My original post was supposed to be tongue-in-cheek as a pee-take on Saints, but it seems to have turned into a useful constructive criticism thread!

The impressive thing is, that looking at those two teams on paper at the start of this season, any RL fan/pundit would be championing the amount of World Class Saints players on the field, and how Warrington would have to play their absolute best game of the season to win it.

We didn't play that well, in the end. But this Burgess team can play at C+ and still hang in there and sneak a win when it counts. This is the sort of performance that Saints or Wigan would be capable of against us when it counted in years gone by. Seems we are now able to match that.

As you say, what's not to like? It almost feels [ibetter[/i to put Saints out with an average performance when [ithey[/i were at their best!

Sorry SC but you are behind the times. Saints fans have had more fits of the vapours in the last 2 seasons than my Aunt Fanny , and she is flakier than a field full of flakes in flake county.

I suppose my only criticism from yesterday (apart from 6th tackle kicks) is that we looked (from a spectators POV) to be out-powered in the front row forwards, especially in the first half, although the yardage stats look similar for both teams. Can't fault the efforts of Philbin and Yates as 'smaller' front rowers but wonder whether Harrison, and more so, Vaughan and Musgrove didn't deliver their normal impact. Against KR on Friday, or Wigan if we play well enough to win on Friday, we'll need a significant uplift from the front row. And I'm not talking about effort, there's no criticism in that department, but rather impact and energy from our big men. We know they can do it so they collectively need to deliver their biggest performance of the season Friday night.

thought Philbin was immense.... and was absolutely key to the win...putting pressure on the kicker that led to out on the full and the williams drop goal.

I think we desperately need an ‘on it’ Philbin. Other than Walker we’ve lacked a bit of oomph from the bench at times.

In fairness to Vaughan it was his first game for a month. You can be as fit as you can but nothing beats match fitness

Interesting to see who SB chooses as starting props on Friday. I would not be surprised to see Vaughn start with either Harrison or Musgrove, and whoever doesn't make that call will be on the bench with Philbin. Slowing down HKR's go forward and neutralising Lewis and May, I'm sure will be areas of focus.

It'll be vaughan and yates. I've goy a sneaking feeling musgrove picked up an injury, that could be the only reason he didn't get brought back on

I was worried that I had put a hex on him by bigging him up and saying it was a no-brainer he played over Crowther. Pleased that he delivered again, with the most metres among our forwards and the plays you mention in extra time.

Big Sam has installed a belief that we can beat anyone. The lads will go there full of confidence knowing we are the only team to win at Wigan this season and only us and Catalans have won at Hull KR.

I can’t wait. Now The Wire.

A great win and plenty of areas ot improve.

1. Composure playing the ball ( 2 errors)

2.some poor defence reads leading to saints first 2 tries and we gave them a 5 to 3 overlap for their last try.

3. Tai is a dead end to attacks on the right.

But I'm not being churlish. The desire and fight was there to be seen.

I’ve got a feeling Musgrove didn’t come back on because Sam didn’t think he deserved to come back on and I think he’ll make way for Crowther on Friday.

I don't think so to be honest, Burgess said at one point Musgrove has been great for them......and he was so bog standard and still playing really low minutes. He doesn't really have a big impact for his size, but he comes on does a half decent job and allows our other forwards yo hace a break and not be over played.

Not so sure it was exactly put muscled.
Well over the 84 mins.
I would say Saints loaded up. and went to get the unassailable lead perhaps hoping to kick us deep and hold on, and have us make mistakes trying to pull it around by going away from the process.
However us scoring in the last play of the 40 wiped out the advantage.

Vaughan was un-Vaughan-like, perhaps edgy about being over aggressive or clumsy high in the tackles, and perhaps not battle ready after his lengthy absence. A muted impression in the first half, but just about holding fort, as did Musgrove, until our other spelled props returned.

Yates was constantly hitting them with hard runs and the spelling of Philbin kept him punching, Harrison worked hard but seemed to fatigue at the back of his stints.

We can’t afford to let KR hit us with 3 tries in the first half as Saints did, it would be draining to recover that against them.
I’m hoping the extra piece of missing Vaughan, will be the difference on Friday.
Although he’s done it recently, we can’t rely on Musgrove finding another level.