Rule was a very good marketeer as we both agreed. I think the Hetherington takeover merger kept us afloat didn't it? There's no need to apply a default lens of negativity. Look how Jake Connor is turning out under Radford after a good deal of ambivalence - some suggesting he had no real position so could end up in the back row.

Not sure about Swift. As others have said, a squad player behind Ratu and Bureta would hardly be a massive drama.

He will end up on the back burner, if he can’t keep his trap shut

No it wouldn't be. But when we have said we are going for quality over quantity it just seems like a waste of cap imo. How many other clubs have 4 specialist wingers over the age of 25?

If players have not yet agreed to sign new contracts, I'd expect the club to be exploring other options should they decide to go elsewhere.

Hardly rocket science, but I suppose "If fill in rumour, then bash the club" is an option some people can't resist.

Totally agree if 1 of our 2 first choice wingers is leaving then it makes sense, although I would be underwhelmed. If not he'll be third choice a reason why he's leaving Saints. We already have an experienced reserve in MDJ and other options if we have injuries. At the moment it's all speculation.

"Bash the club?" Why does everything that isn't positive have to equal bashing the club?

All I have seen is people giving opinion on a potential signing.

I'll stick with "bash the club", thanks all the same.

There will be a meaningful reserves competition next year also. Ccs is spot on in his "If, then" assessment. Where has it been said Swift is now our first choice winger and we are binning off the other wingers in the squad? It hasn't yet we are already defaulting to "waste of space", "Agar era squad" histrionics on the basis of half a sentence in the HDM. We should kept Rankin above Tuimavave, signed Brough instead of Connor, and not bothered with Kelly, so we were advised when their signings were announced. Clearly Radford's record isn't perfect but he's got more right than wrong IMO so until a fuller picture and confirmation is made I feel the criticism which some find so energising a tad premature and unnecessary.

It's a forum. We get linked with a player, people give their opinions on it. Shock horror, sometimes they will be wrong.