Mrs B has "remote-saved" it already...

Our pack is woefully short of depth, our right hand side lacks quality and our halves are not exactly the highest proven quality either.

As for "worrymongering", get a grip of yourself FFS. I'm expressing a very common concern about our squad for next season and about McCrae's recent media quotes.

I don't "need to make my mind up" either, as you put it, because I've certainly never "screamed to play any kids". If we have any ideas of competing for the top four next season, we need more than we currently have and three or four untried academy forwards is not first choice back-up.

Personally I would say we are still short of enough quality in the centres and half-backs. We only have one of each of the necessary quality to be a top side IMO, but the addition/development of others can come in time. I think the only real concern for next season is a bench back row option, which we will still hopefully see if Obst can find somewhere else. That's just not looking promising ATM.

You've hit the nail on the head there. You actually talk a hell of a lot of sense for a dobbin !

I wouldn't go as far as 'woefully short', we're really only 1 player lighter than last year. Looking at the list of outs:

Fitzgibbon - essentially replaced by Lynch
Radford - replaced by O'Carroll
Dowes - replaced by Bowden
Washbrook - replaced any of Kent/Green/Pearce/Cunningham or even Whiting

That leaves Lauaki as the one we need to replace.

IMO we're perhaps stuck in the '25 experienced players in case of injury' mentality that Kear introduced, when really the best use of the cap is to have about 20 with good 1st team experience and then youngsters.

Right side- lets see how Martin/Sharp do first?
Half backs- Horne, Seymour, Ellis, Nicklas. Who exaclty did you want?
Pack- Hardly woeful is it? It's well overdue that we give Kent, Green, Cunningham, Pearce a shot so this is perfect time to do so.

I see what you're saying but IMO we need another prop AND another backrower (maybe in the form of impact from the bench).

I can just see us with 2 or 3 academy forwards in the 17 each week once the season gets into full swing which would be a huge concern IMO. Academy back-up is obviously the proven way to success but it has to be a gradual and well-managed process. Having to "rely" on too many academy forwards for a substantial part of the season could result in a poor 2012.

If we bring in another backrower I think 3 youngsters in the 17 will hopefully be a rarity barring an injury situation it just isn't feasible to plan for without having a detrimental affect on the squad's quality when at full strength. Remember that whilst it shouldn't be happening too often, we have 3 backrowers capable of 80 minutes and Lynch who can do a very good 60 at prop.

Also, by the time the season gets into full-swing I would hope that 2 or 3 of the young forwards have a few games under their belts.

Im pretty happy going into the season with what we have. My main concern is if/when Horne and/or Seymour get injured.

Ellis?

Isn't proven at this level, im all for given NL players a chance but it was obvious Saints didnt think he could cut it in SL.

in short we dont have a issue at present and still weeks to go before we kick off so worrymongering is not needed till the week before the kick off, but it suits some to always look for a cloud on a sunny day !!!

as for half backs how many more does he want LOL

I guess that all depends on the quality of the youth coming in doesnt it!!
ALA Crooks etc , I would be happy to run with what he have already given a decent coach now in charge and an abviously better game plan with be the norm, but i am sure there will be more "good news" before we kick off , sure of it ....

He's gone from a Saints reject to a Championship POTY and YPOYT, so it's safe to say he's improved since then. I will be more then happy to rely on him if/when Horne/Seymour get injured.

We won't see Crooks this year in SL anyway imo. He has at least 4 players infront off him.

People under estimate the jump from NL and academy to SL imo. Especially positions such as the halves and .

agar/hetherington/rule have left us with a poor quality/value for money squad if we really are spending the full cap on what we have. It will take 2 or 3 seasons to move players on, bring in better quality replacements and introduce some of our better youngsters to such an extent that we have a realistic chance of getting near to winning the comp

cant argue with that

There's plenty who will just because it's me

The problem for me is that a few of our youngsters should have already had a good season of first team experience from last season, but for some reason it didnt happen.

I think we would have been in a much better position now if this would have happened.

I expect us to do well but talk of honours maybe abit premature.

If as expected Obst does leave and we sign an experienced 2nd rower then we will have a much better balanced squad, given that Whiting and Turner will probably not be in the starting 13 shows that we will have more depth and the fact that we need some of these youngsters to get some game time, i would be happy going into next season with that. In the long term i would expect us to bring more quality in as and when the salary cap allows us to and by 2014 at the latest i would want us to be challenging at the top for every honour available.

Why-oh-why are people still feeding the EXICECREAMMAN?

Stop being so negative

Ha,ha

No they won`t.