Isa had a good game last night.

Singleton made some good yards too

Both don’t usually get mentioned

Listening to him on Sky, he actually gives the try rather than follow the onfield decision. Terrible call.

I'll agree with Isa, he played well last night. Not sure if he's worth a spot as the 4th choice back row tho? Especially if you factor in us losing Nicholson & McDonnell, as they need more game time.

Didn't see a problem with the try myself. Haven't seen a clear replay of it though.

How bias is this Saints fan
I’m not sure it’s solely down to Cooper and Powell ‘not getting on’. Cooper clearly was undermining the dressing room and what they are trying to change beyond this season, this season is clearly gone.
I don’t see why anyone worries about this Wigan team. They have scored over two thirds of their tries from the three players who are yet to be injured, this could easily change as we know first hand with our back three. Then I look through their team and I see nothing their forwards could do that’s ours can’t do twice as well. We don’t win four in a row this season because we lose it, it’s as simple as that. No team in the league is better than us and that includes missing Dodd and Grace. Get a few back from niggles and suspension and we’ll be fine

Could've sworn French missed the first couple of months, add on he's missed two pre-seasons, he'd probably be on 30 tries already if he'd started the season

Singleton was great but you have to question where was in 2021 . Look what he's capable of when he runs the ball in with some intensity and drives the legs forward after contact.

By the current rules of the game it was a try because the ref sent it up as a try and there certainly wasn’t enough evidence to overturn that decision.

In reality, he probably lost control of the ball but there wasn’t a camera angle to show separation. It’s a very close call that will divide opinion.

I think separation when the ball hits the ground is the key issue. When I speak to my dad about some of these contentious trys he keeps using phrases like control and downward pressure. I don't think either of those really matter in the modern interpretations - if a part of the hand/arm is in contact with the ball upon contact with the ground it will be given (particularly on a VR slow motion replay).

The rule is:

Grounding the Ball a) Placing the ball on the ground with hand or hands, or b) Exerting downward pressure on the ball with hand or arm, the ball itself being on the ground, or c) Dropping on the ball and covering it with part of the body above the waist and below the neck, the ball itself being on the ground.

The NRL interpretation:

Grounding the Ball includes:

a. Placing the ball on the ground with hand or hands, wrist or forearm

b. Exerting a downward pressure on the ball in contact with the ground

c. Dropping on the ball and covering it with the front part of the body above the waist and below the neck.

Singleton for me is the cornerstone of the pack.

I don’t get the grief he gets as a player.

Week in week out he does the stuff others don’t as a front rower.

He puts his head where others don’t and won’t and in reality until recently has only been supported in doing this kind of thing effectively by Smithies who is still a very junior player.

We now have Cooper who is a real “dark arts” style prop so he’s not doing it on his own and I think he will only get better with that type of support.

His off loading is on another planet, almost like having a basketball player in the team, pretty sure that Warrington had 4 players on him at one stage and he still managed an accurate pass.

For me, he gets in the England side…I can’t think of another player who can do what he can do and the option to cover at Centre too.

Not in the side for me, too green as a secondrow and lacks a bit of athleticism at centre definitely worth a wild card place in the squad though and in years to come he is going to be a nailed on starter.

Got his game together over the last couple of weeks since he was called into the office by Peet.

Do we reckon silva will get a run out soon?

Yep, I agree and he certainly didn’t look out of place at Centre, his defence is solid and he obviously has the hands for it.

Although I’d be sad to see him leave Wigan I’d be intrigued to see how he would go in the NRL but think he would develop into an even better player.

I think he will get an England bench spot.

I don’t to be honest.

When Havard is back I don’t see how Silva would get in.

Morgan Smithies is rapidly becoming one of our best players. Immense again on Friday. Seems to win every tackle he’s involved in.

Good position to be on it next year we’ll potentially have 3 young props wanting game time nsemba, hill and Silva. Silva I thought would have featured but he didn’t even feature in the reserves. We reckon he’s on his way out?

Nsemba is a wide running second row, Hill and Max Wood are the up and coming props along with Toby Brannan. I was surprised that Silva didn't get a run out in the reserves yesterday.

It seems to be a tougher year for the academy this season. Are there any standouts in there?

I think Silva is on his way out though he has missed a lot of game time due to injury. he also has a decent off load in him. Nsemba is more of a second row than prop. I have been impressed with Hill's performances and also Max Wood. Nsemba and Hill tend to break the line whereas Wood make a lot of yards in contact as he keeps his legs pumping bringing in 3 or 4 defenders to stop him.

The three I mentioned plus Zach Eckersley who plays at centre or fullback, tall athletic and fast!! Regan Sumner looks very quick but a bit on the small side.

I was really impressed with the kick chase on this game. We've only recently started doing this with 100% conviction and actually competing for the ball. French flying on really puts the defender under pressure and is one of the things Saints do so well.

Watching Cooper's leg drive and gain 5m. After contact in many tackles - I find it staggering Powell wanted him out in a season where they so obviously need someone like him. I think he brings the missing part to our game when we're faced with a really well organised defence.