Saying that would he get in Wigans first team? ATM no, depending on your HB situation next year maybe.

He wouldn't this season no but with Leuluai off at the end of the year he could next year.

The funny thing is with all these Finch rumours I'd only want Gaskell if he had Finch still at Wigan to play alongside. That way we would still have the option of throwing Tomkins back in the halves with Russell at fullback if it's not working out.

If Finch goes we'll need to sign at least one and probably two experienced halfbacks.....and no we don't want Hohiha! Ha.

That will be the decisive conversation

Brown wants to keep gaskell but the lad not happy with wants going on now and the same fella who isn't playing him now will still be at the club next season

We've already lost one star prospect in Eastmond. Losing Gaskell would destroy any confidence in the very same academy that McManus has staked so much on over the last few years.

We have to remember that Gaskell was promoted a year ahead of schedule (at the very least). Giving him some time away where he can work on his physique is a good idea. But dropping him on form seems nonsensical as it wasn't that bad anyway.

Losing Gaskell to Wigan would be nothing short of a disaster. He was instrumental last season and although he had a wobbly patch early this season, (and lets face it how many Saints players were actually playing well at that time ?) he still has a lot to offer.

It could be that he will just need to bide his time till Brown arrives. And lets be realistic there are going to be injuries etc between now and the end of the season,so I am pretty sure he will get his chance again some time. And it would not surprise me if he did get his chance, that he would cement his name on the teamsheet.

but won't be picking the team nor having the input he is at the moment, its browns call next year not rush's

Has anyone heard anything about this?

We're certainly in the hunt for one halfback, possibly two depending on what happens with Finch.

I wouldn't say no to Gaskell that's for sure. He's in stark contrast to the type of halfback that most clubs are producing.


Looking forward to Sunday by the way.

It would be a massive mistake to let him go whilst persisting with a fullback/hooker at 6

Brown will be picking the team next year nobody else.

I think there's only 1 person on here who ever thought Lance was a halfback (based on him playing there for some u8's team) and suspect even [ishe[/i has given up that ghost these days

And where did this come from?

How did you manage to jump to that conclusion?

I can't see us letting him go because his talent is there for all to see. Once he gets a good run in the team next year with Brown those who didn't rate him will be astonished that they didn't to the point of making up stories about how he's a different player in 2013 than he was whenever.

I was talking to a mate of his who has said he is just biding his time till next year see what browns plans are if he doesn't feature he is looking to go else where with Wigan and Warrington calling and Salford keeping tabs on him

thats a good attitude from the lad, just working hard and getting on with his job

To be honest if we ignore him, I would not be calling him Judas for the next 10 years for doing what is right for him. If that's Wigan so be it.

He doesn't want to leave but if saints let him go or don't play him got no other option he got remainder of this year and next year to sort it all

I think that comes across as a bit patronising to be honest. Gaskell played in the Grand Final and didn't do a bad job, especially given he had not even played a full season in the first team. 'Getting on with his job' would be to continue with his first team career. After playing at that level and in a Grand Final, the u20s will be teaching him next to nothing.

I'd guess that what SS means is that, having played a large part of last season in the first team, he is prepared to assess the new coach's intentions before deciding where his future lies rather than hissy fitting now about losing his place.

He's been dropped and been unlucky not to have been selected since, but has taken it on the chin and not gone all Billy Bigbollox.

Ergo, getting on with his job (which is, playing where the coach tells you to).

Indeed. We don't tend to make many mistakes with our player retention, especially with the ones who have come through the system, but I would not be happy if we let Gaskell move to one of our closest rivals. Hopefully Brown sees something Rush doesn't.

yep, thats pretty much what i was getting on about

The same lad also said gadkells been offered new deal but wants a chat to brown before signing it

The major problem here is experience - Lomax and Gaskell are both more than a little wet behind the ears and both need to play alongside someone with said experience who they can learn off of i.e. not each other. Given the choice of which one gets to play in the team then Lomax has to be a no-brainer at this stage of their respective careers. Bagging a good experienced organising #6 (Lynch or Brough or whoever) who will take the pressure off Lomax at #7 and let him just do his thing (which is clearly what Brown is planning if the above is true) seems like a good way forward to me, and that unfortunately may just have to mean adios to Gaskell. If we played Lomax and Gaskell together for the next couple of seasons then you could very well ruin both careers. Hohaia may not be able to teach much to Lomax about good HB play (to put it mildly on performances to date), but he is at least a seasoned old pro who Lomax can absorb many tricks of the trade from.

[uDoes anybody actually know[/u if like Rush doesn't like Gaskell or are people just making their own assumptions because he's not being picked when he might not be picking for many other reasons? Given Mike's penchant for developing talent, I'd be amazed if he's already given up on Gaskell after basically coaching him through the grades (where I'm assured he was pretty good as well coming up through them). If there's something else at play here that we don't know about fair enough but let's not jump to conclusions when we could be guessing.

On the point above, I'm not being funny as this thing about a seasoned half back is a valid comment, however what's wrong with coaching the kids? If Millward can turn Sean "Headless Chicken" Long from a half back who could hardly pass and kick (for a half back) into a guy who could dictate the speed and tempo of a game (within the space of two years) then why can't that happen with the youngsters especially Gaskell who has the kicking game to do exactly that?

That's why I'm surprised that Rush is sticking with Hohaia, and in every game, especially given the massive responsibility Gaskell held at times during the 2011 season. I suspect that perhaps Rush does not want to be involved too closely in coaching individual players as he has openly said that he is continuing oversight of the youth development side while filling in as first team coach.

He has also said in the most recent podcast from Saints that he is in contact with Daniel Anderson on a weekly basis and Anderson is helping him out. That probably has nothing to do with Gaskell not being played but it may be a factor.