There is a poor squad and then there is missing Coote, Makinson, Roby, Walmsley, Knowles, Amor plus Percival to injury in the game.
I think any team would be weaker with seven first teamers out to be fair. Away at Wire is tough with a full side, we were always going to be up against it.
Hopefully bodies back for Hull next weekend to get some minutes in before the roosters but it's a concern that a fair few key players are carrying injuries and low on minutes.
There is a poor squad and then there is missing Coote, Makinson, Roby, Walmsley, Knowles, Amor plus Percival to injury in the game.
I think any team would be weaker with seven first teamers out to be fair. Away at Wire is tough with a full side, we were always going to be up against it.
Hopefully bodies back for Hull next weekend to get some minutes in before the roosters but it's a concern that a fair few key players are carrying injuries and low on minutes.
No excuses, you all bleat about your star players coming through, time to for them to stand up and be counted
Well according to your lot on here last season you would still be beating sides missing that many
ROFL, there was a cracker on RedVee last season, someone saying the squad for the London game away would comfortably finish second in the league. To be fair to Saints and I hate to be fair to Saints, their first choice 17 is still the team to beat but lose some of them and they ain't all that.
ROFL, there was a cracker on RedVee last season, someone saying the squad for the London game away would comfortably finish second in the league. To be fair to Saints and I hate to be fair to Saints, their first choice 17 is still the team to beat but lose some of them and they ain't all that.
I did notice at the start of the year the one chink in the armour that Saints might have is squad depth. Go past numbers 22/23 in their squad and there's barely any first team experience. We can go up to around 29.
Breaking up the Walmsley/Thompson partnership clearly has a huge impact. Lees was exposed a little. Welsby is a great attacker but cant catch a high ball to save his life.
Saints will finish top though this year unless injuries hit hard throughout the year. Subsequent years will be a lot trickier as Thompson leaves and some big names in the pack pass 35.
I'll say one thing, for all the stick he gets here, I am not a Austin hater, far from it. If Wigan had signed him I would have been very content. He was good against us and excellent against Saints, involved in everything. He is a good half by any standards, got some footwork, great kicking game.... I know he was poor on that GB tour, but Bennett playing a half on the wing, really?
Wire showed the way to beat the Saints last night.
It's always a pleasure when our rivals lose, but I don't think we should get carried away. They did have injuries, plus last-minute disruption with Walmsley pulling out. On top of that it's still early season, and teams haven't settled yet, especially those with new coaches in harness.
I'll say again that I don't think they're as strong below decks as others have assumed, but bragging rights will only return when we ourselves turn them over.
In addition, it hurts to see Wigan fans starting separate threads just to celebrate Saints' failures. That kind of close, unwavering attention (hoping against hope that things will go wrong for them) is the sort of thing their fans used to give us during our glory days, and in a way is flattering to them.