I remeber he cahsed down Sammut in a game against Crusaders at the Stobart. That was the first time I'd been impressed by his pace, but I thought we saw it a few times after that from 20 metres out. As said, not lightening, but not shabby.

Some one mentioned he managed one of his awkard kick offs and forced a knock on. This was a common occurence last year, but at the beginning of 2012, it wasn't seen at all ( i remember thinking this at the time). That's another example of how below par we were across the board at that point.

He had a great game. I've mentioned this a few times on here, he is a better winger than Makinson is. Whilst not as fast, he gets involved a lot more. Look at his inside run for the game settling try, Makinson wouldn't have made that run and would have stayed outside and the move would have been shut down.

His kicking was perfect and I'm sure he'll go down very well there.

I really, really, really can't see why we couldn't have 1-Makinson 2-Foster 5-Meli. I really, really don't.

Foster get involved a lot more in the sense that he carries the ball fewer times every game?

6 months ago I think you might have had a point, but makinson has grown into his role well of late. He's quicker, he's better at bringing the ball out of our half and he's a better finisher imo.

Given we seem to have other decent goal kickers knocking about, I'd prefer to see
1. Makinson 2. Gardner (if we can ever get him fit again) 5. Meli
1. Swift 2. Makinson 5. Meli
1. Swift 2. Makinson 3.Meli 5. Gardner

Whilst I like Jamie and don't buy into some comments about him caring more about his hair than his game, I don't think he's got enough in his locker for a team that wants to be regulary challenging at the top of the table. He does have enough to have a very respecable SL career, though.

Have a chat with yourself. Given that you are very quick (and consistent) in your willingness to point out how poorly you feel other players fit the bill for us in the modern game just look at the way Makinson did pretty much everything right on Friday, particularly defensively which is where JF has been poor. Then take a look at the other calamitous efforts Foster showed this year in defence on a number of occasions.

At least be consistent if you're gonna make daft statements driven out of your desire to shift Wellens from FB.

I'm not dIscrediting Foster as he did a decent job for us last year. But even my 7 year old nephew can see than Makinson has far more about him wherever he plays.

Makinson looks a better prospect than Foster in most regards, but he could definitely do with a lot more of Foster's swagger and finishing ability. Makinson still seems to lack a bit of the mentality that a top attacking winger needs for me - Foster seems to have plenty of it, but not quite the same physical tools that Makinson does.

Do you reckon Foster would have finished Makinson's try against Cats and the one against Leeds?

No, Foster doesn't have Makinson's jets or danger from distance - but he does have the blinkers and single-mindedness for the try-line when it's in sight that Makinson doesn't quite yet. There are plenty of other tries Foster put down last year that Makinson wouldn't have.

Must agree, to be fair he didn’t have a bad game on Monday, but I still think he would be better playing gridiron as a punter. Sorry to say, but the guy will still tend to make too many mistakes, but you never know, a run away from home may do him good?

I like Makinson, I'd just like to see him at fullback, I don't think he's a natural winger. Possibly centre when he's older I guess. Where did he play in the academy? I bet it wasn't on the wing.

Makinson has the errors in him, look at the try at Widnes by Ah Van and the game-changing mistake against Catalans that was rescued by the video ref being very generous towards us. He is quicker and more athletic, but he seems to go through entire games without doing anything.

Jamie Foster is a very solid winger and one we should keep hold of. His goalkicking is a valuable asset and with his confidence restored under a proper coach he could do very well for us.

Foster looked pretty solid last night, is he likely play a full year like that though? If he does go Hull fulltime whats going to happen to his shop? Hull colours?

EXACTLY.

You've got to remember that last night was the cumulative effect of about 3/4 frustrating months outside the first team. He had a massive point to prove and was always going to play well. We've had this before when he's come back into the Saints team after being dropped for Gardner, etc.

Let's judge him in another 3 weeks (probably longer) when he's had more time there and the 'point to prove' factor has faded.

And I'm not bagging him or saying he won't prove everybody wrong, by the way.

I wish Jamie all the best! sometimes for any player it needs a change & fresh start to bring out the best, hope he makes a big success, a club with money currently!

He did last season, and won some games for us too, so there is no reason to believe he won't do the same this season.

I'd always rather a homegrown player be in our starting 17 than an import as it shows that the academy coaching staff are doing their job. However, for me now, Meli and Makinson offer much more than Foster in every facet of the game other than goalkicking and Tommy isn't making too bad a job of that. If Meli moves on and Foster plays as well as he did last night and in the 2011 season, he may have the opportunity of coming back and reclaiming the wing spot but I get the feeling he has no future at Saints.

at times, Makinson's goal kicking has been laughably bad, luckily it hasn't cost us yet.

Makinson has also been lucky twice in recent weeks that his howlers haven't cost us the games against Widnes and Catalans.

I'm not so sure his kicking is as bad as you make out, else Lomax would have been kicking more often.

As for his howlers, although he didn't handle the situation at widnes very well, he was beaten by the bounce of the ball for the try, which can happen. He has shown some VERY could takes of a high ball in traffic. As for the catalan one, well, he was impeded

Bounce of the ball??? That's what did it for Foster wasn't it???

Moral of the tale, don't let it bounce.


I thought Foster did well, especially given the howler of a kick that he started with. I think people have called time on his career to early. I agree he will struggle to get back in the side at present as Makinson and Meli are holding their positions. But Meli may not sign? Makinson maybe a longer term move to FB?

Also Makinson is not infalable and it would be gross neglegence to only have 2 decent wingers and no cover other than that. You always need someone who can step in for injury rather than moving the centres or a 2nd rower out there to cover a few weeks of injury. It just so happens that this year we have had a good run with injuries.

Any injuries have been short lived and have come in where there were breaks such as CC games and exiles games. Touch wood.

I thought foster did well, he didn't do anything special but didn't make any silly mistakes that he was making at saints.

Makinson seems to have lost a little confidence, the way his head dropped at Widnes did surprise me as he'd lost his head and didn't want the ball.

At Saints? Hardly. He made mistakes in a couple of matches, that is all. He was good for us last season and not too bad at the start of this season too. Let's keep this in proportion.


Thankfully no harm done as he played a blinder on Friday night.

Foster was shocking this year, total liability and cost us games. Rush and KC was right to take him out for his own good.

Unlucky for Jamie that the team went on a good winning run with tommy and meli playing well which means Jamie can't get a kick.

He wasn't shocking. He had a couple of howlers and coincidentally so did many of his team mates. Stop exaggerating.


Tommy doesn't deserve to be dropped but he will be once Gardner is fit again. How is Meli playing well exactly? Has he suddenly become the best defender in the game? Does he dash around the pitch looking for work? Does he dive in there and help out his team mates in the tackle? Has he suddenly developed an ability to deal with a bouncing ball or catch a bomb whenever one is put up in the air?

He's scored some tries. Woo hoo! No different from any other season.

You've got something against Meli, hes played well this season.

I will never forgive him for his part in our downfall in the GF. I told you that straight after the GF.

And he's been playing no better or worse than last season, or in fact any of the other seasons. He's just the same.

He played well in the Exiles games, I'll give you that.

But could you see Meli ever scoring a try of the kind Makinson scored on Friday night?

Or chasing down a player to secure a dropout like Foster did on Monday night?

He always plays better in the exiles games, could it be that saints don't get the ball to him enough?