Meh



I'm also not sure how i feel about this announcement as I'm not sure where he will fit in when the big games come around and if we have a fully fit squad to choose from

1 yr is about right, he's useful in a utility role, but we've better backrowers and better halfbacks too

Luke Walsh's replacement next year.

Incorrect.

Louis Walsh's replacement next year.

that was my 1st thought as soon as i heard

Now that would be a disaster .

It's the right move, very experienced player now and we would lose a lot were he and Wellens both leave.

It's the right thing to do. Everyone hates Jon Wilkin at the moment, but that's because he's spent the majority of the last three seasons pretending to be a scrum half. He does that job reasonably well and without him we certainly wouldn't have been champions last season. We'd have dropped down the table and wouldn't have been afforded the stroll to OT that we were. If we get Walsh back and fit and he moves back to the second row, he's then got a challenge on his hands with Greenwood and Vea certainly ahead of him in my eyes. But a very useful player to have around and we certainly won't be seeing him play in the back row anytime soon given our continued run of luck with keeping halves on the field. Another month at least at 7 I'd suspect.

+1



Whilst I'm not sure he's genuinely worth a spot in our back row, he'll hit 40+ tackles a game which should help the big lads save their energy for going forward. I reckon Flash and Jones are better back rows, but the difference is negligible, especially when you consider Wilkin's our captain and bring a few more less tangible qualities to the squad.

Without Wilkin's kicking in the last third of last season we wouldn't have won the title. I've had plenty of criticism for the lad over the years. But during the last twelve months he's played very well.



The argument is pretty simple, really.



With an inferior pack Jon is often surplus to requirements.

With a dominant pack Jon is worth his weight in gold.



He deserves an extension. Never gives anything less than his best.

He might not have been born in St Helens, but he is as much a Saint as Roby and Wellens, and will play anywhere for the team. He's never really quite fulfilled his potential as a top 13, but has never really been given that opportunity. The fact that he is generally injury free is also important in our squad of biscuit backs