Quote: The Yellow Giraffe "Well you did ask...........
I don't buy into the "bottlers" thing at all but I do have concerns about us tactically in close games. To say we bottle it would suggest we simply don't turn up in the big games. However I don't think that is true.
2020
League decider - 6 points in it with 9 mins left v Wigan.
Cup QF - 2 point game v Warrington.
2019
Wembley was a poor performance but we were still well in it with 10 mins to go before Clark scored.
Semi final - superb performance and result (more on that in a second) and a fairly comfortable GF win.
2018
Playoff semi final - Winning with 5 mins left
Cup semi v Catalans - awful
I'm not saying we played well in all of those games but out of the 7 of them in the last 3 years I would genuinely only say we bottled one of them and that was the Catalans cup semi final. Wembley last year at a push.
As you mentioned, that semi final performance against you last year was one of the most ruthless, dominant performances I have seen in a playoff game in years. Our confidence was sky high, we got on top early and we stayed there, not really giving you a sniff.
Our problems seem to arise when we don't get ahead early doors. I have said it before that we can run right over the top of most teams and get on top fairly comfortably. But as most Saints fans agree, we sometimes struggle with a Plan B and get impatient when we can't bully teams. I have highlighted Fages as a weak point for the last 2 years and I still stand by that. He doesn't have the magic or nous in big games to unlock the tightest of defences. He's a good solid player behind a dominant pack but he struggles to create anything himself more often than not. I've said it a hundred times this season that Aidan Sezer for example would take us to another level.
In the past I'd always be confident we would score if given 2 or 3 repeat sets on an opponents line but not anymore. We don't have lots of variety to our play at all and part of the reason for that is our Plan A is good enough 90% of the time and has been for the last 3 seasons. But I have seen us camped on an opponent's line this year and not really produce anything. That's my concern for Friday.
Having said that, I thought we showed great discipline and patience v Catalans. We handled that game much much better than the Wigan game a few weeks ago where we got sloppy and frustrated. If we can keep our completion rate high and keep our discipline with and without the ball then I fancy us. But Wigan will know how to rattle us and take their chances when they get them. I don't think you will try and blow us away early doors, I think you will try and frustrate us into forcing the play and coughing up errors.
Far too many "ifs" and "buts" to make a prediction. So many variables that could affect the game. Is Walmsley fit? Will Powell play? Will Wigan keep their heads? Will Grace get the wobbles again? Literally anything could happen.
But to answer you original question, yes I do have concerns about us in big games but that comes down to our reliance on Walmsley,etc getting on top in the middle, as opposed to some sort of mental frailty.'"
Cheers YG, as RL debate should be!
I agree generally, I think if Wigan stick with Saints and Walmsley (fitness permitting!) in the first 20, they have a great chance. In the game a few weeks ago, saints without Walmsley dominated the first 20/30, but didn’t convert it into points. Wigan then took over and then looked very dangerous in the 2nd half when spreading the ball wide.
It will be interesting to see how fit Walmsley actually is, as he is a massive game breaker between the two sides. It didn’t look good last week, with the physios having to attend to him two or three times during the game. Sadly, I wouldn’t be surprised if saints blew Wigan away in the first 20 and got into an unassailable lead, but I just feel Wigan are the fresher, more patient side over the 80 minutes.
