Great performance last night. The best we’ve played in an important game for an age. It looked like men v boys at times. Wigan were shocking in areas but im not taking anything away from our lads. It wouldn’t surprise me if Salford beat them next week.
If we play like that at Old Trafford the championship’s ours.
How good is it beating Wigan 4 times in 1 season??
screaming in the family corner, scaring the kiddies
We've had a fantastic season overall apart from major disappointment of the CC blip. It's been great to beat Wigan all season - last night in particular... but all this it will be a diluted afterthought if we don't go onto win the Grand Final. It would be a huge dampener on what has been an amazing season and one of the best all-round season long team performances if we don't win at OT. One more to go! They all deserve to go away from this season as GF winners. One last time to keep focus and put in the best performance of the season. COYS!
I thought we started the game last night like we started the cup final against Wire. We were making massive meters every set and holding the opposition pinned in their half. The big difference was we scored first last night which calmed the nerves and enabled us to stick to the game plan. I don’t like to harp back but had we scored first in the cup final I think we could’ve seen a similar result to last night.
One word describes Saints, relentless. They controlled Wigan, toyed with them almost. Wigan just didn't know how to cope with the non stop pressure generated by all. Not one poor performance.
Easily our best performance this season, excellent performances from all, especially our front row, they dominated on both sides of play, making good metres and limiting wigans forwards, the constant battering we gave their pack meant they could not respond in attack, we perform anywhere close to this at Old Trafford i highly doubt any team stopping us.
The only area for improvement was a glut of sloppy PTBs, which Kendal gave as knock-ons. I know there were pie hands in and/or still having hold/leaning on, but it was sloppy. There was a ridiculous phase in the second half where we gave up 3 or 4 good positions.
The early try settled us down and gave us belief. After that, we controlled the game and seeing the crusts struggling to make it to half way every set was enjoyable.
As others have said, if we keep the errors to a minimum, our pack will dismantle most teams. I hope we can repeat it in a fortnight, if we do, no one will be beating us.
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It was basically one man rugby played at a tremendous pace. The piemen just couldn't cope.
Great all around team performance - probably our most complete of the season, particularly in that first half. The lack of errors in particular was most impressive. Same again please for the final. Every player - played their part... Even those less involved were patient and played as a team rather than trying to overplay as individuals.
On a side note - Ashworth seemed to have his best game for a while - and nice to see squad players at the end of the game celebrating with those who played on the night. The culture within the team and at the club is unrecognisable from that which was present towards the end of the KC era. Can't compliment Justin Holbrook enough for his part in this - SL Champions would be a good departing gift though : )
If it was boxing it’d have been a stoppage
Definitely. It’s taken 2 and a half years under him but it looks like the team (and Holbrook himself) might have finally learned how to play playoff/knockout rugby. It was very basic but 10x more enjoyable than any performance we’ve put in other cup and playoff games. Under Holbrook we’ve gone about these games in completely the wrong way, throwing the ball in our own half and trying to score try’s off of every play (Cup Final a prime example) but semi finals are about completing your sets, kicking well and backing that up with the effort in defence. We’ve struggled with the first two but last night we were perfect in just about every department. Wigan weren’t great but there’s nothing they could have done, they were just up against a team that is far better than them.
I think we're finally learning how to plan for the big games. Do your homework and exploit whatever weakness you see, in this case I assume they just watched the Salford vs Pie Fondlers game from a week earlier- Salford had absolutely no trouble getting up the field with, to be brutally honest, an average pack (and no disrespect meant here, Mossop and Dudson were superb, but not in the Thommo/Big Al league). Knock out games imo call for the basics to worked hard and consistently, the points will come on the back of that.
Yes, in the context of “official” being the one chosen by voters on the Ourleague app against a shortlist selected by a former RL legend! Personally, I think there were several equally deserving individuals, not that I begrudge Thommo getting to have a chat with Jenna.
I hope I feel as good when the Grand Final is over as I felt when last nights game was finished.
I know mate. I'm the same. Wigan weren't great but we didn't allow them to be. It was a relentless push from us & we overpowered them.
The short kicking game was very good. Makes a difference.
Thought the ref did a decent job too. Hardly noticed him, which is definitely a good sign.
As for Wigan, I'm going to go out on a limb a bit. I haven't been a fan of their tactics at all over the years. However, they breed winners there & as much as I would like Salford to do the business next week, I think we'll see a different team come out. I think Wigan will blast them off the park & win by 20 plus. Hope I'm wrong.
Regardless, we are in for a very hard final whoever we play & we need a similar performance again. Just hope Lomax is fit