They've added to their team since last year
We cannot use points and position to prove the league is weaker, for someone to win, someone else has to lose. This years league has many teams close to each other, a sign of the standards being more even, not proof of being weaker
The games I've watched from those near the bottom have been very entertaining and those at the bottom now are far better than those at the bottom 15 years ago
We remember all the best games, the players when they were at their best, we have fond memories but there was also some rubbish back then we have forgotten about, and some of the top players mentioned had periods in and out of form. Some great rugby then and some great rugby now, not all is doom and gloom
And heres me thinking that Davies dislocated and broke his ankle, was stretchered off with his foot facing the wrong way in a season ending injury carrying the ball in as he has done foe the last three years. It must have been a different game? Didn't Grace go on to score three tries down that side?
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NEVER WRITE OFF THE SAINTS
I’ve written them off before and it’s come back to bite me so I won’t be doing it again. It’s been noticeable though in the games I’ve seen against us especially that they’re a lot more passive in defence, their line speed isn’t what it was under Wane. For them to have any chance at the end of the year, I think it needs to be built on their defence. They sucked the life out of us, Warrington and Cas last season but I’ve not seen anything close to that from them this year. Their only chance is to get back to that and hope O’Loughlin can find some form IMO.
Steve Prescott MBE (1973-2013)
V
I think they had a large degree of good fortune last year and I expected a degree of struggle this season. They have been dog shit this year and I don't see them getting near Saints -its a bit like comparing Excelebration to Frankel.
For me the loss of Bateman is as bad as the loss of Wane. He is a top tier player who defends aggressively (which is what they have badly missed) as well as being awkward to put down. I think O' Loughlin is looking like an old man; too injury prone and unable to contribute as he has done in the past. At the moment they have a fight to get into the top 5 though I do think there are a lot of average or poorly coached teams around them.