Brian Smith = Chris Anderson

[Guest]

How much does SKD get?

Not as much as King would want is my best guess

[Guest]

We wouldn't cut Jones and FPN, they are both recently re-signed.

Hauraki, the Waqa's, Tuigamala are admittedly average, SKD and Sa are in terrible form, and Lopini has been below his best. I wouldn't cut Lopini just yet though. He still has a fair bit to offer, he is only 25.

Seriously FPN is useless, he can play for Newtown. Jones can't tackle. SKD's defence is terrible and his ball control is woefull, Sa has a terrible attitude and Paea is good one game then terrible the next six. Our side in 2009 was embarrisingly bad, next year I hope it's a completely different looking team.

[Guest]

Mate you are going to have to accept that Jones and FPN are in the long-term views of the club, whether you like it or not.

Yes, Jones needs to be dropped to fix his defense, and SKD, Sa and Paea are definitely under watch (though harsh on Paea, he was outstanding in 2007 and 2008), but I still don't get all the hate on FPN.

I bet in 2-3 years he will be one of our top forwards. He isn't perfect, but he is one of the better props for his age in the NRL.

[Red.]

Sorry Melon I can't agree.

Anderson was a panic buy and had the smell of death on him from the very beginning.

Smith's appointment feels more like when we signed Graham Murray.

[Guest]

Nope.....Anderson was well and truely past it - he wasn't mentally (nor physically by the end of it) fit enough to return to first grade coaching period. Uncle Nick had a panic attack after the Bennett deal fell through and threw money at any name for the sake of his own credibility, it was a disaster.

Yeh I agree 100%.

Smith is still coaching in 1st grade and he has an understanding what it takes to win footy games week to week. Anderson's methods and philosophy on the game were outdated e.g. one marker and poor wrestling technique.

The whole Bennett fiasco set us back 5 years but Brian Smith will get us back on track.

[Guest]

I wouldn't cut Lopini just yet though. He still has a fair bit to offer, he is only 25.

Yeah I'd like to see how he goes under Smith...when he's on he's a real handful and has good speed for a front rower and was attracting a lot of defenders to stop him...then he went off the boil...I know he has the ability to be a devastating front rower...it's whether he has the mental fortitude to push himself to go gangbusters week in week out...there's a couple of props almost 10 years older than him that have that strong work and competitive ethic and they are the Australian props still...so age isn't the main factor in a good prop...

[Guest]

I knew Melon would go apeshit when he found out Smith wants Ryles lol. Ryles was about the only good quality player Saints had last year, he had a very good year albeit still dotted with his usual "couple of errors" per match. Some of those errors were clangers though so Im still unsure about Ryles. The Caveman is apparently playing on busted knees so I'd pass on him definitely. We DO need more experience in the props area, i actually really wonder how much Smith would have got out of Shrek. Maybe we should never have let him go.

[Vasco]

Matt King I believe is just the sort of player our backline needs. Strong, Quick and able to make a break. With Graham supposedly already signed and with Symonds in the centres and with Carney on board our backline looks much more potent. The same with Ryles, he will come in very handy. Our side will look something like this.
1. Mini
2. Perret
3. Graham
4. Symonds
5. King
6. Carney
7. Pearce
13.Anasta
12.Morbs
11.Mason (c)
10.Ryles
9. Friend
8. Myles
Inter
14.Cherrington
15.Conn
16.Hargreaves
17.Jorbs

I'm very interested to see if Smith can turn Friend and the Aubausun's into better players. In my opinion this is a very good side which should make the 8.
Gone are FPN, SKD, Hauraki, Jones, Paea, Sa, and both Waqas who are either not up to 1st grade standard or are past their best.

Agreed. No reason this team can't be competitive.

[melon....]

Actually Monaghan left because he was in poor form under Ando, he was gone well before Mason was even in the picture. He would have stayed, had Freddy takenover a few weeks earlier.

Adam MacDougall with either stay on with Knights, or go to ESL. I can't see him playing for another club.

It is our own fault for passing over so many centres earlier in the season when plenty were on the market. Guys like Taulima Tautai, Esi Tonga, Blake Ayshford, Chase Stanley, Daryl Millard are still young, and were ALL on the market yet they are all exactly what Soliola was meant to be - big, strong centres with the ability to create room for their wingers. The, of course, strike centres Ben Farrar, Jerome Ropati, Will Chambers, Dean Collis, Ashley Graham and Joseph Tomane were all on the market too - we didn't make a play for any of them either. Plenty of pace and skill in that group.

The only centre we were linked to is Delaney. He is probably one of the few who is almost as bad as Soli. What on earth are we thinking?

Mate, Mason was in the picture from 2004.

[melon....]

Smith's appointment feels more like when we signed Graham Murray.

Great! A bridesmaid for another bridesmaid.

i hope youre right Red. Some times I feel excited and relieved, then i get this aweful feeling that we will win a hatrick of spoons.

[melon....]

Yeah I'd like to see how he goes under Smith...when he's on he's a real handful and has good speed for a front rower and was attracting a lot of defenders to stop him...then he went off the boil...I know he has the ability to be a devastating front rower...it's whether he has the mental fortitude to push himself to go gangbusters week in week out...there's a couple of props almost 10 years older than him that have that strong work and competitive ethic and they are the Australian props still...so age isn't the main factor in a good prop...

Apollo Creed showed enough last year to be given a last go...I reckon he can do it and he's approaching teh age of 26/27 when props mature and peak. As for FPN - he hasnt shown half of what Lopini did last season. Watching what Smith can do with lopini and hopefully FPN since were stuck with him will be interesting.

[Guest]

Lopini is 25 this year.

Nuuauala is 22.

Lopini at the age of 22 wasn't even in first grade, he was playing reggies.

Nuuausala at 25/26 will be a top player.

[Vasco]

Lopini is 25 this year.

Nuuauala is 22.

Lopini at the age of 22 wasn't even in first grade, he was playing reggies.

Nuuausala at 25/26 will be a top player.

You were going well until the last line.

[Guest]

You never know.

Like I said before, i see lots of similarities in FPN and Rauhihi. Both big blokes with good offloads and ball-skills, but lack fitness and mobility.

[Guest]

We wouldn't cut Jones and FPN, they are both recently re-signed.

Hauraki, the Waqa's, Tuigamala are admittedly average, SKD and Sa are in terrible form, and Lopini has been below his best. I wouldn't cut Lopini just yet though. He still has a fair bit to offer, he is only 25.

Keep Lopini. He is the best impact player we have off the bench. Jones and Nuusuala are worth keeping as well as they are still both quite young and can develop a lot more in the next few years. Tuigamala, well I just don't see anything in him and he hasn't shown anything to suggest otherwise. Sisa Waqa is worth persisting with but play him at centre. He needs some early ball. Stanley Waqa has been improving since coming into first grade and Hauraki is average, but plays with a lot of heart and that's admirable. Although, is he contracted with us next season?