That's it exactly. The fans and Brian Noble were the reasons Mathers was poor at Wigan. Nobody else.

No pressure on Sinfield at all - had he missed Leeds get a draw, sadly he kicks it !!

I would think most of the rugby league family is hoping for a Wigan win.

We've had enough half full stadiums watching Saints beat A.N.Other, the game cannot afford another one of those. What would be better for rugby league on its biggest occasion of the year - the biggest derby in the game, or the most one sided derby in the game..?

Obviously Wire fans will be hoping for Wire v Huddersfield, but if we look at the bigger picture, a Warrington win will just play into the hands of rugby union.

Then you should want a Saints -v- Wire final because until this season (when we have had inconsistent form) we had been regularly tonking Wigan for at least two years whereas the Wire matches have invariably been close, last minute affairs that could go either way.

I agree but people can`t blame Bridge for us losing the game or not at least getting a draw which they have hinted at previously on this thread, he was made a kicker by circumstances and not by desire. Sinfield is a specialist kicker, Chris Bridge isn`t.

The biggest reason for our loss last night was the indiviudual errors from Bridge when he dropped a simple pass, Johnson for his poor attempt to tackle Lee Smith, Richie Mathers with his howler that lead to the first try and Gareth Carvell losing the ball at the end was unforgivable given the time left on the clock where all we had to do was 5 drives and a kick to more than likely win the game.

All those individual errors above lead to Leeds tries.

It's true. Remember the 2003 cc semi, sinfield always seems to get the hardest kicks under the most pressure.

As a neutral I can't wait for next week, it's going to be a hum dinger.

However still having a soft spot for smith i hope you guys get through.

I've thought for sometime you're gonna end the saints hoodoo in a big game.

If we get to Wembley i think our expansive rugby will be a match for any team and the ideal time to bring Kevin Penny back into the squad all that open space will be great for Penny

Behave yourself

Two mintues to go to half time in front of the sticks it was a gift, couldn't believe a team away from home didn't take it.

Absolutely spot on - add in the Anderson's colliding when trying to stop Donald making an extra 50 meters and you have the reasons we lost........and of course the video ref believing that Diskin deserved a penalty for running at jon Clarke instead of the man diving over the line with the ball 5 metres away.

Harsh decision but only as harsh as the Webb disallowed try, I thought they both should have been given.

I'll go along with that.

Funny that, he's seemed quite a specialist kicker since 2005.

ahahahahahaha

are you insane or a closet pie

Its funny then that Lee Briers has done the majority of goal kicking since 2005, if Chris Bridge was regarded as such a specialist kicker as you say then he would have been tried on a more regular basis long before now given that Lee Briers has never been the most consistent when it comes to goal kicking.

That was my view as well. Strange decision; did it come from coach or captain?

I also am surprised no-one has mentioned the shocking game by Johnson. Look at his positioning for the last try and the poor attempt at a simple tackle earlier. Note Leeds took the obvious option to keep kicking it behind him as well; he has the turning circle of the QE2.

I have Mark, MOM thread.

Johnson is hurting my eyes at present.

Saints at home didn't ground the ball at a key moment, Huddersfield - overlap early doors, really bad decision. Friday, he stank, both defensively and when he made a break his decison making again was woeful.

Thankfully, it looks like he'll be offski.

Ahh sorry been away for a few days and catching up. Johnson is bloody awful at the minute, doesn't deserve a shirt.

Said it myself as well on a couple of threads he was abysmal against Leeds. I find it strange that an astute coach like Smith has played him in the threequarters when we've had other options available.

Barring injury I don't want to see him in the 17 again, not even in the forwards as youngsters like Mitchell can do a much better job. At least his contract is up at the end of the season.

When Bridge took Gleeson's right centre position, WOTT was tring to argue that Paul Johnson was more of a winger than Bridge is a centre. I wonder if he is still sticking to this viewpoint.

What about them Andersons ?? Are they instructed to constantly jump out of the defensive line ?? Great when it comes off and they meet the attacker as he receives the ball (Vinny put one shuddering shot on I forget who) but when it doesn't work, the likes of Burrow and McGuire just nip through the hole.

That is Penny's fault.

Johnson is a weird one, I used to think that the problem was his fitness, when he was fit, we had a cracker, who offered versatility but didn't play enough.

Now, It's probably for the best when he's injured.

In saying that, as an interchange back rower, I still like what he does, so I guess the message is loud & clear, keep him in the pack or not at all.

I know it was Leeds away, I know we're not big on playing folk for the sake of it, and I know that kids aren't the answer, but I'd rather see a centre from the reserves, Alex Hurst or whatever get a go than Johnson play the way he did the other night. His performance on the wing, and that partnership with Anderson, it reminded me so much of that Bracek/Penny problem we had at Saints that was quite clearly a target for the oppostition.

Agreed, as I said earlier would prefer it if he doesn't play for us again this season as he's a liablity. There's no way he should be anywhere near the back line and I would rather see Mitchell or one of the other young second rowers ahead of him.

Its baffled me seeing Smith play him in the centres or one the wing before. Going off his track record at Leeds I would have expected a youngster to be promoted to the first team instead. Like you mention Hurst, or someone like Rhys Williams who is a natural three quarter.

Me