: Fri Apr 24, 2009 10:35 pm  

Richie wrote:

I think you need to consider some other sports to watch if you didn't find that match outstanding entertainment.

As a Saints fan, I found it shambolic. Some of the basic errors and play tonight particularly from Saints was completely embarrassing. If that's what you find entertaining, fair enough but for me it was a poor standard of RL.

: Fri Apr 24, 2009 10:39 pm  

Dougy wrote:

Quite unbelievable. Well done Bradford. Wonder what the odds were at half time???

Saints were 1.01(1-100) on betfair

: Fri Apr 24, 2009 10:42 pm  

Blobbynator wrote:

As a Saints fan, I found it shambolic. Some of the basic errors and play tonight particularly from Saints was completely embarrassing. If that's what you find entertaining, fair enough but for me it was a poor standard of RL.

Entertaining from a certain perspective - changes of momentum, lots of tries, 9 minutes of champagne rugby from Saints... and a nailbiting finish. Memorable, certainly.

The skill level on show may not have been the highest... Have we really seen a truly classy game in SL this year? The best displays in terms of quality have come from Manly and Saints in the cup IMO (but that might be deceptive since they both only beat Leeds who seem to be getting found out ).

: Fri Apr 24, 2009 10:44 pm  

Blobbynator wrote:

As a Saints fan, I found it shambolic. Some of the basic errors and play tonight particularly from Saints was completely embarrassing. If that's what you find entertaining, fair enough but for me it was a poor standard of RL.

Nobody said anything about the standard
Fantastic entertainment though.
I can see how your allegiance will cloud your judgement.

: Fri Apr 24, 2009 10:46 pm  

Asim wrote:

The thing that really shocked me about Saints towards the end was that they seemed to panic when they got toward the line.

They seemed to be thrown by the fact that Bradford came back at them, and couldn't switch themselves back on, maybe they are too used to teams just crumbling in the face of the points they racked up at the end of the first half?

We seem to have lost that ability to fight back when really needed, like we've been known for.

Also, Long needs dropping, fast. Rabbits and headlights come to mind.

: Fri Apr 24, 2009 10:50 pm  

MSH wrote:

We seem to have lost that ability to fight back when really needed, like we've been known for.

It was strange watching it really, in those last five minutes I didn't expect you to score, even bearing in mind how bad we've been this season, and even defensively at times tonight. There were too many basic errors and mistakes in your play for me to be concerned.

In years gone by I'd have taken it as a given that you'd get a winner.

: Fri Apr 24, 2009 10:51 pm  

Blobbynator wrote:

As a Saints fan, I found it shambolic. Some of the basic errors and play tonight particularly from Saints was completely embarrassing. If that's what you find entertaining, fair enough but for me it was a poor standard of RL.

I don't see how you can't call tonight's game great entertainment. I've seen sporting contests at the low skills levels that have still been great entertainment e.g. mateur boxing, City v Gillingham, NL Playoff Finals, rugby union, darts. Sport has always been and always will be primarily about entertainment. Nobody remembers how Tyson beat Tyrell Biggs because it was rubbish. Everyone remembers how Jack Dempsey beat the original 'Wild Bull Of The Pampas' Luis Firpo. I can hardly remember some FA Cup Finals yet I fondly remember the Clive Mendonca playoff final.

If tonight's game had been 12-13 and had the same kind of error levels I would imagine it was probably a dour game. Tonight's game had some big changes in lead, great tries, big hits, powerful runs, video ref controversy and a momentous last twenty. If that's not entertainment then even The Jam's song won't make the hairs stand up on the back of your neck.

: Fri Apr 24, 2009 11:19 pm  

McClennan wrote:

I don't see how you can't call tonight's game great entertainment. I've seen sporting contests at the low skills levels that have still been great entertainment e.g. mateur boxing, City v Gillingham, NL Playoff Finals, rugby union, darts. Sport has always been and always will be primarily about entertainment. Nobody remembers how Tyson beat Tyrell Biggs because it was rubbish. Everyone remembers how Jack Dempsey beat the original 'Wild Bull Of The Pampas' Luis Firpo. I can hardly remember some FA Cup Finals yet I fondly remember the Clive Mendonca playoff final.

If tonight's game had been 12-13 and had the same kind of error levels I would imagine it was probably a dour game. Tonight's game had some big changes in lead, great tries, big hits, powerful runs, video ref controversy and a momentous last twenty. If that's not entertainment then even The Jam's song won't make the hairs stand up on the back of your neck.

Nobody could put it any better than that.

: Fri Apr 24, 2009 11:45 pm  

The reason that it was good entertainment was because there was some poor defence. The two tries that Saints scored from the kick off in quick succession in the first half should have been have been prevented and there was the Burgess try where Graham let go of him. There is simply no way that Saints should have blown a 26-10 lead against a struggling team that had lost as heavily as it did last week.

: Sat Apr 25, 2009 12:09 am  

Saints looked slow tonight, but fair play to the Bulls, great result for them, and the relief on Macs face at the end was a picture.