Fri 7th Apr: SL: Wigan Warriors v St Helens KO 15:00 (Sky)

[StandOffHalf]

2 minutes ago, Barry Badrinath said:

Has this just cut to adverts for anyone else?

No.... not yet, anyway. I'm not taking anything for granted after that first half from Hull.

Hope it's back soon for you.

[andyscoot]

Forward? Not when Saints do it.

[Just Browny]

Looking at the colour of Sironen, this is about as much sun as he can handle.

[Davo5]

Miles forward from Lomax

[andyscoot]

Ridiculous how Saints are getting away with this in the ruck. Constantly having a second go and the ref does nothing.

Edited April 7, 2023 by andyscoot

[Barry Badrinath]

Harry kane kicks the ball more than anyone in sl does he tez? 

[Futtocks]

Bit of a messy game so far.

[Just Browny]

That was a daft ending by Makinson, should have taken the tackle.

[bratman]

Great defence

[andyscoot]

Saints ending stronger here. 8-0 down but they look better now

Edited April 7, 2023 by andyscoot

[Futtocks]

2 minutes ago, bratman said:

Great defence

Not many defenders cope with Makinson from that position.

[bratman]

Saints are making breaks though, you'd expect them to start scoring at some point

[Man of Kent]

Tremendous stuff

[Roy Haggerty]

Saints’ attack has been misfiring all year. Any one of the last 4 seasons and that Lomax break ends with a try. 
 

Welsby and Dodd haven’t got back to where they were since the WCC. And I think we didn’t realise how much we’d miss Regan Grace long-term, as a kick-returner and evasive threat. Makes me cringe to have Hopoate on the wing. I reckon I’m faster than him now, and I’m 53 with heart disease!

[JDR]

2 minutes ago, Man of Kent said:

Tremendous stuff

As a neutral I’m enjoying it

[Just Browny]

2 minutes ago, bratman said:

Saints are making breaks though, you'd expect them to start scoring at some point

Yes, think Saints will go in thinking they were making inroads in that last five minutes.

[Oxford]

3 things:

Excellent tight Match,

For someone who looks for something controversial Wilkin is sitting firmly on that fence today,

Does anyone have any idea what the difference is between controlling the ruck and six again?

[sam4731]

I've said it before but I don't like the backs taking in the first 3/4 carries. I know its meant to preserve the middles but I just think you struggle to make important metres early in the set.

[StandOffHalf]

I feel that Saints should get Dodd monopolising the kicking. His up-and-down placement is really good. Let Lomax run the ball and find short-sides. His kicking isn't his strength. Welsby hasn't been all there in the first half.

Wigan look more settled and better set up. Quite impressed by how Smith is running the game for them, and then they have offload threats in King and KPP and the searing pace of French.

Could be a tough second half for Saints. They need Dodd to fill the same sort of role as Smith.

[StandOffHalf]

16 minutes ago, Just Browny said:

That was a daft ending by Makinson, should have taken the tackle.

Yep, ego took over. He should have set up.

[Roy Haggerty]

Problem Saints have is that “structured and patient” becomes “predictable” when up against an organised defence. 

[Waynebennettswinger]

I can see a repeat of that Cup Semi…Saints to come into it late in the second half but Wigan then to capitalise on Saints lack of composure with Marshall or French scoring a flyer

[andyscoot]

Think Saints have figured out how to break Wigan down now. Won't have a Makinson going for glory again.

[Dunbar]

5 minutes ago, Oxford said:

Does anyone have any idea what the difference is between controlling the ruck and six again?

Controlling the ruck is when the defending team have won the collision and the wrestle and are therefore dominant in the tackle.  In this situation the 2 or 3 defenders will peel away as slowly as they can get away with.  A six again can be called in this situation if the defenders take the p*** but the ref will see this mostly as a defensive win and so tends not to.

But when the ball carrier has won the collision and / or  the floor and so is looking to get quickly to his feet and play the ball (with defenders left on the ground) but is held down or pulled back by a defender (any action that stops the attacker winning a quick play the ball), this will be called as a six again.

These are the judgements that a ref has to make in almost every tackle of every game.

[StandOffHalf]

1 minute ago, Roy Haggerty said:

Problem Saints have is that “structured and patient” becomes “predictable” when up against an organised defence. 

I just think they could utilise their kicking options a bit better.

Also, I would rather see Ritson on one of the wings. Hopoate is never a winger.