Gaskell will be in the 17 next season he will start off on the bench and not a chance he go wigan saints wouldnt sell him

He signed a three year deal during 2011 so he's with us for three more seasons. He's a year behind Lomax in his first team experience and I think he suffered a bit as a result of being thrown in at the deep end during 2011. He certainly suffered physically given that he had to have a hernia op. I reckon it will be good for him if he can drop in and out of games for chunks of this season. Hopefully Simmons will train the three of them together like he did Pryce/Lomax/Gaskell last season.



And when all is said and done, Hohaia has been brought over in part for his utility value so if injuries occur at hooker or scrum half or even at fullback, Hohaia will be the one to move rather than Gaskell.

Should imagine Simmonds would want a partnership going ASAP with Lomax and Hohaia, expect Lomax to learn a lot from Lance.



This would mean Gaskell being our bench player for the start of the season, when one of our back 3 gets rested reckon Roby will go LF and Hohaia to no 9, allowing Gaskell to operate at 6.

I suspect he will be the back on the bench. I have a feeling that during games we may throw Roby in at loose for spells with Lance moving to 9 .. or maybe sharing 9/13 with Roby with Gaskell coming on at 6.



Reading Royce's comments in the League Express I suspect Lance will be our backup 9 if Roby gets a knock or needs a rest which will give Gaskell game time at 6 too.

I think lance will go very well for us. Not sure if lomax hohaia combo will work tho.

I wouldnt be shocked to see us revert to Lomaskell at 6 & 7 with Lance playing off the bench either. The Lomaskell partnership seems to be well balanced to me.

Lomax and Gaskell is very well balanced but lance and lomax need to be given time.



Gaskell is the type of halfback i like. I think if he continues to develop he'll be top class stand off.



Lomax is top class young player but I'm not sure he's a scrumhalf. Don't get me wrong he did amazing job at 7 but I'm not sure his postion is 7.

He developed fantastically last year because he was getting game time. How's he gonna develop this year when we stick a fullback/9 in the 6 jersey?



If I were Gaskell I'd be seriously p'd off. He did nothing to lose the shirt to an import.

i think he is going to be a good signing for you.



if you have him and lomax in the halves you will have some dangerous running.... which is a problem in itself as Gaskell looked ready for the first team at the back end of last season.



if i was a saints fan i would want to be seeing Gaskell starting next season.

I agree and If i was picking the side I'd start with Gaskell at 6 but I know for a fact that hohaia is starting at 6.

I think you'll end up using Hohaia similar to how Wigan use Tommy L Starting in the half backs but then moving to hooker at some time during the game. That will see Roby moving to loose forward (I believe his best position)



It'l also be interesting too see if Lomax gets moved to fullback at some stage, a position I was told Saints wanted to play him.

Lomax and hohaia are both runners and that could be a problem for us as we could lack direction.