My twopenneth,

Saints looked to be a bit frazzled from the off, it’s been a long, emotionally draining few weeks for them and they did dip during the game. As usual they raced off into a lead and at that point you were fearing the worst, as for the last 5 years they’ve had our number, that being said we worked our way back in and they completely lost the plot in that last 10 mins. Welsby wandering in from miles off to have a pop encapsulated their frustration that we’d been invited to the party to be lambs to the slaughter but instead whizzed on the cake.

Cards were bang on and it’s been a staple of saints “aggressive defence” for a few seasons now, they picked up plenty of bans and will continue to do so pushing the envelope/ rules like that.

Walters was one we got away with no doubt, probably going to be cited during the week but would laugh my globes off if he isn’t and the gnashing of teeth from over the hill is audible even now, how dare we!

Rode our luck, came back from the dead and made off with 2 points while pishing off stains.. perfect.

Thought Shorpe’s after match comments in reference to the dismissals spot on ,saying you can’t do those things anymore . Referees have been instructed to to clamp down on these incidents. Wellens post match interview was sensible bearing in mind his players antics. He has the prospects of a fine coaching career ahead of him. As for saints,, without doubt they are the best team in the competition . The victory in Australia was sensational.
Maybe losing to us might have brought them down to earth.

I wonder if they will take into account Hurrells tantrum after he got sent off ? I was always embarrassed for him when he used to March up and down the Southstand to the rendition of MOT. To me he's just a ridiculous second rate clown

Off topic but talking about hookers.
I see Dwyer missed 11 tackles against Catalans to top week 3 of missed tackles.

Bit harsh. Can be destructive, but looks even less fit than when with us!

I don't think it's a coincidence that 2 of those cards were for hits on Myler. Even for Martin's second, he sucked in the defender (think it was Lees). We're at our best when Myler's taking it to the line and has runners off him. And it's been said before but Wilkin accusing him of play acting when he's been hit late is embarrassing for someone who is supposed to be impartial

I was thrilled when Saints beat Penrith, but their petulance against your team , on the TV, was a terrible indictment on them, and the game in general , I thought. Two of their players could have been red carded after the final whistle and to see a champion team, behave in such a disgraceful manner, does little to promote the game, especially for would be referees, when such behaviour is displayed. To be champions, in the truest sense of the word, you need to know how to lose, with grace and dignity. Saints had neither, KH's red was well deserved, his refusal to walk and subsequent tantrum should also lengthen his punishment, and the accusations of bias , long thrown at the officials in respect of Saints, was happily not in evidence, although Sironen and a couple of others, including Welsby, should also receive bans for their late hits, which were thrown at the Leeds players, with impunity by a team who maybe now believe they are above the rules. A Hull fan applauding Leeds, whatever next?

Correct. He has a major fitness problem.
We targeted him, which says everything.
Saints can usually afford the luxury, but we couldn't.

Really don't mind the levels of aggression and petulance on display during a closely fought game. Fans baying for blood, wilkin nearly crying ...takes me back 15 years to when there was a genuine rivalry. Leeds aren't there yet but if we can start taking it to them every time we play then what's not to like? Would anyone really prefer games without incident where fans only wake up at the end to sportingly congratulate one another on how well their respective teams had kept every tackle squeaky clean?

Not that fussed about the tackles no, but the rest yes was very unpleasant. I’d like to think that when we were winning everything, the players were still respectful of the opposition and referees. With Sinfield/Burrow/Peacock leading by example, think we were pretty decent champions. In all honestly I’d stop following the club if we behaved like Saints did after a defeat. For me keeping your honour and dignity is far more important than any sporting defeat.

The KH one should be a big ban,but it depends how much the MRP has changed from last year.
Welsby running in should be penalty enough but again,who knows. If the MRP are targeting that now he could cop a ban as a warning / statement of intent.

Walters could have been a penalty but his arm does go around the player and it wasn't a full on classic shoulder charge or high/ late.
You'll see worse ir similar every other game go unpunished

I think the video ref reviewed it and advised that it was fine too. Not that that means much!

As a neutral, I believe the ref got all the decisions spot on. The only controversial one was the afters dished out by Welsby, which turned a penalty to Saints to a penalty for Leeds (right call, despite what biased Wilkin said).

Good win, I hope you all bought Lottery tickets after that run of luck.

Is it time to bring in a Captain's challenge type system like they have in the NRL ? I'm all for the officials getting things right,but we see every team getting on at the ref more and more now. Make it a challenge and it might stop the players getting in the officials face ?

I'd prefer that to home fans assaulting away fans outside the ground, whilst the home fans inside the ground are verbally abusing and antagonising the players and coaching staff for doing their jobs.

And when you have players such as James Ackerman dying from a shoulder charge, Joel Dark, Ronan Costello and Jack Cook dying from tackle related head injuries, I'd say it was time to make sure every tackle was 'squeaky clean'. I'd never seeing a danger tackle again if it meant I'd also never see a serious injury or death.

I think the whole St Helens hubris is a bit sickening tbh.

This Saints side is nowhere near the 'best' RL side.

Wigan from 1996 - better
Bulls from 1999 - better
Saints from 2006 - better
Leeds from 2007-2012 - better

We cannot forget that the St Helens side right now, is playing in a league with FAR less competition, intensity and bottom line, quality - than it was 10-20 years ago.

Saints have been the best of a bad bunch for the last 5 years, for me, that is what it boils down to.

Undoubtably they have decent players, but Roby best hooker in SL ever? Really?
Welsby the turnstile and Dodd bound for the NRL?
Would any players from the current Saints side get in the Saints side from 2006?

Its a no from me to any of those questions.

St Helens lack any kind of class. Makinson is a prime example after last years GF. Their fans comments about it being 'Leeds' cup final' etc Multiple excuses for losing on Friday (Jet Lag, too may games blah blah) - just take it on the chin.

Is there any wonder wanted them to lose to Penrith (who are a shadow of THEIR former selves - missing 4 players from THEIR Grand Final side and subsequently lost to of all sides, the Broncos at the weekend). A legend in their own lunchtime.

well, yes, so would I if your scenario bore any resemblance to the events that unfolded. I'm not in the habit of trawling for footage of fatal sporting injury but if any of the tackles resulting in ones you've cited bore serious similarity to any seen on Friday then you may have a point.

The 2006 saints team had even less competition at the time too IIRC.

Sione Matautia (St Helens) - Grade C Dangerous Contact - 2 Match Penalty Notice
Konrad Hurrell (St Helens) - Grade C Strikes - 2 Match Penalty Notice
Curtis Sironen (St Helens) - Grade B Dangerous Contact - 1 Match Penalty Notice

Thought Hurrell might have got more tbh.
I`m sure they will all appeal and have a game taken off.

I'm hoping Wilkin quits his pundit job in disgust and officially joins the Saints cheerleading squad. Seems like a win for everybody.

The shoulder charge that sadly resulted in the death of Ackerman was very similar to the one that resulted in Hurrell's red card, apart from Ackerman was carrying the ball at the time.

The incidents I mentioned all happened on Friday night. The harassment of the players and coaching staff was captured on Sky TV, as well as Leeds Rhinos 'behind the scenes' footage, and of course on social media.

The incidents outside the ground have been heavily reported on social media, including one big-brain Saints fan bragging of "filling in" a Leeds fan on Twitter. Numerous people have commented about lodging complaints with St Helens, but I imagine the club, the RFL and IMG will make a combined effort to sweep them under the rug.

Haven't seen the Ackerman one but given Myler was only shaken up you'd tend to think there was a massive element of awful luck involved.

Harassment of players and Rohan, tick, seen the footage.

Assaults on fans outside the ground. Didn't see them and don't do social media but clearly that's out of order. Hadn't realised things had reached this level when making original comments.

Redvee forum is good for a laugh.

Let’s not go OTT about the tackles though. Been punished and dealt with. This is s brutal sport and you simply can’t stop the huge impacts and mistimed tackles. It’s inevitable when people get tired. Hurrell was as gassed as I’ve ever seen as an RL player and he certainly will not have wanted to seriously injure Myler.

Name me a better hooker than James Roby in the superleague era then as Dodds and Welsby yl they would have a lot of NRL clubs chasing them and lets see where your lot come the end of the season