Welcome back Saints, not sure if we're going to win it not but this first half is the first time I've felt like I'm watching a saints side in a while, win or lose, I can be proud of a decent performance do far

Absolutely. Perry and laffranchi were top notch. Hohohaia is controlling things from hb and meli and Gardner are running the ball back like they are possessed. Fingers crossed for another 40 mins and not a cats collapse!

The new coach effect works it's magic.
A much improved performance. In saying that Leeds have been poor, it's as if they expected Saints to continue in the same vein as previous week.

Kind of predictable but very welcome nevertheless. The real hard work starts in 3 weeks' time once New Manager Syndrome and the natural performance boost of playing against Leeds/Wire/Pies has worn off but for now we can be happy.

Game plan at last, control the ruck area in defence and attack, support the ball player and run cross angles to confuse the opposition.
Seems as though they did what they do best from the past by keeping and controlling momentum. Every player played for one another, the front row was immense, Roby had Leeds on the back foot all the first half, thought Gardener played a blinder tonight.

Great performance by your lot tonight.
I couldn`t find a weakness in any of your team well done.
Whilst many are saying Leeds were poor. I have to say that the way you mullered us in the forwards laid the platform for the rest of the game.
That is what team work is all about and has served us well for a good few years now.
Once again well done. Now all you have to do is keep it up.

I thought tonight was a top class performance and the change from last week was amazing.

I posted in another thread this morning that I was talking to some saints lads thus week and they was really up for this game and that showed.

Improved out of sight. Their attitude was excellent. An incoming coach couldn't ask for more. The big difference was second phase ball. Prior to this it seemed like we'd forgotten to release the ball before the tackle.

Hohaia is a class act. Ran the game like a veteran.

Thought the veterans tonight really led the way. Perry, Lance, Roby, Wilkin and Adey Gaga really set the tone in that first half. Outstanding.

It was also good to see the back on the bench has now gone and we are playing with 17 men again.

I thought lance played the game we've been crying out for all this year. He played simple controlled rugby with a excellent kicking game.

...you forgot Wello, brilliant again !!

Exactly and it is really that hard to coach that into anybody? I think not. One of the first things you should be teaching anybody who kicks is where to bloody well kick it. Easy.

Wello has been very impressive the last two weeks.

His chase also impressed me, he was always there chasing every kick he put in.

The thing about Hohaia is he plays the percentages well. When he's on his natural game you rarely see him throw a suicide pass, or kick into touch on the full.

And then there are the little things like the way he receives and holds the ball. Always on his finger tips. Never the palms. That's the sign of a good player.

Saints back to their best tonight , just a shame for Royce they didnt show this kind of form and honesty before .

I had doubts if he can play stand off and I still do but tonight made me think that maybe he can be the halfback we need.

He stood back, played with his head up with some nice little passes and lovely kicks pinning Leeds back.

I was very impressed but it's one game and he's got to do this week in, week out.

I'd have my doubts about Hohaia holding on to the stand-off jersey in the NRL. But not SL. He's a clever player. And when his confidence is back fully I'm sure we'll see him light up the afterburners and score a few tries. If he breaks the line not many will catch him.

Let's hope so.

Have we seen the return of the entertainers? because i was certinly entertained from the first minute all the way to the eightieth minute. Top class performance by all, and i know i've criticised Meli on other threads, but he looked confident under the high ball, even under pressure, and run some good yards as Ade did like wise.



we play to this level on Friday against Wire and GF against Wigan and we'll give them something to worry about. COYS

I wondered how long it would take someone to conclude it was all Lance's doing. It was the pack that 'did' that tonight. Puletua, Perry and Roby were unplayable in the first half, Wilkin, Clough and LMS in the second. The pack were outstanding.

Lance played well, taking care of the kicking game and leaving the controlling and running of the plays to Lomax, who looked his old self again tonight as he was playing behind a winning pack.

You mean Sky?

My thoughts exactly. It was always the senior players/forwards who were the problem, not helped of course by having Roby missing for three weeks and having too many errors in our game (lack of commitment IMO).

Just watching the Sky+ now. Missed tackles in the first half? Zero. That's incredible. That today is probably the best Saints performance in years.