I went to the game on Friday night but was sitting in the main stand with a few mates who were saints fans.

Overall I thought saints looks tired, we looked like we had a more clear game plan and we executed reasonably well. I thought generally we looked more dangerous than they did, it seemed fairly even in terms of the grunt up front, they didn’t have the normal bench impact due to players being out.

On the cards I called them all when I saw them live and on video I think exactly the same. Inside pressure is one thing, hitting ball players when they have passed the ball is another. The Hurrell card is just a straight red. The talk of myler faking it or dipping into the tackle is embarrassing. On Walters I thought that probably was a shoulder charge, it wasn’t high and if they had got a penalty for the challenge I would have said fair enough. Welsby and saints ran in and had that kind of behaviour all night. They are not gracious in defeat, they don’t like it when they struggle to overpower you and they didn’t like that Leeds were bang up for it and didn’t mind giving a few big hits back.

If we can fix our defence up a bit that would be good. The lussick push over was soft. The Dodd score from the drop in as all our own doing. Dodd step and over was again something you think you could fix up and stop. That’s 18 points and in those high end games we need to minimise or stop those easy points for the other side.

I liked Walters and sangare from the bench, real impact! I think McDonnell was good and probably an all round better bench option that Donaldson. Nene has real strike and when Newman gets back if we can keep them fit we will have strike both sides.

One thing I don’t get it the anger towards Leeds from the saints fans. Leeds didn’t make Saints have bad discipline, the Walters tackle was probably a pen but wasn’t high and I don’t really think you could talk about it as a card. I was being told they didn’t care as it’s March but on the other hand they looked beyond angry and upset they lost. Just a bit strange all round.

I would hope we continue to build and do not drop away next week. As players come back we should hopefully get more competition and if players don’t play well somebody comes in and gets a chance.

Excellent post ^

My twopenneth,

Saints looked to be a bit frazzled from the off, it’s been a long, emotionally draining few weeks for them and they did dip during the game. As usual they raced off into a lead and at that point you were fearing the worst, as for the last 5 years they’ve had our number, that being said we worked our way back in and they completely lost the plot in that last 10 mins. Welsby wandering in from miles off to have a pop encapsulated their frustration that we’d been invited to the party to be lambs to the slaughter but instead whizzed on the cake.

Cards were bang on and it’s been a staple of saints “aggressive defence” for a few seasons now, they picked up plenty of bans and will continue to do so pushing the envelope/ rules like that.

Walters was one we got away with no doubt, probably going to be cited during the week but would laugh my globes off if he isn’t and the gnashing of teeth from over the hill is audible even now, how dare we!

Rode our luck, came back from the dead and made off with 2 points while pishing off stains.. perfect.

Thought Shorpe’s after match comments in reference to the dismissals spot on ,saying you can’t do those things anymore . Referees have been instructed to to clamp down on these incidents. Wellens post match interview was sensible bearing in mind his players antics. He has the prospects of a fine coaching career ahead of him. As for saints,, without doubt they are the best team in the competition . The victory in Australia was sensational.
Maybe losing to us might have brought them down to earth.

I wonder if they will take into account Hurrells tantrum after he got sent off ? I was always embarrassed for him when he used to March up and down the Southstand to the rendition of MOT. To me he's just a ridiculous second rate clown

Off topic but talking about hookers.
I see Dwyer missed 11 tackles against Catalans to top week 3 of missed tackles.

Bit harsh. Can be destructive, but looks even less fit than when with us!

I don't think it's a coincidence that 2 of those cards were for hits on Myler. Even for Martin's second, he sucked in the defender (think it was Lees). We're at our best when Myler's taking it to the line and has runners off him. And it's been said before but Wilkin accusing him of play acting when he's been hit late is embarrassing for someone who is supposed to be impartial

I was thrilled when Saints beat Penrith, but their petulance against your team , on the TV, was a terrible indictment on them, and the game in general , I thought. Two of their players could have been red carded after the final whistle and to see a champion team, behave in such a disgraceful manner, does little to promote the game, especially for would be referees, when such behaviour is displayed. To be champions, in the truest sense of the word, you need to know how to lose, with grace and dignity. Saints had neither, KH's red was well deserved, his refusal to walk and subsequent tantrum should also lengthen his punishment, and the accusations of bias , long thrown at the officials in respect of Saints, was happily not in evidence, although Sironen and a couple of others, including Welsby, should also receive bans for their late hits, which were thrown at the Leeds players, with impunity by a team who maybe now believe they are above the rules. A Hull fan applauding Leeds, whatever next?

Correct. He has a major fitness problem.
We targeted him, which says everything.
Saints can usually afford the luxury, but we couldn't.

Really don't mind the levels of aggression and petulance on display during a closely fought game. Fans baying for blood, wilkin nearly crying ...takes me back 15 years to when there was a genuine rivalry. Leeds aren't there yet but if we can start taking it to them every time we play then what's not to like? Would anyone really prefer games without incident where fans only wake up at the end to sportingly congratulate one another on how well their respective teams had kept every tackle squeaky clean?

Not that fussed about the tackles no, but the rest yes was very unpleasant. I’d like to think that when we were winning everything, the players were still respectful of the opposition and referees. With Sinfield/Burrow/Peacock leading by example, think we were pretty decent champions. In all honestly I’d stop following the club if we behaved like Saints did after a defeat. For me keeping your honour and dignity is far more important than any sporting defeat.

The KH one should be a big ban,but it depends how much the MRP has changed from last year.
Welsby running in should be penalty enough but again,who knows. If the MRP are targeting that now he could cop a ban as a warning / statement of intent.

Walters could have been a penalty but his arm does go around the player and it wasn't a full on classic shoulder charge or high/ late.
You'll see worse ir similar every other game go unpunished

I think the video ref reviewed it and advised that it was fine too. Not that that means much!

As a neutral, I believe the ref got all the decisions spot on. The only controversial one was the afters dished out by Welsby, which turned a penalty to Saints to a penalty for Leeds (right call, despite what biased Wilkin said).

Good win, I hope you all bought Lottery tickets after that run of luck.