Watching the game again it's staggering how many tries we gave away because players simply weren't paying attention.

The SKY team made a lot of Cas' excellent handling. But the truth is players wide awake and with their minds on the job of defending would have stopped two-thirds of their points.

I did attempt to count the number of backs turned returning the 10m but gave up after the 30th minute.

I've no idea what LMS was thinking - head down, running toward his own sticks whilst the Cas player was running past him with the ball. But, then, I've no idea what Jon Wilkin was thinking - in exactly the same position last match (not to mention giving away three silly penalties on the bounce).

If I'm Mose Masoe and Keiron Cunningham is telling me I'm dropped because of my "work ethic" or "attitude" then I'll be asking him to explain - in detail - why any number of senior Saints are keeping their jerseys.

Its a good job Mose wash,t playing last night, he would have been held responsible for being lazy in defence and not doing enough carries. I always thought it was a team game and not an individual one!!!.

The whole thing about players retreating the 10m with their backs turned is a really good gauge of who has played or coached the game in recent years, and who hasn't. Every team is coached to turn and retreat the 10, as you can get back and set your defensive line much faster. You're also less likely to knacker your calves like if you back peddle every step. Go and watch the first set of the 2013 RLWC Final. Australia are the best team in the world, completely fresh, yet they're turning the backs to retreat and get set.

Should LMS have been paying attention until someone called they had secured the ball? Yes, but that's something completely different to thinking that following conventional wisdom (with good reason) shows a poor attitude.

I think LMS was intent upon setting the defensive line in anticipation of the next phase, and in the (mistaken, but reasonable) belief that Burns had wrapped up the tackle.

Maybe I could cope with Wilkin and LMS facing the opposite way - [iif it weren't for the fact that an opposition player was running past them to score[/i.

Indeed, some might say the reason an opponent was running past them - to score - was primarily because [ithey had turned their backs.[/i

I mean, it's certainly a possibility.

No idea who it was making the initial tackle running back but they should have wrapped up the ball, they'd practically completed the tackle. If it was a tackle in a usual defensive line they should have finished it, I don't see why they didn't, that player (McMeeken I think?) should have been tackled and held down for as long as possible without giving away a penalty. LMS was within his right to think that tackle was completed and make that 10m as quick as he could to be ready for that next tackle. Whoever didn't complete that tackle was as much to blame as LMS IMO.

What, LMS can't get back the ten without turning his back? If so how come practically everyone else in the league CAN?

I reckon it was a bad decision by LMS, it was Burns who made the initial tackle but it needed 2 tacklers to hold up a big cas forward with momentum, we had Swift, Percival and Roby already tracking back. LMS didn,t check if the ball was wrapped up and ran off, Roby saw the situation and went back across to help out , but was too late as the pass went to Roberts.

AT the end of the day, he's not been pulling his weight, he's not looked intersted and Imo will be happy not to be playing.

We've carried him for far to long and enough is enough and unless we have a incredible injury crisis in the pack or rest players for the semis then I don't think we will see him again. He couidnt get in last week with Sav and Vea out so he's mow behind Amor, walmsley, sav, richards, Thompson and LMS and rightly so.

The way players are coached to get back in the defensive line now is to turn your back on play but keep your shoulders square to the play of the ball and look over the open side shoulder so you can run back faster but still watch the ball. To turn your back completely without a thought for the ball at this level is unforgivable.

As for the forwards, I would go:

Mose
Roby
Amor
LMS
Wilkin
Thompson

Greenwood
Walmsley
Savelio
Flash (Vea when fit)

I really don't see what Richards offers at the moment, in a few years maybe but he simply isn't good enough to warrant a spot in a strong 17 at the moment.

When is Vea back, btw?

He's a belting player but do you think he's always likely to get injuries? He certainly doesn't hold back in the collisions/tackling.

I treat injuries as completely random events unless there is some underlying reason such as an existing chronic condition. I haven't heard anything about Vea so I'm not concerned right now.

I mean, if it's a choice between Vea always playing at a hundred miles an hour or not it's the former every time. All we can hope is the dice fall in our favour I guess. There's certainly no point worrying about something which is outside our control.