Now chaps this isn't a troll or wind up for starters



I got hammered on here last year after the GF because I posted that Leeds didn't deserve to be on the same field as Saints. I felt that Saints were the better side then as I felt Leeds were the better side this year.

Having seen a bit of the season now and watched us beat you twice, relatively comfortably on both occasions as well, I have to say I feel the same as last year again. I genuinely do not think Leeds can beat Saints if we show up or unless the conditions nullify us. That isn't to say we lost either GF due to the weather, I felt on both occasions after watching them again that Leeds showed up bigtime and Saints for whatever reason didn't, not really the weather. Leeds adjusted their tactics whilst Saints did not. It is hard to believe that Leeds didn't want to win yesterday, it was a knock out game and would have made you favourites to win the double yet you were comprehensively outplayed in your own backyard.

This season, Saints look stronger in the pack with Puletua there and Gilmour makes us quicker in the centres. Defensively we look better as well. I have felt now having seen you twice that the only way you can score against us is when weve either lost the plot for a moment, made a silly mistake or have already won the game. Not good signs for a Leeds fan IMO. They look like they have gone backwards to me do Leeds. Sides such as us would be going out to put markers down this early in the season and Leeds have failed miserably twice.

Still, I am not confident of beating you at OT as the past 2 years have shown that we are more than capable of losing there. However yet again, I see Saints as the superior side in the league (and I suspect most neutrals will also now) and realistically the trophies are Saints' to lose again.

Thoughts ? As I said, a serious post with no mickey take intentions so lets not go mental.

You were talking last season, as you usually do.

This season, unfortunately I think you are correct. Yesterday showed a huge gap in class between us.

At the moment, you are by some distance.

Putting aside my massive disappointment at being out of the cup it remains that one night in October that counts. I wanted to win the cup. I value the cup. But being Champions is the pinnacle in all team sports.

I therefore remain optimistic that we will meet again in October and hope that we get a result then. If we do, we will be worthy champions and superior to you again.

How a team performs in a one of game ONLY matters if that one off game is the Grand Final.

But didn't he just say that Leeds were better this season in his third comment?

St Helens are better than Leeds at the moment and if Leeds don't find credible replacements for Toopi (Smith?), Ellis and Scruton, St Helens' 1st choice 17 have the advantage.

We'll have to wait and see what happens at the business end of the year. Its too early to say. I'd still like to see what happens if both teams bring their 'A' games when we play each other.

Surely a knock out contest provides a similar scenario to the GF ? No comebacks and all.

I honestly feel that both sides would have gone all out to win yesterday, Leeds haven't won the Cup in years and could have realistically been winning the double this season. Just outplayed for me, Saints could and perhaps should have won by 18/20 points yesterday without our key scrum half and on Leeds' ground.

On yesterdays showing you are the better "team" at the moment.

I stress the team because individually I dont see a massive gap.

Your defence yesterday was top draw and earnt you the win.

Your attack at times was sharper and more direct and despite all that we had the individual efforts to snatch a win had the Burrow break been supported or even the subsequent play been more decisive and moved shaper to the wing I think the game would have turned in our favour.

We started with poor discipline and the 4 early penalties for offside allowed you a massive advantage and to settle on the ball.

I forget the amount of times you had consecutive 12 or 18 tackles early doors.

and yet after all that in the final 10 minutes we were one tackle from snatching a draw.


Good luck in the cup but maybe it will bite you back in the long run.

It's called form. Saints have it at the moment. Leeds are slightly off the pace but I'm sure they will be there or thereabouts at the end when it matters.

Two very good, evenly matched sides for me.

Saints are more consistent during the season but somehow Leeds have won the last 2 grand finals.

It is a tough one to call.

We must have been watching two different games.

As I posted on the other thread, Saints lost at home to HKR only a few weeks ago, they were by far the better team yesterday but that counts for nothing in seven months time, statements like [i"the trophies are Saints' to lose again"[/i are the pinnacle of arrogance.

How can you lose something you don't even possess?

Yep they do. If yesterday and the game at elland road and knowsley road don't wake GH up to the fact that our squad has gone backwards since last season i don't know what will....... i suspect though as the rest of SL are pretty poor gh will sit tight and hope for bad weather in october...

Two weeks ago might have counted for little in seven months time, yesterday however counted for something.

Sorry I'm having a thick day, what do you mean?

Yesterday will count for something as they will win the cup and we won't. them losing to kR means nothing in 7 months.

Agreed.



Possibly, I felt by this time Saints felt they had the game in the bag and had relaxed.



Both sides were indisciplined early doors for me, Leeds had 2 sets I think in our 20 in the first 4/5 minutes due to our indiscipline.



Goal line defence was top drawer from both sides I think. Having said that, we went 3 tries up, blew a total sitter with Gidley throwing the ball forward and had Gardner had support during his break (when he proved himself possibly the slowest winger on earth) we would have gone in again. As I have said, I felt Saints relaxed as they knew the game was won, hence the tighter scoreline which flattered Leeds.




I know, 2 years past experience of it.

I was refering to the SL Play offs & GF as Stirlingshire said "Trophies"

Thats in 7 months, I think the CC final is in 6 months

rpw was nearly there. Leeds losing at Saints two weeks ago might mean little in seven months time (I presume that's in the GF?) but losing yesterday means at least one of us (that's Leeds in this instance) is not going to win this year's Challenge Cup. So yesterday meant something to me, the club and I hope the players.

Which bit of my honest response did you not follow?

I desperately wanted Leeds to win. I am sure Leeds went all out to win. You were significantly better than us.

That said, we will hopefully regroup and be waiting for you at Old Trafford. If this season follows last, and you end up as league leaders and cup winners but we end up as champions then how you played on Sunday the 5th April won't matter a jot. We will be champions and you will be the cup holders. I'd much rather be champions. Its' the pinnacle.

The key part of this. A long way left yet, but Saints look better undoutdely

If yesterday hasn't handed Leeds top spot then it will be a sad state of affairs at Headingley (assuming as SS does, the CC is in the bag.) The bookies thinking Wigan are second favourites at the moment is an insult to pretty much every other SL club still left in.

However, they played well, we were poor yet the difference between the teams was 4 points...

Is this the same bookie that thinks/thought Wigan are the GF winners? I think this was in the League Express monthly as a start of the season guide. I thought it pretty laughable to be honest as the entire Wigan backline is akin to a side struggling to stay in the make the top 8.

Saints are the better at the moment but it isnt the massive problem some Leeds fans would have you believe.

At the moment Leeds are trying to get used to a new pattern of play (rather than the flat attack) so cannot rely on their own attacking game as much as in previous seasons. As a result they do need to study other sides attacking threats more and in the two games v Saints this year, they havent.

Having said that though, they were still within a couple of scores of winning both. Leeds lost the KR game with two sloppy tries just before half time and this one hinged on Leeds almost scoreing at one end before Saints scoring at the other.

No need to panic.

Other than the closeness of the scoreline, there was no comparison to two weeks ago and yesterday.

Yesterday we were blown away, and a massive gulf of class was shown between the sides. Two weeks ago it was not the same.

Yes we could have won yesterday with a bit of luck, but that would have been a complete injustice, as we were second in every facet of the game. Two weeks ago it would not have been such an injustice.