16 Mar: SL: St Helens v Leeds Rhinos KO 7.45pm (TV)

[JohnM]

Physical game. There are going to be some sore bodies tomorrow.  Well done Leeds, too many errors from Saints

[Jim Prendle]

So, by all accounts, Saints were by far the better side, but were robbed by the referee.

Deary me.

[MZH]

On 14/03/2018 at 9:14 PM, yipyee said:

Who knows.. we will see.

Should get a good price on that margin 

Hope you kept your money in your pocket.

As I said, Saints might play the better rugby but Leeds have endless resilience. Its very rare that they dont make a game of it on these big occasions. Regardless of the circumstances.

[Chrispmartha]

9 minutes ago, glossop saint said:

Right, I suspect I'll get plenty of stick but here goes...

Well done Leeds but in my (one eyed) view I thought Saints were the better team except for 10 minutes in the middle of the second half. Child' made some horrible decisions for both sides but I think that those were the difference between the two teams. Leeds did what Leeds do best and ground out the win.

We obviously missed Walmsley though given the Leeds injuries then that can hardly be an excuse.

Unfortunately it felt very like playoff rugby from Leeds and I almost expect Saints to finish top of the table playing nice stuff and then come unstuck in the playoffs in a game similar to tonight. It's still early season and it might even be a blessing in disguise to lose the unbeaten record and just get on with the season. Onto the next game and then the big test over Easter.

I think you’re giving your side too much credit, they looked great scoring flashy trys but that won’t win a game on its own.

I thought Leeds were very dogged, they knew they were low on troops and adapted superbly, I thought saints looked like they didn’t want to do the basics

[GeordieSaint]

3 minutes ago, Chrispmartha said:

I think you’re giving your side too much credit, they looked great scoring flashy trys but that won’t win a game on its own.

I thought Leeds were very dogged, they knew they were low on troops and adapted superbly, I thought saints looked like they didn’t want to do the basics

Completely agree.

[Chrispmartha]

Also wasnt Saints completion rate something like 50 odd percent?

 

you’re not going to win many games with that rate, tonight shoukd be a wake up call for saints they aren’t as good as there opening games suggest.

[Griff9of13]

33 minutes ago, scotchy1 said:

Thought that was a really good game. I know Saints are saying they didnt play well but they would have steamrollered a lot of teams tonight.

Did Saints play that badly or was it that Leeds wouldn't allow them to play well? All too often teams say the former when it's the latter that's true.

[JohnM]

6 minutes ago, Chrispmartha said:

Also wasnt Saints completion rate something like 50 odd percent?

I think the way Lèeds played may well have had something to do with that. Pressure.

[Jim Prendle]

28 minutes ago, Griff9of13 said:

Did Saints play that badly or was it that Leeds wouldn't allow them to play well? All too often teams say the former when it's the latter that's true.

Correct. Leeds showed tonight that the flashy stuff might get you some way down the track, but it won't get you home.

Great performance from Leeds, but very much helped by a Saints team that were starting to believe what everyone was saying about them.

[Bob8]

So, the main points are:

Jonhh1 is a meanie

TWIG is a meanie

Padge is genuinely shocked that St Helens fans are all meanies, whereas Wigan fans like him are lovely

and a few points about the game......

Play that first half again, so to speak, and Saints would win.  The first half seemed more one-sided to Saints than the second half was too Leeds. 

Saints have an unfeasible number of brain farts, not just when pushing their game to its limit, but utterly spontaneously

On the other hand,

Leeds lost players and managed to retain shape and organisation brilliantly.  They also defended ferociously and earned the Saints errors.

Well done Leeds, but I hope both will improve through the season.

[JohnM]

Quite so. In any case , I've just checked the result again and it shows that Leeds were indeed the better team. 

Mind you, that Barba lad is quite handy.

[Man of Kent]

Saints missed Walmsley. Speaking of who, he’s out “for months” 

http://www.sthelensstar.co.uk/sport/saints/news/16093723.Alex_Walmsley_injury_update/

[glossop saint]

8 hours ago, Chrispmartha said:

I think you’re giving your side too much credit, they looked great scoring flashy trys but that won’t win a game on its own.

I thought Leeds were very dogged, they knew they were low on troops and adapted superbly, I thought saints looked like they didn’t want to do the basics

Maybe. I do think that Saints were just about the better team. At half time I was confident of a win but 15 mins into the second half I started to get nervous. Even then I thought that Saints were stronger but Leeds were doing so well I just felt that Saints would get frustrated, push too hard, give Leeds a sniff and they would capitalise on it. It's what Leeds do best.

I agree with some that Saints were maybe starting to believe the hype which could have led to the silly mistakes that gave Leeds their opportunity. I still think that on another night (with a different ref?) Saints could have been 2/3 tries clear by 60 mins and it would have been a different story. Well done Leeds.

[Bob8]

1 minute ago, glossop saint said:

Maybe. I do think that Saints were just about the better team. At half time I was confident of a win but 15 mins into the second half I started to get nervous. Even then I thought that Saints were stronger but Leeds were doing so well I just felt that Saints would get frustrated, push too hard, give Leeds a sniff and they would capitalise on it. It's what Leeds do best.

I agree with some that Saints were maybe starting to believe the hype which could have led to the silly mistakes that gave Leeds their opportunity. I still think that on another night (with a different ref?) Saints could have been 2/3 tries clear by 60 mins and it would have been a different story. Well done Leeds.

I agree.

I think the two areas where Leeds were excellent were in reorganisation after losing players and in determination and discipline, so were able to rattle Saints.

[Gerrumonside ref]

Not read the thread in full and had a drunken night out on the tiles in Manchester before viewing a recording of it late last night.

To be fair to Leeds, they showed their champion spirit tonight when generally under the cosh by Saints for the first 50 minutes or so.

Then I think Saints lost their way, came up with a few errors (even Roby) and Leeds took full advantage.  A great try when Grace combined with Barba nearly saw Saints off the hook, but Leeds were not to be denied.

 

 

[fieldofclothofgold]

its very early in the season ,but a very valuable win nevertheless .Next week should be good all the Leeds United/Cas fans having to listen to Leeds Loiners singing their song on their ground .MOT or is it ALAW ?

[getemonsideblog]

Here is my match report of last night's game folks! https://getemonsideblog.wordpress.com/2018/03/17/report-saints-lose-as-leeds-shock-hosts/

[getdownmonkeyman]

I think Saints are the side to take most from this. They need a re-think, when a side is organised, collectively structured in defence it seems unsettle them somewhat.

On the flip side, they may consider themselves a touch unfortunate to play Leeds at a time when their side picked, dictated to play a simple gameplan.

 

[MyMrsWouldPreferSinfield]

It was a really enjoyable tight game.

Some great scores and none better than the Swift score. Brilliant.

Myler’s kicking was hit and miss but he does seem to be getting better game by game.

I am staggered Jones Buchanan has not been talked about more, he was outstanding. The best game I have seen him play in a long time.

The referee IMO had a quiet game which is always good. Yes an odd call or two but he certainly did not influence the game either way.

The Danny Richardson dive was embarrassing. I was cringing in my seat when he feigned being walloped. I know all teams do it, I just hate it. This is not football. I just wish the review panel would take a dim view and ban a player for 10 games and it would stop overnight.

I thought Wilkin actually played well, I know Saints fans give him stick but he made some useful contributions.

I thought Watkins won his battle with Percival who had a solid but quiet game.

Barba just oozes class he really does. I know one man doesn’t make a team but if Saints win something this year I doubt you would have won it without him.

Unusually for any team, Leeds played well from 1 to 17 and they were very resolute. Saints coughed up 18 errors to the Leeds 9. I suspect this was enough to tip it our way in the end.

[redjonn]

Well the result surprised me, given the lack of forwards Leeds had to draw upon due to injuries.

I guess Leeds attitude, grit and determination was a big factor. Especially given the added need to reorganise during the match.

In the first half Saints field kicking was the big difference, both pinpoint high kicks and along the ground. They didn't deploy much field kicking 2nd half probably the wind being against them. Never-the-less the kicking seemed more last tackle and nothing else is working type kicks not like first half, which was using it as a deliberate attacking option.

Saints dominated the first 15-20 mins of 2nd half and only come away with 2 point penalty. Leeds line defence easily coped, although Saints made big yards with the speed of their PTB but seemed to hit a wall in last 10/20. That's were they failed to win the game. Left the door open and to be honest Leeds maybe should have scored more... they bombed a clear 3 to 1 break and had other opportunities.

Can't see why anyone would blame ref for the loss.

[redjonn]

8 minutes ago, MyMrsWouldPreferSinfield said:

I thought Wilkin actually played well, I know Saints fans give him stick but he made some useful contributions.

 

Just on this point.

Yep I thought Wilkins played well, particularly his handling and spreading the point of attack.   Reading comments on this forum over the recent past you would think he was a donkey... well he wasn't last night.

[Faithful1865]

Its good to see (with 1 or 2 exceptions) that nobody is trying to pin the Leeds win on James Child. I think he had a good game and applied the rules fairly. Saints on their day will be a hard team to beat but Leeds have a DNA of knowing how to get a result and, much as I dislike them, I do admire their ability to come up with the goods. Best of luck to both teams for the rest of the season.

[billie joe]

No excuses Leeds deserved the victory we where very disjointed to say the least.

Lomax had his worst game ever in Saints colours which to be fair to him is very rare just had a mare of a game also credit to Parcell who for me along with Roby is the best hooker in SL.

 

[GeordieSaint]

3 hours ago, MyMrsWouldPreferSinfield said:

I thought Watkins won his battle with Percival who had a solid but quiet game.

After the WC, Watkins is the best centre in the world IMO. Not much between both centres last night but I think Watkins had a half a break at some point to edge the battle with Percival. Good contest between those two.

[Davo5]

37 minutes ago, GeordieSaint said:

After the WC, Watkins is the best centre in the world IMO. Not much between both centres last night but I think Watkins had a half a break at some point to edge the battle with Percival. Good contest between those two.

Watkins is not the best centre in the world.