We are all entitled to our opinions, but you have got to be kidding.

As a signing he's undoubtedly a quality signing but as a half back I'm not so sure.

I was hoping we could develop the young talent we had and have a half back pairing for the next 10 years.

Will this means one of Lomaskell will move on or will Wello or ANOther get the boot?

So in short I don't feel this is a great signing for us! Only time will tell.

He's a fullback and a very good one. As a half he's very ordinary in my opinion.

Play him at fullback in place of Wellens and continue developing the Lomax/Gaskell partnership.

For a pie you talk sense

With Pryce and Eastmond on the move. We will be left with just Lomax and Gaskell ( I think Wheeler is targeted at centre now).

So 2 half backs next year will leave us a little exposed. I think Lance with add experience and cover there. Then after 2 years, Wellens may or may not retire. If he does then Lance will easily slot into the fullback role.


Players get injured, so I can see a Lance Lomax main partnership for 2 years, with Gaskell providing cover and getting the drip feed into the team that Lomax and Gaskell got. Then after 2 years Gaskell will be up for renewal, if he has made it he can step up and take Lances spot and Lance may move to fullback to cover a possible retiring Wellens at that point.

That's the way I would read it. Not a rejection of the young half backs but putting the plan back into place that went out the window with Eastmond and Pryce leaving.

You heard something about Pryce that we haven't?

He hasn't played in the halves for years so i'm not sure why Royce would want to play him there next year.

Because we are short on halves.

I'm sure I just read that he played at halfback only recently, this season, and had a stormer? Fullbacks and halfbacks often play similar roles so if he comes over early enough to get a full off season with us then he should be able to adapt and offer something to us that we don't have at present.

I think Pryce will leave, Hohaia and Lomax doesnt sound too bad!

Also he's really fast, not something we're particularly used to in these parts, but by next year we could have the fastest halfbacks in the league!

It's a shame Hohaia has said he's just coming for the "financial security". Usually players say "I wanted a new challenge" or "I always wanted to play in England" but he's just said it was an offer he couldn't refuse!

Hope his heart is in it, we don't like it when players show a lack of passion

Halfbacks quicker than our wingers



Can we not send Eastmond out on loan for the season and gring Super Lance in now?

Expect to see Lance sooner. Eastmond will be gone by August as the Union pre season starts. If Lance is not being used by the Warriors then I'd expect a early move.

He's been refreshingly honest hasnt he?!

Waste of time signing him if we're going to play him at half back because he isn't a half back. He's a runner and should play at full back. He's not Billy Slater but we need somebody with pace for full back next year so he's an improvement offensively for us. Suspect under the high ball but I'll take that in the modern game.

It's his preferred position and he's been signed to play there. We need him there, not at fullback. Wello is doing just fine at fullback and will be just fine next year too. After that, who knows? Wello will be out of contract and 32. Maybe Hohaia will step in at that point. But in the meantime, he's going to be in our halves next season and hopefully giving the benefit of his experience to our young guns.

I think the Eclipse is in a far better position than yourself to comment on how often Hohai has played at halfback.

He's a utility player I have always liked, but preferred him as fullback.

Hohaia reminds me so much of Brett Hodgson. Anybody who's seen anything of either NZ or the Warriors will see that Lance acts as another half back. He links into the line from full back.

I have worries over him playing 7 but he'll be a terrific 6 IMO.

People knocking this signing come across as proper ding bats! We rave about the likes of Pryce, Sinfield etc... Who constantly look terrible at international level then we moan when we sign somebody who looks fantastic against the Aussies on a regular basis.

useful signing in my opinion and I rate him in the halves as well when he has chimed into that position, which he does fairly often after starting at 1.

What he will bring is bags of explosion round the rucks I would not call him fast, but he certainly has fantastic acceleration that can bust the line.

In my opinion in the halves he will offer what Kyle potentially could have in a few years time.

i do not think you will have to shuffle the deck too much to accommodate him with his playing style.

Not a bad signing never seen him play 6 so be intresting

The good thing is that Royce is fresh from the NRL and has seen lance a lot over the years.

Not seen him play for a few years now but at 28 he should still have plenty left in the tank and so im not suprised that a player of his standard has been given a 4 year deal - im sure St.Helens would not of been the only club interested in signing him.

Bags of expierience and great utility value, i think he may be able to kick a goal or two as well.

Has the ability to come up with something different when needed.

Eastmond is quite clearly on the move and it's common knowledge in these parts that Bradford have been keen on Pryce and Pryce has held off resigning with Saints.

The only issue really is his injuries. It could be that he may end up having no choices at this rate. If he hold's back from Saints and Bradford get their half back sorted or get scared off by the injuries to Pryce. He may go from a strong position at the end of last year to a position of taking what is left.

You can never say never, but it's looking unlikely now that we are going to resign him, do we need 4 halfbacks?

Lomax looks the real deal, Gaskell has just signed a 2 year deal, Lance a 4 year deal. If we signed Pryce again that would lead to a situation where there are 2 half backs not playing regular rugby. 2 half backs and one for cover seams more than enough, especially with Wilkin offering another option.

It's all guess work but not totally out of the realms of possibility.

I would suggest its a canny signing in order to hedge our bets with which youngsters make the grade.

Hohia will probably feature in the halves while Lomax and Gaskell develop. If those two have done enough to suggest they're our long term choices, then he'll move to full back when wello retires - unless Foster or Ashe have managed to stake a better claim for a starting berth.

Potentially a really good signing for us. From what I've seen of him he's more of a 6 or a 1 than a 7 or 9, but his utility value is vital. A 28 year old Kiwi International represents good work from our Chairman and I'm delighted with the news.

Does this spell the end of Pryce though? I'd say Pryce would have to earn a contract based purely on his fitness, but he still has the class no doubts. If he does prove his fitness I'd like him to stay and feel he could form a top partnership with Hohaia. If we did re-sign Pryce what would that mean for Gaskell and Lomax though? I'd say Gaskell is still a couple of years away and maybe a dual reg loan spell away would do him good anyway, but Lomax is becoming a 1st team player now and deserves a spot somewhere. For me, like Hohaia he can play a number of positions well. Would we be willingn to shift Wellens and Give Lomax a chance? Would Lomax play on the bench in the utility role? Would Lomax play somewhere else to accommodate?