: Thu Apr 09, 2009 11:13 pm  

We scored the same amount of points as usual but just conceded fewer - our defense kept us in the game.

: Thu Apr 09, 2009 11:24 pm  

Saints scrambling defence was awesome. The best I have seen for a while. Against any other side we would have been out of sight by half time.

The deciding factor tonight was the "bounce" of the ball. Roberts kicks through and the ball kicks back away from him whereas the winning try could have rebounded anywhere.

I agree that we are a good side waiting to break out and I am certain that as the season goes on we will develop our attacking game and finish between 4th and 6th and have a real go in the playoffs.

I think Tim Smith will have a big part to play before the season is out. His passing opens up defences, if only he could sort out his defence

: Fri Apr 10, 2009 1:16 am  

bazdev wrote:

Saints scrambling defence was awesome. The best I have seen for a while.

They are quality at cutting down space for attacking plays, they play more of an old fashioned type of defence where they surround players rather than a normal sliding defence and it works very well for them.

Re: Attacking options!!!! : Fri Apr 10, 2009 1:19 am  

jjb10 wrote:

Why as a team are we so poor in attack???? We have no idea's near the line 34 sets near saints line no try or even looking like getting one. Even with Barrett for the past 2 seasons our attack and poits for have been poor.

Correct.

There was a spell in the second half where we spend a good five minutes in their 20 attacking their line. Nothing.

The critical point came for me when one of the Saints players nonchalantly scooped a Wigan kick over his dead ball line. You could tell then that that was it. The Saints players simply looked at each other as if to say "These men have nothing. Let's simply drop the ball out and defend. They'll never score"

: Fri Apr 10, 2009 1:20 am  

NickyKiss wrote:

I'm not saying it's time to part company with Noble...

I am. He was the right man to get us out of a hole, and he's clearly a decent motivator. Tactically, however, particularly in attack, he's useless, and that was proven yet again tonight.

: Fri Apr 10, 2009 1:21 am  

Simple.

We have Tommy at 7 who is a good player but not a 7, this is evident, the role is key in attack, not just for passing but for organising the attack play after play. Trent did all this last season so Tommy didn't have to.

Sam as a 6 does his job linking with Tommy running off him, but Tommy isn't good enough at doing the things which make a 7 a good 7.

Tommy has proven to be a quality 9, we need to bring in a clas 7 and move Tommy to 9.

Tommy out played cam smith there in the WC final, that speaks volumes.

: Fri Apr 10, 2009 2:04 am  

Every time they attacked our line I feared they would score, and they did, they didn't attack our try line much, but when they did it resulted in 6. We had so much ball in their 20 but had no idea what to do with it.