Time will tell I suppose.

No he's just another average backrow, worse than 2 we've given you over the last couple of years

I know we're short at hooker with Roby and Lance out, but we've got Speakman, who's obviously not far from the first team, Flanagan who can fill in, and I'm sure Wilkin/Lomax/Wellens/Gaskell could give it a go. Unless Roby's injury is a lot worse than first feared, I think it's a desperate and unambitious piece of business.

That was never going to happen. He's been our stand-out player this year so far.

Howarth is just a 'fill-in' player. He will never produce anything outstanding, he'll just go through the basics, and often not particularly well. He'll have to rely on a minor miracle to get his game anywhere near where Saints will be operating.

Our recruitment policy continues to dumbfound and displease in equal measures.

He 'obviously' isn't given this signing, you'd think!

Brown hasn't been frightened to throw in youngsters, so you could infer that his reluctance to do so at hooker means he doesn't think Speakman is ready?

Doesn't look like it now. You would have thought so considering he played last week and is in the squad again this week.

You shouldnt sit on the fence like this Ave it! Great deal for the City Reds though.

Text from GT, Salford fan of this parish:



I'm struggling to get to grips with this one. I thought Speakman looked decent enough on Friday but I suppose with Gaskell not featuring whatever the circumstances it's like gaining a player who may only act as cover. He doesn't sound like adequate cover though.

sounds abit like the lunt and moore situation for us last season... then look what happened!

My take on this is that there will be an agreement for Gaskell to move to Salford permanently for a few quid from the Doc, and we've decided they may as well throw in a squad player while they're at it since we're lacking cover at hooker.

We've seen the last of Gaskell I reckon.

Nothing like it - Lunt is a decent hooker, Howarth isn't. Simple

I don't get where this idea of Gaskell being 'amazing' has come from.

He's not done anything under 3 coaches since 2011 and 2 of them didn't pick him. You'd have to ask why that is.

He's been underwhelming since 2011 I agree - but would you rather see him or Charnock/Wellens run out with 6 on their back at the DW tomorrow . . . . .

you obviously dont know what happened and the whole scenario

cant see the same happening where you win the grand final though

I'd take Lunt in a flash!

Fair to assume that Brown thinks the latter.

As a supporter we can judge in hindsight after the game tomorrow whether the right decision was made.

Howarths not a 9. His preferred position was 6 or 13 for Wakey and is not as bad a player as made out , A change of club may give him a lift and playing alongside a better squad will give him more opportunities to show his ball playing skills .
Veivers ran him as interchange 9 , with Godwin being injured for alot of last season . now he's 3rd choice behind Godwin & Gareth Owen . we are in desperate need of a stand off after Holdsworth leaving.
Howarth had a couple of ' run ins ' with Salford fans after bad losses so this didn't endear him to the more vocal amongst the support .
Lee Gaskell , I remember him ripping us to shreds at the Willows a couple of seasons ago and Gaskell/Lomax was going to be the Saints half-back Partnership for years to come. what happened >? he was non too pleased being palmed out to Hornets a week or two back .

anyway good luck to both

It's nice to see a balanced opinion about the lad.

Well, no surprise to me that Gaskell has gone to Salford. I did say he wouldn't play for Saints again and I did say he was out of favour. He's been treated poorly by Saints but at least now he is at a club where he will get a chance to play each week and will also be under the guidance of one of the best halfbacks ever to grace our game. Given that he's out of contract at the end of the season I can see this being a permanent move which, with Koukash around and the possibility of at least one quality coach being brought on board at Salford, he may well be happy to take.

I love the way Saints keep on developing their local young players.

And given Brown's decision to send Lunt out on loan to Leeds to faciitate his beloved Scott Moore, I don't have a lot of faith in Brown's judgment.

Me too, I mean we have blooded 6 kids this season already.

That isn't developing them; it's covering for injuries. We've always done that.

Who was injured for Greenwood, Percival and Walker to get game time this season?

There's a reason Gaskell suddenly dropped from favour and he probably wouldn't have played again this season so it makes sense to swap for somebody else who may play.

Admittedly, I would have liked somebody with a better rep than Howarth but lets give the lad a chance before writing him off.

I just hope Howarth has a blinder if he plays tomorrow and proves everybody wrong. A change of club etc might work well for him as with Gaskell too. Gaskell is out of contract at the end of the season so I can't see him coming back to us. A shame really as he never fulfilled his potential while with us.