on a serious note, it will be interesting to see who Saints sign this off season

they've lost Makinson, Dodd and not renewed Matautia and Blake (god i bet the saints fans are glad he's gone - one of their worst ever signings i'd say), plus a couple of fringe/ squad lads gone

so i think they still have some quota space free, to bring in an overseas star or 2? but must also be looking at the props as Walmsley isnt getting any younger, and need a bit more depth there.

Their backline may look very different come the start of the season with the 2 Ozzies already signed Sailor / Feldt, so could that see Welsby playing 6 with Lomax, and Sailor at FB. Feldt to replace Makinson. So for me still weak on the other wing with Bennison / Ritson, plus another centre unless they stick with Hurrell for another season

We've signed Lewis Murphy to play on the other wing.

We will have 1 quota space free if we release Hurrell but none left if he stays on for another year, which is looking likely.

So if we replace Matautia it would have to be someone who isn't non-fed trained.

Lewis Murphy has been signed for the other wing. If he stays injury free he'll go well.

We are in desparate need for a centre and I agree with you, we need at least 1 if not 2 props. Its going to be interesting to see if we do sign a centre. Last season we only signed Blake in the January which apart from him being god awful also meant he missed most of pre-season and arrived unfit.

I'm at least happy with the two Assistants. Its a proper shake up with them having no affiliation to the club (Briers obviously played as a kid but that was a long time ago)

It seems that O Carroll is highly rated as a coach so it does seem as though we are willing to embrace new ideas next season.

i'd seen you were rumoured with Murphy, but had missed you'd signed him. Certainly strengthens the other wing position

Do you think Robertson, Vaughan and Stephens will get more game time too this year? If they do, it will certainly help their development if your 1st team stays relatively fit, and they arent playing in a patched up side

Agree re Briers, it was very noticeable his influence in his short time at Wigan, and his time in Oz will only have helped is development as a coach

O Carroll has gone under the radar with me but i think the noises of disappointment that have come out of Bradford in the last week or so are telling, so looks like another promising signing as assistant coach

re props i'd posted on the Leeds forum a few weeks back as they were rumoured to be interested in Liam Byrne. I'd said at the time, with Leeds and yourselves potentially looking for props, it would be interesting to see who either of you signed, and it the market would become slightly inflated. I know we laughed at ourselves last year signing a prop / week, but its proven to have been good business this year and enabled us to maintain intensity for the full 80 minutes

If Murphy regains his fitness I think he will be a good signing. Feldt has always been a class winger however, for me, the jury is out on Sailor. I know he has not played many games in the NRL and given he is 26 years old that is a surprise but on the few times I have seen him he has blown hot and cold. Offensively he seems fine but defensively, and under the high ball, he has been vulnerable. Whether Saints can push for silverware depends on how their forwards perform. Will they recover from injury and find their previous form or will age be against them. Certainly, as proved in the playoff match at Wire they are capable of competing with the best in a one off match but can that form be sustained over the season? It would appear to me that, Saints have taken their eye off the ball when it comes to forward planning. They need a centre and that can only be Hurrell or a non-federation player as there is no one available in SL who fits the bill. That means, unless more non-federation players are released then they will have to find some home grown talent to replace Matautia who, in my view, was outstanding for Saints. Maybe there will be swan songs for Lomax, Paasi, Walmsley & Co. But given their injury records, form and age it may be too much of an ask. Briers and O’Carroll will definitely bring something different to the party and that will be of benefit to some of the young players coming through the ranks. I’ve a funny feeling that they may well be relying on Robertson, Whitby, Stephens and Vaughan to step up. Regarding player investment I expect that Saints will spend up to the salary cap (circa £2.1m) but it will be interesting to see how far beyond that amount they are willing to go. It looks, from an outsider looking in, that they may be trying to cut their cloth. 2025 promises to be an interesting year for our friends over Billinge Hill.