Re: Saints 2006 v Saints 2012 : Thu May 31, 2012 6:07 pm  

Sthelens RLFC wrote:

But we've signe Hohaia to a 4 year deal and he wouldn't be upping sticks from overseas for peanuts. In hindsight (which is a wonderful thing) a 3 year deal for Leon on the money Hohaia is on would have been a much better option.

I was spitting mad at Leon going, but we don't know all the circumstances so the whys and wherefores are all just idle speculation that won't get us anywhere. Given that he and Cashmond were on the way then we were left in a frankly pretty desperate situation a year ago. 4 years for a utility back to be your main half was a crazy move and many of us questioned it at the time, but maybe Saints simply just didn't have an awful lot of alternatives. Wigan are having to sign Matty Smith for chrissakes - nothing more about the dire state of halfback talent in this league needs to be said than that.

Sthelens RLFC wrote:

Shenton had a good finish to last season but looked fairly ordinary at the start of the season and mediocre at best this year. Had we kept Leon, we could have looked at a quota player for the centre.

I've said it before - put Paul Newlove in a Saints #3 shirt now and he'd look ordinary. If we'd spent all our spare cap and quota space on a top Aussie centre he'd look ordinary too. Centre is not our big problem area. Halfback most definitely is.

Re: Saints 2006 v Saints 2012 : Thu May 31, 2012 6:13 pm  

Fatbelly wrote:

With my Warrington bias hat on, I would say....... Warrington Wolves version 2011 would have beaten them.

Taking my Warrington bias hat off, I would say....... Warrington Wolves version 2011 would have beaten them.

Ah yes, the all-conquering 2011 Wolfs side that stood head and shoulders above all other teams and swept all before them in an unstoppable tide cleaning up all the trophies on the way.





ah....

Re: Saints 2006 v Saints 2012 : Thu May 31, 2012 9:16 pm  

Judder Man wrote:

The problem with Shenton is that to a certain extent Saints have de skilled him. Very rarely gets any quality ball even worse this season with no half back play. Shenton most of the time gets lateral dead end ball with the defence well up on him with no space to work. We dont chip through into space for him to run into because we don,t have a skilful kicker, we don,t create a dummy runner to give him an inside ball because we don,t have half backs with skilful play. Shenton looks frustrated more than anything due to the teams inconsistency and lack of game plans.

I could ALMOST buy into this - if it weren't for the fact that Josh Jones has looked more than useful at centre with the same quality of service. The big difference is Jones actively looks for the ball and if it isn't moving his direction he will hunt closer to midfield. Shenton might as well be on rails for all the lateral movement he undertakes.

Re: Saints 2006 v Saints 2012 : Fri Jun 01, 2012 1:06 am  

Mugwump wrote:

I could ALMOST buy into this - if it weren't for the fact that Josh Jones has looked more than useful at centre with the same quality of service. The big difference is Jones actively looks for the ball and if it isn't moving his direction he will hunt closer to midfield. Shenton might as well be on rails for all the lateral movement he undertakes.

But Shenton doesnt get the same quality of service,the ball is so slow going right compared to going left and added to this Sia is the right 2nd row and the ball doesnt get past him.More or less every time Shenton gets the ball its been so slow to get to him that he has no room to work.

Re: Saints 2006 v Saints 2012 : Fri Jun 01, 2012 2:10 am  

Mugwump wrote:

I could ALMOST buy into this - if it weren't for the fact that Josh Jones has looked more than useful at centre with the same quality of service. The big difference is Jones actively looks for the ball and if it isn't moving his direction he will hunt closer to midfield. Shenton might as well be on rails for all the lateral movement he undertakes.

Jones has played ON THE LEFT and has seen a tiny little bit of ball... Shenton has played ON THE RIGHT and so has seen none... And 'round and 'round the circular argument goes....

Re: Saints 2006 v Saints 2012 : Fri Jun 01, 2012 9:06 am  

Northampton_Saint wrote:

Jones has played ON THE LEFT and has seen a tiny little bit of ball... Shenton has played ON THE RIGHT and so has seen none... And 'round and 'round the circular argument goes....

Having at least three separate cases of frostbite because Saints went cheap on the stadium I'm perfectly aware where Jones has played. Possession through the backs has been poor across the board. There is no grand conspiracy to keep Shenton off the ball.

Re: Saints 2006 v Saints 2012 : Sat Jun 02, 2012 8:48 am  

It's pointless trying to compare both teams...the 2006 team was full of top class players and the look at the time was very ambitious.

The 2012 team is very average and lacks ambition.

Re: Saints 2006 v Saints 2012 : Sat Jun 02, 2012 9:10 am  

Mugwump wrote:

Having at least three separate cases of frostbite because Saints went cheap on the stadium I'm perfectly aware where Jones has played. Possession through the backs has been poor across the board. There is no grand conspiracy to keep Shenton off the ball.

Absolutely, you give the ball to your best players. Shenton may have had a little service, but if he went looking for it or did something with it when he does receive possession, he would see more of it. Look down the years at some of our classy Centres who have received plenty of ball because you knew they'd do something with it - Newlove, Iro, Lyon, Gidley etc. Quality players create magic, Shenton doesn't.

Re: Saints 2006 v Saints 2012 : Sat Jun 02, 2012 4:40 pm  

I can't believe anyone hasn't mentioned the biggest difference in those 2 teams and it's not a player .apollo perellini the fitness coach had them supremely fit and the difference in the levels of the 2006 team and this one is staggering.it costs nothing and you only need to look at the Wigan team now and how it pays dividends .it has transformed , in my opinion an average group of players into one of the leagues best.

Re: Saints 2006 v Saints 2012 : Sat Jun 02, 2012 5:33 pm  

Blobbynator wrote:

Absolutely, you give the ball to your best players. Shenton may have had a little service, but if he went looking for it or did something with it when he does receive possession, he would see more of it. Look down the years at some of our classy Centres who have received plenty of ball because you knew they'd do something with it - Newlove, Iro, Lyon, Gidley etc. Quality players create magic, Shenton doesn't.

And look at the halves they played along side,there is the reason they got better ball and good look good.Shenton isnt a bad player he just needs quicker ball and he isnt going to get it with the halves we have now.