In The Grand Scheme Of Things .... : Fri Mar 20, 2009 10:35 pm  

... Don't worry too much about the result tonight.

To quote Dougie Laughton's old chestnut, win your home games and around half your away ones and you'll be there or thereabouts.

It would be unrealistic for the team to go through the whole of the domestic season unbeaten and the last team to put on such an extended winning run, came a bit of a cropper in the Grand Final.

We're better than most (if not all) of the other teams in the competition on our day and the bottom line is, as long as we're top eight or better at the end of the league season, then that will be fine.

I suspect the one thing the team wants this year is not a Grand Final, but actually a pop at the Challenge Cup. Tonight's game might have done us some favours with regards to beating Saints in a game that matters, namely at Headingley in 2 weeks.

Apart from Rob Burrow's knock, we seem to have come through the game with few injuries. On the other hand Saints lost Long with a knee problem and that might take a couple of weeks to clear up. He's also their goal kicker. Fatsavalu met Ryan Bailey's fair challenge and came off second best ... It is a broken nose, then again, he's got to be in doubt and finally at the end Gilmore limped off with a hamstring strain. Another injury that is not always straightforward to get right.

Could it be that Saints could be short of regulars at Headingley in a couple of weeks ?

: Fri Mar 20, 2009 10:56 pm  

To be fair, I think what you have said could well be true.

Tonight was only 2 points and we had to lose eventually. The best thing out of tonight IMHO was Bailey again getting truely stuck in and the fact that they might be thinking of the "hard man" game in 2 weeks time.

Think about what happened the last time we played them after a hard match!

No worries for the real match in the challenge cup!

: Fri Mar 20, 2009 11:09 pm  

I think it showed how equally matched the sides are. Saints are probably the better side technically, with Leeds having the advantage of pace and individual threat. I would give the edge to Leeds in the Cup game, simply because you are at home but it's pretty obvious already that the game is the Cup Final, I can't see the victor of that game being troubled.

: Fri Mar 20, 2009 11:19 pm  

Saddened! I agree, It's a damn shame that this will prob make out the final winner

I'm off to the final already and hope it's not another foregone conclusion, like in the last few years

: Sat Mar 21, 2009 7:42 pm  

Burley Rhino wrote:

Saddened! I agree, It's a damn shame that this will prob make out the final winner

I'm off to the final already and hope it's not another foregone conclusion, like in the last few years

Yes, I'm already pencilled in for the final too ....

: Sat Mar 21, 2009 8:25 pm  

A couple of things I noticed as the game went by last night.

Saints, with a new coach, still play a very structured attack, with lots of dummy runners and depth to their attack. Leeds play a very flat attack and still rely on quick ptb and getting over the advantage line with a drive before opening out the play.

The other thing I noticed was we can play much better than that, but I'm not sure they can. Two points dropped, but I don't think there is much to worry about.

If Lauitiiti, Kirke and Buderus are available for the cup game, I expect an entirely different result.

: Sat Mar 21, 2009 8:32 pm  

There is no point getting too excited about March results - we all know October games are what it is all about.

For us Saints fans, it was pleasing as Potter found a way of hitting a level tht can beat you guys, the current "team to beat". This was unknown prior to last night.

As alluded to, we did pick up some knocks and our threadbare squad means that the win may come at a price. I think we can give you a run with a full team but if we have 2-3 players absent then your sqaud depth should always see you home. For us to win the Cup this year would be good and is a more realistic ambition perhpas than the GF?

: Sat Mar 21, 2009 9:19 pm  

batleyrhino wrote:

A couple of things I noticed as the game went by last night.

Saints, with a new coach, still play a very structured attack, with lots of dummy runners and depth to their attack. Leeds play a very flat attack and still rely on quick ptb and getting over the advantage line with a drive before opening out the play.

The other thing I noticed was we can play much better than that, but I'm not sure they can. Two points dropped, but I don't think there is much to worry about.

If Lauitiiti, Kirke and Buderus are available for the cup game, I expect an entirely different result.

Puletua back for us will be huge, he's been immense tis year.

Still fancy Leeds though.

: Sat Mar 21, 2009 9:31 pm  

The quality of the two teams means its genrally too hard to call. Home advantage genrally means little either.

saints have a great record in the challenge cup, which means nothing, but they'll want to keep on to it. Would love Leeds to win though

: Sat Mar 21, 2009 10:32 pm  

Quality game from two quality sides. Saints coming out top in this one.

We're probably going to face each other 4/5 times this season and in reality one team is not going to win 4 of 4 or 5 of 5, so in the grand scheme I'm not too worried.