Saints were the better team and deserved their win. If you make twenty errors in a game then you're going to struggle to win against any team. Defensively Wigan were good, but turning over so much ball, particularly early in the tackle count was recipe for disaster.

The worrying thing is the timing of the attack, it shouldn't be so far off at this time of the year but it's going to have to be fixed, otherwise there'll be nothing to show for a seasons work. We seemed to be going too wide too soon and desperately needed someone to straighten us up.

We'll be playing Saints at Wigan again in the "Super 8's" lets hope for a more composed performance.

One thing I don't expect to see is four players having their worst game of the season in this game.

Haha has someone seriously claimed that Wigan are still the team to beat? Brilliant.

Regards

King James

Not one posting on the Saints board about the Wigan game all week until last night. North Stand a third full.

Funny how they all come out of the woodwork now though.

My muppet comment wasn't aimed at you as you are on here every week having a a good whinge. So at least you're consistent



We definitely aren't pretty to watch but we've made a few exciting signings, particularly Leuluai (as jonh pointed out) that could get us back on track.

Call me an optimist but I think this poor performance might just save our season. And yes I do still think we'll beat Hull in the semi.
I saw a team dying to win, almost lost their heads with too much passion and drive and not even 'smarts'.
We beat ourselves, sorry Saints, but we did. Tried to force passes and rush the play in wet weather conditions it was never going to work. With sprits high we didn't keep our heads and mentally cracked.

On top of all that Tomkins, who's not fit, had a bad game, he's our link out-wide bringing in the outside backs, he didn't manage it. Lockers, one of our main pivots and leader also couldn't link. I'm usually confident when these two play but it was not to be.

All in all what does the result mean? If we learn from it, nothing. Still in the hunt for the GF and CC.

Sadly many on here felt the same passion and cracked like the team posting how bad we are, we're not. We just let the event and conditions get the better of us.

Excellent post.

I agree with your season review and we have been 5hite to watch all year
Sadly that is all you need nowadays to make the top 4 play offs
We are still up for all 3 trophies but that is a stark reminder of how bad SL is and not how good we are unfortunately

I am getting bored of watching us under Wane as it is tedious and robotic each week and if we are in the entertainment business then we should be sued

Irrespective of how our season pans out I would love a new imaginative coach in charge of us for 2017 who could reinvigorate our club
If Madge had stayed with us I still believe that we could have won every trophy

I hope you are right I really do but I remain to be convinced. I have not seen a great performance all season (a couple of decent games) and I am not sure the team has it in them anymore - I hope I am wrong.

I honestly think considering the injuries and disruption throughout the season to be where we are in the table is a testament to the coaching staff and how we manage our salary cap. Not having a 'top heavy' cap where a few names take a high percentage of the cap.

Even now we have a number of first teamers missing, this has been something we've come to terms with. It's not an excuse as I think, all considering we've been winning and are still in the hunt for the two main trophies.

I think, from what I can recall off the top of my head, the best rugby all season was first half v Cas in the CC. I expect a similar performance v Hull. We control the ruck, suffocate their attack and deliver 'the move' at pace.

I'm not a betting man, but I would bet we beat Hull.

We can definitely still win ALL 3 trophies because the rest of the SL mob are all very poor too

Do we have to bring an A game performance to actually win a trophy this season?

I want to see us winning finals in style and blowing sides away with our free flowing rugby
Sadly Wane's coaching ability only extends to making us competitive and difficult to beat on our day

It's only an excellent post, if the team learns from it, and if Wane learns from it.

Time will tell the tale, are we good enough in single games where it matters, is Wane capable of getting this team doing something different?

Now before you call me a muppet because I don't come on here complaining every week (posting the same frustrating posts every week is as monotonous as watching us play), my views haven't changed from around this time last year when our attack just went stale. Irrespective of results, out efforts with ball in hand, options, creativity, variation, we have gone backwards, to the point now we can't actually get any worse. People repeat we will be fine once we get players back, we had good team out Friday and played the worst game of RL I've seen from Wigan in a very long time.

Please explain how you think we are going to improve as a team, don't mention returning players, explain how Wane is going to transform our attack with whatever players he has available. I'll quite happily discuss this with anyone, without name calling, a purely RL based discussion.

I honestly don't know how to answer that, I'm no more than a fan and can't pretend to be an expert on the game. There are far better posters on here than me who could give a more nuanced explanation; all I know is the management have gotten results in the past and I believe they can again.

Is that your official statement Mr Wane.....

i don`t think so.you only beat us by 1 point at KC,and we beat you by 14 at your place.

Finally somebody hits the nail on the head. Wigan have not put a single 80 minute performance in all season. Yes we've suffered with injuries but no matter who has taken to the field, we have never played well for a full game.
We played some decent rugby against Cas in the 1st half of the cup game but dropped off in the 2nd half. Same v Leeds at Magic and same v Catalan and Saints away.
Our attack has not fired at all. We just can't break down a decent defence that has worked out our move! Our ball control is poor, our passing accuracy has been awful at times with far too many balls going to ground. Our long kicking game goes down the fullbacks throat far too often and our discipline is horrendous! All this just means we give up too much easy possession and field position.
I don't think Saints are a good side but they were far better than we were on Friday. Our league position is unbelievable when you consider the standard of rugby we've churned out all year and it just papers over the cracks. We were very lucky to gets last gasp wins away at Huddersfield, Salford at home and Wakey (other close games too) and our points for column tells the story for me.
I'd never write us off but it's hard to see how we could beat Hull on Friday unless for the first time this year, everything finally clicks and we can nail a decent 80 minute performance. I really hope we can but I'm not holding my breath!

I can't disagree with any of that. Too often we've been reliant on a solo effort from Williams or Gildart to see us over the line, but that should be the icing on an already decent cake. We have no cake, just crumbs!

Saints are not a good side (even/especially their own fans agree!), and Hull are objectively a much better team. But as you say, Saints didn't have any problems nullifying us on Friday. Which wasn't hard, to be fair.

I'd be seriously questioning our coaching if we went for two when losing by more than two (unless it was seconds before half time).

As it stands there's not a shred of evidence that FC are any better than the perennial big game bottlers of recent seasons, Huddersfield. Decent discipline and minimal errors might well be all you need.

No chance of either of those at the moment.

Hull have enough big game experience amongst them, especially in the forwards to carry them through - I just can't see anyway of them bottling it. They're far and away the best team this year.

They are deservedly top, far and away the best team though? Nah.

Who is Shaun..Yours maybe..

Why are you following me round like a fart?

FWIW I think Hull have clearly been the best team, just "far and away" is a bit hyperbolic.

Just commenting on your nonsense Shaun.

Give it up and get the team ready for the semi we need to win.

When you've finished top by 1 point it is daft to say we have been far and away the best.

That said, we've been very good against the fellow top teams. We've played 10 times against the top 5 teams, and won 9. Even the defeat should really have been a draw if not for a Liam Watts brain explosion. Alot of them were very straightforward wins too.

I think we have shown we have the ability to win these big games. It remains to be seen whether we have the temperament for the big games. However whilst this is uncharted territory for the club, there are plenty of players in the squad that have done everything there is to do in the game.