I've seen us play worse with better players.

You can have a class side, but if they don't want to work then they will lose.

That wasn't even going through the motions though. Were all the players injected with some dropsy virus.

Really? I can't remember seeing us play that bad as we did in first 10 mins. As KC said it's probably the worst start in super league history.

Quote: St pete "Really? I can't remember seeing us play that bad as we did in first 10 mins. As KC said it's probably the worst start in super league history.'" I was there for this debacle. news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_l ... 917753.stm

Quote: St pete "Really? I can't remember seeing us play that bad as we did in first 10 mins. As KC said it's probably the worst start in super league history.'" I was there for this debacle. news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_l ... 917753.stm

I believe it took us 19 mins to complete our first set and our completion rate was the clubs lowest ever in that first half.

Compared to last night??

Wellens better than percival
Gardner better than dawson
Albert, better than Swift
Gilmour, better than fleming
Talau, = or better to Turner
Wilkin poorer than Walsh, but its getting closer since the injury.
Hooper = Burns
Fozzard, = Amor
Cunningham = Roby
Mason poorer than Mose
Edmondson better = wilkin (in the second row)
Feaunati poorer than greenwood
Fa'asavalu, better than Jones


J. Roby better than flanaghan
Bibey poorer than walmsley
Hardman poorer than Savellio
Bennett probably not as good as LMS, but he was a good workhorse.


Overall that back line would blow ours apart, even with Hooper and Wilkin as halfbacks.
Cunningham and Roby, would eat the current set up of Roby alone.
The pack is somewhat 50/50 and the subs are not a million miles apart.

Apart from Hardman, feaunati and Bibey, I'd swap most of that team. Actually Hardman would get in ahead of dawson and fleming.

Very good points. Walsh spent 80 mins trying not to make a tackle while Wilkin and Burns want to get stuck in.

No rugby player at any level can try and avoid contact. It's a full contact sport and it part and parcel of the game. If your afraid to tackle and afraid to take the ball in then you shouldn't be on the field.

I just hope KC lets walsh know that his post match comments was aimed at him and the others as it Might put some fight in him but I think he's lost his bottle

I think Walsh will get better, just it'll be a gradual process. He was still tackled five times so at least he is willing to take a tackle if nothing else is on. He just doesn't look like he wants to run the ball. Obviously he was never the best defender but you'd imagine that being less affected by the confidence in his leg, you're more likely to see leg injuries done while carrying the ball.

Rumour has it Walsh has had a broken toe for the last few weeks too, which probably doesn't help. Turner plants his feet and sinks in just a tad CONSTANTLY too, which really hampers Walsh more than it does Turner.

But could us letting him gain confidence in the field at such vital part of the season be costly for us ?

Agree with most of that, with Wilkin I raised the question of whether Wilkin is playing "2 positions" in the game namely back row forward and half back and is covering more than he should. I like Burns a lot and although he missed quite a few tackles he does get stuck in and irritates the opposition all through the game. I don,t think we have an excuse for Walsh he,s just a lazy defender he can make some good tackles but generally he,s a soft tackler.
The interesting stats is that Saints are the 2nd worse team for missed tackles and yet has the 2nd best defence points against, this is suggesting we covering our line OK with a scrambling defence as individuals miss tackles, the problem with this is that it could be taking a lot of energy out of the team. We are also one of the worst teams for giving penalties away which adds extra defensive duties.
Its therefore no surprise we are gradually looking a bit tired and jaded when the problem is self inflicted by extra defensive stints, KC needs to get these 2 points addressed and improved upon.

I think it would be a risk worth taking, it looks as though we will finish in the top 4. Its a 50/50 when we come to the 8's whether Walsh will come through it, if he does,t still give us time to adjust. If Walsh does have a toe injury then that might explain why he is limping after the final whistle in the last 2 games.