Simba16:



Not disagreeing as such but in the last couple of seasons we have also used this period to rest players and to bring on youngsters - IIRC v Hull we had Nsemba and Eckesley, this season we are close to full strength and still looking poor. I get that we have a couple carrying injuries this year.

Azul:



Where’s the guarantee that this can happen every year & it always be ok? 

In previous seasons we’ve been poor for 4-6 weeks. Not 4-6 months as we have this time. 

jonh:

Game plan….anyone any clue what it is?


0 engagement with the line from the halves no bodies in motion and 0 direction from 9 or 7.


It’s like night and day from such displays like Vegas.


We look like Wigan under Noble.


Last tackle plays and options very poor even when on the front foot in the first half.


It can be turned around but it will take one hell of a coaching job from Peet and his assistants to do it.

Cokey:



Not tonight bud

jonh:

I don’t think we played bad, as such but we were so dumb. The tactic of constantly high balling the left edge was bizarre. I get going there a few times but all match…when they look rock solid in the air….bizarre.




We had enough opportunities to be a few scores up in the first half with the errors Leigh made and simply couldn’t because we lacked athleticism/enthusiasm.


When Farrimond broke on the right edge after the contact from Keighran when he got run down Leeming was the only Wigan shirt anywhere near him, the left edge didn’t even push at all. The result was Leeming scooting sidewards then backwards to find support then putting in a drop off which Havard just looked at as it hit the floor. 


Really poor.

Allypie:

Man and ball, man and ball, man and ball....it was drummed into us. Clamp that ball. Ain't rocket science...done us today!
From cruising to losing. From Smith kicking out on the full we were clueless and out enthused and out energised. Can't play as bad again - I hope..

Big Steve:

I thought we started well with far more movement and intent to run the ball out from our half, we made it harder to defend instead of using the dull 1 out carries we've had recently.  We were far more aggressive in defence.   It's usually a good indicator when we start like this that our attitude is good and we're likely to win........


But, I thought both Liam and Abbas looked like they were at 80% and still nowhere near fitness.    It would have been interesting to see what Wade could have made of those chances out wide in the first half - but i think he would have struggled with the carries off our line - on balance probably the wrong game to make his debut.   


As others mentioned, we seemed to lack some support play when we did make breaks  - it' was almost as though it wasn't in the game plan to make breaks from our half so the other edge were still expecting a defensive play.


Which leads me onto the 2nd half........ we went back into our shells and reverted back to playing non attacking rugby with the same predictable last play from Smith the the high kick into the corner.   I don't understand why we continue to use the same tactics Huddersfield used against us in the CC final at Spurs.    I know Peet's strategy is to work hard, tire the opposition and put on points later  - but I'm pretty sure the only attacking move we put on in the 2nd half was in the final 5 minutes when Field made a half break on the LHS.     


We have the players in Field, Junior, Wardle, Marshall, Farrimond, Mago and Smith to open teams up on the outside or inside yet this season we have very rarely shown the desire to even try - apart from the Vegas game when we clearly went there with the intention to entertain and attack.  Why are we continually leaving it so late to start even thinking about attacking - doesn't really make sense when we have so many strike players and we are making it easy for fit teams to defend against us.   We can no longer rely on being the fittest team to stay in the grind and bank on scoring tries in the last 10 mins.


Still confident in Peet but I do feel we need to tweak our game plan.

moto748:

Did Saints go through a mid-season slump during their period of dominance?

Stu M:



Not a sustained run of games no. I remember Salford putting over 40 on us July 2022 but I can’t remember a slump as such. Obviously we lost games and the odd one by a few points but we always responded quickly.

A Wigan win would’ve benefited Saints last night as we’d be above Leigh now had you won but as much as it’s nice to see Wigan lose it suited us for you to win.


I thought it was a great game to be honest. Have to say that teams obviously miss their best player but Wigan genuinely look very very different without French. I’m not so sure there’s another team in the league that drops off as much losing their best player. 


I still think you’ll beat HKR in the Final so nothing has changed there but you are so much better with French than without. So much better. 


Nb not trying to turn this into a Saints thread (I’m aware there’s a thread for that) but I don’t think it’s going to be too many years before Harry Robertson is talked about in a similar vein. 


This kid is special, playing out of position and still doing well. His footwork is sublime. 

Simba16:



Not disagreeing as such but in the last couple of seasons we have also used this period to rest players and to bring on youngsters - IIRC v Hull we had Nsemba and Eckesley, this season we are close to full strength and still looking poor. I get that we have a couple carrying injuries this year.

Zig:



The problem is that our forwards are getting bullied, they need to stand up and be counted.