Again

Pre season Friendlies are utterly meaningless

That wasn't the story though. James Child - whistleblower obsessive - was picking on PTBs last night which suggests that might be the penalty flavour of the first couple of months. Hudds were dinged for five PTB offences but they played them just as they were played last season. Saints also were dinged for a couple of PTB offences and only one would have been classed as an offence last season. If I were a Hudds fan I wouldn't worry about discipline on the basis of that match. James Child was practising his whislte blowing technique, as usual.

I thought Hudds looked more structured than Saints in attack during the first half. The second half was a mix and match half for both sides as that is when a lot of the subs were played.

Hudds did cross the line once but whoever it was who got across dropped the ball. Everyone was rusty and the point of trial games is to sort out those rusty bits. It was a good hit out for both teams and won't be an indication of what will happen during our proper match in a few weeks' time!

Don't agree with your comment regarding the Hudds attack, they had the majority of the field position in the first half and didn't cause any problems, although Saints did defend well.

Child's was looking for errors at the PTB last night, so you would have thought the play the ball area will be the focus of referees attention come the start of the season.

So basically it was the usual case of "penalise the visiting team at Stains"

Having attended last night the down fall mentioned above at the PTB was a real issue for us and we did not seem to learn the lesson quickly enough - ref was pretty consistent on this for both sides - although tbf 95% of PTB's are not correctly completed in any RL game



Good hit out for both sides and not sure what you can really determine from the result - will be different in Feb game.

However what did stand out was that both sides were pretty good defensively - Saints were very good in this respect. The difference for mine was the attacking prowess and Saints had the bigger edge here. Soliola was immense (hope Tai is as good) and their variation from the PTB and running lines in open play created the chances to score.

Would be happier with last nights display if I were a Saints fan - but given our absentees and the amount of changes made we went OK overall.

Hoping to see further imnprovement against Widnes next up - COYG!!!

Friendlies should mean a hell of a lot to someone who is supposedly pushing to get into the first 17,but last night that attitude was not evident,okay if you are an established first grader its just about getting your fitness,but as I said previous,none of the fringe who have played first grade previous impressed me,souch so that already I feel if we pick up injuries to the likes of Eorl,Ferres to name but 2,then their replacements are not going to be up to replacing them in any shape or form.

That is what friendlies should be about,not meaningless.

From the comments on our board, quite a few fans where very happy with the younger Saints forwards, Hand and Greenwood. Some suggesting that they could give Perry a run for his money. I don't buy into that as 20 mins in a mixed up friendly is not the same as battle hardened experienced forwards. But at least it means they are keen to step up, if the SL season is a warm for the playoffs, then there is a good arguement to sprinkle one of those youngster, early on in the season. With that enthusiasm in games that are less meaning full it will allow the top dogs the occasional week for recouperation, so they are still fresh come CC and playoffs

Sorry Sheepridge, but in 30 odd years of watching the game I've seen nothing to pursuade me the results of Friendlies mean a thing

The results of friendlies are meaningless. Friendlies in themselves are meaningful or clubs wouldn't play them. PA said this was an opportunity for players to stake a claim for the Widnes game and they were all excited about getting onto the pitch again.
According to Sheepridge Giant sounds like few have not fully taken the opportunity this time but it's early days and still all to play for regarding getting in that first 17. The Saints game will have proved invaluable to PA as he now has a good idea of where improvements need to be made. I expect an improvement next week from those that played v Saints.

Sorry code but I have never believed there is such a thing as a friendly game of RL.The easiest way to get injured is to play soft.

it was mullally that dropped the ball over the line??

agree with sheepbridge, for some this was an opportunity for them to show what they have and to put themselves with a chance of making the first game v saints..sounds like they didnt take it!

cording? ferguson? murphy? dawson? mullally? blackmore?

all above need to be busting a gut unless they fancy batley. we will see who didnt impress when they are dropped next week for others to come in

There were plenty of penalties for other "offences" too and Huddersfield's ill-discipline/the ref penalizing them (which ever it was), was their main downfall.