My thoughts were that half the pack played well. But the other half the props where not quite there yet. Of the props out tonight. TP still looked the most dangerous but only on 1 or 2 runs. Clough was effective. But basically the props were all spelled for very short periods so they did not dominate.

However the back rows and roby where another matter. Roby was a machine, Dixon ran great lines offering himself up as a runner or foil, to get hit or run through. Sia was like a 5th prop, ran hard even when it was not the nice stuff but the grunt work to get batter. Wilkin tackled well and came into better form going forwards 2nd half.


Flannery well from what I saw not brill.

So with half a pack going well we are always told it's not how you play now that matters, but in 6 to 8 months time. We still put 38 on salford on a very cold night, some chapped hands out there me thinks. And Salford we kept them under 16 Royces target for last year defensively.

So why not firing at 100% we are just bubbling nicely for now.

We'll be ok against Wire

Lefranchie whilst new to the country was anonymous! Didn't realise he was playing until about 5 mins to go.

It's only round two and early days so no need to panic yet. As people have said, laffranchci is new, perry been out a year etc but I do sort of agree with the OP.

We cant just rely on robes to pull us out the crap and stand up. Last night was crying out for a jammer style run to lift the crowd and players.

I've said it all thru the close season, we will struggle in the pack. We've had a good pack over the past god knows how many years but a fear for this pack.

I might be wrong and hope i am but just feel we are short on quality props.

Had you been playing a better team you might not have been so lucky....

Salford looked tired midway through that 2nd half

If we'd have been playing a better team, we might have played different.

If and buts mate

I don't buy this, yes we have lost graham which was always going to be a major blow, but we have added laffranchi who looks like a Darren Britt type prop, we have effectively got a new prop on perry, added flanaghamn, and a much improved Dixon. We had the luxury of rotating props last night to rest lms which we haven't done for years. We are on the best position since 2006 when we had balou cayless graham Maurie and fozzie

We might have numbers are prop but I don't think we have quality.

what he said has somebody hacked your user name

The only quality we have lost is graham and there is no player on the world that could replace him. The team has to adapt to his loss and get away from relying on him. I think laffranchi will add the quality to our pack, give him a few games.

I know what your saying and I hope im wrong but I just think we lack a top quality prop.

I think laffranchci is doing ok but I still think we miss a out and out good prop.

Ideally for sure we would have signed another prop, but then none were available. Am not sure griffin that Geezer from Leigh would add anything in quality, the only other option was Gibbs, and I have no idea what he would have added. We could do with a other prop but then am sure evey other team would say the same. The likes of Warrington and Leeds have ageing props, wigans recruitment appears to have been woeful, maybe hull hudds and cats will cause us problems, but our pack should be able to compete with any of them.

Only time will tell. I hope your right and I'm wrong.

Thought we missed LMS yesterday, TP must be fully recognised as a prop now. Our biggest problem is an impact prop off the bench, we,ve not really had one now for 2 or 3 seasons since big Maurie left.
We do have a quality back 3 rotation though, Dixon and Soliola have raised the bar, so our pack strength will come from hooker and second row. Franki and Perry will get better as the games unfold.

The thing with Saints is they always have been a great second half team, similar to Oz v England, look like they are on the ropes 1st half and midway through the 2nd until they find this extra gear and batter teams in the last 20 mins.

I'd never write Saints off even without the FGB and the recruitment of the anonymous Laffranchi and Lance 'the crab' Hohaia