Re: Wigan v Warrington : Sun Jul 24, 2011 8:45 am  

bewareshadows wrote:

Rogues, steady on, next you'll be doing her in the Hague for Crimes against RL.

It's a good tactic as putting everything into that first 30 means most teams can't live with you, but I reckon we can. And we will.

Lets stuff the pies in the semi.

Ah. This makes my heart beat with pride! At last! A true Saints fan talking!

Re: Wigan v Warrington : Sun Jul 24, 2011 8:46 am  

what a game, wow! best game of RL i've seen all year, it was always going to be a big ask for wire without Briers, Morley and others

Re: Wigan v Warrington : Sun Jul 24, 2011 8:47 am  

Blobbynator wrote:

use dummer runners

Oh so true!

Re: Wigan v Warrington : Sun Jul 24, 2011 8:47 am  

SaintsFan wrote:

:lol:

You know, my little flower, your repeating yourself with this silly smilie.

Re: Wigan v Warrington : Sun Jul 24, 2011 8:47 am  

Blobbynator wrote:

Back on topic....

Wigan have shown in some of the big games this year that they're a fantastically drilled side both offensively and defensively.

Sure, they can be really frustrating to watch and play at times, especially when they hold down and slow the play the ball down, but if the refs allow them to get away with it, why would they stop doing it? At the end of the day, the rest of us need to wise up to it and be as effective in the tackle.

I think offensively, whilst they may not be as off the cuff as Warrington, they are very well structured and use dummer runners better than anybody in the country. They always create overlaps and it's difficult to defend especially when Tomkins is 3rd man out and uses his speed and slipperyness to evade opponents.

They would be big favourites against us in a potential Semi or Final and whilst we're capable of beating Wigan (they are beatable as the 24pts conceded - could've been 30pts if Hodgson had kicked the goals), we haven't shown form this year anywhere near capable of challenging them at the moment. We need to defend much better and play much smarter if we're to compete and not get blown away like Warrington did in 2 spells yesterday. IMO, we need a practically full strength side and a firing Leon Pryce playing to compete.

I can agree in part, but we do have the capability to beat them. Lets not forget how out gunned we've been all year. I think this week is about the only week where we have gained a player without losing one.

There hasn't been any consistent form, but in our games against Wigan I reckon we have shown enough that we can live with them, we just need a few players on the pitch.

Re: Wigan v Warrington : Sun Jul 24, 2011 8:50 am  

bewareshadows wrote:

There hasn't been any consistent form, but in our games against Wigan I reckon we have shown enough that we can live with them, we just need a few players on the pitch.

We did in the opening two games, but in our last game against Wigan we were comprehensively outplayed like we were in last years Grand Final. It worries me that we haven't learnt our lessons and Wigan know how to play us. Good Friday gives me hope that we can challenge them on our day.

Re: Wigan v Warrington : Sun Jul 24, 2011 8:53 am  

bewareshadows wrote:

I can agree in part, but we do have the capability to beat them. Lets not forget how out gunned we've been all year. I think this week is about the only week where we have gained a player without losing one.

There hasn't been any consistent form, but in our games against Wigan I reckon we have shown enough that we can live with them, we just need a few players on the pitch.

Wigan are certainly not unbeatable but if they play how they did in the first 20 mins we will struggle to compete. I don't think we can play at that high pace and physical like Wigan did. They was very physical in defence and that's something we don't seem to have.

If we could weather the storm for 20 mins either side of the first and second half we'd be in with a chance but they tackle very hard and very well.

Re: Wigan v Warrington : Sun Jul 24, 2011 8:56 am  

Blobbynator wrote:

We did in the opening two games, but in our last game against Wigan we were comprehensively outplayed like we were in last years Grand Final. It worries me that we haven't learnt our lessons and Wigan know how to play us. Good Friday gives me hope that we can challenge them on our day.

I know what you mean, the last game against Wigan was woeful. But even in that game we created chances against a tiring Wigan, but we could not hold the ball for toffee. I think our completion in that game was about 40 - 50 %. Which is about as bad as we have performed all season. We were totally out muscled in the forwards. It was also the week after the exiles game, in which nearly are entire pack played and backed up 2 days later. I know Wigan players also played. But it was mainly TP, Soliola, Graham, Wilkin, who we needed to have an impact against wigan and these where the ones backing up that week.

The next week against Wire, they where much better, but where let down by Gaskell who had a bit of a shocking opening 20.

I'm not saying we are favourites, but I think we have the ammo to hurt wigan and Wire, we just need to get it to the field.

Re: Wigan v Warrington : Sun Jul 24, 2011 12:07 pm  

The Chair Maker wrote:

Will you can be decent and excellent but unsuccessful, a good example being Saints who have an excellent side that has played decent rugby but hasnt won anything this last few years.

Looking at Wire
King is going at the end of the season, Briers, Hodgson and Morley will soon be picking up a pension.
Michael Monaghan and Gareth Carvell are also the wrong side of 30 as is Mickey Higham
Thats pretty much the core of your side gone within 2 -3 years.

Do you have the depth and quality of youngsters coming through that can slot in, as has been shown at Wigan and Saints?

Well Evans and O'Brien looked the part when stepping in and we have a very good U20s team, are they good enough? god knows.

Also with said players retiring that would also leave a rather large chunk of cap space and signing on fees isn't a problem with our owner.

Re: Wigan v Warrington : Sun Jul 24, 2011 2:34 pm  

SaintsFan wrote:

I've never denied its effectiveness. It's just so predictable to watch. Predictable equates to boring in my book of personal preferences. And we haven't even touched on their three man in tackling technique (which does have the bonus of knackering them, leaving a window of opportunity for the teams who are awake).

So predictable that the other teams haven't been able to stop it yet