Although this was posted after a few beverages the point is pretty much bang on. Some of the comments on here about us scoring 40+ and just turning up to win were quite laughable. When have we ever really mullered someone in superleague? Not sure why people thought it would suddenly happen after a couple of wins.

Which thread are these 40+ comments under. I've read through the 6 page thread on the game and most of the posts are tempered with the knowledge that past performance is a guide to the future with Salford and that nothing could be taken for granted.

I can only find one pre game post in that thread that thought we might win by 18. Most were fairly wary of the outcome that indeed did occur.

I wasn't expecting us to hammer them before the game, but its just the fact that we were beaten by such a poor team when we are easily capable of beating them. Its just so frustrating and I think that is what is making a lot of people so angry. I'm used to Salford getting beat of course, but this was just beyond bad.

Not sure i should apologise for thinking we would win last night but go on then i will. Prior to last night Crusaders had won once, they had 50 points put past them the week before, they had a major player out (Witt), we were at home and in good form following two really good wins. I fully expected to win..and why not. I did not think we would hammer them but thought we would have enough. Please fellow posters dont have a go at those of us that show a little faith/hope/confidence call it what you will in the team.

I think you articulate the case for why we rightly started the game as favourites. However, most of the posters optimism was with some caution in mind.

I'm not sure who the original poster is venting is spleen at. Is it the players? the club or the fans?

I think most fans who commented on here before the game were of the strong belief that we should win but Salford being the club we know there was plenty of scope for the manner of defeat that transpired.

Anyone who saw the home win against HKR and contrasted it with last night would have to say that we left the 5 to 10 percent in the dressing room which means the difference between winning and losing amongst teams of a similar standard.

OK probably shouldn't have pinned the blame to this forum but there seemed to be a overly high sense of giddyness amongst Salford fans after a couple of victories. Just like the OTT doom and gloom anytime we lose a couple.

Not sure why some Salford fans class the likes of Crusaders as 'such a poor team.' They finished in the play offs last season and stuck 46 past us in the first game of this season. Yes they have had a couple of bad defeats but so have we. Bet we both have a similar number of wins at the end of the season.

From what I read there are elements of the support that do suffer huge swings in their mood and behaviour. Some of the language and behaviour and can extreme.

The posters on here are generally more reasoned and realistic in their expectations.

Last night was a blow in our fight for an 8th placed finish which should be our target.

I see Catalan have beaten Warrington at Warrington today, its a funny old league this year, so pushing us down a place.

very good Iain

spot on Karl

crusaders are just our bogey team! have we beaten them at home in superleague yet? IMO i just think we cant handle the pressure when we go into a game being the favourites!

Thought we were out coached last night , well done to Mr Harris who had swotted up on his homework over the last couple of weeks.

It's not just Salford fans, it's RL fans in general. If your team loses to a team you expected to beat, then both teams were poor but your's was slightly poorer. Never, under any circumstances, should you give the opposition any credit for their performance.

I hate to say it, but RL fans seem to be turning into Football fans...

So true.

Looked to me a bit like we wanted to win too much, put too much pressure on ourselves. Everything looked a bit too nervy, until we went 12 down and until about 10 mins to go when we started throwing it about again

Sorry to disagree with most of you on here but Crusaders were poor on Saturday night and I don't think it's disrespectful/belittling/arrogant (whichever way you want to phrase it) to say so. If we'd have played as well as previous weeks I'd have fancied our chances but we didn't and deservedly lost. I'm the first to applaud the opposition off the pitch and can appreciate other teams performances as much as our own but the fact is Crusaders did sweet FA to win that game. I suppose you could argue that they defended well and nullified our main attacking threats and fair play to them for that but if we'd have had the right attitude & performance on Saturday the 2 points were there for the taking.

Here's the thing. Yes, we've done alright the last few weeks with the Ratchford/Broughton, via patten, combination was always going to get found out eventually, especially when it has been our main attacking weapon. We need runners offering other options or fixing the defensive line.

Back to the performance, I was working ast night and only managed to see the odd 10/15 minutes between working. The forwards seemed like they were making decent ground, but Matty Smith's kicking was terrible.

Holdsworths wasnt much better

We stopped doing what we had done successfully the previous weeks :-

* Shipping the balls quickly to the wings to stretch the opposition defence

* offloading the ball from the forwards for 2nd phase distribution

* effective kicking game pinning back the opposition to their 20

* taking our chances

* completing our sets

correct Middleman:

we lost the arm-wrestle and so conformed to THEIR style and plan of play.

Bradford and Cas will now try the same : we need a firmer impact in the forwards to protect the play-makers (and that does not , repeat not, mean bringing back Feka).

Bet you found the return down the M60 as distressing as me.

Not distressed , more disappointed , but I guess no more disappointed than the Players themselves , they'll be kicking themselves as it was a missed opportunity to prove to all & sundry we'd turned a corner, WE know they can perform better than Saturday Night , now with Catalan's turning Warrington over we're back to 10th and our ' Yo-Yo ' Tag remains ..

:1s7qq7rc

Didn't see enough of the game to comment, but Holdsworth didn't look his sharpest in attack. The whole Ratchford Stand off/centre debate, he's our best kicker in open play and one of his best assets is wasted in the centres!! Centre could still be the way forward though.



Did we really lose the arm wrestle? What little I caught on TV, we seemed to be running hard in the forwards. I agree, please don't bring Feka back yet. He needs time in the U20s, if he proves his fitness then he can come back.

Anybody else think this was just a hangover from the French trip?