Exactly this is my point.
Meli has been half decent this season but I would have rather had Gilmour playing centre as I would imagine this is where Meli will be playing.

Maybe he will be shunted into the pack!

It isn't bizarre at all.

Long wasn't given a 2 year deal because Kyle Eastmond was going to play 7 and we needed to tie him to a new contract.

Lee Gilmour wasn't given a 2 year deal because we had Soliola/TP/Wilkin/Flannery/Clough/Dixon/Ashurst/Maggenis as back rowers and his wage was deemed better spent elsewhere.

Francis Meli has been given a 2 year deal because he scored 21 tries in 20 SL appearances in 2010 and we don't have any other wingers to replace him with.

The blind faith people have in the board is surprising. The squad development recently has been lacking.

Its confirmed. www.saintsrlfc.com/news/2869 Would of rather let Meli go myself. Is our quota full for next year now then?

Its confirmed. www.saintsrlfc.com/news/2869 Would of rather let Meli go myself. Is our quota full for next year now then?

Im just filled will a sense of..........neutralism.

Meli - two years? Really? I just dont know what the club see in him that is worth a 2 year deal at 30 years of age. I hope its a case of us having lost a number of the older heads last and this season so the club are opting for some stability. Soliola has to be moved into the pack and Meli given the centre spot permanently, otherwise, its a waste of a contact IMO. For someone who gets chased down by Keith Mason from an intercept is indicative of the lack of pace he has for a winger, let alone an outside back. Incidentally, when was the last time we scored a try from inside our own 20? Was Darren Albert still at the club then?

Flannery - in danger of repeating myself here, again a "state of origin" level back rower who should have come over to set the world alight. Sadly he has become a joe average, runs good lines, solid in defence but is nothing special for someone supposedly of that level and taking up a valuable quota spot. 1 year deal may indicate the club has someone else in mind for 2012, but then again, who knows.

Wellens - clearly someone we needed to re-sign but I have my doubts that he will spend the next two years at full back. I dont know if he has the potential to move into the back row or loose forward at such a late stage in his career. If he does, he has to be able to make a real go of it rather than just killing time until he retires. I think we all know that a significant attacking threat, pace and illusiveness is a must in the modern game and with a lack of pace in our outside backs at present, Im not sure that Wello will be a full back at the end of the current contact when hes 32. Time will tell I guess and if he keeps performing the way he has this year, it will take a brave coach to move him.

I dont really think that any of the youngsters we have resigned are the answer at 1, Lomax has the best chance but even he doesnt have the kind of pace that I would like to see in that position. Maybe Im being hyper-critical, but as I say, its more a neutral feeling rather than disappointment or jubilation if you know what I mean.

The thing that I don't understand is that it says in the papers today that we had to let Ade Gardner go in order to remain under the salary cap.

How the hell are we anywhere near it with the squad we have compared with the squads at other clubs and with our squads in previous years? Every year for about 5 years we have seen more senior players leave than have come in, with youth players taking up the squad places. This has reduced the quality of our squad dramatically yet we're spending the same?

It doesn't add up.

I agree. The wages going out must have been more than the wages coming in. Unless we've offered big contracts to youngsters but i can't see how that will have happened.

I'm wondering if the board are looking at holding onto flannery to have him in the centre and Meli on the wing - unless we manage to get some of our youngsters fit (Wheeler), Foster gains the coaches faith to take up a centre position or young Tommy Makinson might get a chance. There's also Tom Armstrong. Wheeler's obviously shown the most ability, but until we can keep him on the pitch.......
Regards your feeling to Lomax at full back, I think I'm a little more hopeful than you, although in the next two years Foster and Gaskell may also get a shot at that shirt.

I think that may be the case to be honest. I dont agree with it, but I guess the club had to do something to secure their services in the face of competition from other clubs.

For example, Emmitt had to go because he was offered a great contract by Cas and would have been silly to turn it down. Saints coudnt have matched it and guaranteed him a place in the 17 to boot.

If Shenton, Perry and LMS are earning more than Gidley, KC, Faas, Fozzard, Hargreaves, Emmitt and Gardner, Id be worried about the clubs recruitment/contract policy. I know Lomax, Wheeler and Foster have signed (much) improved deals, but 50% of Wellens contract is off quota this year and surely they havent offered big increased to Meli and Flanno?

If Im not mistaken, Im sure Eamon said last year that the club had left space under the cap last season for a late signing if needed......am I missing something with the numbers?

Only up to £50, and that is offset by the loss of the £50 allowance that was part of Cunninghams salary, no nett gain for Saints on the allowance.

I know what you are saying but Lomax is a natural 6, Wheeler is a 6, Foster is a natural centre masquerading as a solid winger who kicks goals so is vital to the team. I dont think Foster is good/experienced enough (YET) to play centre at SL level, proven at Salford earlier this year. Admittedly, he has improved since that game but centre is one of the most difficult positions on the field with respect to defensive positioning.

I would rather see Pryce at 1 and Wheeler/Lomax given a run at 6 if Im honest. Pryce would offer much more of a threat from that position than either of the youngsters.

Jeez a bit of sense

. I'm fine with his 12 months as long as he is droppable if he's not performing. There may not have been anyone available willing to come over for his wage, and his professional attitude will hopefully rub off onto the youngsters around him.

Two years for Meli is 12 months too long for me, same for Wellens.

£50 as much as that?

£50k I presume you meant.

If thats the case and there is no net gain, lets take him out of the equation. Even then, the numbers dont add up when you consider who has left the squad in recent years, the big earners in particular, replaced with who exactly?

That is a very good point. Pryce has played fullback for us before and has looked dangerous in attack. If he can get to grips with his positional play it may be an option.

I do agree with all that including the Pryce at 1, however I reckon there's a chance he may stand there all game with his bottom lip stuck out. The only bit I think we differ on is that I like what I've seen from Wheeler in the centre, even if it has been few and far between due to injury and I think Lomax could be a good player for us from either 1 or 6, again, injuries depending.

I'm going to merge this one with the Thread thats already open regarding this news...

Wheeler is on 60k a year and it goes up each year.

I'd have to agree were I a Saints fan. But seeing as I'm a Wigan fan I'm chuffed to bit's.

No surprise, I heard that all 3 youngsters (Foster, Lomax and Wheeler) are earning a similar amount, which incidentally is more than Jammer was earning as a regular first teamer and GB international (in his first season).

I was looking forward to hear of new signings.

However this news do not inspire any confidence nevermind
excitement.

Meli - 2 years What the what ? Should have been released.
Would have been adequate at centre for the last two years
but to sign him again. Disaster.

Flannery - Good year this year but not worth a quota spot.
I hope he is cheap.

Wellens - If he is going to play LF on non superstar terms then fair enough but
two years at FB no way.

2 Years MELI I still can't comprehend this.

Ah well another cc semi blowout and GF runners up spot then to look forward
to in 2011.

One has to assume that Meli and Flannery have come cheap and thats why we re-signed. Wellens was a no brainer for the £50k we will save on the cap.

Flannery being cheap is one thing but for me its a valuable quota spot lost. Thats the biggest issue IMO.

If we've not got the money to fill that spot adequately, that isn't an issue though.

Thats what im thinking. We probably couldnt afford a marquee quota spot signing so if Flannery comes cheap for another season I suppose its the better the devil you know until a better quote player becomes available on a wage we can afford.