Were you that good against Wigan

booked my GF and CC final tickets on the back of it.

I watched the full game on Wigan TV, I was very impressed with Adam Walne, Ryan Lannon & Josh Jones.

It was a good solid, well structured, spirited team display by Salford, against a Wigan side missing a few first teamers (but then so did we).
I was impressed with everyone TBH, but from the new boys;

1. Obrien made some great kick returns and looked comfortable under the ball (even though he looks like he's made from biscuits). Good to see we've got decent back up for Niall, It will be interesting to see who we go with on the bench Tompkins as back up hooker or Obrien for his versatility.
2. Josh Jones looked good and when fully fit will be a real handful. Also refreshing to see the winger actually getting the ball.
3. Carney just built on what we know he's capable of and will score s lot of tries this year.
4. Lui looks the business what more can you say.
5. Chicken Tikki Masala I think may become a new fans favourite with his storming runs, he is one big fella.
6. Flanagan / Sarsfield both steady neither put a foot wrong.
7. Lannon deserves some praise aswell as he had a very good game going forward.

I was shocked just how big Jones was, one of those players I never really took much notice of at Saints, quality competetion for places can only be a good thing.

MCB and Johnson seem to have bulked up considerably and mean our squad is in better shape than many realise.

I've said it for a while but the Walnes have everything needed to make a real name for themselves, for me both of them and Lannon again offer back up for the forwards.

Anyone think Wigan tries where avoidable? Didn't realise at the time but look as if Evalds back out of a collision for a try, then someone slipped in far corner to allow easy to touch down. And Clubb shouldn't of been allowed get the ball with in goal line defence. Maybe I being over critical?

The most impressive thing for me is how all the lads played for each other and it looks like Sheens has developed a well balanced team. We always looked composed and organised in both attack and defence and I honestly think if we can keep everyone fit we may surprise a few people this year.

Having said that playing against a big Hull pack a week on Friday may pose a much more difficult challenge to our forwards than we saw against Wigan. We need another experienced Prop.

I wouldn't read to much into that mate by the last 13mins we had 8/9 players that started the game on the bench.

I'm with you Devils2015, 20 mins in the 2nd half numerous changes, plus the fact they knew they had it won some eased off.
Hopefully come the competitive games the coaching staff will have drilled it in that it's an 80minute game.

A lot of us know just how good they were at academy level a few years ago. The time is now for them both to mature as first team players, in a better spirited environment, and show what they are really capable of at superleague level. One area the Walne brothers need to work on though is their discipline, far too many silly needless penalties over the past couple of years that have been costly.

This.

I think the Walne's need to step-up this year. They've been given enough game time now to be over the nurturing period and need to start making an impact that doesn't involve giving penalties away. We've got a decent amount of young forwards competing with them this year, so hopefully that will kick their backsides to up their game, or lose out to the younger guys.

Isn't it possible that he'll start with O'Brien at full back ?

What's your reasoning behind that.

Correct me if I'm wrong but GOB isn't a out / out FB, so why would he drop Evalds based on last seasons performances?
Id have thought he's been brought in for his versatility to cover numerous positions during injuries?

Surely the idea of the GOB playing at FB for the two friendlies was to give him some exposure, so that if needed he wasn't just being thrown in the deep end?

Just my thoughts.

I'm not arguing that he should start.
Just thinking out loud,really.
I rate Evalds.

I was impressed with how trim Sa'u looked.

Jones,
Vidot,
Griffin,
Sa'u,
Carney,

Can't think of a bigger back line than that.

That's some back line.

With a back line that size maybe makes sense of the forward pack more, each one of those taking a drive every other set really helps the forwards and in Vidot there's a real battering ram who played at prop for Brisbanes reserve grade.

Just my thought on our lighter forward pack this year is this.

1 Our forward pack is much younger this year and look a lot fitter.

2. We can afford to get 3/4 players into a tackle, to bring down the attacking forwards, get up and get back onside in time to face the next attack.

3. Our back line are going to get more involved with driving the ball forward.

4. The 5 drives and a kick rubbish has ended.

5. We are going to play a more speed game and get the ball out to the and wingers and give the forwards more of a break in attack , and use them more for defence in a pack.

That is my thought on the team this season.

Top six finish for me if we can keep the squad fit enough, and we get more refs call this season than we did last.

I have never seen a Salford side look more organised than they did against Wigan but will they be able to pull it off in a more intense Super League game, I think so.

Early days but Lui looks far more use than Chase.
Sure we won't have the brilliance for 4 matches a season but far more suited to partnering Dobson

As much as Chase was the greatest player I've ever seen in a Salford on his day, I would still rather have Lui for a better overall team chemistry.

From what I've seen from him thus far I am expecting us to get a lot of repeat sets and trys from kicks next season because his grubber kick game is on point.

I read an Australian article a while ago that was pinpointing why Queensland produces so many good HB's in comparison to anywhere else. It was an interesting read, with plenty of input from coaches and people in the game. To cut a long story short, the crux of the matter came down to the fact that kids in Queensland are not 'over-coached' and encouraged to try things and show flair. It isn't long before they become very good readers of play and leads them to produce HB's that control the ebb and flow of games more than anywhere else. I can see these qualities in Robert Lui in abundance. He's a typical Queensland HB product that has talent but also has that ability that is so hard to coach and that's the ability to dictate and make the right decisions at the right time.

We haven't had a HB like him in a very long time.

We'll miss the flair and outrageous ability of Chase, but in return we'll be getting a player that can control a game and offer a lot more than just flashes of brilliance. I'm very happy that we've got him and Chase is just a memory already for me. A good memory on the whole, but still a memory.

From the snippets so far does anyone think Lui is going to have the same affect that Kelly had with KR.

I am excited about seeing him in a fully competitive SL game and think Sheens has pulled a trump card with this signing.

Jones is a very good signing for you. I'm gutted that Saints have lost him to a now failed jaunt down south.
He works very hard and is a capable back row, but is an underrated talent in the centre. Expect to find a surprising amounts of tackle busts and break in the stats reading.

I would confidently say that Jones could be a future Salford captain and, if Sheens and Co manage to keep improving performance, lead your side in a period of relative success.

Spoke to him after the match: sound and friendly character who obviously wants to do well.