Re: Wakefield Match Thread - Saints 26 v 12 Wakefield : Sun Aug 18, 2013 9:52 pm  

So people before the match were moaning because they thought we wouldn't win this game, and now we have they'll moan anyway?

Five wins in a row, we aren't going to be in top form all the time, but we are getting better, and more consistent, as the play offs approach...

Re: Wakefield Match Thread - Saints 26 v 12 Wakefield : Mon Aug 19, 2013 6:46 am  

Billinge_Lump wrote:

Five wins in a row, we aren't going to be in top form all the time, but we are getting better, and more consistent, as the play offs approach...

That's the thing though. While our defence appears to have actually improved, during the game against Wakey our ball retention (esp first half) and our discipline (in 2nd half) was back to pre-Wigan game standards, which isn't an improvement at all; it's going backwards. A big improvement in attitude required for next game otherwise we will be kicked out of the play offs at the first go.

Re: Wakefield Match Thread - Saints 26 v 12 Wakefield : Mon Aug 19, 2013 7:44 am  

Don't get me wrong I did give us a 7 out of 10. But as Tez says. We were our own worst enemies at times. Wakey's first try was a prime example. Not sure what happened there, but we had them pinned in their own 20 and they seemed to out flank us on the 2nd tackle.

Good effort to chase by swift, but the markers probably should have shut it down earlier on.
If we can bash it in the forwards, then we stand a chance. But I still have concerns that because GOB is gone, when Howarth goes off we have to move several people about the pitch. It disrupted the game for me, not because Howarth was amazing, but players are then having to pitch in at dummy half, like Lance moving out of 6. Not sure who else took a turn there.

Re: Wakefield Match Thread - Saints 26 v 12 Wakefield : Mon Aug 19, 2013 9:03 am  

I've not watched it but I think Makinson and Turner ended up as markers, you'd have expected Josh Jones to cover short side in defence as the right second rower. They jumped down the short side and we got caught with numbers, Makinson was having words with Josh Jones after the try, I suspect he was upset about something! The other thing I noticed was that swifty was simply jogging across and checked his run coz he thought Lomax had the tackle covered. When Lomax missed, he went into top gear and covered more than half the width of the pitch, almost preventing the try. He showed some real pace and had he not assumed Lomax would make the shot, would have definitely stopped them scoring.

Re: Wakefield Match Thread - Saints 26 v 12 Wakefield : Mon Aug 19, 2013 9:52 am  

SaintsFan wrote:

That's the thing though. While our defence appears to have actually improved, during the game against Wakey our ball retention (esp first half) and our discipline (in 2nd half) was back to pre-Wigan game standards, which isn't an improvement at all; it's going backwards. A big improvement in attitude required for next game otherwise we will be kicked out of the play offs at the first go.

I'm not sure you can make a judgement on attitude listening to the game on the radio, you are at the mercy of what the commentators see and what they decide to tell you. Did the ball retention improve in the second half? What was the ball retention like for both teams? If both teams have an issue, there may be external factors that are effecting it, rather than just attitude (I note that Andrew Dixon is consistently complaining about the new ball this year, for example). Are the penalties conceded harsh? What were they for?

It might be an issue with attitude, but I'd be wary of coming to that conclusion not having seen the game, the attitude and confidence appears to have improved since the HKR game and no one who went appears to be complaining about it.

We will have to pick up our form going into the play offs, of course we will, but I think I'd be a bit concerned if we were flying now.

Re: Wakefield Match Thread - Saints 26 v 12 Wakefield : Mon Aug 19, 2013 11:46 am  

The Chief wrote:

I've not watched it but I think Makinson and Turner ended up as markers, you'd have expected Josh Jones to cover short side in defence as the right second rower. They jumped down the short side and we got caught with numbers, Makinson was having words with Josh Jones after the try, I suspect he was upset about something! The other thing I noticed was that swifty was simply jogging across and checked his run coz he thought Lomax had the tackle covered. When Lomax missed, he went into top gear and covered more than half the width of the pitch, almost preventing the try. He showed some real pace and had he not assumed Lomax would make the shot, would have definitely stopped them scoring.

What happened is that Turner (and ANO) was at marker - ANO pointed left so Turner should have gone right, however his attempt was half hearted.
Cockayne ran at the outside defenders (Hohai and Makinson) and despite the fact that Hohai seemed to have the inside man covered Makinson also got involved in the tackle for no reason I could see, unless it was not trusting his inside man, left the winger unmarked and the tackled player got it out to him - good move but could have been easily prevented by either/both Makinson and Turner doing their job better.

Re: Wakefield Match Thread - Saints 26 v 12 Wakefield : Mon Aug 19, 2013 11:51 am  

We never looked like losing which is progress from the beginning of the year, we just looked like your typical team on a winning run. We may have played at 70% but we always knew we had the game and we controlled it well (I thought Wilkin kicked really wel). We blew them away first 10 to gain control and Meli is the centre is just making me disappointed that we haven't had him there for the last few years!

Re: Wakefield Match Thread - Saints 26 v 12 Wakefield : Mon Aug 19, 2013 12:18 pm  

Even Royce put Meli at Centre.

I'm not sure why when we have gone with no recognized centre for years, we reverted back.

Centre is just a great spot for him. He does not have to defend kicks, he does not get caught out wide. He gets to be devastating as usual going forwards.

Re: Wakefield Match Thread - Saints 26 v 12 Wakefield : Mon Aug 19, 2013 4:48 pm  

bewareshadows wrote:

Even Royce put Meli at Centre.

Only Royce put Meli at centre.

Re: Wakefield Match Thread - Saints 26 v 12 Wakefield : Mon Aug 19, 2013 10:39 pm  

bewareshadows wrote:

Even Royce put Meli at Centre.

I'm not sure why when we have gone with no recognized centre for years, we reverted back.

Centre is just a great spot for him. He does not have to defend kicks, he does not get caught out wide. He gets to be devastating as usual going forwards.

Because Rush and Cunningham went back to an Anderson team as much as they could?

Royce did a few things wrong, but the move of Meli to centre was not one of them.