The St Helens side that takes to the field at the start of 2012 is likely to bear little resemblance to the one that has been such a major player in Super League for over a decade.
Yet the club appears determined to maintain its position at the top end of the competition after confirming the signing of Anthony Laffranchi from Gold Coast Titans.
Announcing the capture of the 30-year-old Laffranchi, Eamonn McManus, the Saints Chairman said: “We may be losing some players for next season but the fans can rest assured that we will be as strong, or stronger, next season as this.”
It was inevitable that the club would enter a period of significant transition but the rate at which Saints first team squad is being transformed is dramatic.
The iconic figures of Sean Long and Keiron Cunningham are long gone, James Graham and Kyle Eastmond have already announced they will depart at the end of the season and it is anticipated that Leon Pryce and Tony Puletua will follow them out of the exit door.
Given the loss of so many quality players, St Helens could be forgiven for entering a period of consolidation. Indeed, after a shaky start to the campaign it appeared that their star was on the wane.
However, the emergence of a new crop of hugely promising youngsters and the signings of Laffranchi and Kiwi international Lance Hohaia suggest otherwise.
As an Italian passport holder, Laffranchi will not count on the overseas quota. He has represented Australia and New South Wales and, although his progress has been interrupted by injury recently, is considered of the best second row forwards in the NRL.
A powerful and damaging runner, the former West Tigers man is the type of player Saints have lacked in recent years with the excellent Puletua often been left to carry the mantle out wide on his own.
The two new arrivals from the NRL are likely to be joined by at least one more, with Saints coach Royce Simmons likely to be targeting a prop given the massive hole that will be left by the departure of Graham.
Assuming that the stock of Jonny Lomax, Jamie Foster, Lee Gaskell and Gary Wheeler continues to rise then St Helens have every chance of maintaining their place among Super League’s elite well into the next decade.
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