You are, as well, aren't you? I don't think I've ever read a pessimistic post from you. How do you do it? My last sliver of hope slipped away tonight. I just couldn't hold on to it at all. It was too slithery for me to keep my grip.

i do it by growing up in the eighties, getting ritual humiliation by wigan throughout my childhood, getting laughed at when we lost 27-0 at wembley, but this has taught me to appreiciate the fabulous team we have now and anyone who thinks second in the league and a cup semi final is failure, may i direct you to our friends over the lump

I remember saying things like that in 2003/2004!

The writing was on the wall for us at that time as well!

I also remember saying in a couple of threads that when a period of dominance ends in nearly every sport the Team & It's supporters are also the last ones to see it.

I just hope you're wrong, but there are uncertain times ahead. Hopefully saints will learn from wigan's mistakes

I think we had a few more problems than you guys do and TBH the mindset of the fans is slightly different (Although I'm beginning to doubt that seeing some of the reactions of your guys) which means I don't think you will drop as far as we did.

However

Once you drop that 10-15% back to the Pack you just can't turn it around overnight and become as dominant again.
Existing contracts,SC, Lack of income, other attractive options for coaches/Players, focussing on a New stadium etc all play a part in having to look for a more long term solution to the problem than is ideal.

A lot of our fans have struggled to accept that, will yours?

note to self, must remember to log T-other half out first

By a lot of reactions that can be seen here and heard around the ground then nope I think a lot of them won't.

Last night was about the performances we have had this season when we have had the same squad - the same squad, that is - which took us to silverware last season and which won 20 games on the trot. We fans were expecting the slide into mediocrity next season with the loss of Longy, Gilly and possibly Keiron. Not this season. The demise has been a shock because it has come so very early to a team which fundamentally hasn't changed. It's like watching a totally different Saints to the one Anderson coached to success the previous three seasons. Yet it's the same team!

with the losses from the squad last year, i'd have been happy with 4th reasonably. Longy, KC, Gidley, and gilly all well over 30, wello slowing down, etc, etc. yet 2nd in the league and a cup semi with the most horrendous injury list i've seen in my 31 yrs

Get a grip people, you've simply hit a temporary bad patch at the wrong point in the season.

But I must admit, it raises a smile to see listed as a positive "Lomax caught a high ball whilst running backwards"

feck me, whatever next?

Dont think it's that simple mate.

It's not just the results, it's the lack of gameplan, lack of motivation, lack of organisation, lack of ideas, and that the players seemingly couldnt give a s*it.

Most accurate comment so far.

:27zoqnb7

Mate, i'm sorry to quote you again but look further into the game.

:27zoqnb7Lack of game plan:27zoqnb7 - Could be that we are trialing new things, Pryce certainly played 30 mins at Loose last night...

:27zoqnb7Lack of organisation:27zoqnb7 - As above with Pryce, Long is only in his 3rd/4th game back, Arnold moved from 6 to full back on a few occasions.

:27zoqnb7Lack of ideas:27zoqnb7 - rolled up into the above two points.

:27zoqnb7Lack of Motivation

Positive - You don't win a trophy in September.

I'm certainly optimistic Dave that , seeing as I won't be going to OT due to my wedding bash, I won't be missing Saints lifting the trophy

But flippin eck, should we be trialing new things at this time of year? Surely the time for trying out new moves (ha!) etc went about six weeks ago? We need to be secure of our moves and our positioning in order to maximise our potential for the playoffs surely?

Granted, had we been playing with a full squad 6 weeks ago!

She's pretty reasonable, tell her you'll come straight back after the match

Given that we weren't then we need to leave new moves alone until next season. Experimenting now is the wrong time to be experimenting, if experimenting is what Potter was doing on Friday night.

i agree, i think last night was just looked like we were trialling things and different positions.

I've thought of a positive! I've thought of a positive!

We may have lost our record against Hull KR and Catalans and our two year domination of Wigoon this season; we may have played the worst rugby league I've seen in a Saints shirt in donkeys years over the last few months; we may have lost the Challenge Cup and the hubcap and the chance of a new bathroom ...

But there is one thing that hasn't changed.

There is one enduring success story.

Warrington still haven't beaten us, home or away!!

Yay!! A positive!!

I knew you could do it! That was the first step, now keeping thinking about that and more will come to you....

What about the game time and experience the youngsters are getting..........Eastmond and Emmit