Child doing his usual inept performance, giving Saints everything so far, very even contest otherwise.
If Cas can get some ball and keep there heads they're in with a chance.

Yeah child's is defo leaning towards saints imho though don't know if it's intentional or just poor reffing

I don’t think the obstruction rule applies to Mark Percival!!!

And yet again another shepherd at a kick and Child ignores it, that's three now from Saints and yet he penalised Cas twice for exactly the same/less.
If you turn your back at the ball isn't that playing at it, I think Child has done Cas up like a kipper so far and then gives a few meaningless pens to balance it, except it doesn't.

Both have looked a bit poor in attack. Understandable with Cas with their makeshift spine, Gale's absence is very noticeable, could probably be level or in front with him out there. Saints haven't really looked like scoring off their own buildup play (just 2 opportunistic tries) and can't recall them putting Shenton (as a makeshift FB) under any pressure in that half.

Sinfield made a good point there. It might be the TJ's who have made the differing calls on the obstruction incidents, not Child.

Erm..... Our attack is simply miles off last year. We used to look like scoring off every play. From kick offs, scrums and anywhere on field. We just don't look like scoring at all.

Nothing between the teams today though.... Just them 2 full length tries.

I thought it was just me, made both tries without even touching the ball.
Saying that though, Cas are a bit short on ideas without Gale, they've had the ball in the right areas plenty but haven't made it count, its playing like a nil nil game, but isn't.

Just before the latest Saints try there was an attacking kick at the other end. A player wandered across in front of the attackers, when he realised that he had gone too far he changed direction and wandered back. It seems the ref has decided not to penalise deliberate obstruction now.

Sloppy tackling but a shuffled forward pass to Fages and then Richardson scores a good try.
Game over I reckon.

Nice step by Richardson. Game over for me.

We can't buy a break at the minute but taking all that away Saints have defended better and been more ruthless in attack. Whatshisface is the factor and we have been second best. No lack of effort from Cas just quality. Played saints.

Saints really stepped it up in the 2nd half in attack. Cas look rudderless without Gale

Some good football on display there and it's nice to watch the beeb coverage instead of the tosh on Sky. Start to finish that broadcast was much better than Super League on Sky, right through to Tanya Arnold's post match interviews.

Very easy. We weren’t even good and we’ve still won that easily. Our defence is incredible and Ben Barba is obviously phenomenal. It went a lot how I thought it would, Cas would try and use the forwards to bash us around but 1-7 there was 0 skill or quality and that’s why they’ve lost. The Cas game plan of try and physically batter us was never going to work for 80 minutes. They’re paying the price for shocking recruitment. A good off season transfers wise and Cas wouldn’t be in this position. Obviously the injuries don’t help either.

Ben Barba is the best player I’ve watched on a Saints shirt. And I’ve been privileged to watch Roby, Cunningham, Sculthorpe, Newlove, Goulding, Long, Martin and Lyons. The man is like the essence of Saints distilled: speed, skill and a big smile all over his face.

I know everyone believes it’s a dead certainty he’ll be gone at the end of the year, but even if he is, what a year!

Thought the game commentary was very biased towards Cas, Jonathan Davies must have had his head in his hands everytime Saints scored, Brian Noble was the same as well. Peacock and Sinfield gave it a lot more balance.
Overall a good competitive cup game with no lack of effort from both sides.

Not as easy as last year when we bashed you about.


Not much we could do about the lack of full back. Most sides do their recruiting now till about August. October is exceptionally late for a good FB to be available.


Be a real shame if you blow it to Leeds / wigan in both finals but I can see that happening.

A bit disrespectful to cas. Wonder how you would have done without barba who is your best strike player as cas had to do without gale who's their most creative player. Ur defence is quality tho

Nothing disrespectful about it, if Gale had played the result would have been the same, he’s been poor this season anyway. I feel for Cas fans, they’ve been let down by the crap recruitment they’ve done. They had a chance to build on a great season but blew it with some poor decisions.

Saying it was easy was. Was a tough game with some long range tries and a few dubious ref calls putting u on the front foot. Don't get me wrong u deserved the win but take barba away and that's a much closer game and final score

Think it's the speed of Hardaker Eden and Roberts that's missing alongside the sharp play of Gale. Obviously Hardakers gone but that's the slowest Cas backline for a few season? Saints have a nice mix of big forwards and real speed Pleasure to watch, Just like Cas last few year.

The ASS [iis[/i disrespectful, or it doesn't post, that is its only function.

The only dubious calls were the missed Percival obstructions, apart from that I thought the ref was pretty fair. The score line suggests it was easy, Cas had a go physically but they had no quality or skill on show. Nothing disrespectful about calling a game easy.

I totally agree what you have written there. Wardle and Webster didn't cause much problem on the attacking front.