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| Quote ="Tez the Saint"I am just looking forward to going down to Rochdale for the first time, and I know that Rochdale are excited to be having Saints playing up there. It should be a decent trip, I am looking forward to it.'"
I'm hoping to go myself as I haven't been to Rochdale before either (not the town, not the rugby league ground).
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| Quote ="Tez the Saint"We will probably play a few young lads alongside a few fringe first teamers. I am just looking forward to going down to Rochdale for the first time, and I know that Rochdale are excited to be having Saints playing up there. It should be a decent trip, I am looking forward to it.'"
Yep.
[urlhttp://www.saintsrlfc.com/news/page/2644[/url
"The side will contain both first team squad players and the next generation of first team players who will be part of the new Under 19s competition".
I would expect to see the likes of Forster, Hand, Walker, Ashe, Percival, etc. Looking forward to see how they play again. Hope we can get quite a few fans down there to support the lads.
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| Back to the Wakey game, can we have more details please?
How were the new signings? Who was the star of the show? How didLomaskell fare? What role did Lance play? Did we play an expansive game? Did we defend well?
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| no one played bad, i think everyone played well. the passing was a bit off here and there in terms of both quality and pass choice, but we were running good lines and the kicking was good as well. the goal line defance looked very soild again, it looks like some hard work has gone into this.
* manu was strong and off loading at will linking up well with roby
* turner looked better than last week, missed a easy kick, but hit one over from the touch line
* greenwood impressed me more than anyone, he was strong defended well and looked more than the part, and would be more than happy to see him fill a spot in the season
* perry - the last couple of years he has been poor and called up by many people, myself inclueded but i think he had a good game, good yards, strong defence and had the awearness to take a kick off on the full giveing us the pen on the half way line resulting in a try
* lance had a good 40 at FB last week and a good 40 at hooker this, IMO has to be played as a second hooker looked good taking on the line and came up with 2 trys
* sia was on fire, tackleing anything in a white shirt busting holes in the line at will. i think at one point he nearly tackled ben cokehead in two!! only problem with his tackleing is that fact his flank is left short of numbers and wakey did make some good yeards down here
everyone else were solid, i know we have played a funny game against hudders and a slightly weaked wakey but im looking forward to the new season, not getting carried away saying we will win everything but WE WILL be a lot more fun to watch again
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| It was a good performance for a friendly. We were pretty physical up front and there were some good individual performances. We were a bit disjointed at times, but that seemed to be because we were trying to throw the ball around a bit more. The kicking game was good, too.
All of the old stagers played well. Roby only played 40 minutes, but was his usual dynamic self. All four of our main props (Brown used TP and LMS as rotation props, and then gave Walmsley about 15 mins at the end) were industrious, and I also think Wello deserves a mention, as he was excellent in attack and defence. Lance played hooker for the second half, and I thought he was very good.
It's clear that Manu is going to add an extra dimension to our attack, especially as our other players get used to anticipating his offloads. As mentioned above, he already seems to have a good understanding with Roby, which could do some real damage throughout the season.
Walmsley looks good, but a little raw. I reckon it'll be a year before we get the best out of him, partly because I think he could do with putting on a stone - he is a big lad and has a broad frame, but overall looks a little lean for a front rower. Given that he's only been a pro player for 12 months I'm sure that's something that'll sort itself out now that he'll be on a proper conditioning programme.
Joe Greenwood was very impressive in his stint. On his first carry he flattened a defender and went straight over the top of him, and he looked good defensively too. I suspect we'll see plenty of him this season.
My only concern from the match was that we looked shaky defensively on the right, where Gaskell and Turner were defending next to each other. Lauitiiti, in particular, had plenty of joy down that side. Gaskell also missed a fairly routine one-on-one tackle on Lee Smith for his try at the end. Not necessarily a major problem, but there definitely needs to be some work done on our communication down that channel.
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| Cracking game of Rugby League yesterday, really enjoyed it. Saints played well, once again we were superb defensively, especially on our goal line, and were really clinical with ball in hand. Out forwards laid the platform for and we looked a lot sharper this week than we did last week.
Individual wise, Josh Perry had a great game up front, and got really physical with Justin Poore in particular. He looks a lot fitter, and his performance on the field benefited because of that. He made great yardige from first reciever, and his workrate both with and without the ball was superb.
Sia was absolutly devastating yesterday and threatened every time he had the ball in his hands and was breaking the line at will. Roby had a cracking first half before being replaced by Hohoa, and his combination with Manu will be devastating througout the season. As I said, Lance played 9 yesterday and looked sharp, took his try superbly well.
Walmsley had another good game, although he does look a little bit lanky for a Super League prop. Hopefully that will have been acknowledged, and he will gain a couple of stone throughout the season. Having said that, he did ok when he came on which was good to see, and put in a decent shot on a Wakefield player. Obviously this is a huge step up for him, and I am sure he will benefit from a more professional environment, physically more than anything else.
Joe Greenwood impressed me a great deal once again, and carried the ball forward agressively and hit some cracking lines. His leg drive was extremely impressive, and he has a bit of pace about him and put in a belting tackle on a Wakefield player during the second half, absolutelly flattened him. I am expecting him to get a few opportunities throughout the season, and our front row looks to be extremely strong. We have 6 or 7 props competing for 4 spots in the 17, and they are all pushing each other that little bit further.
Gaskell had a decent game at 6, he put a cracking pass in for to Turner for one of Gardner's tries. Defensively we were good, but we did look a little bit vulnerable down the left hand side with Reece Lyne looking particularly dangerous playing centre for Wakefield. His kicking game was good, and him and Lomax seem to have a far greater understanding that's Lomax and Lance.
Thought it was great to see TP back, and he played well down the middle when he came on. Attendance wise, the figure given by Saints was 2,158, but I thought there were less than that to be honest. Plenty of room around me in W3 and throughout the West, whilst the seats in the South Stand looked practically empty to be honest. Anyway, as I said, it was a cracking game of Rugby League, and we are looking pretty good.
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| I can echo what has been said along with , I was entertained , it was a joy to see Saints play as we want to see them play , with a bit of flair , a couple of people around me said "this is like Saints of old" and it was in places!!
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| Only downside of our performance for me was the defence down our right side. Lynne made far too many breaks and was their main attacking threat. Turner and T-Mak need to tighten up down there, because better sides will punish us.
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| Quote ="St. Rughead"Turner and T-Mak need to tighten up down there, because better sides will punish us.'"
I think we're going to miss Shenny this season as his defence was his strength. Turner comes with a rep so far as defence goes. Aside from a tendency to come in from his wing, Makinson's defence hasn't been an issue. In fact he has sometimes put on some outstanding efforts at defence.
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| I think it'll more be the Gaskell / Turner combination that could be exposed rather than Turner / Makinson. However, Turner's slight problems in defence come from positioning, this can be coached out of him and I have no doubt Brown is capable of that. Turner if more than capable of tackling in the contact, it's just his positioning that could improve.
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| In the Huddersfield game Lomax defended well done the right side with Turner and Makinson. I was surprised to see him on the left, and Gaskell on the right on sunday.
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| Probably a case of testing combinations. I'd imagine long term Lomax will be on the right as he's the stronger defender. Gaskell will be on the left as Josh Jones is a very good defender and he'll have Manu inside him too.
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| Gaskell's defence was ropey when he came through in 2011, but he managed to improve it rapidly. Perhà ps being out of the first team for so long has knocked him back, but hopefully he will improve again. I'm over the moon he's been reinstated as our #6.
I'm also very excited about young greenwood making a mark. Along with Sia and Manu, we all o a sudden have some real size in the back row.
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| I can't remember where I read it, but someone was talking about Sia and his big hits. Quite happy that they almost oblitorate the opposition, but it comes at a price as he leaves his flank exposed.
Sometimes when there is an overlap, it's not always the end men that have caused it.
I'm not for one minute suggesting that an aggresive tackle should be stopped to keep a solid line. An aggresive tackle can be very effective in causing errors in attack. But we should not always look at the gap left and blame those who have had to shuffle across.
It's a gamble and you need gambles to win anything big. But we also have to accept it will leave us exposed and breaks will happen.
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| Quote ="St. Rughead"In the Huddersfield game Lomax defended well done the right side with Turner and Makinson. I was surprised to see him on the left, and Gaskell on the right on sunday.'"
While Lomax is an able tackler and a goo at "giving them the outside", his decision making in defence is often awful. If Turner's rep is deserved, perhaps they're better keeping them apart?
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| In the end, if it's our fringes where we are exposed then we have little to worry about. The quality of outside backs in SL is poor and the halves are not much better. If you don't get punched up the middle in the forwards then bar the odd couple of players, there is not much threat outwide.
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| Quote ="bewareshadows"In the end, if it's our fringes where we are exposed then we have little to worry about. The quality of outside backs in SL is poor and the halves are not much better. If you don't get punched up the middle in the forwards then bar the odd couple of players, there is not much threat outwide.'"
There is against Wigan and Wire. They both exposed us on the fringes last season, and we'll need to smarten up if we want to pick up silverware.
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| Quote ="Dux"There is against Wigan and Wire. They both exposed us on the fringes last season, and we'll need to smarten up if we want to pick up silverware.'"
Wigan's centres this year will be Goulding and Hughes/Thornley. I wouldn't say there's much quality there. On the other hand Warrington have Atkins and Monaghan down one side which is a pretty lethal combination (about 50 tries between them last season), I definitely know who I'd rather be up against. There aren't many teams that'll threaten us out wide.
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| Fringe defence is all about communication, and having an understanding with the players inside and outside you. You can put in all the defensive strategies you like, but at the end of the day it is about making the right decisions and trusting the players around you. Jones is solid defensively, and I would expect Gaskell to defend outside of him, and with Manu defending down that side as well we should be pretty solid down the left, The big question mark defensively will be down the right, and Wakefield, and Reece Lyne found some joy down that side.
I love to see Sia flying into tackles, but he needs to learn to assess the situation first before commenting himself and taking himself out of the game. Wigan in particular were superb at this last year, and had the players out side to exploit any sort of overlap. As soon as they get Tomkins running on the inside shoulder of the centre and the outside of the second rower, he is practically unstoppable and will punish you.
Wigan will miss Carmont hugely in that respect, and I expect Warrington will be the most dangerous this year out wide. With the pace of Monaghan, Ratchford, Atkins and Riley out wide, an with the lines and decoy runs of Trent Waterhouse in particular, they will be deadly if given the opportunity.
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| Quote ="St. Rughead"Wigan's centres this year will be Goulding and Hughes/Thornley. I wouldn't say there's much quality there. On the other hand Warrington have Atkins and Monaghan down one side which is a pretty lethal combination (about 50 tries between them last season), I definitely know who I'd rather be up against. There aren't many teams that'll threaten us out wide.'"
It's not just centres, though. Against Wigan it's Tomkins hovering behind the attacking line that puts so much pressure on defenders' decision making (although admittedly teams will be able to focus on Tomkins more now that Carmont isn't there). Against Wire it was mainly Waterhouse who caused havoc in our edge defence.
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| I was not suggesting that fringe defense is irrelevant, but if it's your one weakness then you are doing pretty well. No team is perfect and teams will improve as the season goes on, but if we start solid in the middle of the park then teams have to be pretty good to beat us.
Also last year I recall Wigan running round our edges, but also directly through the middle of us.
If Sia is going to fly out the line then Tomkins would be an ideal candidate to fly at. Some players and Tomkins is becoming one, tend to get shown a little too much respect and get stood off by a whole raft of players, therefore giving them more time to make decisions and to hold the ball.
When Meli crunched him in the exiles match, he thought twice about running the ball, hit the man hard and hit him legally then see how often he runs down that channel.
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| ball in the hand the 13 has a good bit of freedom to go where he wants in attack, maybe in defance the 13 moves out wide and defends in the second row keeping things soild and give sia that little bit of freedom not leaving us open or exposed....just an idea to play to all our strenghts
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| Quote ="feilds of knowsleyRD"ball in the hand the 13 has a good bit of freedom to go where he wants in attack, maybe in defance the 13 moves out wide and defends in the second row keeping things soild and give sia that little bit of freedom not leaving us open or exposed....just an idea to play to all our strenghts'"
Wilkin's work rate defensively is superb, and along with Roby is our toptackler. If he were to defend in just one particular area we would lose that, and the extra responsibly is Roby's shoulders would make him less effective on attack.
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| Quote ="SaintsFan"I think [u[iwe're going to miss Shenny this season as his defence was his strength. [/i[/u Turner comes with a rep so far as defence goes. Aside from a tendency to come in from his wing, Makinson's defence hasn't been an issue. In fact he has sometimes put on some outstanding efforts at defence.'"
I'd love to know where people get this myth from. He missed more tackles than any other player in our squad last season. If defence was his strength, I'd hate to know what his weakness was. And before you claim he missed more because he tackled more than most, he wasn't in the top 10 for tackles made.
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| Quote ="bewareshadows"I was not suggesting that fringe defense is irrelevant, but if it's your one weakness then you are doing pretty well. No team is perfect and teams will improve as the season goes on, but if we start solid in the middle of the park then teams have to be pretty good to beat us.
Also last year I recall Wigan running round our edges, but also directly through the middle of us.
=#FF0000If Sia is going to fly out the line then Tomkins would be an ideal candidate to fly at. Some players and Tomkins is becoming one, tend to get shown a little too much respect and get stood off by a whole raft of players, therefore giving them more time to make decisions and to hold the ball.
When Meli crunched him in the exiles match, he thought twice about running the ball, hit the man hard and hit him legally then see how often he runs down that channel.'"
Given the number of times Sia misses those crunching tackles that could be a recipe for disaster. Keep the line tight and don't leave space for him to run through would be my first thought, any big hits would be a bonus.
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