If no immediate coach is found, is it fair to suggest that this season is a write off?

No 8th place is all we need to make the playoffs, should make that at least?

Pretty depressing though when I would imagine most fans thought we would be up there competing for top 2 place and a possible grand final appearance.I have a feeling we have a few more dips to come.

When an underperforming team gets a new coach there is often an upsurge in form,a couple of wins to get confidence back up will do wonders,its far to soon to write off the season.

I don't think Rush and KC have the experience to be able to lift the team from the current rut to the extent where we can challenge for silver this year - given how we've started I'd be happy to see an improvement in effort, the tightening of the defence and some decent attacking rugby league.

Next year, if we manage to recruit a quality coach, I'd expect us to be in a position to stake a real claim for the top prizes.

If KC and MR can get the team playing cohesively then I think the rest of the season could be rather entertaining. Obviously we'll have to readjust our expectations, but I think a big push towards the top 4 is not out of the question. Neither is a good cup run.

Considering all the players we have lost over the last 5 years I have been amazed we have still been reaching Grand Finals. I would have happily settled for no Grand final last year after KC's retirement. All that has happened is that expectations for, what is now a very young team, Are a lot higher than they should be. The younger players have had too much pressure put on their shoulders. This is now leading to the errors in Fosters game, Lomax and Gaskell are having second season syndrome and all of our natural leaders have gone. This season should be regarded as transitional and a new coach approached ASAP. The new coach could then lay down his recruitment policy and the club can plan for next season. Does this mean this season is now a right off? NO. It should be regarded as a learning curve for, what will be, the nucleus of the team for years to come. Take away the pressure and allow the Kids to learn their trade and maybe they might just surprise us all!!!!

Yes. Even if a new coach is found, it is fair to suggest this season is a write off. New coaches bring in new systems and teams have to adapt.

This

I think this season depends on how the players react from now. Wgen coaches are sacked some teams play ten times better like saints did when millward took over from Hanley but it can also have a reverse effect.

Right. So why didn't you advocate this when Royce was still in place? That is, after all, what he was talking about when he referred to their mistakes and learning how to react to them.

Many Saints fans are congenitally unable to take away the pressure on anyone. Many fans were baying for Royce's blood because we lost four games by hardly any points at all and with some referee errors thrown in for good measure. Do you really think they are now going to be all sunny and relaxed? Do you think Saints fans are going to sit back and take three defeats against their biggest rivals without putting pressure on the team and new coaching set up?

I think the pressure is now even greater on the team. Not only have they failed to win for four games, they have brought their coaching staff down with them and upset those Saints fans who actually wanted Royce to stay (for whatever reason). And the pressure on Rush/Cunningham will be enormous. They have to turn it all around in a week.

I disagree that the pressure is on MR/KC. They're stopgaps, any I'd say that any improvement on the current performances will be considered a success for them. If they manage to get us bringing a couple of set plays to the pitch, it'll be a start.

Do you think we should have stuck with Royce?

Fair enough. I think you might have been right had we been facing Broncos, Wakey and Widnes. But not with the matches ahead. Worst time possible to stick inexperienced stopgaps in.


Absolutely. The knee jerk reaction of Saints was not only ludicrous but an injustice to Royce who only a handful of matches ago had gotten us to within 20 mins of winning the grand final against all the odds and who had clearly made some progress already as our defence was coming along very nicely (bar Jamie's howlers). Hell, even Wigan gave Millward 11 games AND a 75-0 drubbing, and they are the world's worst in RL for sacking coaches surely!

The 'League' is already a write off. We're too far back to make the top 4 already and will have to improve considerably to get above 7th. Given our run of fixtures it is not inconceivable that we'll end up in a position where we face an uphill battle to even get into the playoffs, especially as we don't seem capable of winning many away games.

But the cup is always a possibility. It's quite possible to get into the Final without playing anyone good if the draw goes our way.

I thought he'd see the season out, and I'd have lived with it, but what was most alarming was the quality of performance. Awful defensive errors (I haven't noticed a dramatic improvement defensively as we've leaked soft tries in our 2 most recent games, and not all down to current scapegoat of choice Foster) and the most impotent attack I've ever seen in 27 years of watching Saints.

Had this been down to one or two poorly performing individuals, then I'd agree that RS had been harshly treated. However, when the substandard performance runs right through the side (with only Soliola and Roby able to say they had maintained their previous level of performance) there has to be some questions asked of the manner in which they are getting prepared for games.

I'm surprised he's gone at this point, and feel for the bloke, but can't say I'm disappointed. He wasn't the answer.

I'm not looking for a bite here, but I'd be interested to know why you're prepared to show far more patience to Simmons than you did to Potter during his tenure?