Saddened! wrote:
We're lacking positionally at 3,4, 6, 8 at least. Walsh is meant to be going and Roby is about to wear out after being flogged mercilessly since KC left. But more importantly we've got a coach who cannot motivate the players and no leader on the field. This will be 8 years since we won Super League and the milestone of 10 will soon pass. Maybe then you'll realise that we are lacking. The culture at the club smacks of middle of the road, risk averse, averageness and an unacceptable level of comfort with how average we are. It's okay to have Wellens still playing fullback, it's okay to go into a season with one centre for the fifth year running, it's okay to only have one genuine halfback in the squad. We don't need marquee signings because our youth is okay.......
Contradiction alert.
Statement 1: were lacking a 3,4, ...
Statement 2: were going into a season with only 1 centre.
Unless your suggesting 3 and 4 aren't the positions of centre, both statements (like most others in that little rant) can't be true.
Like it or not, Turner (whom I assume is the "real centre" you say), Percival and Jones will be our centres next year. Percival and Jones are young but capable and in the next few years will either sink or swim. The only way to find out is to play them.
6 is the big hole in our squad yes. Hopefully the bulk of the money freed up this year is going into bringing the best available in.
Wellens is in great form at the moment at fullback - and whilst that remains true, you can't really complain about it. He's filling in for the injured lomax, and the club have moved to make sure if wellens form drops or injury occurs were not exposed.
As for props, Amor, Walmsley, Boof, Masoe, LMS, Ghostmont, Richards and Thompson suggest were certainly not lacking numbers, but someone needs to step up to lead them. Amor is my best guess - but I equally don't think it's a quality that can necessarily be bought in - look at lms and his time at London, he bossed their pack and was the dominant voice, but he's never really taken hold at saints. Hopefully Amor will.
I've been saying a backup 9 should be a priority for a number of months now only to be told their are more important areas to focus on.
But, if were lacking so much and so average, what does that make the rest of the league?