzard as both are out of contract. Hence Perry. A big guy, because our young big guys are not yet big enough. Emmitt is on his way though, which is good. I'm sure he'll be a regular feature over time.

Nah, to be fair, you lot have lost a lot of very close games this season which could've gone either way.

Looking at the run ins, you should easily secure third. I look forward to you battering Wire and us having a playoff game at our place against you after hopefully beating Leeds.

Your top? Great! Doesn't count for an awful lot in the Grand Final/even getting there, as we know all too well.

Were aiming not to make the same mistake, Well at least not 3 times in a row!



PS

I seem to remember everyone telling us when we were 4th/5th etc that finishing higher up in the league helps making the GF easier etc?
Plus Some people were even counting Hub Caps as Trophies when trying to extol Saints dominace in the SL Era ( Others even had bets on it!

)

Suddenly were Top and being Top doesn't matter anymore!



Go figure!

I actually wonder how some people keep a straight face when they try to claim that finishing top doesn't matter.

St Helensers saying it is totally laughable for all the reasons you mention. But Wiganers saying it - when in the last few seasons we've been languishing well down the league come the business end of the season - is amazing.

It may not mean much in the great sweep of world affairs. But as a measure of your team's ability, it's pretty damn comforting.

Is there any news yet on Pryce and Eastmond's injuries?

Welcome to the hubcap club!

If you remember, pretty much only Saints fans were extolling the virtues of the hubcap (along with some players). Wigan fans were as dismissive as others when we were winning it four seasons on the trot. It's changed for you guys now, hasn't it? Strange how that is!



You'll find a lot of Saints fans do still value the hubcap, me included, because it is recognition of a team's consistency over the year. Or should be. Last season we held first spot from the second match to the second last match when injuries crucified us and Leeds nicked it off us. But we had done the same to them the previous year. But it's a worthy tropy in itself and should be recognised as such IMO. Same for the Challenge Cup. It's just that lots of people are sheep and have been sucked in by Sky and their exclusive promotion of the Grand Final.

You'll be pleased to hear that Eastmond is likely to be out for another two weeks and Pryce and Dixon are being monitored. Pryce had a back spasm so should, in theory, be ok for next week. But who knows? Dixon (forward) had a groin strain and those can keep a player out for a few weeks, or not, depending on how bad it is.

I don't think its that we value the hubcab in comparison to say the GF, it's that under Noble most peoples biggest complaint was our lack of consistency, we could beat the big teams on our day, but then lose to Crusaders the next week. Winning the league would represent a massive change in the performance of the club, which has underperformed for a number of years, therefore winning the hubcap would be a massive achievement.

P.S. what on earth does it matter how and when you get your overseas players in, they still aren't british! So what if you've only got one every year, you'll still have as many as everyone else!

I never said it didn't matter mate! Of course I'd like to finish top, but it doesn't make losing in a Grand Final feel any better should you do this!

I had a bet on us winning a Trophy, that's a Trophy no matter what people consider it means!

Infact, do you remember what happened the last time you finished top? Only two more to go!

You recovered yet?

Never pleased to hear of a player's injury (Unless it's Lee Briers) and it sounds like not as big a blow as first feared for you guys. I still think Eastmond was brought back into the squad far too early, but against big opposition, the coach can be forgiven for rushing him back. We did the same with Amos against you when he was still nowhere near match fit.

You lot sound like you've got the strength in depth to cover with a decent crop of youngsters and I look forward to revenge for last year's playoff exit!

Just about!

Like I said, the last time you finished top and went to the Grand Final, I think we both know what happened?

We recruited Eastwood to give the pack more bulk, like you have with Perry etc.Why couldn't you give young players a chance instead of signing Perry? it works both ways! We have also recruited Pitts and Ambler aswell as just a few days ago the signings of 10 of the most exciting young players in the country. We had Clarkson, Ambler and Mcshane all playing yesterday who are young forwards, so to say were not giving them a chance is rubbish.

Yer right, all it takes is a couple of losses!



CAT-A-LANS...!!!!

Well, exactly, dumbass. Last season we lost five of our final eight and so we slipped from the first position we had held all season. Hence I was saying, all it will take for you is for you to start losing. It's still yours to lose.

I wasn't saying anything about us this season. We'll be lucky to be in the playoffs this season and I've felt that all along. I have regularly got a drubbing from fellow Saints fans for it.

An hour and a bit after your match has finished and your on here wondering what 'The wiganers are saying'.......how times change again!!!

I go on everyone's board at least once a week so don't feel special. You really aren't.

However, you will get the hubcap, of that I have no doubt. And good on you too. As a Saints fan, I respect that piece of silverware.

Catalans were clearly using last week's game as a training session...