How many backs are we going to sign ?

[Saints Forever]

Looking at Saints website this morning it struck me that true to his word Millward has taken the punt to essentially run with the youth development.

We no longer have a balance of experience and youth.

Here is a list of the backs with positions as noted on the website:

Fullback Dufty, Mann and Masters (If Mann leaves for Newcastle and Dufty is injured or plays poorly, Masters is the remaining option)

Half Hunt, Nicholls

Five Eight Widdop, Field, Sailor (Piggy Riddell suggested Saints chase the Englishman, George Williams who is apparently a gun 5/8 in the event Widdop leaves)

Centre Aitken, Lafai, Lomax

Winger Pearson, Ravalawa, Pereira

If either of our halves goes down injured for an extended period we are stuffed. Given the cost of quality halves on the open market, very few teams would have quality backups.

For Millward and Mary to release Mann, they must believe Field is nearly ready for FG or they simply don't rate him as a top 13 starter.

To me, we need a Marquee centre and a top winger urgently.

We need some serious TPA's to compete with the top 4 clubs.

Our backline is a reflection of the salary cap system and our inability to raise additional funds.

Come on Mr Gordon, don't you have any friends?

 

[muzby]

I’ll do it.

 

[hewi]

I hate saying this but I don’t see us doing as well next year as we did this year. IMO, other clubs have recruited better than us and will improve I think we will struggle to make the 8 and I hope I am very very wrong.

 

[BLM01]

What a way to wake up to a Sunday with this depressing news again.
I was reading waiting for the positives or happy ending to come....it just didnt
Reality .....well be fine.... we will have no injuries in the backs

 

[possm]

1. Dufty, Widdop or Norman - sign Norman
2. Pearson or Pereira
3. Lomax or Aitken
4. Mann or Lafai
5. Ravalawa or Cotric - sign Cotric
6. Widdop, Norman, Field, Dufty - sign Norman
7. Hunt, Norman or Clune - sign Norman

 

[AyiosYiorgos]

What a way to wake up to a Sunday with this depressing news again.
I was reading waiting for the positives or happy ending to come....it just didnt
Reality .....well be fine.... we will have no injuries in the backs

if you're waiting for a Happy Ending to cum,probably best you go to one of those "massage" clinics.

 

[TomRedVRiver]

I'm pretty confident in our centres... Well at least in Lomax. I'd happily shift Aitken to left centre over Lafai. If we can pick up a quality left centre then I wouldn't argue with it.

But, what we really need is an elite winger. It's what we're missing in our squad and the club knows this too. At the same time however, it's all about being patient and finding the right player.

 

[TomRedVRiver]

1. Dufty, Widdop or Norman - sign Norman
2. Pearson or Pereira
3. Lomax or Aitken
4. Mann or Lafai
5. Ravalawa or Cotric - sign Cotric
6. Widdop, Norman, Field, Dufty - sign Norman
7. Hunt, Norman or Clune - sign Norman

There's no way I would sign Norman as a fullback, and with Widdop/Hunt in the halves, there's no need for him there either. Pass on Norman.

Also Cotric isn't available mate. There rumours flying around here recently on that were rubbish.

 

[BLM01]

Moses will go to Warriors they say. Norman stays at Parra. Alex Johnston has till Friday to tell 1 club whether he accepts a contract or not. Is it the Dragons?

 

[BLM01]

if you're waiting for a Happy Ending to cum,probably best you go to one of those "massage" clinics.

I knew that would draw one of them out...

 

[Saint_JimmyG]

1. Dufty, Widdop or Norman - sign Norman
2. Pearson or Pereira
3. Lomax or Aitken
4. Mann or Lafai
5. Ravalawa or Cotric - sign Cotric
6. Widdop, Norman, Field, Dufty - sign Norman
7. Hunt, Norman or Clune - sign Norman

As with Bennett returning, it doesn’t hurt to dream.

 

[Saint_JimmyG]

Saints need a new marquee centre and established wingers?

No shit.

 

[hazzbeen]

if you're waiting for a Happy Ending to cum,probably best you go to one of those "massage" clinics.

Happy endings are good , and I don't need anyone for that ...

 

[Dragonslayer]

My guess is that we are after a winger who can and has experience playing fullback.
Hello, Alex Johnson!

 

[possm]

There's no way I would sign Norman as a fullback, and with Widdop/Hunt in the halves, there's no need for him there either. Pass on Norman.

Also Cotric isn't available mate. There rumours flying around here recently on that were rubbish.

I respect your opinion because you are a forum member and are entitled to express your opinion. However, I just will point out that we have not much flexibility in so far as backup for injuries of poor form. We have no real backup for fullback, right wing and the halves. Dufty is not an expensive fullback so surely we should have a first grade fullback as backup. Our right winger is not an expensive player so surely we should have someone like R Jennings to slot in there and let there be competition for the position. We currently do not have backup for our halves. Mann Field and our ISP backup is too many steps down the ladder to be selected without stuffing up our team performance.

Also if Crotric is not available, Robert Jennings is off contract and not being paid at the moment. It would be an easy signing and a good one.

 

[BLM01]

I respect your opinion because you are a forum member and are entitled to express your opinion. However, I just will point out that we have not much flexibility in so far as backup for injuries of poor form. We have no real backup for fullback, right wing and the halves. Dufty is not an expensive fullback so surely we should have a first grade fullback as backup. Our right winger is not an expensive player so surely we should have someone like R Jennings to slot in there and let there be competition for the position. We currently do not have backup for our halves. Mann Field and our ISP backup is too many steps down the ladder to be selected without stuffing up our team performance.

Also if Crotric is not available, Robert Jennings is off contract and not being paid at the moment. It would be an easy signing and a good one.

Well said Possm..now your talkin

 

[Como Connection]

Moses will go to Warriors they say. Norman stays at Parra. Alex Johnston has till Friday to tell 1 club whether he accepts a contract or not. Is it the Dragons?

Alex is target number one, failing that Robert Jennings.
CC

 

[AyiosYiorgos]

Alex is target number one, failing that Robert Jennings.
CC

strange one really, no way he comes to play wing, he wants fullback position/money and i think Dufty will be the 1st fullback chosen, with Field back up, i can see us signing a player who can shift between wing/centre and fullback as a bonus -KMann

 

[TomRedVRiver]

I respect your opinion because you are a forum member and are entitled to express your opinion. However, I just will point out that we have not much flexibility in so far as backup for injuries of poor form. We have no real backup for fullback, right wing and the halves. Dufty is not an expensive fullback so surely we should have a first grade fullback as backup. Our right winger is not an expensive player so surely we should have someone like R Jennings to slot in there and let there be competition for the position. We currently do not have backup for our halves. Mann Field and our ISP backup is too many steps down the ladder to be selected without stuffing up our team performance.

Also if Crotric is not available, Robert Jennings is off contract and not being paid at the moment. It would be an easy signing and a good one.

Completely understand what you're saying possm, but you're suggesting we buy Norman as a back-up fullback or half... Which is crazy given his price-tag. Norman would baulk at the concept of signing him as a depth player and frankly for a player of his calibre, it's a bit of a joke.
You don't pay a player 600k+ to play ISP.

Another thing too, you can't have quality first grade players in every position in your squad. If we lose Hunt, you can't have a Norman, Pearce or Taylor slot in.
If you lose Dufty, you can't have an Edwards, Trbojevic or Tedesco slot in.
You can't have ready-made first grade players throughout your squad, it's just not the way it works... The salary cap doesn't allow for that, and ready-made first graders want to be playing first grade full-time, otherwise they'll move elsewhere.

Just remember, we are still out there active in the market for an outside-back. We will find somebody to cover wing or centre, don't stress bud!

 

[Crush]

Completely understand what you're saying possm, but you're suggesting we buy Norman as a back-up fullback or half... Which is crazy given his price-tag. Norman would baulk at the concept of signing him as a depth player and frankly for a player of his calibre, it's a bit of a joke.
You don't pay a player 600k+ to play ISP.

Another thing too, you can't have quality first grade players in every position in your squad. If we lose Hunt, you can't have a Norman, Pearce or Taylor slot in.
If you lose Dufty, you can't have an Edwards, Trbojevic or Tedesco slot in.
You can't have ready-made first grade players throughout your squad, it's just not the way it works... The salary cap doesn't allow for that, and ready-made first graders want to be playing first grade full-time, otherwise they'll move elsewhere.

Just remember, we are still out there active in the market for an outside-back. We will find somebody to cover wing or centre, don't stress bud!

Unless you are the Roosters.