Perry got the injury when playing for Manly after Saints had signed him which was just bad luck.

Since then, he had an injury plagued first season which he couldnt help...however heading in to 2012 Perry should have been raring to go and get back on the field and show the club and the fans why we had signed him - IIRC Soliola's first season was similar to Perry's and since then he has done all he can to play at the highest level and repay the club for sticking by him in 2010.

Perry on the other hand, started 2012 unfit and out of shape, and whilst I have no inside knowledge into training at the club, gave the impression that he wasnt fully committed and was happy to plod along on the field. When he signed, a mate in Oz said "he has potential to be a great forward, but he is very lazy and holds himself back" and this is an accurate summary of him and his time with us.

That said, nobody wants to see a player's career suffer because of injuries, and good luck to him trying to put his injuries behind him and continue his career elsewhere

Will he be doing a lap of honour at our next home game to thank us fans for our support?

Could do it naked for old times sake.

It'll be the biggest cheer that he's ever got from us.

Was disappointed him and Clint Newton never faced each other in Newtons last season. Rumours abound your getting Beaumont and Griffin from us.

I'd heard about Beaumont, but what's this about griffin? We're not really in need of back rows.

I hope we can keep Griffin, he is a cracking player who will get better. Beaumont is ok, but I wouldn't be as fussed about losing him.

Steady on! Half a lap perhaps - and even then he'd still need oxygen afterwards.

Gambled on a big name big money signing and it didnt work out. If it had, it was genius move.

Never nice to see someone bow out injured but the quicker this waste is gone the better.

Thanks for the memor.... oh never mind. Laters Josh!

So next year we will game on sub level players like Dawson, Carlisle and Beaumont.

We will probably get those 3 on less money combined than Perry was on...if we can get 1 good player out of the 3 it will be a step up on the money squandered on Perry

So what? They're all terrible players.

If we do then at least cover and potential is there compared to this season where the hopes lay on Walker and Walmsley and backrowers playing up front. Perry going down has pushed a nail through the heart of our pack.

Im happier to take a gamble on youth, like wakeysaint said, if we can get 3 forwards with potential for the same price as 1 then that's the way it'll be.

I hope we bid for Micky Paea but i can't see it happening. Masoe would be a coup but that is a long shot too.

How do you know they are terrible? Have you watched them play enough to form that opinion?

Beaumont was meant to be a very good prospect for Hull KR and possibly England before his injuries, if he can stay injury free then who knows.

Carlisle looks like a decent player, not another Roby, but an improvement on Howarth as a back up hooker imo and is a cheaper option than Hohaia (if reports are true that we are going)

Dont know much about Dawson so cant say much on him, but Brown will know him from his time at Giants and is maybe more qualified to judge him than you are.

My point being, we could sign all 3 of them and all could be disasters, but if one of the 3 turns out to be a good buy it will be a step up from the money wasted on Josh Perry (as all 3 of those combined will likely be cheaper than he has been for last 3 years)

The safe bet is to be critical of every player signed, that way you always win. If the player bombs you can go with the I told you so, if they are decent no one is going to remember what you said and no one, bar maybe Rouges would bother to trawl through the pages 12 - 24 months after to give it back.

Tell me something, fo anyone who knows these players.
Are they what you'd call "hard" players?

No, I've never seen any of them play. But the fact that they cannot get into the first teams of Huddersfield and Hull KR must be a concern? There is no point buying in average players because they are available, we can do that perfectly well from the academy.

Beumont and Dawson seem from the same cloth as wheeler.

Its not as simple as that though, Sean Long for instance. Some players appear better suited to other clubs, Gleeson, Pyrce etc. We also have Turner who im my opinion is turning out a better player than he was at Hull.
Sometimes its a gamble with this type of player but I think Saints have learnt a lesson by not giving out long term contracts until proven,

That's all well and good but I'm certainly not excited with the signings of Buemont, Dawson and Carlisle. Those are the sort of players you bring in as back up squad players but we need quality.

I'm very happy with the Luke Walsh signing. I didnt know to much about him but my mate in oz said he's a good player and I've watched him over the last 6 weeks and he's been on fire.

Maose is another I wasn't to familiar with but could remember him at the roosters and my mate tells me he can be devastating when switched on and can be invisable when not switched on.

It does seem to be more of a whole sale change coming through.

There are new players coming through our own ranks, new players who maybe what you would call the 2nd team. And then a sprinkling of new players from abroad.

You've said in the past it will take years to put right. Surely this is proving the point. We don't want just anyone because they are a recognised name. We need to buy in a balanced side and balance out our wages somewhat. As you said previously though I think Lance is a sticking point. We have him for 2 more years, so getting another 6 of decent quality, would probably take all the money that Lance is currently on.

Seeing as we've not released him, or even mentioned he is leaving at the end of the season, I gather we're offering Perry the Pudding a new deal?

If we offer Perry a new deal, I can see a bonfire of season tickets outside the club shop.

I wouldnt have thought so

Surely not!