Re: Saints (h) : Sat Jul 13, 2024 2:25 pm  

We are in a good place so far, four points clear with a game in hand. We 'should' be too strong for Hull FC away next week.

No doubt we will have challenges in the coming weeks: Wire at home. Two matches in one week (of which one is Leigh).

Hopefully Field is back soon (what is the timescale for him)?

Re: Saints (h) : Sat Jul 13, 2024 2:36 pm  

NickyKiss wrote:

I need to watch it back but it felt like we got very very little in the second half, with the push on Farrell being missed and some iffy looking knock on/forward pass decisions. Saints won the penalty count 5-2, so it certainly doesn't add any weight to the social media posts I'm seeing from Saints fans saying Moore gave Wigan a helping hand.

Overall I didn't think Moore had any real bearing on the result and the game itself should be celebrated. It just firms up my opinion that Saints are quite comfortably Wigan's biggest threat when it comes to winning the Grand Final in October.

The push on Farrell, you've got to be having a laugh. He comes across into Welsby's path and tries to block him from getting near the ball and it's a collision. He's lucky he didn't get pinged for obstruction though I thought the ref came to the best decision which was, nob all in it. Play on. Can't believe people are acting like Welsby has done anything wrong there. What is he supposed to do? Give up on the ball cos someones got in his way?

I thought Moore was pretty crap and missed a lot, the one where he said the high shot on Lees was accidental head clash (which it wasn't) and play on (since when btw?) was a shocker that led to the charge down and led to your try. However, I don't want to focus on him in general, as I thought it was largely a great game and rather than him costing us the game, it was some really dumb rugby from us at key times. As well as Eckersley taking the game by the scruff of the neck and coming up with some brilliant stuff. I'd also much rather he let more go like he did last night than not. The problem is that it's pretty ridiculous when you only decide to start letting stuff go half way through the game, after dishing out a sinbin in the 1st minute! Can't fathom Wigan fans thinking we got the rub of the green though. I know we're all a bit biased, but that's ridiculous to me

Re: Saints (h) : Sat Jul 13, 2024 2:44 pm  

Phuzzy wrote:

Maybe in the minority but certainly not alone Moto. They don't have enough cutting edge. They still had their best (if not necessarily first choice) spine out there tonight. We were missing 3 of ours, our attacking interchange hooker, and had our stand off constantly in at dummy half yet still outscored them 3 tries to 2. Let's be honest here, that could easily have been 5 or six to 2 as well. I haven't seen Marshy mess up 1 of those cross field kicks in years, let alone 2 in 1 game! We were held up over the line and also had 2 players taken out off the ball without a pen when yards from their line (although we may have taken the 2 points there).

We are apparently a 2 man team playing without both those players and still beat them. Imagine Wire beating them without Dufty, Williams, Walker (plus all their reserve hookers) and I doubt the Warrington faithful would be saying they're still their biggest threat.

I know they had a lot of players missing too but most of theirs would help get them better field position rather than do anything with it and, ultimately, doing anything with it is the same problem they've had for a couple of years now.

Great game though!

We might have had the first choice spine available but it's a bit dim to be acting like that tells the story. The best halfbacks in the world (which they're obviously not) can't do anything behind a beaten pack and the vast majority of our first choice pack was out. I said when we were lining up at the start that your team looked miles bigger than we did, and it showed with how much possession and territory you had. I thought we did well to stay in the game considering that. Fact is you probably SHOULD have scored 5 or 6 with the amount of field position you have but you didn't which shows the effect that missing your two main attackers had on you, as well as some fantastic defence by us. I think our defence in the face of that shows that we will be able to stay in the fight in any big, intense game which gives us a shot, terrible attack or not. Obviously won't be on the end of such a hiding in the forwards if we can get some bodies back either

Re: Saints (h) : Sat Jul 13, 2024 2:47 pm  

Just to add, I don't really see us challenging for the silverware this year so you may be right about Wire being the biggest threat, but I don't think we are a million miles away and I think we'll be tough to beat in the big games. Wouldn't surprise me at all to see us turn Wire over in the play offs.

Re: Saints (h) : Sat Jul 13, 2024 2:49 pm  

To be honest I'm thinking it will be a Wigan v Hull KR Grand Final this year.

Re: Saints (h) : Sat Jul 13, 2024 2:51 pm  

MattyB wrote:

To be honest I'm thinking it will be a Wigan v Hull KR Grand Final this year.

Eh, I feel like we have been here many times before with HKR and they just lose it when it comes to the play offs. I wouldn't mind seeing them get over the hurdle and make it to a grand final but I can't see it. They are a bit like Warrington in the final in that it doesn't ever seem to matter how good of a year they've had, you just can't see them winning it

Re: Saints (h) : Sat Jul 13, 2024 2:52 pm  

Would still be very surprised if it isn't once again a combination of Wigan/Saints/Warrington/Catalan.

Re: Saints (h) : Sat Jul 13, 2024 2:57 pm  

The Reaper wrote:

Just to add, I don't really see us challenging for the silverware this year so you may be right about Wire being the biggest threat, but I don't think we are a million miles away and I think we'll be tough to beat in the big games. Wouldn't surprise me at all to see us turn Wire over in the play offs.

I think next week for Saints will show where you are at the minute, no way were you going to put in a performance last night like you did against Cas but backing last night up against Wire is going to be a big ask at the best of times.
We all know you're getting Walmsley Batchelor and Knowles back in the next few weeks which will take a lot of pressure off your young lads, big question though is does Wellens know what your best 1 6 7 is because that's going to be the key to you doing anything this year, get that right and I certainly won't be writing Saints off

Re: Saints (h) : Sat Jul 13, 2024 2:58 pm  

The final will be two from Wigan, Saints and Hull KR. Hull KR need to finish in the top 2 to make it.

Re: Saints (h) : Sat Jul 13, 2024 2:59 pm  

The Reaper wrote:

We might have had the first choice spine available but it's a bit dim to be acting like that tells the story. The best halfbacks in the world (which they're obviously not) can't do anything behind a beaten pack and the vast majority of our first choice pack was out. I said when we were lining up at the start that your team looked miles bigger than we did, and it showed with how much possession and territory you had. I thought we did well to stay in the game considering that. Fact is you probably SHOULD have scored 5 or 6 with the amount of field position you have but you didn't which shows the effect that missing your two main attackers had on you, as well as some fantastic defence by us. I think our defence in the face of that shows that we will be able to stay in the fight in any big, intense game which gives us a shot, terrible attack or not. Obviously won't be on the end of such a hiding in the forwards if we can get some bodies back either

And tell me how effective your attack has been when you've dominated position and possession? It's been the same story for a couple of years and that's not just my opinion but that of most of your fans too.

Us missing those chances has sweet FA to do with our playmakers being missing. We'd already made the breaks. I'll give you good defence on holding Wardle up (but the chance had still been made) but the 2 Marshall kicks were sitters by his normal standards. He nails that kick time and again and, if anything, the 2nd one last night was easier than most of those he's nailed. Farrimiond was in acres of space in mid field. A little dink towards the posts and it was a walk in.

I also think you're missing the fact that we had 1 half of our half back pairing spending much of the game having to cover for no hooker which would clearly impact on our attack which was still considerably better than yours.

And you need to read RedVee if you want a one eyed opinion on the referee mate. Or just read your own post. All the wrong decisions were against Saints were they? Really? I mean...really?