: Mon Apr 20, 2009 7:30 pm  

the ditch wrote:

What is good at the moment in super league,
is the likes of hudds,wakey are knocking on doors and asking questions,

Yes, they definitely are asking questions, but come October I think we all know what the answer is going to be....

: Mon Apr 20, 2009 7:46 pm  

saintc wrote:

I dissagree. There was never a big 4 anyway. There was a period when it was Saints or Bradford winning everything with the odd interuption with a Wigan / Leeds trophy. Now it is Saints and Leeds winning everything and the odd interuption from Hull and Bradford in 05.

Yep, I would agree with that.

I've never been convinced by this big 4 thing anyway. Those four teams finished in the top 4 places during 2002 and 2003, but other than that, they haven't been the top four on the ladder.

It frustrates me when people gripe about it being a two horse race, well that's just tough. It's up to us to step up and overtake the likes of Saints and Leeds. Wigan and Bradford have struggled during the last couple of years to keep up with them and other teams have overtaken them.

IMO the reason that Saints and Leeds are able to sustain their level at the top for longer than others is due to the fact that their success has been based on a solid backbone of a team, with plenty of youth in there. They have had solid halves, hookers, loose forwards for example, when clubs like us have struggled to fill these positions.

Things will change at some stage. I see Saints having trouble replacing some players during the next couple of years, in Cunningham, Long and Wellens. Sure they have youth, but there is a big difference in a young lad playing week in week out instead of these players, but I'm sure they will also make some signings.

With the way that the playoffs work, all it takes is a few injuries to key players and anything could happen.

: Mon Apr 20, 2009 7:53 pm  

Dave T wrote:

Things will change at some stage. I see Saints having trouble replacing some players during the next couple of years, in Cunningham, Long and Wellens. Sure they have youth, but there is a big difference in a young lad playing week in week out instead of these players, but I'm sure they will also make some signings.

With the way that the playoffs work, all it takes is a few injuries to key players and anything could happen.

For sure. Im encouraged by the youth that is coming through but its a big ask to replace Long, KC, Scully, Wellens and Gidley all within a couple of years. Potter is a brave man to come here tBH because he could end up with the blame if it all goes pear shaped even thought its obvious we are heading for at least some transitional phase.

: Mon Apr 20, 2009 11:17 pm  

saintc wrote:

For sure. Im encouraged by the youth that is coming through but its a big ask to replace Long, KC, Scully, Wellens and Gidley all within a couple of years. Potter is a brave man to come here tBH because he could end up with the blame if it all goes pear shaped even thought its obvious we are heading for at least some transitional phase.

good post and very honest

: Tue Apr 21, 2009 6:53 am  

saintc wrote:

For sure. Im encouraged by the youth that is coming through but its a big ask to replace Long, KC, Scully, Wellens and Gidley all within a couple of years. Potter is a brave man to come here tBH because he could end up with the blame if it all goes pear shaped even thought its obvious we are heading for at least some transitional phase.

If there's a God you are...

: Tue Apr 21, 2009 7:45 am  

The irony is if all the teams were equally matched most fans would actually be put off by it.

One week you win next week you lose, then maybe lose again then win.
People like to see a run of wins and their team sitting at the top or there abouts for most of the season.
If different teams won every season then that would be interesting but you always need about 4 runaway teams a season.
e.g

F1, 4 guys realistically going to win it. end of the season new car different 4 people again. keeps it fresh
A1 GP, identical car, down to drivers skill, week in week out different winner YET it bores the cr-p out of you

: Tue Apr 21, 2009 8:34 am  

Nevermind the big 4 or even big 2.

There is only one team in SL that has pretty much dominated the show in the last 10 years and thats Saints.

Again this year they will win everything, Challenge Cup, SL League Leaders and The Grand Final (And probably the world club challenge next year).

Leeds I feel are starting to lose the plot and there are no other suitable contenders to challenge Saints.

Questions need to be asked. The introduction of the salary cap was to promote equality and competition throughout the whole of SL, why then are Saints light years in front of the rest of the competition?

Answers on a post card.

TBH im finding Saints domination quite boring and sickening.

: Tue Apr 21, 2009 8:36 am  

RL Lover wrote:

TBH im finding Saints domination quite boring and sickening.

Leeds have won the last two Grand Finals.

: Tue Apr 21, 2009 8:39 am  

FireWire wrote:

:shock:

Leeds have won the last two Grand Finals.

maybe so but the GF is a one off game in which anything can happen.

Consistently over the last 10 years Saints have been the business and won far more trophies than anyother team.

: Tue Apr 21, 2009 8:40 am  

FireWire wrote:

:shock:

Leeds have won the last two Grand Finals.

Ignore him, he's a Wigan fan. Only a Wigan fan would post such incorrect yet bitter information.

Only Wigan fans feel the salary cap does not work.