After losing Cunningham, Long, Gidley and Fat--on-the-loo, all experienced players, and with Eastmond looking likely to switch codes by end of season and Graham possibly heading down under do we think the club will find themselves slipping down the league table?

It cant help that they are "lodgers" at Widnes this season as they will no doubt have to pay rent and face the propspect that any gate receipt money they get will be down as some fans will refuse to travel.

What does the future hold for our fierce rivals? Pryce is coming to the twilight of his career, as is Wellens. I'm not convinced by the quality of a lot of their youngsters either.

I bet they wish they'd offered Matty Smith a new contract in light of the Eastmond situation!!!

No.

We Wigan fans have been saying that for years now and theyve arguably got better over the last 3/4 years or so.

Teams like them can replace quality with Quality. If any team takes them lightly they'll get steamrollered!

I dont think lodging at Widnes will be an issue..

You will need better bait than that

Can understand the original post in a way (although I know there's a fair element of trolling in it!)

People have been saying Saints are on the decline for about 10 years now, we've lost Sculthorpe, Long and Cunningham (people used to say we were a 3 man team) but are still competing at the top of the league, we're about to move into a new purpose built rugby league stadium. If anything we are consolidating and putting ourselves in a position on and off the field to compete at the top for years to come.

Clubs like Wigan and St Helens will always be competitive barring minor blips. That's just the way it is. Well run clubs with excellent facilities and outstanding junior development.

If I was trolling, I'd have posted it on the Saints board.

Just genuinely interested as to what fans of any club's views are on the subject. They have some good youngsters in their ranks but dont think any are of the quality of the players that have recently departed the club or will potentially be departing in the near future, at the start of their careers.

No they are not in decline.

Credit to Mick Potter.

I'm getting just about sick of this question now. It's like Saints don't have an academy, have no good players coming through thier system.

Saints can lose the likes of Cunningham, but then there's Roby in his place. Lose Long, but then comes Eastmond, then lose Eastmond (allegedly) up pops Wheeler. Clubs lose players, its inevitable, some of you may not believe it but one day Sam Tomkins will leave Wigan!



Players leave and that always provides oppurtunity for a new young prospect to take his place, and with the club in question being St Helens, I imagine whoever it is will be a very good player.

Not as long as they have Roby and Graham, if I were them I wouldn't bother trying to sign Long as a quick fix to replace Eastmond I'd sign either Holdsworth or Smith from Salford as long term.

If I were them I wouldn't bother with any of the 3 and let Lomax, Wheeler and Gaskell fight it our for that scrum half spot.

Longs too old and injury prone and the other 2 aren't good enough imo. I think Holdsworths a good player but I get the feeling he's a big fish in a small pond man tbh.

I'd like them to replace Eastmond with Ray French to be brutally honest

True enough.

As for them being in overall decline I agree with you that whilst they have Roby and Graham they will always be in and around that top 4. They are 2 very special players with the drive and passion to push their teamates on.

Losing Eastmond is a massive blow to Saints and rugbyleague but losing Graham to the NRL would really hit St Helens hard. He is the heartbeat of the side and would literally be irreplaceable by any other player in the world.

Graham's sensational for them but I think on Saturday James Roby proved who the real hearbeat of that side is. They've got some decent go forward players and will have another one when Perry gets fit but take Roby out and they would struggle to maintain their place at the top. His re-signing is a massive step towards ensuring that won't happen.

The fact he is playing (and not tooooooo shabby) with injections in his back highlights this.

Both are as important as each other imo and if they lose either the one left on their own( Roby more then likely) will just have too much to do unless they bring in an unbelievable replacement.

Eastmond could be replaced by Danny Brough.