Alright I overegged the score a little by predicting 32, but it was always an away banker this one.

Saints IMO need to wake up. Alright the focus might be on next season and launching the new stadium with new players and new optimism, but this season has the potential to do tremendous damage financially if they keep performing like that tonight. I heard plenty saying 'never again' as they walked away, a friend of mine said he's done with it for this season, and he's a season ticket holder who lives in Widnes.

I thought Quins were excellent tonight, a snapshot of everything we used to be. Hard working, dynamic and inventive. Their half backs were superb and their forwards, despite all being very limited players, combined superbly and thoroughly outperformed Saints international pack. Tonight was another example of a team holding back because they aren't familiar with the position they found themselves in. Had Quins really gone for it in the second half they could have humiliated us tonight.

For 75 minutes that was the worst I have ever seen Saints play at home. You optimists will still try to paper over the cracks but the facts are we're thoroughly average now. The last of the greats has gone and it's mid table mediocrity from here on in, UNLESS the board pull their cheque book out and sign SIX OR SEVEN established players.

Tonight:
1 - Wellens 3/10 Like public transport. Late, slow and stunk. He's not even Mr Reliable anymore, thoroughly vulnerable to kicks and Dorn made him look ridiculous tonight.
2 - Gardner 5/10 Reasonable again
3 - Shenton 5/10 Mr Invisible again, nothing 'wrong'
4 - Lomax 7/10 Did alright, he should be given the 6 shirt until Leon is back
5 - Meli 8/10 Another Meli moment when he ran the kick return off the field but otherwise our most lively back. He is one of very few who looks capable of making a break and his effort was notable
6 - Gaskell 4/10 Another game with the odd moment of 'oh he looked good there' followed by endless mistakes and misreads. His kicking game is truly atrocious and he is not ready to play half back. He should not be starting there, wing or centre to get him involved. This spell with Leon out could ruin his career
7 - Super Kyle 4/10 Looked mean and motivated. But the fact no one passes the ball within 12 feet of him doesn't make it too easy to control and lead a team. Didn't take the line on again, but neither would I when that line is facing ZERO attacking runners to create uncertainty.
8 - Graham 8/10 The usual flushed cheeks and 'is he going to flip out and get sent off' performance. All effort for no reward
9 - Roby 7/10 Some superb one out running combined with some of the worst dummy half distribution I've ever seen. Keiron's statue now has a face palming pose after that interception pass.
10 - Perry 7/10 A good, solid debut. Looks like he'll be an asset when fully fit. Can't help but think he's struggling to realise why he ever agreed to come over here though
11 - Puletua 5/10 Cruise control on. Made metres but looked like he was playing in slippers
12 - Dixon 5/10 Decent, unspectacular
13 - Flannery 5/10 The usual. Reliable and solid

14 - Moore 5/10 Barely noticed him
15 - Maggenis 6/10 Some good tackling. Looks like he could be another Clough
16 - Clough 6/10 Solid, totally unspectacular
17 - Foster 5/10 Still the best looking young player we've ever produced. For that fact alone he should start.

Saints method is more in question tonight than the effort. Why when Quins attacked did they go through two or three sets of hands, often including both halves before it was taken in, yet when Saints attacked it was one, usually terrible, pass followed by a laboured drive? Why were both Gaskell and Eastmond stood so far from the play and not involved in most sets at all? All our sets were identical.

1 - Laboured return by Wellens +1.5 metres
2 - Good solid run by Ade +10 metres
3 - Pass from dummy half and drive +5 metres
4 - Pass from dummy half, usually a reverse pass +5 metres
5 - Run from dummy half + 5 metres
6 - Horrible kick from Gaskell

YAWN!

Sounds like a fair review to me. The sad thing is, this time you're not being pessimistic.

That is priceless

You are being very harsh on Gaskell he was one of our best performers, and was the only player we had creating anything. He made mistakes because he was playing his heart out and trying to win the game.

The number 7 we had was just totally disinterested again.

To give Meli and 8 and Gardner a 5 is a disgrace. Gardner ran his heart our and covered for speedbump no7 on numerous occasions. Meli on the other hand just made error after error. The worst being catching the ball and then running 20 yards back and straight into touch. There was also the pass that was allegedly to Gaskell but was nowhere near him.

Flannery was our best forward by far. He was everywhere in defence and in attack he was the only forward running good lines.

I'm not being harsh on Gaskell, it's too early for him and wrong to put him in one of the most important positions in the team. With Leon alongside him is fine, but not on his own with another kid with no experience who has the world on his shoulders.

Gardner did try hard, but it wasn't work a winger should be doing.

Kyle's defensive effort was fine tonight, take the blinkers off. He was tasked with marking Karl Pryce, who's thigh is the same size as Kyle. Ridiculously naive coaching from Royston that one. Surely he should have noticed the mismatch.

Shouldn't Shenton have been marking Pryce?

Just bear with it, like life, superleague is cyclical and it's your turn for transition ( along with Leeds).

I know it's harsh to see the wolves having a good year or two but it won't last too long, too many ageing players. Just a bit sickening for you lot to see the birth of a new Wigan dynasty while you are on the way down.
Console yourself that RL will be a better game with a challenging team not from the heartland

Never mind. It's only Leeds away next.

Kevin Brown managed it OK last week, and he's about Kyle's size...

You were watching a different game from me.

Meli was a liability. He got himself bundled into touch along with his usual frailties. Gardner at least took on the line and worked hard. Gaskell is a young guy I feel 100% sorry for because he tries his best but he is inexperienced at this level and he is our only functioning halfback. He so desperately needs the experience of Leon Pryce. I think Wello was injured as he was limping from the outset. And Jammer, except for a brief spell in the second half, was pretty hopeless really. He was too much of a pretend halfback tonight and I think every pass had a big red cross on it. Kyle was non-existent, but nothing else was expected for mine as he doesn't want to be here. Shenton worked his bollox off as did Lomax.

But as a team we were terrible tonight and Quins were extremely good playing a disciplined game with enthusiasm and a pair of halfbacks.

I do agree that we now have a mediocre side and mid table is what we are looking at. Still, we can always be reminded of how good we once looked by watching how Warrington play!

Kevin Brown has superior team mates.

Meli 8

awful and shenton was one of a few players who did ok

I'll bet Meli made more metres than Shenton, Lomax, Gaskell and Eastmond combined. He had a go tonight.

He made about 30 metres at one point. Trouble was, it was across the pitch and not forward. He was an idiot tonight. Did you go to the game?

on the contrary, my dear Watson....and I quote..
Just looked at the team sheet vs Wakefeild, and [uall[/u the players are English registed apart from Solomona (who doesn't count on quota if my memory serves me right).

Looks like your youth policy is working with the likes of:

Bridge
Riley
Blythe
Atkins
Evans
Myler
Harrison
Grix
Mitchell
McCarthy

[uall being under 25 I believe[/u...... this can only be good for the Wire as well as England, hats off!


too many old players, eh

I agree with The Chair, Gaskell was one of our best performers tonight and Gardner did well especially after the knock in the first set of six.

Tell me when shenton or lomax get the ball our halfs are awful but every game meli gives away a try

I think he was more reffering to the 'key' players being ageing, the likes of:

Briers
King
Morley
M Monaghan
Carvell
Westwood

I do however agree that their youth system seems to be working very well.

yes but we have lots of money, a flexible salary cap and a brilliant coach.

these players will be replaced with excellent young talent & Australian test players.

its all good at the wire these days son.

I was agreeing that Wire is looking good for the future, just stating what the original poster was talking about.

Also, a flexible salary cap? The salary cap isn't flexible at all.

yea .... i was joking.... lots of people think we are somehow cheating the salary cap... it was a sideways swipe at them.

i will agree that we have some amazing young players coming through though.

I'm not good with sarcasm

Is Joel Monaghan English registered? or did he not play tonight?

No, he refused to play because he doesn't like cats.