To be fair, he was our second top try scorer last season.

However, I feel the initial poster is right and Wellens is no longer an ideal choice at full back.

It's very much a Phil Veivers type scenario. Veivers had been our best player for a number of years and was walking away with Player of the Year Awards. However, it got to a point when his ability to read the game and take the high ball was not really covering for his lack of pace like it used to. In the end, he ended up playing at centre, stand off, second row and loose forward and continued to do a bloody good job.

The game has changed a lot over the last three or four years and there is every need for pace at full back now rather than reliability. As it happens, we could do with some pace in the centres so I don't see what he would offer there either.

He has been a magnificent full back for us but he is only a good one now. Two years is too long for him to be our No.1 and, this year, we need to be looking at different options in the full back role and different positions for Wellens.

Wello to centre, Leon to full back, and Wheeler to stand off?

The BIG difference is that Tomkins has it to lose.
Wellens never did.

There must have been some terrible players around when Wello won MOS, Lance Todd, Harry Sunderland, PPOY and numerous Britain and England caps.

I wonder if any other full back in the modren era could match all that?

And Tomkins isn't as fast as a young Long, so he must be rubbish.

At this point it would be great to get rid of the two wingers since they have offered us neither pace nor reliability over the last season (bar a few matches for Meli, ruined by his abysmal display at Old Trafford). Wellens for me can happily stay at fullback for another season, perhaps with one of our young guys being bloodied in the position (I'd say Lomax but he drops too many balls so he would need to address that before I'd be confident of him in that position). However, I'd be very glad not to see either of our wingers again but instead two pacey, reliable players to take on their jobs (young guys will do).

How many games have we seen Lomax play full back? There was the Wakey game, any others? Do you mean high balls, or just balls in general?

I wouldn't mind seeing Lomax on the wing this year getting up to speed, with him playing a few games at full back. I'm not sure that Wellens will be able to move to centre, I'd prefer to see Wheeler there myself.

I've always thought he may make a move to loose, he's a strong runner, a good tackler and has good hands, but I think the pack may be too strong for him to move into in the next few years. We've got a pretty strong back row, strong players in reserve and with good kids to come in behind them.

Whilst Eastmond will add pace, he won't be able to use it to return the ball, which has cost us dearly in the last two GF. I think this international series has shown us that Sinfield has a fairly average long kicking game. When you put a decent and pacey backline under them, they are returned with interest, put our slow backline there and Leeds are gaining metres per match that they otherwise wouldn't.

I think Wellens will start the season first choice, whether he should still be guaranteed that position by the end of the season is another matter.

I don't mean when he played fullback (which I think was only at Wakey?) but rather when he has played at all. I seem to remember the only game he didn't drop the ball was the one at Wakey (although I'm struggling to remember that far back - we've played an awful lot of dull rugby since those heady days!). He does seem to have a bit of a tendancy to drop the ball although that may just be beginners nerves. Hopefully he will be more secure in that regard next season as he has talent and a bit of pace. I rather like the idea of seeing him on the wing again as he was quite good there (barring dropping the ball!).

The answer is no mate, but don't expect Rogues to give any credit to Wellens.

He'll be back here with his woeful Mick Cassidy comparison. They're both just good clubmen, you know. Never stood out or won any individual awards...yep pretty average careers really. Just lucky to be in a good team. No Man of Steels, Lance Todds, Harry Sunderlands, PPOYs, no MOTM awards at international level....nothing flashy at all. Just 2 solid plodders going through the motions.

He started at FB against Catalans at home and he was utterly dreadful there. He could make a great FB yet, but he's too small at the moment and he needs to work on his positioning and dealing with the bomb.

There was a topic on the VT recently with regard to the best "Superleague team"

80% had Radlinski at full back.

My case still stands.

Wellens great club man, but never a top International fullback.
But it's only my opinion and I'm sure even you wouldn't deny me that privilege.

Hard Wellens been playing at Wakefield, Harlequins or Warrington for example his deficiencies would have been found out long ago, but he would still have been a great club player.
Malcolm Alker is another who springs to mind, had he been with one of the more fashionable clubs he would have had International caps.

Here's some breaking news for you. GB haven't had a top international full back since I started attending on a regular basis some 25+ years ago.

What about Phil Ford? I thought he were awesome

What about him? I think he played at full back for GB twice lol.

This says far more about the state of the game than it does about his ability.

"He's a stepper, that Ford ..."

In 2006 and 2007, Paul Wellens was COMFORTABLY the best player in the country. Forget all the 'Barrett was robbed the MoS award' nonsense - Wellens was far superior to Barrett in 2007 and should have won it over Roby. Wello was better in 2007 than he was in 2006.

But, it seems to be since the 2007 Grand Final defeat (in which he had his worst performance of the season), he has seen his form take a hit.

In 2006 and 2007, I believe he was not only International class, but he was probably the best in the world. Australia were in a transitional period in terms of full backs - Billy Slater was just breaking into the ozzy team and only hit his untouchable form in 2008. In terms of international rugby, only Brent Webb could have been a contender, and it was only in 2008 that I believe Webb overtook Wello.

Now, in 2009, Wello is behind Webb, Hodgson, Greenshields when it comes to the best Super League full backs. He is still arguably the best in terms of defence however.

He`s a rubber man

No chance.

I seem to remember Lomax playing on the wing this year, scored a few and got M.O.M. but what i most remember was him taking more than a few high kicks in, still don`t think he`ll make a full bacck though

Wellens is still a very good player, i can't ever remember him being a speed merchant, even in his younger days, so his speed now doesn't seem to be as bad as people make out, or for that matter an issue

I think he has still got 2 very good seasons left in the SL

I can't believe that some Saints fans are questioning his ability?

It's silly season

I think the same as you, two seasons left in him.

Webb, Minichello, Hodges, Ingliss, Bowen, Hunt, Slater, Lockyer all dissagree and thats just for starters.

Eddie Hemmings, how's things going?