Re: Squad for Saints : Sat Jul 10, 2021 7:42 am  

I couldn't make the game last night due to it being moved to Friday, but it seems not for the first time in recent seasons we let Saints off the hook!
The quality of the players is what it is. We get what we can afford, but at least the effort was there it seems so I'm pleased about that.
Realistically, for a patched up team like that ( and I mean with players missing from pivotal positions) I didn't expect a victory but it's frustrating that we ran them close and could have won!

Re: Squad for Saints : Sat Jul 10, 2021 7:49 am  

Kettykat wrote:

If money was no object vasty then our team wouldn’t look the way it does ,we’ve got what we’ve got and I thought they played well .I could go and nitpick most of the players from last night for brain fart and wrong choices ,but what I saw was a team having a go against a far superior team on paper and giving them a good game .To pick Lino out is unfair ,why not Hampshire or arundel or kelepi,who all had brain farts/mistakes at some points in the game .Lino and the rest were playing against a great team who were out of the traps like racing snakes all the game cutting down our options all over the field ,but we still managed to compete ,score tries and take the game to them ,and that will do for me .

lino was no better or worse than any other player last night, they all had a dig and came up short. We let two pathetic tries in on the line, kershaw came out and didn’t make the hit then the 2nd one he’s gone at rocky and Pitt’s and fafita totally switched off back on the inside, so poor concentration for me when we have been decent at times defending our line. The attack for me was the problem from first man sideways lino sideways Miller sideways, rocky sideways the centre and winger not dropping back under. At times we move it and look sharp when we go forwards but we simply do not give ourselves chance and instead of creating space we close the space. How can anyone see what is in front of them if your looking sideways towards Wakefield or cas. If players can’t grasp that the try line is in front of them and not on agbrigg road then drop them till they do.

Re: Squad for Saints : Sat Jul 10, 2021 7:53 am  

Lol

Re: Squad for Saints : Sat Jul 10, 2021 7:54 am  

Wollo-Wollo-Wollo-Wayoo wrote:

Lowlights for me were:
Kershaw not taking that long pass with the line open and then not long after Lino missing Matautia in the defensive line. Could have gone to 20-16 but went to 14-26 instead.
Then when we were chasing the game Arundal got the ball on the last tackle about 10 metre out with some diagonal daylight between him and the line. Les Tonks would have probably coasted through but Arundal straightened up and plodded into the Saints line.
Hampshire and Tanganoa cocking up that late play of the ball.

Was that before or after big Les had lost his speed?
Makes me smile thinking of Les in his shorts, always about 3 sizes too small and his upright 'running' style

Re: Squad for Saints : Sat Jul 10, 2021 8:54 am  

Sacred Cow wrote:

Quite frustrated after that which given it was Saints speaks volumes. They were there for the taking, after they took the early 14-0 lead they started taking shortcuts and we got back in it and had them rattled. But despite plenty of chances and enough favour from our Ben we lacked the quality and composure to capitalise. Then another soft tackle, this time on Mata’utia and it’s game over.

Credit to Kay on his performance, he did ok given the circumstances. To suggest a permanent switch though is pushing it a bit at this point!

I don't think Thaler favoured us at all! All he did was punish Saints for their many misdemeanors. Something other more "star struck/bent" referees could learn from.

Re: Squad for Saints : Sat Jul 10, 2021 9:30 am  

Wollo-Wollo-Wollo-Wayoo wrote:

Lowlights for me were:
Kershaw not taking that long pass with the line open and then not long after Lino missing Matautia in the defensive line. Could have gone to 20-16 but went to 14-26 instead.
Then when we were chasing the game Arundal got the ball on the last tackle about 10 metre out with some diagonal daylight between him and the line. Les Tonks would have probably coasted through but Arundal straightened up and plodded into the Saints line.
Hampshire and Tanganoa cocking up that late play of the ball.

All games are full of ‘what ifs’ but the list in this game and a fair few others this season has been way to long.

Almost every game chances go begging, chances that most teams at most levels would take.

Our decision making is very poor at times. Our inability to take the simple option and instead go for the preposterous is at times mind blowing. And as you say it’s experienced players like Arundel.

We had a few really lame defensive lapses, Fifita and Hampshire were totally to blame for the first try, whilst Lino made no effort for another. But all the same we had enough possession and territory to make good and we rarely looked capable.

We are a real nearly team at the moment, needs to change.

Also thought Thaler had a poor game, especially seemed to have it in or us, with friends like him …..

Re: Squad for Saints : Sat Jul 10, 2021 9:34 am  

phe13 wrote:

Strange one with Aydin last night, he didn't come on until the last 10 minutes or so. We had to check that he'd been named on the bench, when he hadn't appeared, especially as we lost Tash after 20 minutes (and his injury looked ominous when the blue light ambulance turned up -I assume that it was as a precaution for him).

I think that might have been a speccie, not sure but we thought we saw an incident and the first aiders running about on the west terrace. May be wrong.

Re: Squad for Saints : Sat Jul 10, 2021 10:08 am  

vastman wrote:

All games are full of ‘what ifs’ but the list in this game and a fair few others this season has been way to long.

Almost every game chances go begging, chances that most teams at most levels would take.

Our decision making is very poor at times. Our inability to take the simple option and instead go for the preposterous is at times mind blowing. And as you say it’s experienced players like Arundel.

We had a few really lame defensive lapses, Fifita and Hampshire were totally to blame for the first try, whilst Lino made no effort for another. But all the same we had enough possession and territory to make good and we rarely looked capable.

We are a real nearly team at the moment, needs to change.

Also thought Thaler had a poor game, especially seemed to have it in or us, with friends like him …..

I agree

Re: Squad for Saints : Sat Jul 10, 2021 10:44 am  

vastman wrote:

All games are full of ‘what ifs’ but the list in this game and a fair few others this season has been way to long.

Almost every game chances go begging, chances that most teams at most levels would take.

Our decision making is very poor at times. Our inability to take the simple option and instead go for the preposterous is at times mind blowing. And as you say it’s experienced players like Arundel.

We had a few really lame defensive lapses, Fifita and Hampshire were totally to blame for the first try, whilst Lino made no effort for another. But all the same we had enough possession and territory to make good and we rarely looked capable.

We are a real nearly team at the moment, needs to change.

Also thought Thaler had a poor game, especially seemed to have it in or us, with friends like him …..

I suggest you watch the first try again vasty kershaw shot in and didn’t make the hit and the 2nd was Pitt’s and fafita clocking off inside, its plain as day to see

Re: Squad for Saints : Sat Jul 10, 2021 11:32 am  

We need to be smarter in some areas.
Miller was cleaned out with a head shot, albeit, he was probably on his way down but, he jumped to his feet and got on with the game and then Saints coming of their own line, take a Sterlingesque dive to steal a penalty.

If Miller stays on the ground, Saints have another player in the bin.

I seem to remember Miller doing something similar a few weeks ago, very, very generous from our captain.

Having said that, taking the 2 soft tries out of the equation, I though that we had a real good dig at Saints, especially as we were down to our last 17 players (16 when Ashurst went off) and with a little more composure, we could have caused a huge upset.