Saint to host the Roosters in WCC

[The Future is League]

https://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-league/50389714

[Davo5]

A WCC in a stadium that only holds 18,000  lacks ambition.

[Dunbar]

I love watching both of these teams play and so you would hope for a great content.  One thing we know is that Trent Robinson will bring his team over well prepared and talk the game up... another reason why a Roosters NRL win was good news.

Of course Saints will not be under the stewardship of Justin Holbrook but at the same time the Roosters will be without Cooper Cronk who was the last piece of the jigsaw to make the Roosters the dominant team in the NRL. The post Cronk era will be an interesting one for them.

[EastLondonMike]

Sure it will be a special night at Saints. Always love the WCC.

[Oliver Clothesoff]

Be interesting to see how we fit in a game with Catalans, which is being re-arranged for this game, if we were to have a year like we did this year where we got to both finals. 

Expecting nothing from this game but it’ll be nice to see two top sides on the same pitch. 

[Moove]

35 minutes ago, Davo5 said:

A WCC in a stadium that only holds 18,000  lacks ambition.

It's not really that simple. How many alternatives are there really? Sure it would be great if we could just rock up at an Anfield, Old Trafford, Etihad etc but as the big games at those grounds previously have shown, even with heavily discounted tickets RL fans still don't show up in numbers. Leeds have the benefit of Elland Road in the same city but it's obviously not the same for St Helens.

A full house in an RL stadium on a Saturday evening without having to discount the tickets or pay out to a football club (if any even have a stadium available) seems like a far more sensible approach to me.

Looking forward to it. The Souths game a few years back was a great night in spite of the result.

[Davo5]

28 minutes ago, EastLondonMike said:

Sure it will be a special night at Saints. Always love the WCC.

Lets hope they show up,their recent appearances have been one sided affairs.

[MatthewWoody]

Let's hope it's a close contest.

[Hughsehhh]

48 minutes ago, EastLondonMike said:

Sure it will be a special night at Saints. Always love the WCC.

Yeah it was certainly special the last time Saints hosted the WCC. 

They were pummelled 39-0 by Souths. First and last time I have been to watch them 

[Eddie]

1 hour ago, Davo5 said:

A WCC in a stadium that only holds 18,000  lacks ambition.

Yeah why have it in a rocking stadium full to the rafters in the town where the team are from when you could take it to Old Trafford and get 25,000 rattling around in it. 

[EastLondonMike]

23 minutes ago, Hughsehhh said:

Yeah it was certainly special the last time Saints hosted the WCC. 

They were pummelled 39-0 by Souths. First and last time I have been to watch them 

I bet they miss you!

[Oliver Clothesoff]

3 hours ago, Hughsehhh said:

Yeah it was certainly special the last time Saints hosted the WCC. 

They were pummelled 39-0 by Souths. First and last time I have been to watch them 

And you were privileged to watch a side as good as Souths. 

[Lowdesert]

Fancy Saints in this.  Will be interesting to see the betting.

 

[graveyard johnny]

3 hours ago, Hughsehhh said:

Yeah it was certainly special the last time Saints hosted the WCC. 

They were pummelled 39-0 by Souths. First and last time I have been to watch them 

if the game had been in oz and souths had a couple of warm up matches you could have prob swapped the 3 and the 9 round in that score of 39

[Mr Frisky]

I had a look on the Roosters forum and as expected they think they will walk this match.

I think if Saints play like they did last season and play the SL way rather than try to copy the NRL style they have a real chance. Roosters are one of the best NRL teams of the past 10 to 15 years - but Saints are probably the best SL team of the past 10 years - At home, if they start well-  Saints have more than a real chance.

[Angelic Cynic]

It'll be interesting to see who McManus selects to referee the game.

Mr Hicks was the choice last season.

[MatthewWoody]

2 hours ago, Oliver Clothesoff said:

And you were privileged to watch a side as good as Souths. 

That Souths team was really incredible.

They still were this season, but now without Sam...

 

[MatthewWoody]

23 minutes ago, Mr Frisky said:

I had a look on the Roosters forum and as expected they think they will walk this match.

I think if Saints play like they did last season and play the SL way rather than try to copy the NRL style they have a real chance. Roosters are one of the best NRL teams of the past 10 to 15 years - but Saints are probably the best SL team of the past 10 years - At home, if they start well-  Saints have more than a real chance.

The English record in the WCC speaks clearly.... In addition to this, Aussies have a strong prejudice against the English game.

But as you say, if there's an English team that could do it... it's the Saints, this Saints side.

Though I believe there is simply too much talent (Teddy, ecc.) in this Roosters side, even without Cronk.

 

[Exiled Wiganer]

14 minutes ago, MatthewWoody said:

The English record in the WCC speaks clearly.... In addition to this, Aussies have a strong prejudice against the English game.

But as you say, if there's an English team that could do it... it's the Saints, this Saints side.

Though I believe there is simply too much talent (Teddy, ecc.) in this Roosters side, even without Cronk.

 

If there is one team that could win the WCC, it was of course our team against Cronulla. The best WCC performance in the last 10 years. I will be supporting Saints,  but it is a long time since they were even competitive. It is very hard to win, and even we have found it difficult,. With a change in coach and their props having been sadly exposed by JWH and co I wouldn’t hold my breath. Though of course it only costs 3k to get you more than your fair share of fortune.

[MatthewWoody]

Let's be optimistic! 

[Oliver Clothesoff]

33 minutes ago, MatthewWoody said:

That Souths team was really incredible.

They still were this season, but now without Sam...

 

Probably the best club side I’ve seen. Granted it wasn’t a vintage Saints side and it included Jack Owens but Souths were sublime. 

[Allora]

Looking forward to watching a rampaging Ryan Hall tearing down the Wing.

[Chris22]

36 minutes ago, Oliver Clothesoff said:

Probably the best club side I’ve seen. Granted it wasn’t a vintage Saints side and it included Jack Owens but Souths were sublime. 

Our half backs that night were Burns and Wilkin. Given that, it really does beg the question, how did we lose?

In fact, it gets worse, take a look at our team last time we played Sydney in 2016!

Owens; Makinson, Peyroux, Turner, Swift; Wilkin, Walsh; Walmsley, Burns, Savelio, Greenwood, Vea, McCarthy-Scrasbrook.
Replacements: Amor, Tasi, Thompson, Knowles

[Mr Frisky]

25 minutes ago, Allora said:

Looking forward to watching a rampaging Ryan Hall tearing down the Wing.

Will be good if Makemson shows he really is the best winger in the world & the props show they are better than anything in your NRL - which they are.

Not a Saints fan or do I follow a SL team but this is always my favourite match of the year.

[Chris22]

Anyway, looking forward...it should be a great occasion. A win would be a huge shock if we won, my hopes are that we put up a brave fight and it's a competitive match.

In any event, we get to see some of the best players in the world and Sydney's superstars will be there too*

*that's a joke before anyone gets upset!