Quote: LewCharnock "That Magic performance is the one that has encouraged me the most. We were really poor that day (I know you were missing key players, we were missing a few also), but still looked the much better team. Saints were pretty blunt with the amount of ball they had; I'd love to see the stats of the game in terms of territory and possession etc. Yes, Saints are rightly favourites for future meetings and the GF, which I am pretty sure, will be contested between the two sides, but the gap is closing at a fair old rate.
Great debate though, keep it coming!'"
Quite shocked at this. I thought territorially we battered you personally and said this on here after the game. In terms of metres made on the day we were over 400m more than you for example (despite you scoring from two long range breaks from Field and french too). We also made more carries and you made more tackles. So in terms of both possession and territory we were on top. You were forever finishing sets in your own half. We were camped in your half for the start of the game but I don't recall us being under the pump on our line for long spells.
What you do have though is that "X-factor" that we don't have. In Field and French you have players who can literally score from anywhere on the field and they've proven that time and again (including at Magic).
I think games between the two sides will follow similar patterns for the time being. We will get on top in the middle and win the field position battle and try and pick off our chances when they come. Whereas Wigan will almost accept they will get less field position but they'll know they can burn us from anywhere on the field.
It's a real contrasting battle of styles and it could go either way when we meet up again.