If we were all teachers at Hogwarts School of Rugby League, what would young Harry Potter's half-term report be like?

I must admit to being pleasantly surprised by our league position and the our run in the CC. He seems to have a decent level of control over the team and we have had some excellent results and a good level of consistency.

However I don't like his use of 'da kids' one little bit. Poor Eastmond is rested for all the easy home games when there is a full side available, yet plays out of position in what was obviously (To me anyway if not you dreamers) a turgid struggle away at Salford. How is he meant to benefit from that? The other promising kids, Wheeler, Lomax, etc are all used far too sparingly. If Eastmond is going to be our 7 next season, which no one has confirmed yet, he needs regular game time to get used to the position and the level of responsibility. Lucky for him Long got injured or we wouldn't have seen him. I wouldn't be surprised to see Wilkin at 7 despite the need for Kyle to play more regularly.

Also, I still don't feel we've hit anything like our best form. Apart from the games at Headingly and The Jungle I've never really felt we've played all that well, even when we have won. The Challenge Cup is looking decidedly open at the moment with all four teams in with more than a genuine shout. Under Millward or Anderson I would have perhaps been slightly less worried about it.

The lack of squad depth isn't Potter's fault and ultimately it will be that factor that limits our success this year as we simply can't cope with injuries.

I think he's doing a decent job so far. We're unbeaten in the Challenge Cup again and we're top of the league, so you can't really ask for much more than that in terms of results achieved. Both Leeds games fill me with confidence that we can turn it on when we need to.

The progression of players such as Wilkin, Clough and some of the young lads also fill me with great hope for the future.

But, I must admit I'm concerned by some of the defeats and performance levels we've had this year at times. 3 out of the 4 of the defeats were absolutely pathetic and that's a trend that can't continue. Our peformance levels at times has been shocking too, with countless errors putting us under unnecessary pressure. Thankfully, our defence has been outstanding for the most part.

But, he'll ultimately be judged on what trophies we win, so I'm still undecided at this stage.

8/10 so far.

Don.t think there has been as much pressure put on the team this season, half the time we have just gone through the motions to win but not to entertain.
Also most of the games we have lost is where the referee has allowed long time wrestle tackles with slow play the balls.
Overall the superleague appears mediocre which has allowed us to blood the young players with little risk.
Hopefully barring any more injuries Saints will step up a gear next month and be on the trophy trail again

I always thought potter had the hardest job of recent coaches. With some big names nearing the end and lack of depth it was always going to be tough job.

What more can we ask for? Top of league and in semi of cc.

Just hope the lack of depth don't rob him of chance of winning something.

This is the key month according to Mr Potter and we started it by losing to Salford.

What is the chance of Long being back for the Semi final? And KC?

Will he be able to transfigure someone into a long term replacement for

I think Mick Potters pre emptive was that he knows he's going to lose games this month.
I reckon we will lose another 3 games, 2 more losses this month 1 next month.
We also need KC back pronto the game before the semi.

This is also the big chance for Kyle Eastmond to step up, 8 weeks at no 7 will decide if he is going to be good enough.....I hope he succeeds and creates the next future partnership with Pyrce.

He did say about three weeks ago that we would be increasing our intensity from then on in, and we have actually managed to play some pretty awful rugby over the last three weeks. I'm wondering what on earth us playing at low intensity means now!

completely agree.
My only concern is if kyle does what matty smith did a couple of years ago and has a great run of game doing a good job and then is dropped for the playoffs because Long is back, that was very unfair IMO, but a tough decision either way.

from an external perspective; Potter won't be able to judged for a couple of years as he is coaching a team under transition.

He is reforming a team who will be minus their most experienced key players, which is a challenge on two fronts; he has to get the semi-senior pros to step up to replace the vacated players and integrate the young players, probably the easier of the two tasks.

Plus I am led to believe that a few of the senior pros are not "too supportive"

I started the season with the thoughts that it was a transitional period for the team and the coach. How can you expect a coach to perform a quality team rebuild, given only a two year contract. With all the players currently injured/resting or out of sorts with the club, the season, for mine, is progressing far better than I had hoped. I understand the desire to play and thats why so many are out on loan, but it is difficult to see where the replacement forwards are being "schooled" or even who they are. Key players will leave at the end of the season and to all that go I would wish every success were and when they play, but am mindfull of those words..... "You win nothing with kids"

External or not I'm glad I'm not the only one who can see the bigger picture with regards to Potter and his Saints.

I strongly suspect one of the major reasons Mick was brought in was because of his ability to 'build' a team as he did successfully with Les Cats. We have to look beyond what happened last week, what is happening this season (even if we end up winning no silverwear) and realise that the club's management and as part of that Mick Potter, have looked at the new rules being brought in and the format and systems of the franchise era, and have formed a long term plan. This plan, like the stadium project, won't be completed overnight.

In a strange way I won't be upset if we don't win anything this season, if it means people lower their expectation level a bit, ease off with the uber-confidence some seem to have that is often seen as arrogance by others, and realise that we can't reign supreme all of the time but that by supporting our team week in week out in numbers, showing dedication and determination and a will to win we can enforce those same principles on the players.

Name names and tell us all you know then.

Just like some weren't happy with Hanley/Millward/Anderson but oh how the trophies rolled in.

I.M.O






the jury was out when we announced him as our next coach and its still out as far as i'm concerned

I'm a fan of Potter.

We don't have a left centre, Cayless has been out all year, Longy is picking up knocks and has been awful at times and we have blooded lots of kids. Yet we're top of the league and in the semi of the cup.

Not sure what more we can ask the bloke to do.

I get the impression some people won't warm to him because he isn't grinning and cracking jokes in interviews, but I'd rather have a good coach than a good clown.

He'll do for me.

doing a good job - if at the start of the season you had offered me the current position: top of the league, in the cup semi (after destroying Leeds), only 4 defeats and brought in 5 or 6 young lads; I would have been delighted.

Admittedly, we havent played well every week - and some of the performances have been as bad as I can remember, but on the whole its going well.

We have to remember that we are a club in transition on and off the field, and Potter probably has had the hardest coaching task at Saints since Eric Hughes. He has 3 years to completely rebuild the team, and the signs so far are good.

If Roguey is right (which I doubt), and some fo the senior players are not happy - i'm not too bothered, the young lads are the ones that need to be kept happy not the likes of Sean Long.

Christ dont buy into his little dreamword where he actually has inside info.
He's just a p1ss poor troll.

He is probably right. It is hardly unusual for certain players to build a rapport with a coach, the coach leaves and they don't have have the same relationship. Just as ones who didn't get on as well with the previous coach, now do.

Unfortunately for Rogues, his attempts at sensationalism are rather poor.

Wouldnt disagree,it's the fact he likes us all to think he's some sort of insider that makes my @rse wink.

The guy's doing a great job. No major issues. A couple of minor ones. Top of the league.

I mean, what more can you ask for?

Nutella does it for me.

He's your archetypal; I have the knowledge, but am never specific so it is nothing more than pure speculation type.

Can't knock him so far. As has been pointed out, we're top of the league and in the last four of the cup, and have seen the emergence of a handful of exciting young players. We've also managed all of this one prop light. Pretty impressive I'd say.

We have been shocking in one or two games where our handling and discipline have let us down, but this was not unheard of under Anderson, and most certainly not under Millward.