St Helens v York Valkyrie Weds 31/7/24 KO: 7:30pm - Live on The Sportsman

[RBKnight]

Can't see anything but a Saints win, given their recent form and York's struggles with absences in various positions. Valkyrie are sweating on the availability of Liv Wood for this, as she is appealing a potential one match ban arising from last week's game against Wigan tonight (Tuesday)

 

[HolmeKnight]

Only able to name an 18 player squad and not including Liv Wood.  In addition to all the recent absentees Liv Gale and Sade Rihari are also missing. 

What an awful disrupted season for the Valkyrie.  I'm afraid this could be embarrassing. 

[RBKnight]

Absence of Gale and Rihari leaves Mahault Pommier and Remi Wlton in the halves for York tomorrow.....big ask.

Carrie Roberts back at Centre - two Sheffield Eagles players on Dual Reg (Agnes Wood and Lisa Parker) in the preliminary squad.

[HolmeKnight]

I make it 13 players unavailable for one reason or another. 

[Richard de la Riviere]

Liv Wood's appeal was unsuccessful, so her one-match bans stands. 

Here's a preview of the game: 

https://womensrl.com/?p=418

[WRLFan]

Head says Saints easily but still hoping York cause a shock just to level up the table 

Saints win and can’t see them failing to finish top 

[BroncoFan]

Halftime Saints leading 10-6

They have had loads of ball so York have done well to hang in there.

 

[unapologetic pedant]

Half-time St. Helens 10 York 6

Some dumb 6-agains given away. Weather maybe a factor. The one that led to the first Saints try was beyond dumb.

Second Saints try, Luci McColm offload - love it, brilliant.

The Remi Wilton try was also brilliant in its own way. 

Fair play Valks, not going down without a fight.

[unapologetic pedant]

2 minutes ago, BroncoFan said:

Halftime Saints leading 10-6

They have had loads of ball so York have done well to hang in there.

Glad to see someone else is around.

[BroncoFan]

I’m going to be critical of the ref, he is stricter on York, several 6 more’s but Saints lying all over York

The late 6 more calls are killers.

[BroncoFan]

Crowl & Travis just did a clear chicken wing tackle on Jess Sharp. No penalty.

 

[WRLFan]

Enjoyed that. Tough battle 

Lot closer than i expected 

Wigan U19 beat Saints earlier 

Leeds v Wigan on 9th the next big game.

[bird]

York are back. In time for the business end of the season

[unapologetic pedant]

46 minutes ago, BroncoFan said:

I’m going to be critical of the ref, he is stricter on York, 

Possibly. I wasn't too unhappy with the 6-agains. Did think he was too keen to make game-changing interventions. Seems to be a besetting sin in WSL. We need more officials with a better feel for the game.

Megan Pakulis looks a very useful signing.

York could have nicked it at the end. As Caitlin said in commentary, their attacking lines are too flat. Indicates a lack of confidence.

One other bum note. Not for the first time, couple of prize boofheads in the Sportsman chat.

[unapologetic pedant]

12 minutes ago, bird said:

York are back. In time for the business end of the season

Yep. Leeds could be too. Wigan just get better. All to play for.

[HolmeKnight]

With 13 players unavailable I thought York's effort was heroic. The RFL saw fit to ban Liv Wood. With her ball carries and compulsive tackling she might just have made the difference. 

Saints' remaining games are all against bottom four teams, so the League Leaders seems nailed on.

I wonder what state the remaining Valkyries will be in for Warrington on Sunday.

[Richard de la Riviere]

Have St Helens just secured top spot? My report as Saints see off valiant York...

https://womensrl.com/?p=422

[BroncoFan]

1 hour ago, unapologetic pedant said:

Possibly. I wasn't too unhappy with the 6-agains. Did think he was too keen to make game-changing interventions. Seems to be a besetting sin in WSL. We need more officials with a better feel for the game.

Megan Pakulis looks a very useful signing.

York could have nicked it at the end. As Caitlin said in commentary, their attacking lines are too flat. Indicates a lack of confidence.

One other bum note. Not for the first time, couple of prize boofheads in the Sportsman chat.

Pakulis and Andrade were unbelievable, both did 80 minutes and worked themselves to a standstill.

Emma Kershaw again very solid.

Caitlin Beevers was spot on, Vicky Whitfield player of the match. She is a real handful.

Jodie C was Jodie very good.

Luci McColm was really good as was Leah Burke.

Did York only use 15 players ?

Edited July 31 by BroncoFan

[BroncoFan]

Edit

Edited July 31 by BroncoFan
Double

[RBKnight]

Back late, and watched the whole match on replay - really pleased with that Valkyrie defensive effort. Made Saints look quite ordinary for large parts of the game - can't believe York were on the attack and in with a shout in the last ten minutes.

 

[RBKnight]

This was the 2nd game I've seen Lisa Parker play for York Valkyrie, on dual reg from Sheffield Eagles. Thrown in against two top teams, she has given a very good account of herself.

She would be a weekly start at prop for any of the bottom four WSL sides - but could they help her develop her game ?

[BroncoFan]

Does anyone know if and when Rhiannion Marshall and Alex Stimpson are back from injury ?

[Richard de la Riviere]

Here's Channy Crowl's take on the match

https://womensrl.com/?p=425

[unapologetic pedant]

15 hours ago, unapologetic pedant said:

Seems to be a besetting sin in WSL. We need more officials with a better feel for the game.

Early in the second half, Saints collected a last-tackle high kick, hot-potato kept the ball alive, eventually went to Rachael Woosey down the right wing. Who was stopped in her tracks by a forward pass call from the teenage touchie.

Just re-watched it to confirm my suspicion in real time - absolutely no forward pass, terrible crass call.

This is a regular bugbear. Our officials appear to have fixed images in their head of how the game should look and be played. Any unconventional or off-the-cuff play triggers them into looking for something to call. No way would that pass have been called forward had it formed part of a simple hit-up move early in the tackle count.

I reckon the advent of video refs made the neurosis worse. Modern officials are primed to see expansive or creative play as potentially try-scoring i.e. ought to be subsequently checked for problems. In the absence of a VR, problems are imagined on-field instead. Forward pass, knock-on, obstruction, whatever it takes to extinguish and draw a line under excitement.

Small wonder predictability dominates when innovation is viewed as inherently suspect by those in charge of applying the rules.