whilst we hammered you last night I suspect we will be meeting again in the final. I am sure Wigan will play a lot better next time.

and Sammut, for god's sake put a scrum half on the pitch, someone who can organise the team and has a kicking game, that might help.

I find it amusing the way some people think some players a top class on week then we should get rid of them the next.

At the end of the day this St Helens team finished 16 points above us, have the confidence of having already beaten us 3 times this year and were at home.

We all agree that their pack is better than ours particularly in the prop department. Thompson and Walmsley both had outstanding games last night and the rest of the team played off the back of it. IMO those two are the difference between St Helens and the rest of the league at the moment.

I’m obviously disappointed but it was hardly unexpected.

Probably too late now to be doing that but generally I agree. Maybe give him a go off the bench next week.

FB 20 Hardaker
RW 17 Marshall
RC 3 Sarginson
LC 4 Gildart
LW 43 French
SO 6 Williams
SH 7 Leuluai
P 24 Partington
H 9 Powell
P 10 Flower
SR 13 O'Loughlin
SR 12 Farrell
LF 36 Smithies (loose in defence, swap with Lockers in attack)

S 8 Clubb
S 11 Greenwood
S 14 Navarette
S 37 Sammut

Leave out:
Hankinson - thought he went OK tbh but we need Sarginson's metres and he has big game experience
Burgess - was winding me up going sideways then backwards last night. We need to make better use of French and this would be the obvious way to do it
Byrne - I'm sure he'll mature into a good player but he gets smashed too regularly right now for me. Navarette isn't great but I don't think he loses the collision as much
Isa - I've stuck up for him before but last night he was horrific. Surrendered every tackle and was badly at fault for one try. Greenwood hasn't been great for us but at least we know that on his day he has the talent.

I would hesitate to dump the generally very reliable Isa for one poor game.

Just looking at the stats from the game. Saints had big metres all over the pitch, backs and forwards. We had two props who made 20m or less, and winger who made 34. I felt at the game that Gildart was about the only one to put his hand and make to make something,and his creditable figures reflect this. And the much maligned Williams was actually out top metre-maker.

Yea that a little bit of an overreaction,it was a stinker granted but he’s been dependable.

Especially as he’s our top tackler this season.

It would be a huge call but the more I sit and think, the more I want to put Sarginson at fullback. His energy is boundless and he will make you rafts of metres from that position and set a tone. I doubt it will happen but Hardaker will do fine at centre and he isn’t threatening enough from fullback at the moment for me.

I’d go-

Sarginson
French Hardaker Gildart Marshall
Williams Leuluai
Flower Powell Navarrete
Smithies Greenwood Farrell

Subs
Lockers Partington Isa Clubb


Only thing I’m unsure on is Faz or Smithies at right second row. Maybe Greenwood can go in there but all the indications are that he isn’t comfortable over there.

In defence line up as ...

Hardaker
French
Sarginson
Gildart
Marshall
Williams
Leuluai
Flower
Powell
Partington
Farrell
Isa
Smithies

O’Loughlin
Navarette
Greenwood
Clubb

When in attack switch the back 5 to ...

French
Sarginson
Hardaker
Gildart
Marshall

I don’t think moving Zak would achieve anything. Honestly I just don’t think our play is currently suited to linking him in the way Tomkins used to. I hope that changes next season, it needs to because as it currently stands we have very little attacking threat.

I’m going to go against what I have said previously and go with French in the halves and Tommy to #9. I don’t know whether it was just a bad game or his wrist but Powell just didn’t look right. Clubb dropped completely. 2 drives and 11mtrs is embarrassing for any prop forward but for a professional is completely unacceptable:

Hardaker
Marshall
Sarginson
Gildart
Burgess
Williams
French
Flower
Tommy
Navarette
Farrell
Greenwood
Smithies

Isa
Lockers
Partington
Byrne