We've had exactly the same problems with motivation all year albeit on a larger and more damning scale, let's not forget you are heading the league to start with!!

I understand both MagicSuperBeetle's and St Pete's points regarding motivation from an external source (being the coach) and intrinsic (natural player motivation), it's quite simple but you have to have a good mix of both with the majority coming from the coach.

We've simply had a negative, passionless approach from Sandercock and to me his persona seems to match that of Brown, too careful, methodical but lacking real bite and a big contrast to that of Shaun Wane for example. It's all about player management too and obviously you're going to get the best results dealing with individuals needs as well as the team as a whole.

Going to say a real winning mentality stems from the coach, you've got extreme examples where a team (Leeds for example) have a set of players who have success ingrained in them but that's down to numerous coaches down the years drumming that into a close knit bunch.

In your example, Brown's always struck me as a guy who will only get you so far, that's not to say he won't be entirely successful to some, I would just predict you'll never win a major trophy with him in charge, he's still a better version of Craig Sandercock however.

Finally, the way Super League's set it's truly not right how teams almost go as far as 'choosing' to go through bad spells of form to provide a backs against the wall and the only way is up attitude for when it really matters i.e the end of season play-offs! It's not really fair on the fans who pay good money but that's the way the league is set up...a first past the post wins the league would change this mentality...

I'd really worry if you threw out a performance like this against Wigan or a Leeds or even a challenging for honours Hull KR side (wishful thinking but if anyone knows the history of RL they'd know we should be up there!!).

Good luck for the rest of the season.

I'm in utter shock we are top of the league. It shows that the standard is pretty poor these days.

Can't disagree with that, it's a point everyone agrees on, compare the quality to even 10 years ago and it's changed. Lightyears doesn't go far enough from the distance that we're away from the NRL.

I was listening on the radio today and was in shock as it was happening...However, on reflection it shouldn't be that shocking. How many times have we done this so far this season? It's becoming painful to watch us succumb to another team that we should be beating and beaten by such a margin. I've been embarrassed of this team far too often this season.

It's tiresome and if the players can't be d to put a shift in every week, then why should I be d?

What on earth is everyone else doing? How can we be top of the league. I can't get my head around that at all.

Wish I could disagree. I look at our present team and wonder how many would have been good enough to get into the Saints team of 99/2000/2002 & 2006...

None

a comment made on the radio was that the reason the results this year have been less predictable is not that the mid placed teams are getting better, but that the top teams are getting worse. and its very true.

Saints of 96 and 2005-7 would walk this league
Bradford of 2000 ish would walk this league
Wigan of 94-5 would walk this league.

in 2005 we could sign Jamie Lyon and had Darren Albert, 2 years later we signed Matt Gidley.
a year or so later Wigan had trent barratt and Leeds signed buderus
quality, world class signings.

9 years later or less NRL averagely good Luke Walsh is described as a superstar (Longy at 28 was far better)
Wigan's amazing signing was a player who retired before signing for them. Leeds' best player is 36 and they're second best 34

Roby would be good enough for a bench spot.

and thats all he got behind KC

We are top because (a) we put in that great run to start with and (b) we have won just enough games to put us back there when we have slipped down.

So I think the club probably wants to win the hubcap but the coach and/or players are simply doing the minimum they think is required to achieve it.

You was saying ?

It's got to be a result of most clubs tightening their belts a bit and not paying crazy wages for overseas stars. There's definitely a lot more homegrown players playing for their clubs which is a good thing of course. It depends what you prefer I guess...do you want 12-14 teams spending daft money, increasing their quality but obviously decreasing their stability or do you want to see it how it is now?

Interesting point above.

I've checked our record since winning the opening 9 games.

We've played 11 games, won 5 and lost 6 (including a cup game).

Very inconsistent form and it is difficult to know what Saints side we'll get these days. Have we simply dropped off in games to save energy for the end of the season or have injuries affected us and we've dipped in form? The Wigan game and Leeds game earlier in the season suggests that we do have the quality & mentality to win big games, but we show no real consistency (then again, nobody has really).

Interestingly enough, Kyle Amor played in just 1 of those games which was Leeds in the cup when he wasn't fully fit.

We have Bradford (h), London (a) & Widnes (h) as our next 3, 3 of the kindest fixtures we could face and a chance to build some winning form going into the end of season games where we face Hull (a), Wakey (h) Leeds (a), Wire (h) & Hudds (a) - tough games there, so our consistency has to improve if we want to finish top 2.

I have my own spreadsheet at work where I have split the season into 3 sections 1 to 10, 11 to 19, 20 to 27.
For the rounds 11 to 19 involving the top 4 teams of Leeds, Castleford, Wigan and Saints, results wise we have faired better:-

Leeds 4 lost, Castleford 4 lost, Wigan 4 lost, Saints 3 lost, the main difference is that we have not lost to Leeds, Castleford and Wigan in this period whilst our challengers have.

I reckon if we get 2 wins from Leeds, Huddersfield or Warrington then we will be top 4, the players state of mind in the playoffs will be another matter.

If we win 2 out of those 3 games we'll probably finish 1st or 2nd.