Some positives...

Ratchford had a good game including his kicking game; 2 try assists with kicks to the corner, very nearly created a try for himself and came up wuth some good positional kicking too.

The front row made great yards against a big Saints pack and put in some strong tackles.

Westerman looked effective in attack, Atkins good form and desire continued and Currie did what he needed to.

Starting front row did, the bench wasn't very good, and we were undersized and struggling against their big props for the most part in defence.


As mentioned, the bench wasn't great however have we realized we've run out of props? King being the only one who plays there thoughis more of a back rower currently.

We really need Bailey and bevans to be in contention to play as this could be come a problem

Can Gidley, Ratchford and Westerman all have had injuries that stopped them from kicking and led us to have Westwood with the tee instead? Bizarre if so. Also, anyone know where Cox was?

A positive....... our worst performance of the season and we only lose by 3 points.

A fit goal kicker and we'd have won the game despite being terrible.

Wire lost this games for two reasons, firstly the huge number of mistakes, secondly goal kicking. I suspect the mistakes were a price to be paid from the tough Easter schedule at least I hope so as it looked like a comedy act at times, particularly when the ball was in the air and getting volley-balled to the next man (a Saints player). On the goal kicking front we managed only 1 from 5, when even 3 from 5 would have won us the match. We knew Gidley couldn't kick , so somebody should have been spending long hours last week practicing goal kicks - we get another 50% of the points from the goal but I suspect that it was a case of " yeh, well, we will see which player puts his hand up on the day".

We lost this match rather than Saints winning it.

(Cox had a niggly shoulder I believe)

We looked short/light in the forwards with no Dodds and no Cox.

When Clark was off Ratchford went to dummy half (where his passing was erratic at best) which left us with one half back on and we lacked ideas.

But our two defeats have mainly been down to missing goals! We could still be 100% if it weren't for that.

As said losing at home to Sts no surprise it was the manner in which we lost, a penalty immediately after Gidley drops the ball kick off out on the full, knock ons and misreadings Russell fumbles for another try, woeful goal kicking Gidley by his own admission was off, ever the optimist so hoping that was all or most of our off days out of the way, five tries at home and lose says it all.

I feel Smith got it wrong tonight, Westwood who can no longer give us the old intensity and not have the legs to do what Currie does and he's not a goal kicker would have been better off the bench, Currie at centre goes back to the pack then Hughes goes off, Ratchford for all his glitz just doesn't create enough at half Gidley reckons they have a lot of work to do on the training park to get an understanding at times he was having to tell Ratchford what the next play was, if Gidley was playing on one leg he should have taken some of the load off him, both players are better than this but when our intensity dropped off at times they seemed like a luxury.

Fages even when at times we had his measure he kept Sts going forward with hands and some deft kicks deserved his MoM.

Picked wrong team

I presume you mean that you think TS has other playing options rather than choosing to play (on current form ) Huddersfield?

After the Wigan game I was hoping they would be practicing dropping onto loose balls, didn't look like they did.

Over the years the Saints management & team of the day have always thrived on putting us to the sword & no matter how bad Saints may be they will always find something special against the Wire. Sadly, last night was no exception.

Problem is, last night, there wasn't anything special about the Saints performance - we were abject yet still outscored them on tries. Saints were conservative, had a fantastic kicking game, a standout forward in Walmsley and took their chances ................. and they had a goalkicker as well.

That Saints team lacks pace, guile and skill in comparison to Saints teams of the recent past, and most Saints fans would agree with that analysis. So, they played to their strengths (forwards), kept it tight and waited for their chances.

Last night's Warrington team plus a goalkicker and/or a fully-fit half-back would have condemned Saints to another defeat, albeit unconvincingly.

Don't know if its been asked but what was wrong with Cox. Not seen anything about why he did not play.

TS said he had a shoulder problem but 'should' be okay for next Friday.

Didn't he take quite a few big hits against Wigan ?