Re: Wakefield Match Thread - Saints 26 v 12 Wakefield : Sun Aug 18, 2013 4:31 pm  

Got the impression the game was played with a bar of soap in the shape of a rugby ball, completed sets percentage must have been very low.
Did we have any player deserving the MOM

Re: Wakefield Match Thread - Saints 26 v 12 Wakefield : Sun Aug 18, 2013 4:34 pm  

Judder Man wrote:

Got the impression the game was played with a bar of soap in the shape of a rugby ball, completed sets percentage must have been very low.
Did we have any player deserving the MOM

I was only listening on the radio, so limited by that obviously, but the first half was a knockonathon (both sides). In the second half while TP knocked on twice, I don't think anyone else did. However, there was a period where we gave away four penalties. On the third, LMS was sinbinned and then following that Hohaia gave a penalty away shortly after which Wakey scored. Our own try calmed us down. But for a while there it looked like we would give the game away.

Jon Wilkin would be my MoM with Lomax closely following.

Re: Wakefield Match Thread - Saints 26 v 12 Wakefield : Sun Aug 18, 2013 5:53 pm  

To be fair, watching it live, you never got the sense that the game was ever in doubt. It seemed that Saints were just cruising in 3rd gear and did enough to win. There were a number of errors from both sides and that spoiled the fluidity of the game, other than his try, Lance was fairly anonymous and J-Lo's goal kicking is a bit hit and miss, which could cost us come the playoffs.

Bear in mind we bombed 2 or 3 tries, their first one came after we failed o number up on the short side just before half time and their second came after a succession if penalties and a sin binning where the pressure finally told. IMO, the scoreline is closer than the game suggested.

Re: Wakefield Match Thread - Saints 26 v 12 Wakefield : Sun Aug 18, 2013 5:57 pm  

Well that was an interesting match.........

Firstly for those who hark for the days of a crowd close to the pitch and standing at the sides.
It does naff all for the atmosphere. It was as dead as any match at LP.

My impressions where the forwards were decent. Some nice touches from the backs, (although I did think Turner had a few dodgy turns).

But guess what we where missing?? I'll give you 2 numbers to guess with.

MOM

For me it was a toss up between the forwards, Manu was a devil for the opposition. TP killed them with what only he can do, when they had us down to 12. LMS (I am liking this new attitude) although he could probably have stayed on if he had not gone so full on at the ref, so points off for that.

I'd give it Manu.

The LMS yellow, we'll for mine he was in the right, his big error was trying to prove to the ref that he was in the right. Basically he was jumping from behind the line to get the man or the ball at the play the ball. He got pinged by the ref for it. Then as though to prove a point, stood with both feet behind the line and when he thought foot had touched ball, did a frog man type dive for the ball.

The ref pinged him again and he lost it. It was as though he was purposefully trying to catch the ref in a lye. Now I was not close enough to be a 100%, but I thought he had a good case, but losing it with the ref is only going to result in one thing which was yellow.

It was at this point too that it looked like we needed a captain.

A clever captain would have been having a word after the first few dodgy decisions. It took the yellow and a try before Wilkin realised and had the long word with the ref. For me it should have been sooner. Briers is in the refs ear after every call, not every try.

All in all we where in decent control of the whole game, it only got interesting when the ref decided to mix it up with Louis, after that he kinda had it in for us. If Louis had kept his cool and said something funny to the ref, rather than going Ape, he probably could have stayed on.

Swift was brave for his try, head down with knees and bodies in the corner.
Lomax too, after a clever little kick by Makinson.
We seem to be on good form with the knock on's, always looking to try and see what we can get on the free play.

Kicking game was ok. Wilkin found the floor every time I think. But he was kicking from strength most of the time as we spent lots of time in their half.

Lance was Meh! Although he did a cracking pass from 2 inches off the floor, which riled the Wakey fans as they thought he was tackled.

No one was backing up when the forwards had an offload, which to me shows how when you have fake 7 and 6's they are not ready to latch onto those things.

I'd give it a 7 out of 10. Everyone tried, but we seemed to loose some focus after 20 minutes. Although nice to have the comfort zone.

Re: Wakefield Match Thread - Saints 26 v 12 Wakefield : Sun Aug 18, 2013 5:58 pm  

The Chief wrote:

To be fair, watching it live, you never got the sense that the game was ever in doubt. It seemed that Saints were just cruising in 3rd gear and did enough to win. There were a number of errors from both sides and that spoiled the fluidity of the game, other than his try, Lance was fairly anonymous and J-Lo's goal kicking is a bit hit and miss, which could cost us come the playoffs.

I think our attitude is more likely to cost us in the playoffs tbf. Goal kicking is obviously helpful, but to drop the amount of ball we did in the first half and then add the number of penalties we gave away in the second, especially LMS and his dumb behaviour which got him sinbinned, is a far bigger risk to our play off chances.

Re: Wakefield Match Thread - Saints 26 v 12 Wakefield : Sun Aug 18, 2013 6:01 pm  

bewareshadows wrote:

No one was backing up when the forwards had an offload,

Except for our last try, when Lomax was backing up TP.

But then again, Lomax was the only true halfback playing for Saints I guess!

Re: Wakefield Match Thread - Saints 26 v 12 Wakefield : Sun Aug 18, 2013 6:06 pm  

Territorially we dominated, thanks in part to Wilkins excellent kicking game and top quality kick chase from Saints.

Most of the match was played in Wakefields half.

We made quite a few errors through being over confident with the ball.

When things came off we looked red hot, when it didn't we looked average.
In many respects our play reminded me a bit of Warrington, who like to push the pass, often a little too much.

Lomax had a real mixed bag of a game. Made some shocking mistakes such as dropping a kick with no pressure on him whatsoever, and being very slow to pick a kicked ball up, which resulted in him getting tackled in goal.
On the other side of the equation were the breaks he made, the excellent try he scored and I think he also pulled off a cracking last ditch tackle.

Lance had a decent game, set up Soliolas try with a lovely draw and pass, also made a couple for half breaks and scored the try that sealed it. Did a bag full of work in defence as well.

Manu and Puletua caused Wakefield lots of problems, and Soliola was in Terminator mode with his tackling.

Re: Wakefield Match Thread - Saints 26 v 12 Wakefield : Sun Aug 18, 2013 8:51 pm  

Sounds like it wasn't a bad match to miss. This is the wrong time of the season for performances like that though. We need to be building momentum and performing well to give ourselves the best chance of having an impact on the play offs.

On the commentary above and on the snippets of radio coverage we managed to get on the beach, one name I didn't hear once was Wellens. What is the point in having him on the bench exactly?

Re: Wakefield Match Thread - Saints 26 v 12 Wakefield : Sun Aug 18, 2013 9:14 pm  

Saddened! wrote:

What is the point in having him on the bench exactly?

To be your bete noire.

He's on the books and filing in and can do a job as the hooker/utility play on the bench.
So fair enough.

The issue is more next season with Wilkin/LMS at loose plus Flash and a reserve hooker
either signed or promoted then where does he fit in ?

ps Where's Wheeler ? 4 months out from the start of march is the end of June.
Heard of a brief cameo with Rochdale then nothing.

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

Thought we played well in patches but we got the job done which is the most important thing. We didnt half make if difficult for ourselves at times though. We are still making basic errors when in possession, and I would also say that we have been guilty of trying to over play at times. I want to see expansive Rugby as much as the next person, but we could have let Wakefield back into the game today. If we can cut out the errors we will be fine.

That said, it's been great to see how the mindset has changed over the past couple of weeks. One of the main differences for me is our defence, and Brown has to take some credit for that. We look so much more organised and are defending with more more aggression than we were say a month ago. Wakefield had a couple of periods of possession on our line but we dug in and kept them out. Granted, they aren't the best side we will face this season, but it's pleasing to see.

Have to say, I thought Jon Wilkin was immense again. Lead us round the park brilliantly, and his kicking game was outstanding. Turned their back three round time and time again. Great to see Sia back in the side and getting some minutes under his belt. Put himself about and put some decent shots in. Laffranchi and Walmsley gave us some real to forward up front, and I thought TP put a stint in as well especially early on. Lomax his usual self.

I've said it previously and I will say it again: as a team we look so much more balanced. LMS had a mixed afternoon but we are a better side with 3 Props in the 13 and that's been evident over the past couple of weeks.

Might sound obvious, but all we can do is keep winning. We've got 2 tough games coming up in Warrington and Hull, but if we defend with the same enthusiasm as we have been, couple with Wilkin's kicking game, we will be alright. We've come on an awful lot on the last couple of weeks, and are finding ways to win games.

Not sure if it's been mentioned, but it was great to see such a good turnout today, and although it wasn't the most vocal, we travelled in numbers. Great to see. Lets take it into the Play-Offs.