I've never seen wello drop balls like he has this season. His positional play is also the worst I've seen from wello.

As for next year, I'd go with lance at fullback, Pryce at stand off, lomax at scrumhalf and laffranchi/TP at loose.

So the spine of my team next year would be lance, Pryce, lomax, roby and TP/laffranchi.

I'd give wello a chance in the backrow but if it don't work out then he'd just have to go. He's been a great player and he's saints thru and thru but all players move on and it looks like wello is on his way out on current form.

I think our best loose forward is Wilkin.I would give him the No 13 jersey next season.

This post will please saintsfan



The 13 postion is now being used as a extra prop. Most Aussies do it now and Royce likes it also.

Next year laffranchi will play at loose but will act as extra prop, as TP does now. I expect TP and laffranchi in interchange in the 13 postion next year with magennis and clough as back up for that role.

The days of ball playing 13s are looking to be a thing of the past now.

Pointless as like Pete's said Royce wants the loose position filled by a 3rd prop (at least to start with). If we were playing with a more traditional ball playing LF then I'd agree it should be Wilkin with Moore (assuming he sticks around) as his backup/rotation

It's interesting to see just how Jon wilkin is playing this year in the second row. He's made no secret of the fact he likes playing 13 but he's playing the best rugby he's played in years.

Jon wilkin IMO has been awesome over the last month or so. He's got that aggression back and seems to have found his attacking flair as he's making good clean breaks.

IMO he's the best backrow in super league at this present time.

Simmons says on the Saints site that both Wello and Robes were playing busted , so I would expect that means carrying an injury , he didnt look right when he was playing, but to suggest he is past it , is ridiculous

It appears as though Wilkin is playing a loose forward role, whatever the numbers on the player's backs. At most scrums, Roby or Moore will be at the back of the scrum, yesterday TP was at hooker. For me, Wilkin should continue to play the #13 role, whatever the team sheet says.

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It isn't that ridiculous, look at his stats for the year. His game has always been based on solidity in defence rather than attack and the decent down that slippery slope that started a few years back is gathering pace.

Once he's as inconsistent as someone like Webb defensively, what does he offer? Our problem is when to get rid of him. Do we lose him a year early or a year late and what hurts the team more?

Do you think that is because the Aussies expect the 1 to be more of a focal point of attack?

Wellens has said that this year he's been expected to play more as a third half back than he has in the past. A good attacking full back can cause more havoc than a ball handling loose against increasingly tight defences.

Work in leeds and they love their pacy dynamic full back (Brent Webb) and how he chimes into the line or makes a forty metre break. When i mention the fact that for many of the tries that Leeds concedes he is nowhere near the tryscorer but running to get there, they talk about football or cricket or what the had for dinner. Rugby league fullback is a defensive player and those attacking ones, while looking good are often poor in defence (see Richie Mathers, apart from CC Final last year).

Wello is not the player he was, but the number of missed catches in his CAREER can be counted on two hands. His pace was never lightning but he is usually in right place and on the occasions we do make a break, he is guaranteed to be in support.....something not always done by younger more dynamic, pacy players.

We will need a replacement one day...but not this season or probably next.

Lance to 1. Keep Gaskell and Lomax at 6 & 7. Pryce into centres or Bradford.

I really hope we keep Leon. Would be sad to not have him around IMO.

Wello couldn't jump for the high ball in Bradfords first try, which would suggest he's still suffering from the dead leg, similarly Roby avoided heavy physical encounters and passed more to avoid any head tackles. Simmons took the risk because Ashe and Moore wasn't available. I should imagine half the team have played with injuries which is bound to effect individual form, we are still ticking over nicely and could win every game against Wigoon, Wire and Giants.

Listening to Leon Pryce commentating on last nights Bradford v Saints game on Wish FM whilst on my way back from Cas, I have a feeling he is not a big fan of Simmons style of play. He said that Saints were not as good an attacking side under Simmons.

I don't know if Wish FM has a "listen again" function, but he did say it. We were surprised when we heard his comment.

If anyone was listening to the Wish FM commentary they will confirm it.

His career stats mean nothing in this context, it's the here and now that matters. The occasions of him being in the right place at the right time are starting to diminish noticeably. And when was the last time he beat a man returning the ball? He used to consistently beat the first man, now it's a surprise when he does.

He does have a wealth of experience that can be passed on, had we not had to replace a raft of senior players over the last two years I'd be inclined to get rid now.

Carrer stats do matter....he is beaten to a high kick rarely and for that to result in a try rarely still. Had he have done that in 2004 (where it would have been equally as rare perhaps), would that have signalled his departure?

Agree that he is doesn't do the good things as much as he used to (who does) but not sure I agree that these are diminishing noticeably or significantly. Nor do I subscribe to statements likes "he used to consistently beat the first man now its a surprise". He did do it more frequently than now but not sure that its a considerable reduction. Also think game has changed considerably in the last ten years to contribute to this (not meant as an excuse). He is gettin older but still believe he brings plenty as well as instilling confidence in rest of team.

Without getting into the merits of individual players, would rather still have Wellens as fullback that someone like Tomkins, despite Tomkins's attacking prowess.

Compared the Millward era I'd agree, compared to the Potter 5 drives and a poor kick era I think Leon needs to watch a few of last years video nasties (assuming he can stay awake). Potter was the worst time watching Saints for me (and technically I've seen far far worse Saints teams play) and the only time I can ever remember being bored.

No it wouldn't, but it didn't as often and that is the point.



The game hasn't changed that much in regard to kick returns, he does bring plenty that's why he's still there, but there comes a point in every career when the cons start to outweigh the pros and Wellens is getting past tipping point for me.



We'd be top of the league with Tomkins at fullback IMO. He contributes to the points scored column far, far more than he does the points against.

Except in the Millward era (a) we had better players, and (b) we had more experienced players. It's easy to coach a team full of talent like ours was back then. It's a tougher job coaching what we have now, especially given the high number of young players we have had to field this season.

But under Simmons we can, once again, score from deep. We can pass to our edges. When we have managed a couple of weeks without half a dozen players limping off injured, we have actually had pace and accuracy in our passing. We look fit, trim and determined, even when we play poorly.

Give me what we have now to what we had under Potter any day of the week. Assuming Leon actually said what the old troll is saying he said (and I am skeptical), if he doesn't like it then I won't cry if he goes.

His defense is massively underrated. He came up with two or three try saving tackles against Exiles at the weekend.

Wello for us just get there anymore. How many tries do you see where he's arriving at the scene just as the try scorer is getting up to celebrate? Love the guy but it makes sense to think about the future.

what about tom makinson to fullback?

All the ones he's had a hand in creating. And he's scored a few himself!