Quote ="Murphys Magic"I have been saying it for ages that the biggest mistake that Saints have made in recent years is the failure to replace Willie Talau with another recognised left centre. We have had far too many stop gap players playing there at left centre with the club thinking we will get by and unfortunately until we bring someone in who is an experienced player in that position we wil continue to have defensive problems on that ">side.'" AGREED! We have never replaced Talau Id have him back now at 36!

Quote ="Murphys Magic"I have been saying it for ages that the biggest mistake that Saints have made in recent years is the failure to replace Willie Talau with another recognised left centre. We have had far too many stop gap players playing there at left centre with the club thinking we will get by and unfortunately until we bring someone in who is an experienced player in that position we wil continue to have defensive problems on that ">side.'" AGREED! We have never replaced Talau Id have him back now at 36!

Quote ="bewareshadows"There are some other channels for recruitment as yet untapped. RU they have centre too. Whilst not the same game, if they can mold our centres to play union, surely we could do the ">reverse.'" But the type of player we need will be either an international allready or knocking on the door of a call up and we just cant compete with the money on offer or the profile of union.

Quote ="bewareshadows"There are some other channels for recruitment as yet untapped. RU they have centre too. Whilst not the same game, if they can mold our centres to play union, surely we could do the ">reverse.'" But the type of player we need will be either an international allready or knocking on the door of a call up and we just cant compete with the money on offer or the profile of union.

It looks to me like saints are planning on a lot of the young kids coming through 18/20's being top draw and tying them up on long term contracts. Might be a bit of a gamble but i guess signing anyone up for big money is always a gamble. I do agree with the poor coach comment, I don't quite understand Royce's obsession on props being lighter and more mobile, its almost like playing with 5 second rowers at times, as we still dont seem to have an out and out loose forward either!

Is he being played out of position though? I don't think so really and so far I think he's been our best player in the forwards.



Looking at the top meter makers so far this season and Eorl Crabtree was there, so thought that it would be a good comparison (both played 5 games).



Laffranchi makes more meters per carry at 7.3 compared with Crabtree who makes 6.9, but Crabtree has made six times as many tackle busts (Laffranchi's 2 to Crabtree's 12) - but surely that is down to the sheer size of Crabtree.

Quote ="Albion"Is he being played out of position though? I don't think so really and so far I think he's been our best player in the forwards. Looking at the top meter makers so far this season and Eorl Crabtree was there, so thought that it would be a good comparison (both played 5 games). Laffranchi makes more meters per carry at 7.3 compared with Crabtree who makes 6.9, but Crabtree has made six times as many tackle busts (Laffranchi's 2 to Crabtree's 12) - but surely that is down to the sheer size of ">Crabtree.'" The fact he's played the last ten years as a backrow in the NRL obviously suggests he's playing out of postion while at prop. He's always been a player that played on the edges and now he's being asked to play down the middle. He's doing ok but he's never been a prop and never will be a quality prop.

Quote ="Albion"Is he being played out of position though? I don't think so really and so far I think he's been our best player in the forwards. Looking at the top meter makers so far this season and Eorl Crabtree was there, so thought that it would be a good comparison (both played 5 games). Laffranchi makes more meters per carry at 7.3 compared with Crabtree who makes 6.9, but Crabtree has made six times as many tackle busts (Laffranchi's 2 to Crabtree's 12) - but surely that is down to the sheer size of ">Crabtree.'" The fact he's played the last ten years as a backrow in the NRL obviously suggests he's playing out of postion while at prop. He's always been a player that played on the edges and now he's being asked to play down the middle. He's doing ok but he's never been a prop and never will be a quality prop.

Quote ="St pete"The fact he's played the last ten years as a backrow in the NRL obviously suggests he's playing out of postion while at prop. He's always been a player that played on the edges and now he's being asked to play down the middle. He's doing ok but he's never been a prop and never will be a quality ">prop.'" He has played prop on occasions in his time. He started a GF for wests at prop in 2005(ish). His stats show he's performing admirably and, given the reports from down under, he sounds like a consumate professional, which is something I think we needed with Jammer leaving. LMS finished last season very strongly, but has unimpressed so far. T P has been inconsistant, but shown glimpses of his old self. Perry - I thought he was good in his albeit short stint on Friday. He opened the season poorly, though. Clough is going about thinks quietly but getting more into his stride. They're not a bad set of props, no matter what posters like to think. We just need to pull things round AS A SQUAD.

Quote ="St pete"The fact he's played the last ten years as a backrow in the NRL obviously suggests he's playing out of postion while at prop. He's always been a player that played on the edges and now he's being asked to play down the middle. He's doing ok but he's never been a prop and never will be a quality ">prop.'" He has played prop on occasions in his time. He started a GF for wests at prop in 2005(ish). His stats show he's performing admirably and, given the reports from down under, he sounds like a consumate professional, which is something I think we needed with Jammer leaving. LMS finished last season very strongly, but has unimpressed so far. T P has been inconsistant, but shown glimpses of his old self. Perry - I thought he was good in his albeit short stint on Friday. He opened the season poorly, though. Clough is going about thinks quietly but getting more into his stride. They're not a bad set of props, no matter what posters like to think. We just need to pull things round AS A SQUAD.