Re: Saints first home game v Widnes : Fri Jan 20, 2012 11:43 pm  

SaintsFan wrote:

Not tonight it wasn't! Lots and lots of work to do in defence, especially for a few players. Laffranchi, Soliola, Meli (the latter two, no surprises there!).

We really did miss James Graham defensively.

Well, in all respects really.

But it was an interesting game. And an interesting take on 'sell out' as well! The latter is nothing new for Saints mind, since a sell out is rarely a sell out when it's Saints.

I thought it as a total shocking display tonight, I know it's a friendly game and don't mean anything but what the hell have we been practicing in ore season training?

The attack was poor, very slow hands and one man rugby.

The defence was terrible and I was shocked at the ease they opened us up at times.

The kicking game was worst I've seen by a super league club, lomax and lance don't look like natural kickers.

I thought Gaskell improved us a hell of a lot when he moved to stand off. He'd be my first name on the sheet in the halves as he's a natural halfback who has a kicking game.

Foster = new Meli on kicks.

Re: Saints first home game v Widnes : Fri Jan 20, 2012 11:47 pm  

It's always hard to tell alot from a friendly (especially when you are not there), but one thing came across on the radio pretty clearly, we needed more than 1 friendly. Thats it now, a couple of weeks no more games and we are into the real thing.

Re: Saints first home game v Widnes : Fri Jan 20, 2012 11:54 pm  

bewareshadows wrote:

It's always hard to tell alot from a friendly (especially when you are not there), but one thing came across on the radio pretty clearly, we needed more than 1 friendly. Thats it now, a couple of weeks no more games and we are into the real thing.

Reading Royce comments in the programme, he states because of the amount of games we played last year, he thinks it's better having no proactive games and also says he gave players long holidays to be fresh for the season.

IMO you could tell we've not had much practice.

Re: Saints first home game v Widnes : Sat Jan 21, 2012 12:03 am  

bewareshadows wrote:

It's always hard to tell alot from a friendly (especially when you are not there), but one thing came across on the radio pretty clearly, we needed more than 1 friendly. Thats it now, a couple of weeks no more games and we are into the real thing.

I agree that we need another friendly. Widnes were on their third and you could tell. But we aren't going to get another friendly and so we will just have to hope that those who didn't put 100% effort in/had a bad game/whatever will buck up their ideas next time out and that our combinations will be clearer to the coach as a result of tonight's match.

One thing's for sure, we need Gaskell on that pitch.

Re: Saints first home game v Widnes : Sat Jan 21, 2012 12:06 am  

St pete wrote:

I thought it as a total shocking display tonight, I know it's a friendly game and don't mean anything but what the hell have we been practicing in ore season training?

Training is nothing like your first match together as a team in months, and a new look team too (and you should know that as you've played the game!). There was clearly no Jammer putting in last ditch tackles tonight and I think Roby looked a bit lost at times without him on his shoulder. A few of our players need to step up. Unfortunately, without Jammer, and with us a bit at sea, the defensive frailties of a few of our players stuck out like sore thumbs. But we also showed some good signs. Makinson looked the business, Gaskell changed everything, Hohaia looks class in attack, Dixon impressed me. It will just take time.

Remember, we looked pretty shocking against Hudds in our friendly against them this time last year, but we still got to the Grand Final.

Re: Saints first home game v Widnes : Sat Jan 21, 2012 12:08 am  

SaintsFan wrote:

I agree that we need another friendly. Widnes were on their third and you could tell. But we aren't going to get another friendly and so we will just have to hope that those who didn't put 100% effort in/had a bad game/whatever will buck up their ideas next time out and that our combinations will be clearer to the coach as a result of tonight's match.

One thing's for sure, we need Gaskell on that pitch.

We defo need Gaskell on the pitch and playing stand off. He's the natural one of all our halves and his kicking game is 100 times better than lomax and lance.

I think lance and lomax are good players and highly rate both but I don't think they fit as halfbacks and would 100% play Gaskell at 6.

Re: Saints first home game v Widnes : Sat Jan 21, 2012 12:13 am  

SaintsFan wrote:

Training is nothing like your first match together as a team in months, and a new look team too (and you should know that as you've played the game!). There was clearly no Jammer putting in last ditch tackles tonight and I think Roby looked a bit lost at times without him on his shoulder. A few of our players need to step up. Unfortunately, without Jammer, and with us a bit at sea, the defensive frailties of a few of our players stuck out like sore thumbs. But we also showed some good signs. Makinson looked the business, Gaskell changed everything, Hohaia looks class in attack, Dixon impressed me. It will just take time.

Remember, we looked pretty shocking against Hudds in our friendly against them this time last year, but we still got to the Grand Final.

For me, friendly games are all about putting in to practice everything you e trained in pre season like moves, set plays and game plans. Tonight It was just one man rugby, nothing new at all.

That hit by sia was worth the ticket price tho!

Re: Saints first home game v Widnes : Sat Jan 21, 2012 12:17 am  

As an outsider i'll be stunned if Gaskell isn't starting week in week out for Saints this season. He was exceptional at the back end of last season and doesn't deserve to lose his place.

I'd much prefare to play you with Wellens at 1, Hohaia at 6 and Lomax at 7 then I would with Hohaia at fullback and Gaskell and Lomax in the halves. It's a tough call to shift Wellens in to a new position or use him as your bench back (that Simmons seems to love) but I think it's one that needs to be made in all honesty.

Re: Saints first home game v Widnes : Sat Jan 21, 2012 12:24 am  

NickyKiss wrote:

As an outsider i'll be stunned if Gaskell isn't starting week in week out for Saints this season. He was exceptional at the back end of last season and doesn't deserve to lose his place.

I'd much prefare to play you with Wellens at 1, Hohaia at 6 and Lomax at 7 then I would with Hohaia at fullback and Gaskell and Lomax in the halves. It's a tough call to shift Wellens in to a new position or use him as your bench back (that Simmons seems to love) but I think it's one that needs to be made in all honesty.

It's Makinson at 1, Gaskell at 6 and Lomax at 7 that I want to see. Gaskell is our best attacking player and has the best kicking game at the club. Dropping him for Hohaia would be a monumental mistake.

Re: Saints first home game v Widnes : Sat Jan 21, 2012 12:27 am  

Saddened! wrote:

It's Makinson at 1, Gaskell at 6 and Lomax at 7 that I want to see. Gaskell is our best attacking player and has the best kicking game at the club. Dropping him for Hohaia would be a monumental mistake.

I thought lance looked better when he moved to fullback, you could tell from the positions he got in that he's a out and out fullback.

I thought foster looked a liability on high balls again, if makinson can kick as good as people say then I'd drop foster and put tommy on wing.