Player Ratings : Fri Apr 12, 2013 9:16 pm  

Tommy Makinson - 7 - Played well going forward, was a little out of position for a couple of kicks but that's expected.

Adam Swift - 6 - Some beautiful bomb disposal from him tonight and ran it back strong but didn't shine.

Jordan Turner - 5 - Neither here nor there, did a lot of good work in defence but took the wrong option in attack on a couple of occasions.

Mark Percival - 5 - Playing against Steve Menzies was tough for the kid, he held his own fairly well but didn't show what he has in previous games.

Francis Meli - 6 - Strong running and decent in defence. Good chase back for Pryce's break

Lance Hohaia - 4 - Did nothing and took wrong options a couple of times.

Jon Wilkin - 4 - Kicking was poor.

Anthony Laffranchi - 3 - Mr average.

Stuart Howarth - 5 - Generally decent distribution but a few sloppy passes.

LMS - 2 - Was poor tonight. Cost us badly at a few key moments with petulance. Needs to learn that if he's lost the collision he has to let it go.

Josh Jones - 6 - Runs the ball well but needs to learn to pass!

Sia Soliola - 8 - Good game tonight in both defence and attack, looked dangerous.

Paul Wellens - 6 - Played okay but I'd prefer Flash when he's fit. Wellens tends to lose the collision too much.

Paul Clough - 5 - Didn't notice him but you never do really, will have to wait for the stats to see how his game went.

Joe Greenwood - 7 - Decent game from the young lad in a beaten pack. Tried a few things but they just didn't quite come off for him

Alex Walmsley - 9 - Outstanding from the big man. Dominated every collision in attack, took his try very well, made a great break and looked like breaking through on a couple other of occasions. Only loses a point for looking a little slow in defence occasionally

James Tilley - 6 - Didn't really notice him but a very hard game to come on to in only your second first team game, seemed to tackle well.

Re: Player Ratings : Fri Apr 12, 2013 9:47 pm  

I'd agree with that but i'd put Hohaia a bit higher I thought he was decent and some of his defence was great.

Re: Player Ratings : Fri Apr 12, 2013 9:58 pm  

Bit harsh on Hohaia. He did the things he was asked to do quite well and he moves it well far quicker than Wilkin. Wilkin really, and I mean really, really, struggled. His lack of ability is really hampering us now. There simply must be a half back in the academy who could do a better job than that tonight. Simply shocking kicking game.

I hate to go on about it again, but what exactly does Wello offer? Clean through on half way and caught by the 40m line. He tackles a lot, but he shouldn't take any ball at all. He loses the collision everytime when deep and is just far too slow to move the ball in the opposition 20m area. Just leave him out and if he absolutely has to play, just don't involve him in the attacking structure, leave that to Hohaia and Howarth. Talking of Howarth, he looked okay again tonight, but he just needs to speed it up. He's too slow at dummy half.

Re: Player Ratings : Fri Apr 12, 2013 10:16 pm  

Watch Hohaia closely, he hides in defence. When he does make a rare tackle he purposely is the last up off the player so that he can go and bludge at marker.
The guy is a joke and i feel if Saints are to move forward then he is one player you need to get rid of.

Re: Player Ratings : Fri Apr 12, 2013 11:44 pm  

Turner was one of our top tacklers according to Eddie on Sky.

Re: Player Ratings : Sat Apr 13, 2013 12:58 am  

Harsh on Turner. He wasn't perfect but he was good overall, I thought. He put in an amazing try saving tackle on Anderson after about 15 mins. I'd say 7.

Re: Player Ratings : Sat Apr 13, 2013 7:53 am  

Dux wrote:

Harsh on Turner. He wasn't perfect but he was good overall, I thought. He put in an amazing try saving tackle on Anderson after about 15 mins. I'd say 7.

I think turner could be a very good player but he's lacks that extra bit if effort. He nearly breaks the line when he has the ball but won't put that little extra effort in to go thru the line.

IMO he will be one of them players that wasted his talent

Re: Player Ratings : Sat Apr 13, 2013 4:03 pm  

Interesting comments.

We all know (as I'm sure he does) that Wellens is getting on. If he can maintain the number of tackles and perhaps stop the progression of his tacklee a little sooner, thats acceptable. What I find odd is that he is criticised for supporting breaks and when getting the ball, not being able to go the required 40, 50, 60m to score. It seems a little unfair to criticise when we have players much faster and younger who don't even support to start with. Perhaps if some of these had the forethought to follow the play properly, we would have a speedy support player who could go the distance to score. Why aren't we criticising our three quarters for this omission in their game.

Wilkin's kicking wasn't too bad and indeed in that first half when we were poor, he kicked well from what I could see, And again, when Sia scored, it was Wilkin's support play (admittedly there was a couple of others) that gave Sia the options so that the break didn't fizzle out. Both he and Wellens know the game and at the moment we need that to balance the half dozen youngsters who are performing as well, and often better, than can be expected. Thought Percival did okay against someone of the class of Menzies, but he was second best.......although that's acceptable in this instance, and will help enormously in the learning progress.

Hohaia got caught going in too late for a tackle for a try and a break or two but that can happen when your pack is too small and taking a little too long in halting the opposition. My observations are that he is more of a physical half than a speedy, crafty one and I think this element of his game is fine. Where he is lacking to a lesser extent is like Wellens and Wilkin,in that he is too slow in deed and action......could this be something to do with coaching or is it just their age and ability?

Ultimately, discussion about the players above is fine, but of little value when your pack performs as poorly (albeit as gamely) as ours. I congratulate most of them on their effort.....especially the young ones.

Re: Player Ratings : Sat Apr 13, 2013 8:33 pm  

Wilkin has never claimed to be a half (neither has wello to be fair) but is doing what can be expected of him. Add the extra dimensions of Lomax and Robes' attack and he's ok for now, but really needs a creative off the cuff player with him in the halves.
Lance always claimed he can play 6, a season and a half later and I see nothing of that!

Re: Player Ratings : Sat Apr 13, 2013 11:05 pm  

Lance will never ever be a 6 or a 7. He was signed to solve a problem and sadly that problem is still there.
Any team will thrive on a pack going forward and two quality halfbacks. At the moment we have neither of those things.