Ok, so I sacked this game off. I thought it would be a simple win and another entertainmentless win (just like Quins and Celtic at home).

I was wrong. I admit that. But, from the guys that went - why did it end up this way? Did we just not want it as much as the home side? Did they just turn up and us not?

What happened?

We missed the players we had out. Most teams in super league would suffer with big stars out but Salford also had few out.

We didn't have much in attack. Maybe are squad isn't as good as we thought.

Or maybe SL's stronger than most people think.

I think it was a combination of things, we had a general bad day at the office, it happened at bradford at home and it happened here. Also the injuries were possibly worse than we thought, there was no hint earlier that pryce would be out, who has a huge impact for us. His absence reduced our attacking options even more. We dont really have anyone to do KC's role when he is injured, that should be rectified next year with Scott Moore, but for this year again thats a big hole in our attack. Wilkin as well is not only a great attacking player, but his tackle count is brilliant, i really thought he'd play.
As ever though i am the eternal optimist to saddened's eternal pessimist.
At the start of the season i thought we would struggle with our squad, i have been very impressed so far, but last night was definitely an off day.

Bad attitude from the Saints players thinking they could just turn up and win coupled with bad link ups with Longy and Kyle and bad field position kicks

nuff said shocking game

How can you be sure of this?

Salford blew us away in first 15 minues, after that the game was pretty even.

I don't think it was down to attitude at all.

I think the game went when Ellis dropped an inside ball with the line begging and Salford scored on the next set. These things happen!

Do you really think missing KC was a huge factor?


Sure enough we missed him just not being on pitch as him just being there brings the best out of players but let's be honest over last month or so he not been playing well and not been playing many mins.

The loss is down to not being good enough on the day.

That team was good enough to beat a Salford team that also had players out.

as i said, a combination of things lost us the game.

Would you agree that maybe next year is to early for some young lads and need to bring in some proven players?

I've said for a while we need an experienced prop and that none of our young props are big enough yet. However, with pryce back in the side and Gidley back at centre, Wello at fullback, i think there is enough experience in the backs to allow the young lads to cover were neccesary.

To simplify it:

We missed KC badly, roby just didnt dominate the ruck early on
Opted for a simple game plan of one man rugby which fell into salfords hands
We had a number of key players out, but so did Salford so no excuses there
Salfords game plan was executed to perfection, they kicked us to death and kept giving us the ball on our own line
Salford had a 91% completion rate in the first half (their first knock on was in minute 34)
The fringe plays usually set up with Long -> Pryce were none existent with Long -> Eastmond
Some of the senior players in the pack (TP, Faas, Graham) were poor by their own standard
We got into the Salford 10m area 5 times in the first half and knocked on 5 times on tackle 3 or 4

Quite simply, you could tell after 5 mins it was going to be one of those nights. No enthusiam and whilst the kids on show could have done the job, there were simply too many of them on the night to dominate the game, which is what you need to do to Salford on their own patch. Credit to them, they fully deserved the win and we need to get out of second gear next week for wires.

If gilmour goes we need more than just a prop.

Imo we could do with 2 props or prop and 2nd row/loose forward.

We need a big tough hard running prop and a back row that can break tackles and do something with the ball.

A lot of people are saying jammer is not at his best but what do they expect when he been the only prop this year. I feel sorry for him but we have got to get him some help next year and I don't mean frodsham and emmitt

Here's something we do agree on!


A tony P clone would be nice, and another Monster prop.

Did not turn up. What did turn up was this patched up saints team that lacked enthusiasm and oomph, it also had a shockingly bad Longy in its side, who made everythign eh touched in teh first half turn to shyyt, I mean EVERYTHING. No centre play. Forwards were dominated constantly. Solly had rub of the green and the bounce of the ball, first try impossible to stop with a frekish bounce from a kick through, their second try was another kick through that looked like it was knocked on, but it was given, by this time they were all over us and deserved their 3rd try, the only one from passing. We owned the last 5 min of first half, and no idea why we didnt go in at 16 -4 or 16 - 6 as Ade was in at the corner but blew it. We owned the first 15 of the 2nd half, we scored a blinding try from a Long burst. We the had Baby BA burst through and feed yougn Ellis who dropped it, the line was open and 6 points awaited, at this stage you could see us kickign on and turning the screw. But instead it was solly who took control again, and put in another kick , this time Ade watched it, thinkin it go dead but young Henry from Solly nipped around Ade and scored ( although it looked a knock on big time )...that was that. To much youth, to many lads out of position, and no forward power, Jammer and Tony P gave us nothgn all night, cloughie did his usual efforts, and often broke out the tackle to grad an extra 10, Maurie did a few smashing runs, Bryan H drove it in, nothing special. Real light we looked upfront, real light. But the whole night was just a sham, seemed life we didnt care.

Gidley and Wilkin and Pryce back next week is a MUST. Sooner we get JC back to the better, as our forward pack looks like it needs a bit of help

2 PINT POTS NEXT WEEK

One addition - we had no centres. On the rare occasion when the ball did go out wide and Flannery had a chance to create an overlap, he came back inside (not having a go at him btw, hes not a centre at the end of the day). I'd forgotten what it was like not to have at least one decent centre in a Saints side, and boy did it make our wingers look poor. Not that I think our wingers are particularly excellent anyway...

well I was gutted it seemed to me as if we thought that we just had to turn up to win it. I had just under an 800 mile round trip , to watch that!! very dissapopinted.

Your best player is ginger. That's bad enough.

I wouldn't say a tony p clone but maybe a hock or young gilmour style player.

A back row who can make things happen with ball in hand.

I think it's about time potter played tony p prop every week to help jammer out.

Meh, bad day at the office. At the end of the day, it's their job and anyone who says they're perfect day in, day out (apart from Syd, who we all know is the ultimate worker) in their job is a liar.

Rather lose to Salford than next week, imagine the Dire lot if they finally broke the duck

The midfield triangle was disjointed, which meant when we did get in their half we were mis timing plays causing us to knock on, or lose ground.

Longs iffy first half performance was to me down to him taking on too much creative and tactical responsibility
With a single point of focus, Salford could target him and limit his effectiveness.

I felt the pack were mind full of the heat so started slowly with the intention of finishing strongly. Certainly in the second half at times we rampaged all over Salford. However their kick chase game was excellent.

The backline was totally lacking in pace. This was exposed repeatedly via Salfords kicking game. If it wasnt Wellens being turned, it was Gardner or Meli. Offensively whenever Flannery got an overlap he had to cut infield as he just didnt have the pace to go around the outside.

Lack of pace is i feel our biggest achillies heel. Just as it was for the Bradford Bulls of old. We lack LOFA (length of field ability). If we dont get within 40 metres of the opposition line we cant score.

This is the single reason why I worry about how we would perform in a major final against Wigan, Wire or Leeds. All these three teams have LOFA. If they combine that with a strong kick chase game then we are beaten.

How do we resolve this issue. Well we do have pace. but its on the fringes of the first team at present. Players like Wheeler, Eastmond and Lomax all give us potential LOFA.
Within the starting 13 I think only Pryce has LOFA.

I think you have your answer there? We need Wheeler, Eastmond and Lomax in the first team on a regular basis. Since they are skilfull players with good rugby brains and good defence (Eastmond improving), it's not as if we would be playing players just for their pace.

You were missing players. We were also missing Myler Turner Talau Parker Fitzpatrick Sibbit and White. Maybe a couple more

Bring back Darren Albert, still be our fastest player even now. If Carney can get back into SL why not Uncle!!

Cause Carney has been playing professional sport since he left Super League?

I think we were defo light upfront, is it only me who notices that fasavalu only plays about 30 mins a game? why is this? in the first half we were in reach of the line about 5 times and knocked on every time, without KC we had no one dragging us round the pitch, long was awful. It was a bad night for us, but Salford took there chances and played very well, one of those things, we`ll be back.