Come on folks lets give Huddersfield some credit in defence. They were outstanding again. We gave the ball some air last night and pushed ourselves through the defensive lines to make good yards as well against the best defence in the league. Like the first game of the season we got over the line with excellent defence preventing some scores.

After that first game at the Galph I think most of us identified immediately that this year's Huddersfield team had some potential because their defence was great back then. We didn't control the ball as well as we could but we were strong carrying the ball last night even if you prefer to favour judging attacking effectiveness on flair instead of efficiency, graft and the application of the game plan.

We have room for improvement with the ball but we played bloody well last night against a tough team and it's about time we give the side some credit for responding to this supporter-manufactured crisis that has as much credibility as Jarrod Hayne's claim that God enabled him to win the Dally M.

Whilst I agree the side deserve credit, I can't agree we played bloody well.

We defended bloody well, but we were our usual scrappy selves for much of the game with the ball and Huddersfield were atrocious at times.

If we can keep up that intensity in defence, we'll give ourselves a shot at overcoming our rustiness with the ball.

How much of that disruption though is down to playing against a team that doesn't let you walk all over them? I'd say quite a bit. Had we played Hull KR last night and they'd played like we did on Friday we've have battered them in a much better style than Leeds did. Meli would have had four or five against Rovers on Friday.

People are going OTT here.

We won the game and have a Semi Final in two weeks time.

We looked alot better than previous weeks and rather than thinking negatively that it's all over, I just feel little areas need tweaking and we'll be fine. Our kicking game needs some work as does the timing with the moves, but we certainly caused a strong defensive team plenty of problems.

If we continue with defence like that we'll be in the Grand Final.

You expect teams to not let you walk over them, it's the play-offs. It will be no easier against Wigan or Leeds and we'll have to perform better with the ball, that's all I'm saying.

Not knocking the effort, but the execution was still a fair way off and our last tackle options were still very poor for the most part IMO.

I'm not being negative, I've been one of the only positive people on this board for weeks!! I'm just being honest - we're getting there but we still need to step up a couple of gears if we want to win the GF.

I'd like to give credit to Potter in this because instead of trying to turn us into Catalans Dragons Mark II, as he did at the CC semi, with us making futile drives up the middle and precious little else, this time he got it tactically spot on, using the one weapon we do have in our armoury to bring the game to Hudds and that's our defence. When we play with enthusiasm, as we did last night, our defence is up there with the best and all credit to the lads for never giving up, even when certain members of the team gave away penalties and field position. I've never been one for defensive games but last night was a good match to watch, even though the whole thing was about defence.


I disagree about the supporter-manufactured crisis. Longy in the media I think highlighted what has certainly been at least partly responsible for our play: Potter's apparent insistence on playing people out of their traditional positions. That has caused confusion as we've approached the tryline and has no doubt knocked our confidence. I think fans have been spot on to question what has happened to our team this season given that even during those times when we have not had injuries, our team has never been allowed to settle and the performances have reflected that. Add to that the team's own lacklustre attitude and the arguments on the pitch, and I think it's perfectly reasonable to assume something is not right behind the scenes.

I'm in no way confident of our chances. We could just as easily revert to our awful play in two weeks' time, but because I'm a fan and because I so want us to be called champions next year, I am hopeful that Potter is in fact finally fixing whatever it was that had gone wrong, and that in two weeks we will build upon our success last night by making sure our finishing in attack is as good as it used to be and indeed should be, given the talent we have on the field.

Potter got it spot on tactically when we had the ball aswell. Saints identified that Hudds play a compressed defence, so we got the ball wide and kicked to the corners a few times. We also attacked the blindside on numerous occasions. If our execution was better we'd have been out of site on 60 minutes.

Totally agree. I was encouraged to see an absence of that confusion as we approached the line. I just hope that this isn't another false dawn but that we can build on last night's performance by tweaking our finishing because if we do that then we are in with a shout.

The semi final was crying out for the the game plan we used last night and lost count of the amount of times I shouted kick in the semis.

The wolves did it to them in the semi so was it potter just copying smith or did he work it out himself?

We didn't kick on from pinning them back with the kicks which is why the score was so low.

Who knows? Who cares? He got it spot on last night and IMO that's what counts. If he's learning how to adapt to our team, as opposed to what he did with his former team, then I'm a happy bunny as that is what we need in a coach (among other things). I don't care where he gets his ideas from, so long as they are the appropriate ones for Saints and for playing the opposition.

They took us by surprise in the semi-finals in the same way that Hull did when Anderson coached in his first semi-final for us.

What worried me in the semis was that potter couldn't see what I and thousands of other saints could see.

He should have changed it when hudds wide men was pressing up.

Anyone could see the kick was on all day.

I'm 1 of the fans that's backed potter and think he will turn it round, so I'm nit bagging him here, it just a worry.

Huddersfield didn't allow us to get into the game. We have to give some credit to the opposition. We don't always lose because we were poor or lacking in tactical nous. Sometimes we lose because we were outplayed.

I agree. Last night I think boiled down to who had the best defence, and we pipped it.

had we managed to get another try early in the 2nd half, Hudds would have given up and we would probably have gone on to score 40 - in the same way that Leeds did. We couldnt get that decisive score and let them have a glimmer of hope.

It wasnt pretty in attack - but I am a lot more confident than I was this time last week.

We've moved on by winning the forward battle now we have a bit of depth back at prop.

Now the half-backs just need to click. Long is improving with each game since his return from an injury he still has not fully recovered from.

Hopefully with a week-off and a bit of good weather on the training pitch this should improve.

Not difficult though pal.

I called that we put 'kicks to the corner' after 10 minutes in the CC Semi Final when their wingers were coming up out of line all the time.

It took 60 minutes before someone had the invention to put a kick behind their wingers.

If he couldnt see that after the CC Semi and also the league game at KR, then there would have been something badly wrong.

Yes but how long did it take him to figure that out. Granted Maurie is back and made a big difference, but a 10year old could spot we have been playing sides up the middle constantly and they just compress but Plan B has never been in evidence......

Every coach other than McLennan must be 9 years old then, since we finished 2nd despite being racked with injuries . . . .

I'm happy to judge Potter in a season with a proper pack next year. Geez, we're still a good shot at winning SL this year!

Lets be honest tho, it should have been a cake walk to finish first given the start of our season. The number of games lost in a row and the manner in which they were lost, Potter has a lot of work cut out for him Im afraid to pursuade me......

A lot of other coaches do not have the talent that we have at Saints at their disposal...

Utter drivel.

If you opened your eyes and watch the games you'd realise that teams hit form and they fall out of form as well. If only it was as simple as you eh!?

Tut! Tut!





And finally...



Come on [iThe S[/i!

you won't find negative comments from me!
i'm the ying to saddened's yang!

Leeds had massive leads in both years we finished top didn't they? They certainly had a 6 point lead over us at some.

Was us finishing top in those years down to us being a great team or them being clueless?