Re: RD 22 | Salford Red Devils (H) : Mon Aug 08, 2022 6:29 am  

Rixy wrote:

Not according to Radio Manchester commentators, they reckoned Leeds looked absolutely out on their feet (fitness wise), at times.

When the full time hooter went every single Salford player looked absolutely shot

Re: RD 22 | Salford Red Devils (H) : Mon Aug 08, 2022 8:11 am  

Salford were the better team for mine and if it hadn't been for our 18-0 lead then I don't think we would have won. Salford for me are the 2nd best team I have seen this season after Saints. Very threatening going forwards.

We did look shot at times, but the Handley interception re-energised us.

Leeds are much improved though and would not have won that under Agar.

My concern with Leeds is our defensive line not moving forwards. We give the opposition easy 10m every play and allowed Salford to attack at pace. We needed to be in their faces to prevent their attacks from getting into full flow.

I felt we lacked a captain when we kept dropping balls and failing to complete the sets to speak up and tell the team simply to complete the next few sets and to get some momentum back rather than continue to make errors and allow Salford back into the game.

I didn't agree with the decision that led to Salford's first try. We dropped it and Burgess picked it up and tried to grubber it through to score but Leeds regained possession. He gave Salford the head and feet at the scrum. I thought we had got rid of the free play?

Felt for Walter's, he played for five minutes and missed a couple of tackles and was pulled straight off. Hopefully, Rohan isn't too hard on him and it serves as a gentle reminder for Walter's that if he wants to make it, he will have to up his game.

Re: RD 22 | Salford Red Devils (H) : Mon Aug 08, 2022 8:19 am  

Walters made a really bad miss for a try by not going for the player with the ball. You just can't do that or it will be a try every time. As you say, some of the issues we have a team will hold us back - too many errors and passive defence. The last can be fixed reasonably easily, but it starts in the middle of the park.

Re: RD 22 | Salford Red Devils (H) : Mon Aug 08, 2022 8:25 am  

rugbyleague88 wrote:

Salford were the better team for mine and if it hadn't been for our 18-0 lead then I don't think we would have won. Salford for me are the 2nd best team I have seen this season after Saints. Very threatening going forwards.

We did look shot at times, but the Handley interception re-energised us.

Leeds are much improved though and would not have won that under Agar.

My concern with Leeds is our defensive line not moving forwards. We give the opposition easy 10m every play and allowed Salford to attack at pace. We needed to be in their faces to prevent their attacks from getting into full flow.

I felt we lacked a captain when we kept dropping balls and failing to complete the sets to speak up and tell the team simply to complete the next few sets and to get some momentum back rather than continue to make errors and allow Salford back into the game.

I didn't agree with the decision that led to Salford's first try. We dropped it and Burgess picked it up and tried to grubber it through to score but Leeds regained possession. He gave Salford the head and feet at the scrum. I thought we had got rid of the free play?

Felt for Walter's, he played for five minutes and missed a couple of tackles and was pulled straight off. Hopefully, Rohan isn't too hard on him and it serves as a gentle reminder for Walter's that if he wants to make it, he will have to up his game.

Rushing out in defence benefits a team like Salford, that’s how saints defend and look what happened to them.

Smith did say that the plan with Walters was always for him to have a short spell.

I disagree that Salford were the better side, they had a lot of momentum in that game but couldn’t capitalise on it, bith from them making errors and our defence.

Re: RD 22 | Salford Red Devils (H) : Mon Aug 08, 2022 8:58 am  

christopher wrote:

Rushing out in defence benefits a team like Salford, that’s how saints defend and look what happened to them.

Smith did say that the plan with Walters was always for him to have a short spell.

I disagree that Salford were the better side, they had a lot of momentum in that game but couldn’t capitalise on it, bith from them making errors and our defence.

I am not saying rushing out but simply moving up as a line and not defending on the back foot. It would make our lives a lot easier.

I'm sure it was not intended for Walter's to play long minutes but he was definitely brought off sooner because of his defence. Smith was never going to say in his post match interview that he brought Walter's off early as he had a shocker.

I'm not in agreement that Leeds were better. They did enough to win though.

Re: RD 22 | Salford Red Devils (H) : Mon Aug 08, 2022 9:04 am  

christopher wrote:

Rushing out in defence benefits a team like Salford, that’s how saints defend and look what happened to them.

Smith did say that the plan with Walters was always for him to have a short spell.

I disagree that Salford were the better side, they had a lot of momentum in that game but couldn’t capitalise on it, bith from them making errors and our defence.

Agreed. They were the best side between the 20th and 60th minutes, but try as they might they just couldn't shake us off. Difference was that when we were on top we were really on top. I think Smith was being very protective of Walters in his presser, which was absolutely right.

Re: RD 22 | Salford Red Devils (H) : Mon Aug 08, 2022 9:06 am  

rugbyleague88 wrote:

I am not saying rushing out but simply moving up as a line and not defending on the back foot. It would make our lives a lot easier.

I'm sure it was not intended for Walter's to play long minutes but he was definitely brought off sooner because of his defence. Smith was never going to say in his post match interview that he brought Walter's off early as he had a shocker.

I'm not in agreement that Leeds were better. They did enough to win though.

We we’re the better side in the first twenty and the last twenty, and in the minutes in between when Salford were the better side they only managed 14 points.

So overall we were the better side IMO

Re: RD 22 | Salford Red Devils (H) : Mon Aug 08, 2022 9:23 am  

Missed the game as away on hols but that was a hugely important win. Good side Salford and we sounded like we dug in well and took our chances. Well done lads.

Re: RD 22 | Salford Red Devils (H) : Mon Aug 08, 2022 9:34 am  

rugbyleague88 wrote:

I didn't agree with the decision that led to Salford's first try. We dropped it and Burgess picked it up and tried to grubber it through to score but Leeds regained possession. He gave Salford the head and feet at the scrum. I thought we had got rid of the free play?.

Yeah that one surprised me too. Very obvious advantage from our knock on with Burgess being overambitious in trying to exploit it further.

Re: RD 22 | Salford Red Devils (H) : Mon Aug 08, 2022 10:04 am  

I went to the game expecting a cracker. Both sides under delivered IMO, lots of knock ons in ideal rugby conditions and incompleted sets. We took our chances when they came and that was the difference between the 2 sides, other than that it was 40 minutes each. I agree that we wouldnt of won that game a few weeks back. As RS said in his presser, sometimes you have to find a different way to win and that is what happened yesterday.