Re: Do you want Saints to get to the Grand Final? : Sat Sep 22, 2012 7:41 pm  

McClennan wrote:

I can't wait already for next week. I'd like us to play Wire because Hull going to the DW is a fifty point drubbing waiting to happen. Leeds will give them a game, for a bit. The chips are down now. No shirking, no hiding, no coasting. It's all hands on deck and that includes us. I've picked a ticket for the West Stand on Saturday so let's get that cup final atmosphere going.

Agreed, whoever we get next week let's 'ave it! COYS!

Re: Do you want Saints to get to the Grand Final? : Sat Sep 22, 2012 7:47 pm  

Saddened! wrote:

You lot are forgetting what grand final night is like. The traffic jams on the way, the dark cold night. The sinking feeling when we fall behind, the inevitability of our demise. The walk back to the car, the realisation that another 100+ pounds have been wasted.

No thanks.

First world problems.

Re: Do you want Saints to get to the Grand Final? : Sat Sep 22, 2012 11:04 pm  

Lets take a trip into the jumbled mess that is inside Sad boys head - as scary a thought as that might be

"I know that we are the worst team ever but - gosh darn it - we keep looking like we can get to the grand final again - no matter how much I try to make everyone else see how poor we are as a team and individually - especially that Wellens bloke
I am just going to have to change tack now and make out that the Grand final isnt worth going to - well because its
In Manchester
Its dark at night
It rains
There are other people there
we might get beat in a sporting contest Thats extremely unfair
It will cost me money
and those nasty internet warriors will rip me to pieces next year when I spout the same old crap if we do win this year
Life just isnt fair - I know I should get behind the team but I just can't do it when slagging them off is just so much fun
Please God help me and make sure those other teams win and dont put an end to me being popular "

Re: Do you want Saints to get to the Grand Final? : Sat Sep 22, 2012 11:14 pm  

Blobbynator wrote:

Agreed, whoever we get next week let's 'ave it! COYS!

When will you learn? It's the same bravado ever year.

''COYS!! WHOEVER WE PLAY BRING IT ON! WE'RE GONNA WIN! IT'S OUR TIME '' ad nauseum.

The simple, brutal fact is you will not win the grand final whilst you are on this losing streak and you keep doggedly making the final, year after year after year after year.... You know, the players are only human and all those losses has a massive effect.

You need a season or 2 of not making the final, to put a partition on those losses, to be able to draw a line under them and move on.

If you make the final it's going to be 6 losses on the trot. You're better off having an hnourable exit next week...it'll set the club and the players free.

Re: Do you want Saints to get to the Grand Final? : Sat Sep 22, 2012 11:19 pm  

Saddened! wrote:

You lot are forgetting what grand final night is like. The traffic jams on the way, the dark cold night. The sinking feeling when we fall behind, the inevitability of our demise. The walk back to the car, the realisation that another 100+ pounds have been wasted.

No thanks.

It's the hope that kills you.

Because, no matter how much you protest, or tell yourself otherwise, deep down inside you, theres a burning hope and desire.......''it might just be this time, they might just do it this time''.

And then the crashing crumbling reality hits as hard as ever when the loss sets in towards the end of the game.

If you beat warrington next week you are going to lose 6 on the trot.

Re: Do you want Saints to get to the Grand Final? : Sun Sep 23, 2012 8:29 am  

Peter Kingsley wrote:

When will you learn? It's the same bravado ever year.

''COYS!! WHOEVER WE PLAY BRING IT ON! WE'RE GONNA WIN! IT'S OUR TIME '' ad nauseum.

Where did I say we would win and it's our time? Point that out to me.

Peter Kingsley wrote:

The simple, brutal fact is you will not win the grand final whilst you are on this losing streak and you keep doggedly making the final, year after year after year after year.... You know, the players are only human and all those losses has a massive effect.

You need a season or 2 of not making the final, to put a partition on those losses, to be able to draw a line under them and move on.

If you make the final it's going to be 6 losses on the trot. You're better off having an hnourable exit next week...it'll set the club and the players free.

The only way to get over such a horrible run is to avenge it and win a Grand Final. It takes guts and a winning attitude but it's the only way. A year off is a negative way to look at it and won't end those memories. Look at the Bradford Bulls, they lost to us in finals in 1996, 1997, 1999 and 2001 yet they went on to win the 2001 Grand Final and their belief grew. Going from 5 losses to 6 losses is no real difference to me. The 5th one was the hardest to take and it'd be hard to top that feeling last season. Trust me, every team would swap position with us in the last 7 years apart from Leeds and Wigan. Warrington for example would love to experience a Grand Final, they haven't even entered the raffle!

We've not been the best team this year but we've hit form at the right time and who knows. Saints should have nothing to fear.

Re: Do you want Saints to get to the Grand Final? : Sun Sep 23, 2012 3:32 pm  

Saints have plenty to fear. We've not got it in us to beat Warrington and then beat Wigan or Leeds IMO. We might just about have enough talent to do it (I doubt it) but we don't have enough team spirit to pull it off. We don't have a leader, a captain, that can inspire them and we don't have the individuals that often win Grand Finals, such as Rob Burrow or Sam Tomkins.

As the guy above said, we're not going to get over this psychological barrier by just repeating final appearances. There needs to be a gap year or two. Last year proved it's in their heads, as once Leeds scored the first try in their comeback, the heads went down and it was over. That would happen as soon as the opposition went ahead this year, and there is no one in the squad to pull them through that.

Re: Do you want Saints to get to the Grand Final? : Sun Sep 23, 2012 4:06 pm  

Saddened! wrote:

Saints have plenty to fear. We've not got it in us to beat Warrington and then beat Wigan or Leeds IMO. We might just about have enough talent to do it (I doubt it) but we don't have enough team spirit to pull it off. We don't have a leader, a captain, that can inspire them and we don't have the individuals that often win Grand Finals, such as Rob Burrow or Sam Tomkins.

As the guy above said, we're not going to get over this psychological barrier by just repeating final appearances. There needs to be a gap year or two. Last year proved it's in their heads, as once Leeds scored the first try in their comeback, the heads went down and it was over. That would happen as soon as the opposition went ahead this year, and there is no one in the squad to pull them through that.

Much as I hate to say it, but I can't disagree with this one iota. The only way we're going to win the next 2 games is by being mega tight in defence and in complete and total control in the forwards for 90% of each game - if any kind of creative spark or quality back play is allowed to influence the result in either game we will lose, probably heavily. We certainly have the pack to be able to do that once but not twice in successive weeks against top sides. And once the game starts to turn against us at O/T (as is almost inevitable) then we will crumble pitifully and be overrun yet again. We desperately need a break from GFs for a season or 2 and it's being a little self-deluding to think that we can turn up there against Wigan or Leeds in 2 weeks' time after putting Warrington away and do the same to them. We've got a fresh start next season with (hopefully) our first decent coach in 4 full years and a break from the final and the fresh memories of yet another stuffing at O/T is what the squad needs psychologically going into the playoffs next year. I honestly think a big win against Wire next week would be the worst possible thing that could happen to us and our trophy chances next year as a club going forward.

Re: Do you want Saints to get to the Grand Final? : Sun Sep 23, 2012 7:22 pm  

If Saints make the Grand Final this year they should invite Lee Briers to come and do a talk to the players on the winning mentality, there's a man that knows what it takes to face sides like Leeds in a major final and come out on top.

Saints have got the ability and potential there's no doubt about that, what they need is a few words from an inspirational figure like Briers who is from their own town and has got winners medals, it will make those lads in the Saints jersey think if he can go out there and do it then what's stopping me, maybe one day I can achieve the things in the game that he has.

Re: Do you want Saints to get to the Grand Final? : Sun Sep 23, 2012 7:57 pm  

sally cinnamon wrote:

If Saints make the Grand Final this year they should invite Lee Briers to come and do a talk to the players on the winning mentality, there's a man that knows what it takes to face sides like Leeds in a major final and come out on top.

Saints have got the ability and potential there's no doubt about that, what they need is a few words from an inspirational figure like Briers who is from their own town and has got winners medals, it will make those lads in the Saints jersey think if he can go out there and do it then what's stopping me, maybe one day I can achieve the things in the game that he has.

*sigh*

Yes - Briers is certainly the perfect model of professionalism and all Saints' players would do well to to learn from the perfect way he conducts himself. And his massive experience of playing in GFs would be invaluable...