Re: Leigh (h) pt 2 : Tue Aug 06, 2024 10:08 pm  

Nsemba on the left might be the way to go for the rest of the season now. Farrell has owned that side for years but is a fading force in attack and I’m happy for him to be a more defensive second rower on the right. Pleased for Leeming who will be better when we get another hooker to dovetail with. First half was just more like us in defence and get through Saturday with one more big effort and we can hopefully catch a breather for a few days after it.

Re: Leigh (h) pt 2 : Tue Aug 06, 2024 11:11 pm  

bazdev wrote:

Why anybody expected Leigh to beat us tonight was beyond me. We have a bigger squad to choose from with superior players so the short turnaround was heavily in our favour.

I keep seeing people saying the fixture list means we wont finish top but we have the best squad in the league and I think we will finish top comfortably but in a 1 off game in the playoffs/Grand final I am less confident and wouldn't be shocked if we didn't go back to back

If Wigan bring their A game they win. B game tonight was too good for Leigh. The next two games are crucial, win them both we will take the LLS.

Re: Leigh (h) pt 2 : Tue Aug 06, 2024 11:18 pm  

DannyT wrote:

Nsemba on the left might be the way to go for the rest of the season now. Farrell has owned that side for years but is a fading force in attack and I’m happy for him to be a more defensive second rower on the right. Pleased for Leeming who will be better when we get another hooker to dovetail with. First half was just more like us in defence and get through Saturday with one more big effort and we can hopefully catch a breather for a few days after it.

Forber is fit again. Faz is 20% of the player he was but still provides the gel that holds us together. The guy needs a rest and hopefully he will get that before the play offs. Better all round performance. Junior was great, Keighran’s best game, Hampshire and Smith improved, Walters is more suited to the middle and we need to spell Mago better as his defence can be wanting.

Re: Leigh (h) pt 2 : Wed Aug 07, 2024 12:24 am  

Zig wrote:

If Wigan bring their A game they win. B game tonight was too good for Leigh. The next two games are crucial, win them both we will take the LLS.

Fair comment, I think the game at home v HKR will be the decider.

Re: Leigh (h) pt 2 : Wed Aug 07, 2024 7:01 am  

I turned off at HT. I didn't think Wigan had to do much that first half, they weren't great yet go in 22-0 up at HT. Some of the defence from Leigh was schoolboy stuff. Moylan clearly wasn't fit as that was one of the worst 40 min performances I've seen from an individual in a long time. I've no idea what happens when Leigh play Wigan, they seem to go into a shell. The Yellow Giraffe articulated it perfectly on Twitter by asking why do they play like Penrith Panthers against Saints but like Chorley Panthers against Wigan.

I thought Nsemba continues to look like a complete unit, the NRL are definitely going to come knocking for him at some point. Good coaching too to swap him to the other side after his defence was found to be wanted previously.

Eckersley is another one who continues to impress and it will be interesting to see where he ends up playing and how many games he plays but he is a very good player.

Re: Leigh (h) pt 2 : Wed Aug 07, 2024 7:32 am  

bazdev wrote:

Why anybody expected Leigh to beat us tonight was beyond me. We have a bigger squad to choose from with superior players so the short turnaround was heavily in our favour.

I keep seeing people saying the fixture list means we wont finish top but we have the best squad in the league and I think we will finish top comfortably but in a 1 off game in the playoffs/Grand final I am less confident and wouldn't be shocked if we didn't go back to back

While I didn't expect us to lose, I thought Leigh would be far more tigerish than they were.

Even when we put the cue on the rack in the second half, they never looked like catching us up.

Re: Leigh (h) pt 2 : Wed Aug 07, 2024 7:50 am  

Cruncher wrote:

While I didn't expect us to lose, I thought Leigh would be far more tigerish than they were.

Even when we put the cue on the rack in the second half, they never looked like catching us up.

I was impressed with Leyth on their previous visit this season and expected a similar effort last night.
For me it was a potential could lose game but thankfully the team put in a very professional performance that we have become accustomed to.
Will be interesting to see what squad rotation over and above Forber returning on Saturday brings. Thompson, Ellis and Farrell have been putting in huge minutes but not sure if we can afford to rest any those 3 on Saturday.

Re: Leigh (h) pt 2 : Wed Aug 07, 2024 10:55 am  

Stu M wrote:

I turned off at HT. I didn't think Wigan had to do much that first half, they weren't great yet go in 22-0 up at HT. Some of the defence from Leigh was schoolboy stuff. Moylan clearly wasn't fit as that was one of the worst 40 min performances I've seen from an individual in a long time. I've no idea what happens when Leigh play Wigan, they seem to go into a shell. The Yellow Giraffe articulated it perfectly on Twitter by asking why do they play like Penrith Panthers against Saints but like Chorley Panthers against Wigan.

I thought Nsemba continues to look like a complete unit, the NRL are definitely going to come knocking for him at some point. Good coaching too to swap him to the other side after his defence was found to be wanted previously.

Eckersley is another one who continues to impress and it will be interesting to see where he ends up playing and how many games he plays but he is a very good player.

What do you mean "Wigan weren't great" Stu? What did they do that wasn't good? I get that Leigh weren't the best defensively but that attack was waltzing through Saints at will 2 weeks ago yet had 3 sets on our line without ever looking likely to break us down. High completion, solid defense, 22 points scored and nilling one of the best attacks in SL. If that had been Saints I can't imagine you saying "Saints weren't great". You'd have been waxing lyrical if Saints could put 22 points on Leigh in one half. Don't be a RedVee poster.

Re: Leigh (h) pt 2 : Wed Aug 07, 2024 11:04 am  

On the plus side for Leigh I thought the no.35 Pene looked a real handful, playing Moylan showed their lack of depth in the backs, fair play to him for putting his hand up to play but he should've been sat in the stand last night.
Overall job well done and I expect it will be ice baths all round for the rest of the week.

Re: Leigh (h) pt 2 : Wed Aug 07, 2024 11:14 am  

Phuzzy wrote:

What do you mean "Wigan weren't great" Stu? What did they do that wasn't good? I get that Leigh weren't the best defensively but that attack was waltzing through Saints at will 2 weeks ago yet had 3 sets on our line without ever looking likely to break us down. High completion, solid defense, 22 points scored and nilling one of the best attacks in SL. If that had been Saints I can't imagine you saying "Saints weren't great". You'd have been waxing lyrical if Saints could put 22 points on Leigh in one half. Don't be a RedVee poster.

I don't think you were great or didn't need to be. Leigh were appalling that first half. You scored two tries when they were down a man and 3 of them overall were against horrifically poor defence. Moylan looked like he only had one arm for his attempts on Mago and Nsemba whilst an under 12s team would've been disappointed in the defence for Keighran's try. It was amateurish.

I don't think you were fluid and Leigh offered very little in attack. You've had some good performances this season and I'm the first to give credit when its due but a lot of teams would've beaten Leigh on that showing last night. And yes I'm aware of what they did to us a couple of weeks ago.