Kev Browns gone on an end of season loan hasn't he? So we won't be seeing him in a Warrington shirt and he won't be on their cap this year. Same as us with Douglas and Morgan.
It's an odd one that they've brought Smith in and got rid of Brown
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This is what they have been trying to do in his appearances this season and is quite often more involved in a 2 man tackle, Fages can tackle one on one with a fairly good success rate but even he has been caught out a few times out wide this season. Another thing is how our sliding defence has covered up weaknesses, Lees and Peyroux miss lost of tackles but we cover this quite well.
We have conceded just over 50 tries this season, I would estimate 50% of those are scored on the far edges and a fair percentage are from high or grubber kicks. I don't recall Richardson missing a tackle that has resulted in points conceded maybe on 1 or 2 occasions but he's nowhere near the weakness of Brough, Langi, Myler, Miller and Sneyd and you could say Austin as well.
It appears that both Brown and Smith will be on the market at the end of the season we just don't know which stalls they will be running.
At last night’s forum Richard Marshall explained that Saints’ defence was based on putting pressure on the opposition with each player understanding the roles of those around them. The fact that Lees, Naiqama and Peyroux miss so many tackles and yet the side concedes so few tries is presumably evidence that the system works. Even when the initial tackle is missed, the pressure often forces a mistake or the attack to stall while our players also work hard to cover each other to minimise the negative impact.
For this game, I would rest Lomax and leave Fages and Richardson to play and prove who wants the Wembley shirt. At this moment, I could not tell you who I would prefer to play at Wembley. If it was 2 months ago, I would have said Fages without a doubt, but I think Richardson has played his way back in and Fages has not been as effective as he was at the start of the year.
The question that needs to be asked is whether you go with a proven goal kicker or a proven defender for the final? I cannot see much between them with ball in hand.
Personally I prefer Richardson at scrum half think he has more about him in attack than Fages. Fages is obviously the better defender. I think you can cover Richardson’s weaker defence. Not much in them and Holbrook favoured Richardson last year and Fages this year. A new coach comes in next year and could favour Richardson again.
https://www.warringtonguardian.co.uk...19-man-squads/
Good job we are not playing Warrington this week Steve Price is bringing back his BIG GUNS
Fages over Richardson all day long for me.
I've always been under the thought process that you pick your best team and shouldn't really be trying to accommodate players.
Our most consistent selection this year has been:
Coote, Makinson, Naiqama, Percival, Grace, Lomax, Fages, Walmsley, Roby, Thompson, Peyroux, Taia, Knowles.
Subs: LMS, Lees, Paolo and Amor / Ashworth.
Changing that winning formula would be a bit strange for me unless there is a doubt to one of the half backs / Coote and therefore I don't see Richardson playing unless our 1, 6 or 7 are injured.
Hopefully whatever team is picked we are going full on to win tomorrow. We need a good tough run out before next week
Living near Leeds I always want us to smash the Rhinos, they were unbearable during our run of Grand Final losses. A couple of wins, a couple of signings and they've already started piping up again, lets hope we put a decent score on them, don't want them pulling too far away from the relegation fight.
This does not make much sense to me.
As I recall Warrington scored only 2 tries one on either side.
Wakefield scored 1 try from a back rower.
London scored plenty all over the field but I don't see how that is attributed to Richardson.
So 3 tries in 2 games, one down Richardsons side is hardly sign of a change in defensive outcomes
We have the best defence in the league stop worrying.
An interesting test tonight of what a game with no kicker will look like.
If goal kickers were paramount we’d be rugby union
Struggling a bit through the middle at the minute defensively, lacking a bit of size as you’d expect with five forwards missing. Have to say though I’ve been really impressed with the attitude they’ve shown. Under the cosh at times but they’ve hung in there well and have thrown plenty at Leeds in attack. Could have had another couple of tries there had we been a bit more clinical. Kept creating opportunities and finding space which is really pleasing for me.