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    Learning All The Songs RJM25R's Avatar
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    Default Saints Vs Catalan Semi Final

    Looking at this objectively, we should win this one.


    I think we are better all round than the Dragons but With their first choice hooker and Joel Tomkins likely to be missing we should have a strong advantage.

    The only thing I’m slightly worried about is that if it’s a particularly hard (as in big heavy shots getting put in) would be the players being able to back it up with a potential slugfest with Wigan in the final (assuming Wigan beat Hull....)

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    In The North Stand With All The Old Folk The Yellow Giraffe's Avatar
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    On the first point I agree we “should” beat them, even at full strength. But without their yard dog in the middle I’d be even more confident, as he’s the type of player who does set the tone for them defensively. His absence would affect them quite a bit. Joel Tomkins I’m not fussed about one way or another, he’s a big pudding.

    Catalans always strike me as a group of talented individuals as opposed to a proper “team.” They have some genuinely brilliant players on their day (S Tomkins, Folau and Maloney the main ones) but they’re an inconsistent bunch and I have doubts about their ability to match us for the full 80. Leeds ran them close the other night with their two starting props off the field for more than half the game, so using that as a gauge we should be fine.

    On your 2nd point; I think Wigan will have just as tough a game as us really, albeit 24 hours earlier. I tipped Hull to beat Warrington and I think they’ll have a good go at Wigan too. I can see it being tight for an hour with a couple of late Wigan tries seeing them off, but Wigan will know they’ve been in a game.
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    A big factor to take into account could be the weather at this time of year. I would be worried if it is very wet.

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    Default Saints Vs Catalan Semi Final

    I actually think 80 minutes of rough treatment from Catalans will be good prep for a final against Wigan.

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    I'm expecting a tough first 30 mins similar to our Wigoon game, we should be able to match them, then it will be all down to errors and set completions. Not expecting our 2 weeks rest to be a problem we should be match fit for the 80 mins, Catalans on the other hand have not really played much high intensity games so I expect Saints to find the gaps before half time comes up.

    Biggest danger will be Rat Boy so that's a job for Morgan Knowles to hit him hard early in the game and a couple of high bombs with 3 saints players ready to flatten him would be another ideal.

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    In The South Stand Sean Day's Avatar
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    They will throw the kitchen sink at us in the first half an hour. For me, if it’s level or even we’re a couple of points down at that point it’s a tick in the box. Leeds carved through them 4 or 5 times after that and we should be capable of even more.

    If we adopt similar one out tactics as against Wigan we are going to be in trouble. We need to move the ball a bit even if it’s for the centres to come back on the inside, get their big lads moving sideways and not being able to line up our forwards one after the other. Keep the ball in play and they’ll be gasping for air. There might be a case for playing Smith off the bench to take advantage of their big lads tiring. There might be a shout for Simm to oppose Falau, I think he’s a stronger defender than Welsby

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    Leeds played to Catalans' strengths if you ask me.

    I think we should try and play it on the fringes of the middle, and use the likes of J-Lo and Fages and get them running on the outside shoulders of some of the big Catalans forwards. Yes they are big, yes they are powerful, but I'm not sure the likes of Kasiano want J-Lo, T Mak, Kev, Simsy (if he plays), turning them and making them change direction.

    Make it a forward battle and it will be the wrong tactic in my opinion.

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    Wolves posters on their prediction thread in the main are going for a Cats win! Wishful thinking with a sauce made from sour grapes!

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    Quote Originally Posted by Sean Day View Post
    They will throw the kitchen sink at us in the first half an hour. For me, if it’s level or even we’re a couple of points down at that point it’s a tick in the box. Leeds carved through them 4 or 5 times after that and we should be capable of even more.

    If we adopt similar one out tactics as against Wigan we are going to be in trouble. We need to move the ball a bit even if it’s for the centres to come back on the inside, get their big lads moving sideways and not being able to line up our forwards one after the other. Keep the ball in play and they’ll be gasping for air. There might be a case for playing Smith off the bench to take advantage of their big lads tiring. There might be a shout for Simm to oppose Falau, I think he’s a stronger defender than Welsby
    I would have Peyroux in the centres to nullify Folau.

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    Quote Originally Posted by saintnickle View Post
    I would have Peyroux in the centres to nullify Folau.
    It's not a bad call, stronger defence but I believe less going forwards with Simm preferred (by me)


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    In The North Stand With All The Old Folk Belgian Saint's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by saintnickle View Post
    I would have Peyroux in the centres to nullify Folau.
    Peyroux has the size to compete, but he did miss tackles when he was playing centre. A big call for Woolf this one, who he picks at centre could make or break the season. If he went with Simm and Folau got the better of him then so be it.

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    Default Saints Vs Catalan Semi Final

    I think if Peyroux was going to play centre he would have done already this season. There’s been enough times when we were short and he could have picked him but didn’t. I think it’s between Simm and Welsby and I’m hoping it’s Simm.
    Last edited by Dux; 15th November 2020 at 22:27.

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    Got to be Simm for me he as done nothing wrong in the Games he as played plus he is more of a physical presence than Welsby.

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    Peyroux’s defence is actually pretty poor. Playing him centre wouldn’t shore us up, probably the opposite.


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    Depends on whether our pack fancies it. Against aggressive forwards, we wilt in big games so it’ll depend on whether the likes of LMS and Amor actually put in a half decent performance against a decent side.

    I also worry about them being fresher than us having played four fewer league games.
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dos Cervezas View Post
    I also worry about them being fresher than us having played four fewer league games.

    However they have just had a bruising game against Leeds, whereas we have had a rest.

    I still believe we have too much for them however as seen all season, anyone in this league can beat anyone given the right circumstances and conditions.
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    We all agree then. Simm for centre

    Don't worry it won't happen. I also worry Wolfe is too stubborn.

    Im not as convinced by Welsby as a lot of people. Is Aaron Smith out of favour now?
    Is he in the mould of our next hooker??

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    I'm Thinking Aaron Smith should be on the bench every game. And used in both halves.

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    Quote Originally Posted by CGSaint View Post
    We all agree then. Simm for centre

    Don't worry it won't happen. I also worry Wolfe is too stubborn.

    Im not as convinced by Welsby as a lot of people. Is Aaron Smith out of favour now?
    Is he in the mould of our next hooker??
    Smith was unavailable for the last game due to a head knock at Salford. Even so a lot on here have said they'd like to see Josh Eaves give a game

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    Interesting debate, and it tells us where we are really. On one hand people are debating who should play centre, but are doing so almost exclusively in terms of said players defensive qualities and not what they could actually do with the ball in attack. Centres have always needed to be decent defensively, but when you start to view them solely based on whether they can keep the other lots centres quiet it does point to us having lost our way slightly.

    In attack? Well seemingly the mood has been lifted because our best prop forward is available. We have become so one dimensional that Walmsley is now a pivotal attacking component. We have allowed Fages and company to be completely absolved of any real responsibility for being creative, and have given up on our centres actually getting any ball and doing anything in an attacking sense.

    It’s a truly depressing state of affairs reading this thread and seeing how much we’ve all become indoctrinated by this stuff.

    As it is, I think we’ll win the GF from here because we are the best side left of the 4 and we should have two performances in us after the time we’ve had off. Catalans generally get to a stage where they get taken seriously and then fall short, and I would be shocked if we blew it against them.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Dos Cervezas View Post
    Depends on whether our pack fancies it. Against aggressive forwards, we wilt in big games so it’ll depend on whether the likes of LMS and Amor actually put in a half decent performance against a decent side.

    I also worry about them being fresher than us having played four fewer league games.
    I think this is overstated. I don’t think our pack wilts in big games necessarily - in lots of the big games we have lost our pack at least matches the oppo but we make errors and bad decisions.


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    Big test for Woolf this game. It’ll be interesting to see if he’s learnt any lessons from the loss against the crusts

    Playing another big, aggressive team in heavy conditions that we can’t steam roll, he needs a plan B. I’m not convinced he has one but I hope I’m wrong.


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    Quote Originally Posted by undertheradar View Post
    Big test for Woolf this game. It’ll be interesting to see if he’s learnt any lessons from the loss against the crusts

    Playing another big, aggressive team in heavy conditions that we can’t steam roll, he needs a plan B. I’m not convinced he has one but I hope I’m wrong.


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    I've honestly given up hoping for a change in plan unfortunately. I think we know what's going to happen. I'm sure he'll play the same players he's been playing in the same way for what seems like forever. I can't see him changing now, I don't see any evidence he's capable of change. I shouldn't feel like his going into the finale' of the season. He might argue that his methods have got us to the semi's, that would be historically correct when we look back. We might get to the final and we might win it, but to me it feels like it's in spite of him not because of him.

    I've hated every minute of the journey with unfortunately more to come.


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    Such a big game for Woolf. I'm not someone who thinks he needs to go by any stretch due to the crazy year it's been but if he was to lose this after losing the two other "big" games we've had (Wire CC and Wigan LLS) then the negativity towards him, and merited in terms of a defeat Friday, means he's under severe pressure from game 1 next season.

    The reality is if we lose it's been a poor season and if we win it's been at least an "ok" one regardless of the final result. I know what people expect at the minute but we've had 1 Grand Final in the last 5 attempts it's not like we are there every single year but it has to be said we have no excuses at all for not winning on Friday. Regardless of anything that's gone on this year.

    Centre is the big call as has been said. Gelling got us from a kick in the cup and Folau will do the same unless we have some sort of strategy although if we have watched them at all surely there's a big part of our game plan going into that right side of theirs as Davies is also averaging more than a try a game.

    It feels good to have a big game coming up at the weekend, though. COYS.

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    The grade f was apparently for picking the player up after smashing him in the face

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