Re: That's more like it! : Mon Mar 26, 2012 8:31 am  

Thought you were very good indeed in all aspects of the game. We were woeful but if we'd been merely good we'd still have lost. Really looking forward to seeing how you get on against Wire this week.

Re: That's more like it! : Mon Mar 26, 2012 8:44 am  

Clearwing wrote:

Really looking forward to seeing how you get on against Wire this week.

Who knows how that will go. Can we play that well again? We worked hard, but some days more things do go right for you than others.... .... ....

Re: That's more like it! : Mon Mar 26, 2012 10:11 am  

i would just like to say well done saints.. top rugby there.. .well come back...see you good friday..

Re: That's more like it! : Mon Mar 26, 2012 10:29 am  

Offside Monkey wrote:

Who knows how that will go. Can we play that well again? We worked hard, but some days more things do go right for you than others.... .... ....

I don't think we can play at their intensity if they play well. I also doubt we can keep them out near our line or do enough to threaten close to their's. Most of the key points against Leeds were breaks around the ruck with very little width involved. We could certainly do with Mr Westwood being banned.

Re: That's more like it! : Mon Mar 26, 2012 11:00 am  

Saddened! wrote:

I don't think we can play at their intensity if they play well. I also doubt we can keep them out near our line or do enough to threaten close to their's. Most of the key points against Leeds were breaks around the ruck with very little width involved. We could certainly do with Mr Westwood being banned.

Don't lose heart, sweetie. I'm sending all the positive vibes I can muster.

At least we're going into the game knowing we can play a bit.
Our momentum meant that Leeds had very little chance to pressure us, so I'm not completely sure what we've got in the locker regarding defence. Saying that, Bradford only managed to score past us with kicks, so there's less work to do there.

Hopefully Wire will continue with their terrible error rate and we can capitalise. Their goal line defence is top drawer though, so we'll have to continue with our hard work off the ball.

Re: That's more like it! : Mon Mar 26, 2012 11:21 am  

These players are more than capable of competing. Wire are very good but they certainly aren't unbeatable and if we be as successful offloading we will cause them problems although I am aware that everything seemed to stick yesterday but that comes with confidence. Could be another belter if both teams play like they can do.

Re: That's more like it! : Mon Mar 26, 2012 11:44 am  

Saints were a joy to watch last night. Playing for each other and for the shirt made it much better to watch. The pack was dominant unlike any game so far this year and the backs helped out too. Offloading and line breaks were back and long may they continue.

Id slagged Perry off for the last few weeks but i thought he had a good game last night as did LMS.
The substitutions were spot on last night giving players longer spells and swapping like for like. Leeds did get back into the game once TP went off but that is to be expected. Clough had another good game and Laffranchi was steady and powerful. LMS showed real aggression and desire when he came on and i think that was to do with not starting the game. A bit of fire in the belly hurts no one. Missed tackles were superb and the dominnace in the tackle 90% of the time really helped put Leeds on the back foot. Also how many penalties did we concede? Not as many as usual?

Lance and Lomax worked well together and i think it helped Jonny really get into the game more having someone experienced and capable outside him to take the weight off. Lance's touch kicking was brilliant yesterday turning Leeds around and giving our pack a decent amount of rest time. The confidence that Lomax showed yesterday was good too, willing to attack tyhe line scoring two fully deserved tries! The wingers obviously have to give themselves a big hand too, good in the air and brilliant bringing the ball back (maybe thanks to some very poor kicking from Leeds) but a great platform.

Finally a performance that the team, coaches and fans can be proud of, welcome back St Helens!

Re: That's more like it! : Mon Mar 26, 2012 11:50 am  

It's amazing how quick sport can turn on it's head. I'll bet there is a 'rubbish' thread if we lose to Warrington and we'll all be bemoaning the appointment of two inexperienced interim coaches.

Re: That's more like it! : Mon Mar 26, 2012 11:53 am  

bewareshadows wrote:

Its not just about players turning up and doing that though, and Roby was not the difference.

It is and he was. I would also add that it was one more game along the road for our new players to integrate. They need to be given time but many on here were writing off Hohaia ages ago (not me, you may recall).

People do forget that we played an absolute blinder against Wigan on Good Friday last season. These players were fully capable of playing a significant amount better than they did between the Catalans game and last night. They chose not to. Why they chose not to is an entirely different matter but nobody turns a team around in a week like they turned around. Their attitude was totally different.

And Roby made a massive difference. He stamped his authority on things straight away, set the pace and charged forward. He gave direction and oomph to our forwards that had been lacking in his absence because he is one of our go-to players and everyone needs them.

The rot didn't set in before Roby was injured. Roby was injured during our Huddersfield loss. Catalans was typical early season annoying lack of defensive effort. We haven't been the only team to suffer from it. All teams have leaked points this season. We looked wobbly at one point last night too when Leeds got their try. One up rugby returned for a while and I thought the tables were going to turn again. But the try triggered the right response from Saints and they took note of the consequences of their previous attitude and got going again.

It also helped that we didn't have Foster and Gaskell on the pitch. They had both become liabilities and needed a break.

Re: That's more like it! : Mon Mar 26, 2012 11:58 am  

A very good performance. I think we need to accept that Leeds were without Danny Maguire a key player for them this season. We also too some liberties with them where JJB would have been defending. Had these two players been on the field we would have had a much harder game. We also managed to get most of the 50/50s from Bentham. It really was a night when everything went for us.

Having said that a lot of good things happened last night. We played a great open brand of Rugby. I would have been pretty happy if we had lost playing like that.

We went for an experienced team that looked a lot calmer than in previous weeks. We got quick play of the balls that helps us get a great role on. Both our wing/centre combos looked like they knew each other. Wheeler and Meli looked especially good together. The pack looked strong and the inclusion of Maggenis in the second half gave us the energy to finish what we started in the first half. Hohaia kicked very well and dismissed the myth (that I believed) that Gaskell is the only good kicker in the squad.

A very good night.