24 Aug: Coral Challenge Cup Final: St Helens v Warrington Wolves KO 3pm (BBC)

[Gray1967]

1 hour ago, DiH68 said:

Well get off this forum then

Yeah coming on here with all your positivity and saying you enjoyed it....shocking...no on is impressed with this sort of behaviour you know

 

 

[Saintslass]

I went to Wembley today.  I'm still in London, visiting relatives, but my other relatives who I travelled down with are no doubt still on the coach, my young nephew was gutted by the performance Saints put in.  However, I'd bet there isn't a single Saints fan who didn't fear that such a performance would be the one they put in given firstly, what happened in the semi finals last year and secondly, that four key players were all coming back at once and the halfback partnership changed from the last few weeks (no Richardson).  That our coach said in the press that all those four players were fit last week and yet he didn't play them was a massive mistake because had he done so then they could have got over all their returning hiccups in a match that didn't matter rather than display them in the one that did.  

However, Warrington put in a very good performance, helped along the way by our 20 errors and a terrible blooper for our first crossing of the line which was a try by any measure.  No wonder he proceeded to send all subsequent efforts up to the video ref.

I was deeply disappointed by our performance but not surprised.  My southern based rookie RL supporter young nephew also loved his first Wembley experience even if he only saw one try scored by Saints.  And we had cracking seats.  With the lovely weather as well it's just a pity we didn't get a Saints performance to match.  Had we done so then losing wouldn't have been quite so bad.

Still, congratulations to Warrington.  Their coach knows how to coach for the big games.

[bazzzz65]

3 hours ago, Exiled Wiganer said:

First, Saints can be proud of winning the league, it really is a superb achievement, grossly undervalued.

I assume you are extracting the urine!!

Ĺeague Leaders shield means nothing.

Wigan will be Superleague champions when they win at Old Trafford.

[Tex Evans Thigh]

Well done Wire. Fully deserved.

im eagerly awaiting Rimmer’s plan B for attendances and assume Warrington and Saints will have a £500k bond to pay next year.

Such a good game, shame about the empty seats but what can you do? Darrell Clarke for GB?

[Cheshire Setter]

6 hours ago, bazzzz65 said:

I assume you are extracting the urine!!

Ĺeague Leaders shield means nothing.

Unfortunately this is true, as much as fans of clubs who finish top will claim otherwise.  

Of course it’s a shame because it means your club has generally been playing the best and most entertaining rugby week in, week out.   The reality though, is that no coach or team sets finishing top as the main target.   It’s the grand final, then the cup.   If the LLS is won the it’s just a bonus - Warrington fans can attest to that only too well.

The season’s not over yet for Saints though and they’re almost certainly still overwhelming favourites for the GF, with Wigan or Wire probably facing them in the final and Hull still in with a very strong case too.

What was very interesting about yesterday was that it was a very Wigan-esque performance by Warrington reminiscent of their (Wigan’s) 3 wins against us in the Grand Final.   If Warrington can defend like that in October with Austin back, we’re still in with a chance of the double amazingly

[Old Frightful]

Anybody suggested it might be Warrington's year yet?

I was just wondering...

[Dave T]

1 minute ago, Old Frightful said:

Anybody suggested it might be Warrington's year yet?

I was just wondering...

I for one am missing those digs

[Old Frightful]

1 minute ago, Dave T said:

I for one am missing those digs

And I hope the Saints' fans who's very young children were singing "w*nky, w*nky Warrington, as they proudly looked on, at Bolton before the SF had a good day yesterday.

[absentee thoughtlord]

19 minutes ago, Old Frightful said:

And I hope the Saints' fans who's very young children were singing "w*nky, w*nky Warrington, as they proudly looked on, at Bolton before the SF had a good day yesterday.

I simply don't know who thinks it is either funny or edgy anymore. And if you have taught your young children to sing it then you can't be too far off a visit from social services.

[Exiled Wiganer]

8 hours ago, bazzzz65 said:

I assume you are extracting the urine!!

Ĺeague Leaders shield means nothing.

Wigan will be Superleague champions when they win at Old Trafford.

I wrote it because I believe it to be true. We follow the sport from February, and the team that finishes top over 20 odd games deserves to be lauded. On the few occasions wigan have won it I have been proud and delighted. Savouring wins for month after month is a terrific way to spend your time. 

[Just Browny]

34 minutes ago, Dave T said:

I for one am missing those digs

I imagine Price fired up the team by showing them clips of Saints fans pouring out of Wembley Park station singing "w*nky w*nky Warrington" and "it's always your year" while p*ssing themselves laughing.

Certainly got me going.

[Oliver Clothesoff]

The two key decisions that the officials in that first half were unforgivable. To not send that Knowles try up and the “knock-on” from Taia were two shocking decisions. 

 

[M j M]

It's always your year doesn't disappear just because Wire won the cup. It's all about the Grand Final.

Someone may need to create a similar thing for Saints though

[Cheshire Setter]

7 minutes ago, Oliver Clothesoff said:

The two key decisions that the officials in that first half were unforgivable. To not send that Knowles try up and the “knock-on” from Taia were two shocking decisions. 

 

The Taia was correct we see that all the time in regular games.

I agree that Knowles’ was a try and I would have given it.   However, it’s also likely that had Hicks sent it upstairs he would have ruled no-try on the field, and since the only camera angle was from the side that hid Knowles fingertips Thaler would likely have stuck with the on-field decision as there wasn’t enough evidence for him to overturn it...   as I say for mine it was a try though.

Ultimately one decision can’t be blamed for the entire match performance.   Everyone focuses on the Knowles try but forgets the Lineham incident, the obstruction for Fages’ try which we see every week, the smack to the face by Paulo, the contact with the head by Makinson etc etc.

The Better team won on the day.   Someone had to win so have a bit of grace.

[Dave T]

12 minutes ago, Oliver Clothesoff said:

The two key decisions that the officials in that first half were unforgivable. To not send that Knowles try up and the “knock-on” from Taia were two shocking decisions. 

 

The knock on from Taia was 100% correct.

The Wire disallowed try was described as one of the worst decisions of the season along with the Knowles one by Davies, so as people always say, these things balance out.

[Oliver Clothesoff]

2 minutes ago, Cheshire Setter said:

The Taia was correct we see that all the time in regular games.

I agree that Knowles’ was a try and I would have given it.   However, it’s also likely that had Hicks sent it upstairs he would have ruled no-try on the field, and since the only camera angle was from the side that hid Knowles fingertips Thaler would likely have stuck with the on-field decision as there wasn’t enough evidence for him to overturn it...   as I say for mine it was a try though.

Ultimately one decision can’t be blamed for the entire match performance.   Everyone focuses on the Knowles try but forgets the Lineham incident, the obstruction for Fages’ try which we see every week, the smack to the face by Paulo, the contact with the head by Makinson etc etc.

The Better team won on the day.   Someone had to win so have a bit of grace.

Where did I say anything of the sort? Don’t get your knickers in a twist. 

[M j M]

Champion teams need to overcome adversity, be it their own mistakes, injuries or bad ref calls. They can be distracting or inspiring depending on how you react.

Saints would do well to remember that if they want to win the Grand Final. It's not just going to come easy to them.

[Cheshire Setter]

4 minutes ago, Oliver Clothesoff said:

Where did I say anything of the sort? Don’t get your knickers in a twist. 

 

19 minutes ago, Oliver Clothesoff said:

The two key decisions that the officials in that first half were unforgivable. To not send that Knowles try up and the “knock-on” from Taia

Fair enough, I apologise and hope you’ll amend the following comment to reflect the fact that all the decisions against Warrington were also ‘unforgiveable’?

[Cheshire Setter]

Also at the risk of sounding like a wet blanket, the big thing I noticed watching the replay of the game was the sportsmanship shown by both teams but especially Warrington.

Normally in regular SL games we see lots of sledging, sly digs on floored players, winding up the opposition after a mistake etc.   However, yesterday we saw none of that and we even saw Hill and co consoling some of the Saints players after they made errors.   The team saved all their energy for congratulating the tacklers on their own side.   What a great thing to see, especially as a Warrington fan as I think we have spent too much time this season getting frustrated and then trying to rile the opposition unsportingly.   Yesterday was all about focussing the aggression.

I thought it would also be good to post this snapshot of both teams’ south sea islanders gathering for a prayer:

 

[Cheshire Setter]

And whilst we are on feel-good stories, what about Dec Patton’s younger brother Captaining his schools team to a win in the pre-match game?    Lots of history made yesterday.

[Oliver Clothesoff]

Didn’t realise how poor that first try was at the time. That’s come off King’s shoulder going forward before Grace knocks-on. Hicksy

Appalling defence though and then a penalty in the next defending set is a killer. 

[TBone]

47 minutes ago, Oliver Clothesoff said:

The two key decisions that the officials in that first half were unforgivable. To not send that Knowles try up and the “knock-on” from Taia were two shocking decisions. 

 

So the ref sends it up as no-try and, guess what, it comes back as no-try because there is no conclusive evidence (that we saw from the replays) that knowles is touching the ball whilst it is on the ground and, even if he is, that he applied downward pressure.

[Man of Kent]

21 minutes ago, Cheshire Setter said:

Also at the risk of sounding like a wet blanket, the big thing I noticed watching the replay of the game was the sportsmanship shown by both teams but especially Warrington.

Normally in regular SL games we see lots of sledging, sly digs on floored players, winding up the opposition after a mistake etc.   However, yesterday we saw none of that.

Agreed. There was a pleasing lack of rubbish from all four sides in both finals. 

[Oliver Clothesoff]

11 minutes ago, TBone said:

So the ref sends it up as no-try and, guess what, it comes back as no-try because there is no conclusive evidence (that we saw from the replays) that knowles is touching the ball whilst it is on the ground and, even if he is, that he applied downward pressure.

Apart from it was conclusive and Knowles was touching the ball and applying downward pressure, that’s a great post. 

[ivans82]

Warrington fully deserved their win , Saints made too many mistakes , granted Knowles seemed to score a try to me , and the knock on that led to Warringtons first try looked to come off Kings shoulder first as others have said .But Teams need to be able to overcome adversity , stick to a plan , and find a way to win .Daft as it may sound i would have taken the 2 just before  half time and go in 12-2 down just to get something on the board .Saints to me didn`t suck in defenders in the middle , they went wide to soon but the wire wingers and centres stayed with their men , so denying Saints room out wide .Dec Pattons kicking game was nothing short of brilliant constantly turning Saints around and kicking very deep too . If Saints want to win the Grand Final they have to come up with a Plan B .