Our defence was very very poor. Wigan could have scored 4/5 more tries if they didn't keep losing the ball.

Every time they moved it wide we looked terrible.

I'd be happy with that.

Good shout, but would Briers go for it, he didn't like what saints did to him all those years ago.

He still lives in st Helen's, he's a saints lad. Of course he's come back if the money was right.

We should do what the pies did with deacon. Give him 1yr deal as a player and offer him a job on the coaching staff.

He's got one of the best rugby brains in the game, the likes of lomax and Gaskell will buzz off him learning them.

In case you didn't notice, Royce Simmons was sacked a few months back. The coaching decisions are now down to Rush.

He brought the fullback to play standoff and he brought the backrow to play prop.


Still think lance is the great stand off ?

Marty smith would at least give us a kicking game

Not the smartest player tho.

Briers for me

This season is done for me now. We're out the cup and we've got alot of catching up to do in the league. Leeds won it from 5th last year but I can't see us doing it simply because we don't have the class to do it IMO. Put us up against Wigan, Warrington and Leeds in a do or die game and I don't think I'd back us.

We rely so much on Roby creating things around the ruck and if he is nullified (which Wigan have done twice) then we offer very little elsewhere. Our half backs are awful. Lomax tries hard and at least commits defenders and brings runners into the game, but his kicking game isn't good enough and he doesn't have the range of passing or the brain to be a midfield general in my view. He'd be a very good full back and I've always seen him as Wello's eventual replacement. On the topic of Wellens, been a class servant for us and tries his b*llocks off but he's far too slow and pedestrian in attack. He had a decent game today but near the line the moves died with our 6, 7 and 1 combination. As for Hohaia, whilst he tries hard, he's simply shocking and has been pretty much all year. Doesn't take the line on, doesn't organise and dictate the game, has an average passing game, doesn't commit defenders, he has a terrible kicking game and doesn't really have the speed to trouble defences. He's not the answer to our half back problems, no way! This is the biggest problem with our team and unless we sort out our 1, 6 and 7 combination we've no chance of lifting silverware anytime soon even with the greatest coach in the world.

Two other problems for me are the lack of a dominant forward or two, someone who can test the defence and make the hard yards constantly - Perry was very poor today, he's so half hearted, he's stealing a living. We're short of someone creative in the pack too, someone who can offload the ball and create 2nd phase play where our nippy players like Roby, Wilkin and Lomax can take advantage of. The other problem is a fast Centre who can break a tackle. Wheeler is a good player but had a really poor game today. Shenton has again flattered to deceive and I'm starting to wonder what cutting edge he brings to the side out wide. I've seen little evidence of any real strike from him, whereas the likes of Meli, Wheeler, Gardner and Makinson have all shown they are capable of making breaks from time to time. We're being linked with Turner and maybe he'll be a better option on the right side for us.

You can't fault the effort and commitment, but we're just not good enough. Too many try hards and not enough quality, leaders and inspiration in the team to lift silverware I'm afraid.

Saintsfan: can you read english? The decisions that clown made re Hohaia and the decision not to sign another big prop are biting us on the big time. Since that idiot left were 6 from 8 I think.
Hohaia is an average squad player at best & certainly no half back. Joke of a quota spot and a complete waste of money, id be willing to pay his air fare home now.
Try answering the question, whats youre opinion on Hohaia? Are you still in the minority of one on here?

He might not be tge smartest player, but in a side that plays a structured game, like I think we will under brown, then he could play a really important role. It still doesn't solve the stand off problem though, because for all the promise of lomax, Gaskell, wheeler and hohaia, none have really shown the game to make the position their own.

Give over. We've a better player than him sitting in the stands in Gaskell.

Who has a better long kicking game, a short kicking game, can pass better and actually runs with the ball occasionally.

Brown will give us structure and try and turn us into a drilled side which we need urgent!

I think we will be seeing the hudds owing the game tactic like he's done at hudds.

I can't wait for him to get his hands on this team!

It's clearly the Halfbacks were the problem lies. We lack any ideas in tough games, were getting to the oppositions 10 is easy enough.

Lomax seems completely incapable of passing to his right.

Wey hey! Praise the lord! People are starting to see what I've said all year.

Lomax IMO is a very talented player and I think will go on to play for England but he needs a ball playing organising halfback with him. Lomax is a runner bring asked to ball play.