4 Oct: Super League Semi-Final: St Helens v Warrington Wolves KO 7.45pm (TV)

[Lowdesert]

Is anyone going to mention Bryson Goodwin?  Seems to never stop trying to give 100%, and imo is a hell of a buy for Wire.  Without him as a threat himself, Lineham wouldn’t have had the space for his breaks.  Very underestimated player.

[Dave T]

20 minutes ago, Lowdesert said:

Is anyone going to mention Bryson Goodwin?  Seems to never stop trying to give 100%, and imo is a hell of a buy for Wire.  Without him as a threat himself, Lineham wouldn’t have had the space for his breaks.  Very underestimated player.

To be fair, he has been outstandting all year and was unlucky not to make the Dream Team. Even when he isn't making the spectacular plays he is a very hard worker, which is a quality I like for flair players.

[Gerrumonside ref]

It’s not easy to say, but well done Warrington.

Think St Helens will reflect upon some poor decision making especially when they had Warrington under the cosh.

Ben Barba in particular was poor in defence for at least two of the tries.

With all that said though Warrington were rewarded for being positive while Saints hesitated and played things very safe.

[Mattrhino]

6 hours ago, Exiled Wiganer said:

I have to say I really dislike this “hubcap” jibe. We watch our teams for 8 months, and it is a great achievement to finish top of the league. It doesn’t deserve to be denigrated, it deserves to be celebrated. I think their young looking Aussie coach (“YLAC”)  has got a huge amount out of Saints, through conditioning, coaching and organisation. When you compare them with how they were up to last Easter, the same group of players has kicked on hugely. What he now has to do is work out how far this group can actually go, how to recruit the talent they need, and how to develop the talent that is already there. He will also have a far better idea of the rhythms of an English season,  and when to peak, which can be an art form. 

Finally, I think they have been over praised at times - which is not their fault at all - if the story had been “wow, look at what YLAC is getting out of pretty much the same group as struggled last year, with added Barba,” then their season could feel very different from this look at these wall to wall world beaters. 

Your right, I was elated when we got it in 2015 but you really need to back it up with the big one for it too mean much.

[Leeds Wire]

1 hour ago, Lowdesert said:

Is anyone going to mention Bryson Goodwin?  Seems to never stop trying to give 100%, and imo is a hell of a buy for Wire.  Without him as a threat himself, Lineham wouldn’t have had the space for his breaks.  Very underestimated player.

Goodwin has been fantastic all year, he is the complete centre.  I don't know how much we're paying him but it's worth every penny.

[Lowdesert]

59 minutes ago, Leeds Wire said:

Goodwin has been fantastic all year, he is the complete centre.  I don't know how much we're paying him but it's worth every penny.

Yep, but barely got a mention here.  Just shows how he goes under the radar.  

As I was watching it I thought back to the year when Lineham and Crooks were ripping it up as a partnership.  How destiny and opportunity has differed between the two, since leaving Hull.  

[Desert Skipper]

Oh, one more thing whilst we're at it... (two to be precise):

Can Eddie H and co please finally put to bed the cringeworthy "Never write off the Saints!" and "Is it Warrington's year?" rubbish that is rolled out every time the teams play each other?   Just focus on the gameplay and provide us with some useful analysis.  It's embarrassing.

 

[Dave T]

32 minutes ago, Desert Skipper said:

Oh, one more thing whilst we're at it... (two to be precise):

Can Eddie H and co please finally put to bed the cringeworthy "Never write off the Saints!" and "Is it Warrington's year?" rubbish that is rolled out every time the teams play each other?   Just focus on the gameplay and provide us with some useful analysis.  It's embarrassing.

 

It is particularly lazy when they talk  about the Wire v Saints thing, and them having the measure of us when you look at the fact that in the last 7 years we have met 3 times in semi finals, and Wire have won each of them.

[Oliver Clothesoff]

That gutting feeling, that sense of emptiness, that disappointment. We've been here before. Only two months ago but also for the past four consecutive years as we've blown/bottled/choked at Semi-Final stage, this time at the hands of Warrington. 

No complaints about the outcome of that game. On the night Warrington were the better side and deserved to win the match. It still rankles though, given how we finished comfortably and deservingly well above Warrington in the regular season. That's not me saying I don't like the system in place, we all know the structure and it's been the case for twenty years and over the course of a thirty-one game season, we can't say we're a Champion side. The harsh realities of sport strike again. 

Three tries to one tells you everything we need to know about that game and once Luke Douglas crossed, we never looked like threatening Wire's line. Kicking goals and dropping goals is all well and good but it's tries that win you games, not taking, or attempting, to kick penalties every time you get the opportunity. 

Justin Holbrook though, he needs to learn some lessons though. This is the third semi-final we've been in under him, we've won absolutely none and in each one, there's been a case that Holbrook got the team selection wrong. Theo Fages was left out last night and if James Roby was really carrying an injury, I suspect he was, why Fages wasn't in the side is baffling. I'm not a Fages fan in all honesty and I'm not saying we'd have won with him in the team but he looks more of a natural hooker than Morgan Knowles and would have given the opportunity to spare Roby every twenty minutes. 

Another season done and it's been memorable, even though we've lost our two biggest games. We've played rugby the right way for most of the year. It's massive improvements from the attempt at rugby we suffered under Kieron Cunningham and this team, barring Barba, is the same team left behind by Cunningham. Next year sees Holbrook put more of his own stamp on the side and it'll be interesting to see what happens. 

 

[Desert Skipper]

25 minutes ago, Oliver Clothesoff said:

if James Roby was really carrying an injury,

If James Roby was really carrying an injury, it didn't show.   Saints attack improved ten-fold when he came on.

[Oliver Clothesoff]

21 minutes ago, Desert Skipper said:

If James Roby was really carrying an injury, it didn't show.   Saints attack improved ten-fold when he came on.

That’s not much of a statement. It was non-existent before he come on. A one-legged Roby would have still improved it. 

[ELBOWSEYE]

Just spoke to a person who organises coaches for away games and they were told non available due to saints putting a deposit (non refundable) on all the coaches due to their expected Grand final appearance. Certain amount of arrogance. Needless to say the coaches were again available late Friday. 

[ivans82]

Warrington deserved their win , Saints right hand side defense was horrific , 3 really soft tries with minimal effort made to stop them .Think the tackling bags will be out during the off season .

[Wiltshire Rhino]

Just got round to watching the highlights. An absolutely great game of RL!

Also a great post match interview from Jon Wilkie. Never really been a fan of his, but that interview was class. Was dreaming of being carried off the Old Trafford pitch a winner but, as he said, it wasn't to be because "that's sport and that's why we love it!" 

[Desert Skipper]

49 minutes ago, Wiltshire Rhino said:

that interview was class

He’s always carried himself well on TV.   I think Michael Shenton is also the same, so it’s a shame we seem to stick with stereotypes that roll out the same old cliches every week.