Yes, I'd say so. They had the lions share of the possession and territory throughout the game. At half time they'd had 20 more play the balls than us and the graphic Clarke does which does where those play the balls happened were telling. We had little ball outside of our own half and only 2 in the opposition 10m. I think by comparison they'd had 17 in ours. It was a combination of a remarkable defensive performance and a lack of clinical execution from Leeds. They put too much ball down and didn't take anywhere near enough advantage of how on top they were throughout the game. The game was the equivalent of a penalty shootout win for a big side in football playing against a minnow, dominating the game but unable to score.



That's why I put my opening line. Given what we are, it wasn't a bad performance, it was a brave fall onto the sword if you will. It is however completely the club's fault that we went into the season with that squad and that shouldn't be forgotten because of the upturn in form towards the end of the season. A lot of mistakes were made before the season even started and Brown can't come out of it with a completely positive scorecard either. Whilst he has to a degree steadied a ship he unbalanced, he has left the side looking pretty shambolic with the ball in big games. Signing Luke Walsh is a positive move, but it isn't going to solve all our problems in one go. He absolutely MUST have a partner next season and his partner ABSOLUTELY CANNOT have the surname Wheeler, Hohaia or Wellens.

Rangi Chase, Sam Hopkins, Jacob Miller have all moved clubs. All those would have been good enough. The new stand off doesn't have to be a world class player either. They just have to be an established halfback with a bit of pace or an eye for a pass, someone to take the playmaking pressure off Walsh.

I often think this saddo is a pi%s taking wiginer who knows how to use the spell checker.

So you are saying Sam Hopkins is a good enough stand-off to play for Saints and we should have signed him?
You aren't even aware that he is a prop forward, are you.

Rangi Chase - not off contract, after spending 800k on cladding I don't think it's really fair to ask the club to spend more on playing roster, maybe in a couple of years after initial overheads etc and further to that he asked for a massive salary which would cause a massive imbalance in player roster.

Jacob Miller - firstly quota, secondly because he's set the world alight with his attacking at hull? He's taken a lot of slack from the hull fans (to be fair who hasn't) and may well prove over the next 5 years to develop into a decent player, but he's not at the moment, one of the reasons why hulls attack is a major complaint for their fans - and if we want a project, stick Yates in the team or whoever else is in the youth set up - surely developing our own, British players would make more sense?

Sam Hopkins - untried untested at super league level - and you want to throw him straight into the 6 ? We may of been in for him and he chose Wigan and would of been preferable to miller but again is a another project and whilst he may or may not have more "potential" than players already here but, for example, at Wigan he's behind green and smith and will be able to develop in his own time, if we had of signed him as starting 6 you'd of been saying he can't go straight into the Wigan team why can he go straight in ours

And this is all irrespective, as these are all missed out on people - I asked who is the AVAILABLE signings - not who could we of signed at some point in the past (that Lockyer player would of been great ) who would improve on the team?

Fo rthe record, I agree to an extent a 6 would be good, lance for me is much better interchanging with Roby at hooker. But out of everyone available for the position (unless a surprise appears in the World Cup, who is magically not quota) I can't see anyone I would rather have then wheeler (for 20 minutes) and Wilkin - not ideal certainly but better than making a signing for the sake of a signing!

Sam Hopkins isn't a half back.
He wears the 8 shirt at Leigh and has played most of this season at 13.
We're told he's around 6'3" and 17st which fits the bill well for a SL forward.

Also I disagree with the OP. Don't know where the "Brave" comes from, Saints were excellent last night and should have won.
Watkins dropped the ball and the player gave himself up before the decision was made. If he felt he had scored he have been all smiles and high fived all round. He didn't, his face looked miserable and he shook his head as if he knew he'd dropped the thing! Field position for Leeds would have been helped by the fact Saints didn't get a penalty in the game until 50 mins against Leeds five.

Someone should have had a go kicking at goal from the half way line. McRae said Turner would have the distance, true or not I don't know.
Also a complete mess of the drop goal attempt. Chances there which have to be taken in knock out rugby.
Great game and both teams gave their all.
Whoever had won surely Smith would chose for the club call.
Both teams looked exhausted and recovery in 6 days seems a big ask.

Sam Hopkins is a prop or loose forward.

Will you guys not go back in for O'Brien? He wont get many gamescat Wire and I reckon they'd let him go for a reasonable fee.

I thought you played well last night but I never seriously thought you could win the GF. There are too many weaknesses in this current Saints side but that will change next year. Your back will be miles better, your backline has plenty of pace and if Walsh can take control the side looks very well balanced.

They say that about us EVERY season...

Sneyd was part of the Chase deal, so no chance there either.

Has any other Super League side in the history of the competition ever gone two seasons without two halfbacks in their squad? I doubt they have to be honest.

We have Wheeler and Walsh, Lance was signed as a halfback, Yates is on duel reg (is he staying?) etc etc so I count more than 2 and that's before you get to Wilkin whose done a competent job in difficult circumstances this year!

You never answered the question who is available that you would want in the team? I can link you to off contract if you need some inspiration!

The game reminded me of some of the closer grand finals against Leeds. If we were struggling to get out of our 20 we would start to panic and try to play around Leeds, usually with disastrous results. As in those grand finals, Leeds played with patience, safe in the knowledge that we would be the first team to depart from their game plan.

The fact that we nearly won the game despite this is testament to the sheer courage with which we played. With Walsh to add a bit of composure and kick one or two goals we would probably have done it, not to mention the much stronger pack we'll have next year.

Regarding individual performances, I thought Josh Jones was sensational. It's crazy that he's only 20. Manu was our most dangerous attacker, but contributed to the panic at times. I also thought Jordan Turner was excellent.

Lomax was frustrating at times when returning deep kicks; he tended to amble up and wait for support rather than getting his head down and running for vital yards. Hohaia was gutsy but isn't a stand off in a million years. 99% of the time he just catches the ball deep and ships it on without taking a single step forward. He doesn't interest any defenders at all, which means the players outside him are always faced with a fully organised edge defence.

But, as people have said, it was a brave performance, and one which the players can be proud of.

Utterly clueless numptie....have you any idea at all about the game?