Re: League Leaders Shield Is Ours : Sat Sep 13, 2014 9:33 pm  

Well Done chaps.....got one over the Pies, that'll do for me !!!!

Terry The Leyther !

Re: League Leaders Shield Is Ours : Sat Sep 13, 2014 9:43 pm  

The players deserved that piece of silverware. Whatever their inconsistencies, and their tendency to put in some woeful performances seemingly timed to coincide exactly with when fans expect big performances, the bottom line is that they've managed to stay top for months, won more games than anyone else (no flat-track bullies either, with the best record against the top sides too), and they've done it all without their most high-value players for large parts of the season.

It is a shame about Walsh, because if his leg was still in one piece, I'd have been confidently tipping us for the Grand Final. But I fear that may be a step too far. Nevertheless, we have next year to look forward to with our first recognised scrum-half and stand-off partnership since Long and Pryce, a hopefully freshly returned star fullback who'll be like a new signing, and perhaps the self-belief which will come from knowing what they've achieved this season in adversity.

Re: League Leaders Shield Is Ours : Sat Sep 13, 2014 11:12 pm  

EFCWARRIOR wrote:

Congratulations on finishing top of the pile, i suppose on the basis of 27 games you deserve it , but the whole thing is a mockery when you think that Wire and Leeds who are 5th/6th respectively have a more realistic chance of being crowned champions than you do, i don't mean that in a disrespectful way, i just think that given your injuries etc that they have stronger teams and really have a real chance.

That is the same reasoning that devalues the GF for me. The fact a team can be decimated by injuries taking them from one of the stronger sides to the weaker sides, means that a test over 3 or 4 games does not equate to a test over 27 rounds where the whole team is tested.

Leeds have had a terrible run of form as have Wire, if you pick a run of 3 or 4 games where their best were out, then Saints would be seen as the stronger team.

You can't account for 3 or 4 season ending injuries to the key creative players.

Where we are lacking is in having 2 quality halves. That was within our gift to solve.

Re: League Leaders Shield Is Ours : Sun Sep 14, 2014 6:25 am  

It makes you wonder if we had our key pivotal players for most of the season instead of half of it would we have wrapped up the LLS in record time, would our team performances had been consistently better.

No half backs, full back and loose forward over such a long period most teams probably would have struggled to stay in the top 8, its been a frustrating season as well as an unusual one. The quality of superleague is poor this year with no a dominant team this year Wigan , Warrington and Leeds looked quite capable but they have looked worse than us at times, Castleford freshened things up to join the party.

But at the end of the day Saints are top of the pile despite being written off by other fans year by year.

Re: League Leaders Shield Is Ours : Sun Sep 14, 2014 8:18 am  

Oh how the mighty have fallen.

Let's go back to 2011 & see your views on the LLS then ey?

Re: League Leaders Shield Is Ours : Sun Sep 14, 2014 8:55 am  

Vespid_Wire wrote:

Oh how the mighty have fallen.

Let's go back to 2011 & see your views on the LLS then ey?

Our views in 05, 06, 07, 08 were similar!

Re: League Leaders Shield Is Ours : Sun Sep 14, 2014 10:46 am  

Congratulations on winning the shield from a wire fan. You have deserved it for dealing with horrendous injuries. I think every team has been inconsistent this season (except maybe cas) and your brilliant start to the season and ability to win even when perhaps not playing that well has seen you through.

Good luck in the playoffs but not if you happen to play us.

Re: League Leaders Shield Is Ours : Sun Sep 14, 2014 10:55 am  

Yep. Well done Saints.
One-off games are easy to win, even with a reduced squad.
But to finish the whole season on top of the pile with one, that shows great teamwork.
Can we have Kyle Amor back at Leeds now...please..

Re: League Leaders Shield Is Ours : Sun Sep 14, 2014 11:59 am  

My way of thinking is it's a cup. We've not won one for long time but it's a cup. I'd rather have super league or the CC but we've not so I'll take it.

Also we have earned it. We've had horrific injuries to key players. We've topped the league since May and I thinks it's 16 weeks of the 26 weeks we've been top.

It gives us a better chance of getting to old Trafford and shows next year with walsh, Wilkin and lomax back and maybe few signings then we will me a force.

Re: League Leaders Shield Is Ours : Sun Sep 14, 2014 2:11 pm  

Its and old cliché but you have to learn to walk before you can run.

Winning the league leaders shield is like learning to walk.

There is still a way to go before we can feel confident of being in the mix for the big prizes of Ccup and Grand Final, but we can now say we are heading in the right direction.

As an example Wigan won bugger all between 2003 and 2010.
However in 2010 they won the league leaders shield. Since then they have won the league leaders a further time and picked up two grand final wins and two challenge cup wins.

The league leaders shield said to all and sundry that Wigan were back. It gave both their fans and players confidence/arrogance to take the club to the next level.

As a prize it makes you more attractive to potential players and also sponsors. As your recognised as a side that wins things.

It earns you respect.