Never said anything on this thread about Long being a superstar or what he may or may not do for Hull next season. I've been talking about Saints against Huddersfield yesterday, haven't you??

As other more balanced individuals

have said, who can tell what would have happened. But it is possibly not too outlandish to wonder if an experienced play maker might have made a difference when continually camped on the opposition line. We at Hull do have some experience of this matter.



Saints similar inability to turn pressure into points the previous week also has to be excluded from the argument because it was a "derby match". Now you're just kidding right? Is there anything else you'd like to exclude?!? Actually I think previous weeks form was brought up by you in the first place until you realized it didn't fit your argument!!

OK, I'll believe you, you don't base your opinions on being a Dobbin. It isn't true that the sole reason for your existence is to hope that Hull FC do badly. I'll keep reminding myself.










Remind me, what do you base your opinions on?

Plenty of saints fans agree with you

Who cares. The point is that Long will have an input to the attacking play structures at Saints and that doesn't mean he is doing Potter's job. I'm sure he had an input when Anderson was there as well. Is he doing the coach's job ? Nope.

The fact that Long plays in a team that relies heavily on ruck speed off the back of quick PTB's. When this doesn't happen he struggles as does Pryce, (which also happened on Saturday) as they don't have the time or space to create. Defenesively he is also a weak link and working channel sets on him will pay huge dividends late on in games. My guess is that Nathan Brown may have preferred the more structured approach of Long rather than the quick feet and unpredicatability of Eastmond, but their forwards won the arm wrestle so it didn't matter.

Saints are only half the side when they cannot get any momentum and despite the fact the had some good field position and posession Huddersfield defended their line superbly and short of kicks to the corner (which i think Huddersfield generally defend pretty well) i'm not sure what more Long could have done to break their line down and change the result.

But hey ho .........

Hey, you just about did a whole post there without an arrogant put down of someone who doesn't agree with your expert opinions. Congratulations.



Come to think about it, with this combination of arrogance and vast knowledge, I'm actually beginning to wonder if you are in fact Justin Morgan.




Back to the substance, I think when he was interviewed in the second half, Long himself had some ideas about what might be done to address their inability to turn pressure into points.

How very dare you.



.....and with your obvious devotion to Mr Long i'm beginning to think you're Richard Agar

Lovely, I'll look forward to sitting next to you on a sofa after we've won the next derby match.

We may both be [ilong[/i gone by the time that happens

Yeah, but potter has already proven he has a clue and doesn't need someone else to put these structures in place. I'm sure he takes on board ideas from players and integrates these into his own plans where appropriate.

agar has proven he hasn't a clue and desperately needs someone to tell him what to do

I think you'll find I'm Richard Agar and I claim my £5

So when Long has an input to our attacking play will he be doing Agar's job ? Nope.

So if our attacking play improves out of all recognition it will be down to agar? Nope

I think Hull need to dump Jon Sharp to improve their attacking play. Can't see Long sticking to such a rigid structure like Hull have now and it would be a waste of his talents if they did.

Let's hope with an experienced organising scrum half it does - or maybe you would prefer it not to ? Most fans would hope and expect that with a better player at scrum half than we have now our attacking play will improve.

As for your original assertion about Long doing Agar's job by having an input to attacking structure - still wrong and always will be wrong.

Depends on the level of input doesn't it? If he ends up being the one dictating how we play both on the training field and on the pitch, with agar leaving him to do it, then I'd say I'm right and always will be right (In fact I'm right about everything as you well know)

TBH if our attacking play improves out of all recognition, I won't give a flying one who's responsible for it.

That's clearly wrong

I doubt anyone will

Long has more creativity than Eastmond and a better kicking game so there are two areas where Long could have improved Saints and one try at 18-10 would have made the difference. So quite honestly how you can say Long would not have offered more I don't understand. Saints were unbalanced in the halves, they had two players that just run with the ball and despite losing the forward battel they still had chances. Long could have made the difference.

Quite correct.

But only when his team have momentum, somthing they didn't get on Saturday.

The kicking game could have earned them momentum and they did have plenty of ball on the Hudds line so Long could have made the difference.

Coulda, woulda, shoulda.

His kicking to the corners may have caused Hudds problems but as i said they generally defend them pretty well. As for a his long kicking game Hudds cleared their lines well most of the time and when they didn't the defended their goal line superbly and closer to the line i think Eastmond is more of a threat than Long anyways. Pryce was getting the ball in the same positions as he would had Long been playing but Hudds line speed nullified his threat.

Just my opinion mind.

It was a big game and you only have to look at how many Lance Todd's and motm awards he has in big games to know he could have been the difference.

Only my opinion mind

It's hard to say that Long would of changed the game, but, he's a big game player and has won games like that many a time before, but i sure do think Saints are missing him slightly.

Saints missed Long in the Semi .......he would have kicked them so they had to run back off their own try line, time and time again. With the heat on the pitch that day, the big lads of Hudds would have surely felt it more.
Also I won't even think of a couple of 40/20 that his experience would have employed. Even little Lukie was sweating buckets so imagine Eorl and such. ....as pep say, just my opinion!
I will enjoy the final to see how the coaches utilise the squad,weather and tactics.......grannyfan Cindy