Re: SL GF E | St Helens (A) : Fri Oct 01, 2021 9:17 pm  

christopher wrote:

Thank exactly what you said, a more true reflection is hes taken a team at the bottom of the table losing to a championship side in the CC to a CC win and a playoff Semi in 2 years.

Yes we should never have got to that position but to blame Agar is madness

Does his coaching extend beyond a very basic game plan?
Using the one that beat Wigan was never ever going to work tonight.
We were found wanting on a number of levels tonight and I wouldn't say agar was blameless.

Re: SL GF E | St Helens (A) : Fri Oct 01, 2021 9:21 pm  

Clearwing wrote:

Does his coaching extend beyond a very basic game plan?
Using the one that beat Wigan was never ever going to work tonight.
We were found wanting on a number of levels tonight and I wouldn't say agar was blameless.

Have to say we looked completed clueless tonight. You’re right a similar team and plan to Wigan just didn’t get off the ground tonight.

Re: SL GF E | St Helens (A) : Fri Oct 01, 2021 9:22 pm  

I ought to say well done saints as well, they were hot and would have beaten any of this year's sides tonight

Re: SL GF E | St Helens (A) : Fri Oct 01, 2021 9:24 pm  

Looked like a long season caught up with us tonight. Forwards were dominated all night. Thought walmsley should have been man of the match. The week off deffo helped saints. Their line speed was brilliant whereas ours was (again) non existent. Tetevano hasn't seemed to get going this year at all but hopefully he will next year. Need a prop who can regularly gain meters to give the new half backs a platform. Good experience gained though for the likes of Newman Smith holroyd etc. Loosing like this could be better long term than winning

Re: SL GF E | St Helens (A) : Fri Oct 01, 2021 9:30 pm  

Agree about the platform for the HB’s but we still have the same ‘problem’ we’ve had for a while and that is decent, accurate, crisp passing from the hooker. Dwyer for all he’s eye catching to the crowd with all his darts..a lot of the time he’s like a headless chicken and doesn’t give the pass to the HB when they want/need it and if he does pass it, you are never sure whether it will be behind them, over their head, looping down to their boot laces etc...yes the darts that work are great and you can’t fault his effort but jeez he messes up a lot of our attacking structure. He must be very frustrating for a HB to play with at times

Re: SL GF E | St Helens (A) : Fri Oct 01, 2021 9:32 pm  

Best team won on the night. Well played saints. Still hope Catalans beat them next week though.

Saints have a great balance of forwards and backs, who are equally strong, and makes them so dangerous. Their pressure in D was immense all game.

For us, I think Prior has been overplayed this season, and has lost form towards the end. Mik also isn’t fully fit, so I’m not worried about them. Zane needs to be there or thereabouts for man of steal next year to justify his signing. He was awful in first 20 mins.

We desperately need leeming back to hooker, with Dwyer only playing 20 mins max, as his passing is so poor.

Their three-quarters also showed why, in my view, a gun outside back is as big a priority for us for next season as much as a prop.

We’ve got a young side with loads of potential, and have overachieved this season. Shame to get hammered in the final game, but done well overall.

Also, how bad is Kendall. I think only Tom briscoes tackle as worth a sin bin.

Re: SL GF E | St Helens (A) : Fri Oct 01, 2021 9:38 pm  

exiledrhino wrote:

Best team won on the night. Well played saints. Still hope Catalans beat them next week though.

Saints have a great balance of forwards and backs, who are equally strong, and makes them so dangerous. Their pressure in D was immense all game.

For us, I think Prior has been overplayed this season, and has lost form towards the end. Mik also isn’t fully fit, so I’m not worried about them. Zane needs to be there or thereabouts for man of steal next year to justify his signing. He was awful in first 20 mins.

We desperately need leeming back to hooker, with Dwyer only playing 20 mins max, as his passing is so poor.

Their three-quarters also showed why, in my view, a gun outside back is as big a priority for us for next season as much as a prop.

We’ve got a young side with loads of potential, and have overachieved this season. Shame to get hammered in the final game, but done well overall.

Also, how bad is Kendall. I think only Tom briscoes tackle as worth a sin bin.

Good post and agree with most of that. A good outside back would be very very welcome next year. We’re also a decent prop light

Re: SL GF E | St Helens (A) : Fri Oct 01, 2021 9:38 pm  

cheekydiddles wrote:

Agree about the platform for the HB’s but we still have the same ‘problem’ we’ve had for a while and that is decent, accurate, crisp passing from the hooker. Dwyer for all he’s eye catching to the crowd with all his darts..a lot of the time he’s like a headless chicken and doesn’t give the pass to the HB when they want/need it and if he does pass it, you are never sure whether it will be behind them, over their head, looping down to their boot laces etc...yes the darts that work are great and you can’t fault his effort but jeez he messes up a lot of our attacking structure. He must be very frustrating for a HB to play with at times

Dwyer is best used as an impact sub. Hopefully with 3 fit half backs we will start Leeming with dwyer on bench

Re: SL GF E | St Helens (A) : Fri Oct 01, 2021 9:41 pm  

Our pack has some good players but it was never going to be enough tonight. Tetevano hasn't played enough to properly click with the team, and Oledski clearly hasn't fully recovered from injury. As a bunch of individual names the Leeds pack looks fantastic but that Saints team is a well oiled machine that has been playing for each other all season - they are on another level and rightly so.

I think we did pretty well with only Lui pulling the strings, but we obviously need the extra investment in the halves next season. I have big concerns over our backline. I'm not too sad about Hurrell leaving - he's not a player for intense games like this (ironically he's going to Saints). No qualms about L. Briscoe leaving - but we need players with more clinical abilities and pace to boot. Newman needs to stop reading his good press and be a bit more composed more often - he can be a greedy player at times; not convinced he should be given a kicking role, and he didn't need to pile on after Lui had legitimately battered Grace. I'd like us to sign a Marcus Bai type of winger - a proven finisher with a bit of pace and power who just gets the job done. Handley also looks like he's desperate for some R&R - long covid?

Agree that Dwyer was found out tonight, but arguably he's had to play too many minutes with Leeming in the halves. Hopefully Corey Johnson will get more game time in 2022!

Roll on next season.

Re: SL GF E | St Helens (A) : Fri Oct 01, 2021 9:56 pm  

Clearwing wrote:

Does his coaching extend beyond a very basic game plan?
Using the one that beat Wigan was never ever going to work tonight.
We were found wanting on a number of levels tonight and I wouldn't say agar was blameless.

Ive never said he was blameles in this game just that he’s not to blame for the club’s recent poor seasons flirting with relegation.

He’s done/doing a good job weve just come up short this year.