Last night was another example of the increasing intensity in Super League. In the past we would have won that with our final twenty minute spurt (as we did, IIRC, last year when we stole this game from Wakefield with two tries in the last ten mintues or so). Wakefield capitalised on two errors in the first half to score. They didn't really look like they were going to beat our line without the helping hand we gave them. The missed conversions did us but that's the game now. Increased intensity, you can't switch off even for home games anymore and with Harlequins RL, Wigoon, Huddersfield (twice) and Rovers away (all winnable and loseable games) coming up we've got perhaps the most challenging and exciting closing third of the regular season since before Anderson came. We should be able to keep hold of second place as I think our run-in is likely to produce a couple more defeats.

I wouldn't say Superleague is increasing in intensity. This season, the game has slowed right down, open play and end to end rugby is confined to a few games now.
We are getting beat now by teams who can slow the game down and have a good kicking game. All the teams outside of Leeds and Saints are playing the same style of rugby, can imagine 5th to 10th only having 2 points difference between them.

Its though skill has been nullifyed and substituted by a speculative kicking game, they say its levelling off of the salary cap. I don't think it is, I think the officiating of the game means there is more time to defend giving more of an advantage to your "average" team.

Aye, no sweats what so ever. Shows that wakey are a sham if they cant take that team to the cleners. No big shakes, lost a game to bad goal kicking, whoppeee doooooooo !

Totally agree with this.

Disagree, I think you'll still win the CC but lose the GF again to Leeds.

Im very dissapointed a 600 mile round trip plus hotel for that. we made to many mistakes, and the kicking well less said about that the better. Why didnt potter tell someone else to have a kick I thought Gidley kicks? as saddened seems to be I also do not rate potter never wanted him in the first place, would very much like to see the back of him.

End to end sets aren't intense games, the most intense games we've had over recent years have been against Leeds and none of them have been end to end.



If you can't play against a set defence then I'd say your skillset isn't good enough.

Perhaps Gidley wasn't fit enough to do the goal kicking? No point risking setting his injury back really.

And if we were to see the back of Potter who would you have to replace him?

Potter has been brought in as a squad builder as well as a coach. He needs time to seek out the best potential in our academy and elsewhere. We are in a transitional period, yet somehow top of the league and in the semi of the cup, with our 2nd and 3rd props long term injured, our main 7 is probably out for the season and our academy lads are picking up a few injuries, all this and we can look down from the top of the table on every other team in the league. Crisis, what crisis?

How do you think that Japanese fella feels! His was 6000!

Can't agree with that mate. Granted, Unfortunately I'm no longer in a position to make my assumptions having watched every game these days, but from what I've seen the matches lost by Saints (and Leeds) this year have been down to poor performances and not due to the improved play and intensity of the opposition.

For me that goes for Super League over all this season. Hate to have a go at our great game but the quality (and exitement) so far this year just hasn't done it for me I'm afraid.

Agree with this, i think its been a gash year so far. We have seen a few good uns on TV over the last couple of weeks, but before these close encounters its been dross. And ofcourse saints havent been red hot slick micks all year

I don't know where McClennan get's the intensity thing from either. I think the standards have genuinely got worse. No doubt the RFL will change the rules again next year when the Aussies and Kiwis whoop us at the end of the year though, so don't worry.

Exactly, the RFL will do an assessment on the future of the game, the diagnosis will be "hey we are playing Rugby like the Aussies did 5 years ago".
And the Aussies are now playing fast open Rugby, lets change the game in mid season..............then we will be ready for em.

And they'll still have half backs that can break down set defences and we still won't.