There was some silly stuff but you can't forget the fatigue factor.

This week post Wembley and a season full of injuries and minimal rotation all adds up.

I didn't think our discipline was too bad, Saints got on a roll and we tired in the second half,was to be expected.I think we did really well to stop them getting another try and maybe go on to win the game.
In my opinion saints are one of the form teams in the league and although they've been beaten 3 times on the bounce have put in decent performances and been edged out. Last night was a great performance and victory and one that gives us a shout of the top 4,although next week is almost a must win too.

Agree completely, I mentioned the Farrell penalty in the final earlier in the week. We were on top until then. We give a lot of unnecessary dumb penalties away.

I think it's fair to say that most of us recognise that we have been our own worst enemy at times all season. We give far too many penalties away and we have given penalties away when we're in possession far too often. It's criminal really. When we have our share of possession we generally win!
My issue with this thread (and other forums) is the reluctance of some supporters to give credit where it's due.

This season has been unprecedented in terms of injuries and yet we're still in with a realistic chance of making a 5th successive grand final. Our style of rugby has been heavily criticised but at times, we had little option but to play a more conservative game. We had a back line that not many would even recognise at times and we've been without many of our experienced players for large amounts of the season. Just 1 example was Leuluai broke his jaw. His understudy Shorrocks was already out for the season, the other understudy Powell was covering at Hooker so we had to play with young Woods who is nowhere near ready for 1st team.
Tomkins coming back has been huge for us but after almost 2 seasons out could never have been expected to set fire to the league straight away but he's really laying down a marker now.
I understand the frustration and share it to a degree but we have to be balanced and put the season into some perspective. I'm very optomistic about our clubs future.

Losing Escaré was a massive blow, and season changing.... Tomkins could have been eased into the halves, and we would have seen less of TL.. But as you say, TL has not been without his injuries either, and a serious injury at that.

Escare was on fire to be fair. Losing Flower meant less competition for props, Joel had to play prop, second row, loose forward and even stand off this season. We've not been able to rest players when they needed it and I'd bet my mortgage some have played with injuries because we had no other option. Of course it's frustrating when the quality drops but I'd say we need to appreciate the big picture.

A top win that. Only just watched the game and it was a good old fashioned Derby. After a moral sapping defeat at Wembley that was some turnaround.
I understand some of the comments on discipline but for me the overall performance totally overshadows the discipline issues.

Steady on itchy, that's far too positive for you pal!

Seriously, you're spot on!!

Really good performance last night. But I do agree, the silly penalties we give away is extremely frustrating. The game was made a lot closer than it needed to be last night, and a big sway in momentum happened when Wells came on for O'Loughlin and immediately gave away a ridculous penalty for a flop which was infuriating. We had a 20 point cushion at that point.

In form Saints? Before last night they'd lost two games on the bounce, albeit marginally but hardly in form.

How anybody can complain about that game is beyond me! We just beat a full strength, well rested Saints side at their place, when backing up from a Wembley final. Incidentally, we're fifth best in SL in terms of penalties, so our discipline can't be all that bad.

I thought the main reason they've been crap this season has been poor old Matty Smith. Seems I've heard that a lot since the start of 2017, even if it is comedy gold coming from supporters who once thought Luke Walsh and Travis Burns were good halfbacks.

Let's face it, if Shaun Edwards in his prime had gone from Wigan to St Helens, he would not have been good enough for the ultra-discerning fans of the super-Saints.