just_browny wrote:I was dead wrong about this guy. I always thought he was just a tackler and a bit of a spoiler, but your description is spot on.
Neither he nor Hayes do anything flashy with the ball, but you can tell both of them know exactly what their jobs are, moving the ball quickly and tidily and making space for others.
Exactly the same here, for me he was the spare part at wigan who seemed to be the person still clinging to wanes terrible tackling style long after he had gone.
He's been a very very shrewd purchase and I have to eat some serious crow
fez1 wrote:Just finished watching this on iplayer as I was away today. Fantastic result. A lot of good points raised here.
Williams was outstanding. World class performance. Harrison has come of age in these last 2 games and led from the front. (I now don't fear if Vaughan is out). He was an absolute animal out there. What an engine. Ashtons finish was incredible but he was so good at bringing the ball out of defence.
It was a close game for 60 minutes but at half time I was worried about the 2nd half simply because Saints didn't really seem to have got going yet still were neck and neck with us. But on reflection that was because of the way WE played and how WE did not allow Saints to play. They made uncharacteristic errors because of the pressure WE put on them and got them rattled.
I simply didn't understand the Saints game plan. I can't remember a single high kick to our right. Saints forwards struggled to get 'go forward'. Lomax and Welsby were non existant for large parts of the game. Clark only had a couple of runs from dummy half. Was this because we successfully managed to slow their ptb down? I'm not sure.
Clearly our best performance of the season. Great team spirit and belief. Resilliance is building.
Joined: Mar 05 2002 Posts: 64 Location: Sutton Coldfield West Midlands
Another point to bear in mind was how we neutralised Walmsley. Every time he got possession we were in his face and not afraid to let him know. He normally returns for the last 20 mins against a tiring defence and looks a world beater. Yesterday they were forced to bring him back before 50 mins and he got battered again before leaving the field injured. As most of their go forward is on the back of him running over tired defence or little blokes they were a busted flush without him.
Anyone else just a tad disappointed that neither Wilkin or Amor were part of the commentary set up for this one?
RoyalWire wrote:Another point to bear in mind was how we neutralised Walmsley. Every time he got possession we were in his face and not afraid to let him know. He normally returns for the last 20 mins against a tiring defence and looks a world beater. Yesterday they were forced to bring him back before 50 mins and he got battered again before leaving the field injured. As most of their go forward is on the back of him running over tired defence or little blokes they were a busted flush without him.
Anyone else just a tad disappointed that neither Wilkin or Amor were part of the commentary set up for this one?
Walmsley is in quite rapid decline. Catalans had him in their pocket all of last week. He is still a decent SL player but nothing like the threat he was. Brilliant moment when he went looking to bully Hayes and dropped the ball cold.
Joined: Jun 25 2006 Posts: 14115 Location: Forum21
just_browny wrote:Also it is worth persevering with RedVee, I've just spent an enjoyable 15 minutes sniggering at the pre- and post-match content.
Just had a read (as much as I could bear) and thought their horrible entitled tantrum nature was summed up with "after that pitiful display today, against a team that, let's be honest, we should beat".
Joined: Jun 25 2006 Posts: 14115 Location: Forum21
I've not checked the stats but our completion rate must have been extremely high. In terms of discipline I only remember us giving away two penalties. 1 for offside on Clarke in first half and 1 for Thewlis holding down in the tackle when the game was won. Fitzgibbon's fantastic facial treatment of Welsby was great to see. About time we had that poop housery about us.
Need to back this up with a win against Leigh at home.
Joined: Jul 17 2015 Posts: 4676 Location: Sitting on the naughty step
So I’ve reflected on it and my conclusion is…bloody brilliant display! Tactics were right (neutralising the rush defence). The players were at the right level of enthusiasm without crossing the line into “headless chicken mode”. Fitzgibbon has just the right amount of niggle while still being an excellent player. Our right edge is starting to gel, and now that Dufty has learnt to jump to catch the ball following Jiffy’s on tv coaching hopefully he will continue to do that (I did think he was actually tackled in the air once…). Harrison immense, Williams magnificent, Hayes quietly but efficiently doing his job, Ashton now the leading winger in SL in my opinion. And will Saints finally accept that they stopped being “The Entertainers” a long time ago? No wonder their supporters think the game is boring, it certainly is the way they play it.
Just my opinions unless it's a FACT, in which case it's a fact.
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