Sat 22 July : Betfred RL Challenge Cup Semi Final : St Helens v Leigh Leopards KO 14:30 BBC1

[Dave T]

21 minutes ago, paulwalker71 said:

Delighted for the Leigh contingent on here

Fully deserved and great to have a different name in the Final. Hopefully, HKR will make it a final of underdogs, which will be refreshing after the usual Wigan, Saints, Leeds and Wire for the past few years.

 

And Catalans and Hull and Huddersfield and Salford and Hull KR. All the usual clubs, yeah. 

[Padge]

45 minutes ago, Harry Stottle said:

Yep thanks for that, but you did let history cloud your judgement in a previous post.

No, I was clear that people voting with heart showed opposite to the bookies showing what people were really thinking.

I did say, check the bookies.

I was going on information available not my opinion.

Edited July 22, 2023 by Padge

[Harry Stottle]

1 minute ago, binosh said:

I can’t believe I’m going to Wembley in my lifetime. What a story, win, lose or draw im gonna enjoy it, we have come a long way from being relegated in 2021 and the feelings that go with it.

I was there in '71 as an 18 year old, and have had more ups n downs than the Big One at Blackpool watching Leigh, I said a few weeks ago that in the 60 odd years I have been a Leyther this team even including '82 in which I had many mates in that team is the team that is more closely together than any I have ever seen, Wembley is going to be fantastic - again.

[Harry Stottle]

5 minutes ago, Dunbar said:

Let's not get carried away.

 No lets, don't decry us.

[hullste]

I thought the tackle on Paasi was a very dangerous one with forceful direct contact made to the side of the knee and it appears he's suffered a serious injury as a result anyway that's my moan over, congratulations Leigh, a tremendous defensive effort, good luck in the final

[Damien]

No matter what happens tomorrow the final has a great story around it. If Hull KR get there we will have another club winning the Cup that hasn't won it for decades. We will also have a final without any of the big clubs that regularly get to the finals. If Wigan get there we have a great local derby which should be a fantastic occasion and one which has a huge marketing angle. It'll be great either way.

Edited July 22, 2023 by Damien

[Jughead]

1 minute ago, Damien said:

No matter what happens tomorrow the final has a great story around it. If Hull KR get there we will have another0 club winning the Cup that hasn't won it for decades. We will also have a final without any of the big clubs that regularly get to the finals. If Wigan get there we have a great local derby which should be a fantastic occasion and one which has a huge marketing angle. It'll be great either way.

Leigh or Hull KR will be the seventh consecutive different winners. Same old clubs though. 

[graveyard johnny]

saints need a proper coach asap this is Cunnigham the 2nd situation  - will hopoate was stealing a living at the dogs for at least 3 seasons - get him to Manchester airport and the on the 1st Quantas flight home and take fat konnie too

[Damien]

6 minutes ago, Jughead said:

Leigh or Hull KR will be the seventh consecutive different winners. Same old clubs though. 

Hence why I said another club that hasn't won it for decades.

[Whippet13]

Well played Leigh, a famous win fully deserved today, dreams do come true.

As for St Helens, still a very good side full of talent, but no longer the unstoppable force they once were.

[Dunbar]

15 minutes ago, Harry Stottle said:

 No lets, don't decry us.

Of course, just my sense of humour, I have already said I am delighted for the Leigh club.

[Damien]

1 minute ago, graveyard johnny said:

saints need a proper coach asap this is Cunnigham the 2nd situation  - will hopoate was stealing a living at the dogs for at least 3 seasons - get him to Manchester airport and the on the 1st Quantas flight home and take fat konnie too

I was surprised at how conservative Saints were today. Very un-Saints like. They seemed to play the percentages for much of the game and it was clear that they thought that would be enough to win. Leigh defending like trojans completely upset that.

[Jughead]

5 minutes ago, Damien said:

Hence why I said another club that hasn't won it for decades.

Oh I know, there’s other that still bang that drum, mind. 

[sweaty craiq]

Just managed to stop crying thinking of those we have lost since the last big drink, and how brilliant if we could just have them back for one day.

I never thought I would experience this as an adult, the guts in this club is frightening and they deserve everything they have achieved so far.

Onwards to the Big Paddock. 

[meast]

Just caught up.. on catch up  

Congratulations to Leigh and their fans, even the strange looking ones the cameras seemed to have no problem picking out ,I'm sure the local shops will be stocking up on cheap cider and beer as I type  

I thought at half time that 6 points wasn't enough for Saints, given the possession and territory they had and so it proved, despite dominating for most of the game, they seemed to lack any idea in the final third, and reminded me of Huddersfield in that they just didn't seem to have that creativity there, Leigh's defence was superb and scrambled well though.

Saints under Wellens look a pale imitation of St Helens, is he a good coach? Lam certainly seemed to outcoach him today, is it another Cunningham episode for Saints?

Couple of other observations on the game- I thought Hardaker's try could have been disallowed, there appeared to be clear hands on the Saints attacker from Briscoe?

Also, not seen much mentioned, even in commentary but Asiata, managed to injure both Paasi and Walmsley with what looked like head first challenges into their knees, I'm not saying they were deliberate or malicious but they both looked reckless and dangerous and I hope this isn't the start of a new trend, to see two identical incidents in the same game from the same player is a worry.

Well done Leigh.

Edited July 22, 2023 by meast

[Jughead]

12 minutes ago, graveyard johnny said:

saints need a proper coach asap this is Cunnigham the 2nd situation  - will hopoate was stealing a living at the dogs for at least 3 seasons - get him to Manchester airport and the on the 1st Quantas flight home and take fat konnie too

Yeah, all of that is an exaggeration. 

Defensively Saints are sound and have one of the best defences in the comp. It’s the attack that is blunt, which is led by Laurent Fraysinnous. That needs reviewing. 

No club is going to release two of their three centres in the final third of the season, either. 

[meast]

4 hours ago, Jughead said:

The Leigh fans appear more bothered about booing and labelling Kendall a cheat or bent than supporting their side in their first cup semi in a generation or two. 

I couldn't work out what was the issue then I realised they weren't winning and so it must be the fault of the referee.

We, in the sense of rugby league have this really bizarre, weird obsession with referees don't we? It's not healthy either, it's truly weird, even the "journalists" are part of the problem too fuelling the fires of "all refs are ###### and cost teams"

If the people who claim to be RL fans are constantly negative about the referees rather than talking up the game then RL may just garner some positive attention, again, the media have a role to play here.

Players and coaches make far, far more mistakes and cost their teams far more than referees and touch judges do but yet you never see players getting hammered by "fans" and the media like ref's do.

Every match day thread is ruined by comments about the referee yet totally ignoring what is happening in the game itself.

It probably deserves its own thread but it's just really really weird this obsession that people have.

[graveyard johnny]

4 minutes ago, meast said:

Just caught up.. on catch up  

Congratulations to Leigh and their fans, even the strange looking ones 

Saints under Wellens look a pale imitation of St Helens,

which stand were the normal looking ones in?

[meast]

2 minutes ago, graveyard johnny said:

which stand were the normal looking ones in?

Not any containing Leigh fans by the look of it  

[Padge]

59 minutes ago, paulwalker71 said:

Delighted for the Leigh contingent on here

Fully deserved and great to have a different name in the Final. Hopefully, HKR will make it a final of underdogs, which will be refreshing after the usual Wigan, Saints, Leeds and Wire for the past few years.

 

Check the list of recent finalists

[graveyard johnny]

4 minutes ago, Jughead said:

Yeah, all of that is an exaggeration. 

Defensively Saints are sound and have one of the best defences in the comp. It’s the attack that is blunt, which is led by Laurent Fraysinnous. That needs reviewing. 

No club is going to release two of their three centres in the final third of the season, either. 

am sure Hopoate will be picking up an injury some time soon - its due about now - utter waste of money - a 4th rate former NRL  player 

[Phil]

51 minutes ago, Snowys Backside said:
 

But let’s be honest, should Leigh be in the CC final ? 

Of course they should, they’ve just won the semi final ffs  

[Waynebennettswinger]

Out of the country and couldn’t watch the match. Would obviously have loved my team to win but congratulations to Leigh, what a fantastic story. Goes without saying that they’ll be there to win it now but their season has been remarkable already. Enjoy the build up and final Leigh fans

[Faithful1865]

I didn't think jet lag lasted this long.

[hullste]

10 minutes ago, meast said:

Just caught up.. on catch up  

Congratulations to Leigh and their fans, even the strange looking ones the cameras seemed to have no problem picking out ,I'm sure the local shops will be stocking up on cheap cider and beer as I type  

I thought at half time that 6 points wasn't enough for Saints, given the possession and territory they had and so it proved, despite dominating for most of the game, they seemed to lack any idea in the final third, and reminded me of Huddersfield in that they just didn't seem to have that creativity there, Leigh's defence was superb and scrambled well though.

Saints under Wellens look a pale imitation of St Helens, is he a good coach? Lam certainly seemed to outcoach him today, is it another Cunningham episode for Saints?

Couple of other observations on the game- I thought Hardaker's try could have been disallowed, there appeared to be clear hands on the Saints attacker from Briscoe?

Also, not seen much mentioned, even in commentary but Asiata, managed to injure both Paasi and Walmsley with what looked like head first challenges into their knees, I'm not saying they were deliberate or malicious but they both looked reckless and dangerous and I hope this isn't the start of a new trend, to see two identical incidents in the same game from the same player is a worry.

Well done Leigh.

If it had been Knowles and not Asiata, they would have been foaming at the mouth baying for blood on here. Very poor technique which has resulted in a serious injury for Paasi. If the MRP is consistent then a lengthy ban is coming but it went unpunished in the game