Re: Well done saints : Fri Feb 14, 2014 8:02 am  

Whilst they obvisouly missed Briers, I'm not convinced he would have saved the day from them, their pack took too much of a pounding.
Our aggression and line speed in defence was superb throughout most of the game.
For me we didn't link out wide as often as perhaps we could, but the power up front won us through. The fact Jones came on early and stayed on helped make up for the fact that we only took 1 prop on the bench, although I'm still not convinced by Wello being included.
Opening fixtures can be funny - no matter how much training and friendlies you do, it never quite prepares you for a full blooded match. It could be that Saints have just got into gear quickly and wire will take a week or so.

Re: Well done saints : Fri Feb 14, 2014 9:07 am  

When I saw how weak/inexperienced the Wire bench was I fancied Saints strongly. Saints used their subs very well knowing what Wire had on the bench (four changes in the first 20 minutes)
If Wire had Wood, Monaghan, Harrison and Currie on the bench then I think it would have been a much closer game.

Percival is getting a bit of stick for that first try, but I think you'll find Wheeler is too far infield and there is no covering second rower. I'm not sure Percival could have done much else.

I wonder if Brown will comment on the high tackles. The Wilkin one probably came off the shoulder, Turner was beaten by the step, but Soliolas was a bad tackle.
It'll be interesting to see what the review panel come up with.

Just on the first point Tony Smith has a lot to answer for. He has hardly given his young players any game time over the last couple of years.

Re: Well done saints : Fri Feb 14, 2014 9:15 am  

Rogues Gallery wrote:

When I saw how weak/inexperienced the Wire bench was I fancied Saints strongly. Saints used their subs very well knowing what Wire had on the bench (four changes in the first 20 minutes)
If Wire had Wood, Monaghan, Harrison and Currie on the bench then I think it would have been a much closer game.

Percival is getting a bit of stick for that first try, but I think you'll find Wheeler is too far infield and there is no covering second rower. I'm not sure Percival could have done much else.

I wonder if Brown will comment on the high tackles. The Wilkin one probably came off the shoulder, Turner was beaten by the step, but Soliolas was a bad tackle.
It'll be interesting to see what the review panel come up with.

Just on the first point Tony Smith has a lot to answer for. He has hardly given his young players any game time over the last couple of years.

The review panel set the standard last week with Matty Bowen. Sia has a good record, he's not a dirty player just like Matty Bowen.

The is a case that bowens was deliberate as he actually jumps up with the swinging arm. Sia went in hard and caught him.

Re: Well done saints : Fri Feb 14, 2014 9:20 am  

St pete wrote:

The review panel set the standard last week with Matty Bowen. Sia has a good record, he's not a dirty player just like Matty Bowen.

The is a case that bowens was deliberate as he actually jumps up with the swinging arm. Sia went in hard and caught him.

Stuart Cummins doesn't agree with you.
Let's wait and see.

Re: Well done saints : Fri Feb 14, 2014 9:42 am  

Rogues Gallery wrote:

Stuart Cummins doesn't agree with you.
Let's wait and see.

Do you think Soliola's challenge was worse than Bowen's?

Re: Well done saints : Fri Feb 14, 2014 9:55 am  

Rogues Gallery wrote:

Stuart Cummins doesn't agree with you.
Let's wait and see.

Stuart Cummins is a prat. Bowens was much worse but Soliola has the disadvantage of not playing in Cherry and White and not having a WCC game coming up so he may end up with a ban

Re: Well done saints : Fri Feb 14, 2014 9:56 am  

The Yellow Giraffe wrote:

Do you think Soliola's challenge was worse than Bowen's?

Cummins did.
They were both worthy of a ban IMO.

Re: Well done saints : Fri Feb 14, 2014 10:16 am  

Rogues Gallery wrote:

Cummins did.
They were both worthy of a ban IMO.

Do you think Soliola's challenge was worse than Bowen's?

Re: Well done saints : Fri Feb 14, 2014 10:26 am  

Rogues Gallery wrote:

Percival is getting a bit of stick for that first try, but I think you'll find Wheeler is too far infield and there is no covering second rower. I'm not sure Percival could have done much

I disagree on that score. It was Westwood's run which drew Percy in, but Westwood actually ended up hitting the line inside Wheeler, so there was no way he should have come in. I don't want to come across like I'm giving him grief; he's a young kid and is bound to have things that need work. I thought he had a good game overall.

On the high tackles, Wilkin and Turner's were both reaction shots, so penalty sufficient. Sia's was a poor one, though, and I'd have no problem with him being banned.

Re: Well done saints : Fri Feb 14, 2014 10:30 am  

The Yellow Giraffe wrote:

Do you think Soliola's challenge was worse than Bowen's?

He's not gonna give you a straight answer. We all know and he knows the Bowen one was worse as he jumps up. No ban for him. No ban for Sia. Anything else will be a joke. RFL in lack of consistency shocker. All over again!