Well that was another tough night. I don't think any of us expected any less.

I thought the effort was there. They tried and at times that effort really shone through. Particularly in the first half defending their line. The tackling was better and they felt like they were playing more as a team. A blowout score was always going to happen, particularly as they tired in the second half. You can't fault the effort.

I've previously said that I would rather Myler concentrates on long term signings as opposed to short term fixes. But I have changed my mind on that score. We desperately need some additions. There's some good youngsters at this club with lots of potential. We saw some of them last night whilst others are soon to step up. But as someone said in another post, it was lambs to the slaughter last night and that's going to be the case every week until we get some bodies back from the side lines, which risks them being overexposed as Myler pointed out in his interview. But even when we do get some of the senior players back, I'm not sure it's enough. We need more. Players that can drive us up the field so we're not struggling to get out of our own half all the time, players with creativity that can marshal us around the field. We need to learn how to relieve the pressure on ourselves better.

Awful, but at least didn't have 6/7 quota places wasted.

I think people overestimated what Pele would/could actually do this season, possibly highlighted by you referring to him as an experienced player. He's only 6 months older than Will Gardiner and played a very similar amount of games. The fact he's come from Australia probably puts expectations up, but he's still fairly young and very inexperienced.

Whilst I agree, that makes him a poor signing. Not really in a position to be signing projects FWIW I think he could be a decent signing off the bench, but we have to surround him with some quality.

If you had Ese Ese and Fash starting, with Pele and Ashworth on the bench I think he will do better.

Yes, pretty horrendous especially compared to who we were signing just a couple of year before. We did at least bring Ratu in as a trialist that year.

Ah, well!! Nearly objective achieved!!! Doubt any of us were too surprised as to how last night panned out.
Onwards and (vaguely) upwards we go.

To cut a long story short! I would guess that didn't work out too well either.
We don't need this pressure on!!

That is true.

In Tony we trusted

iwould take Pele any day over Gardiner

I know they do, we have done for years but it’s clearly not working with the lightweight kids we have in. The forwards need to pick up the slack. Several times last night, only 1 forward took a drive in per set.

That's because we're not fit enough and spend too much time defending and forwards take 3 tackles to get back behind the ball. Add in shorter and passive defence and our sets invariably start within 10 metres of our own line

Whatever the issue, it needs addressing. The back rowers should be getting more involved. Either way we aren’t making yards, resulting in kicking from deep and inviting full sets to defend in our half. Can excuse the likes of Moy or Martin not making metres but not McIntosh, a senior player, who instead of belting back into the line, is crabbing across the pitch, throwing drop offs and speculators, one of which was miles forward.

If he was signed as a 5th/6th choice prop then maybe, but he's wearing the no.10 shirt, is taking a quota spot, and the club heavily hyped him up with the merchandise, so I think fans are right to expect more from him

If only we’d have dropped Okunbor and played balmforth like people have been shouting on here for years , we might have taken the 2 points last nights eh …. Hindsight is a wonderful thing isn’t it ! Coaches galore

Yeah, Radders just wasn't backed finacially after delivering us our greatest times in modern history, and that cost us losing one of the best coaches in the business. He was still savvy enough to bring in some cheap gems like Ratu, Satae and Swift. And while we went backwards, he went on to be part of the coaching staff that took Samoa to the World cup final.

And nearly got cas relegated. One of the best coaches in the business? That's the funniest thing I've seen in a long time

What a stupid post. Okunbor needed dropping, and Balmforth was one of the positives from the other night. Not a single person suggested that making those changes would bring us a result, just that we might look better for it.

Balmforth 16 tackles 1 miss
Houghton 36 tackles 5 misses
So pretty comparable

On another point
Sutcliffe 8 tackles 6 misses
Litten 16 tackles 7 misses

Easy to see where saints got some success. The 2nd row/centre partneship and the half defending out there is so important. Poor structure, fatigue and lack of familiarity with each other all contributing factors but we definitely need better 2nd rowers

Must admit I was getting very frustrated at the amount of times Sutcliffe rushed in to tackle the 2nd rower leaving Martin to tackle Hurrell and Makinson

and centres
Always said Sutcliffe was a poor signing and you can now see it

l
Agree we do like to blame individuals- it’s been confirmed he lacks confidence. You would be reticent to have a hit up if you are low on it. Some dubious man managers on here stating he’s lazy he’s stealing a wage etc etc without knowing the ins and outs. We all know he’s playing crap but telling him isn’t the solution. But this is a forum so heyho. We can only get better but how quick?

So do we keep playing okunbor until he gets some confidence or do we pay him to sit around or play in the reserves? The guy isn't even a proper 2nd rower

Will probably end up in France, either at Toulouse or playing RU.

id stick to basketball