Saturday’s game

[classysupercas]

I blame 2 people for Saturday's performance the obvious one zak hardaker and really hurts to say this but Daryl Powell!what hardaker did 100% affected us Saturday it can't not.a integral part of our attack and defence taken out 2 days before such an occasion is going to affect any team and you could tell in our body language from kick off that our heads weren't right.right Powell,why on earth were we throwing the ball around like it was a lovely summers day in such shocking conditions?the passses and moves we produce on a dry track were never going to stick in that weather and come off as fluently without zak.it should have been boring basic tough rugby and grind out a win.perfect opportunity to start this with the half a try we turned down in the first 2 minutes.everyone knows grand final night it rains the forecast told us so all week,we should have had a plan B.it was same at salford.horrendous conditions and we throw the ball about and guess what!we lose.we have got to learn to adapt to certain conditions and reel it in and tough it out.DP could have really confused Leeds this weekend and shown a side to us we haven't all season on the biggest stage.a very disappointing end to a awesome season.

i agree mate good comments. i posted same after match under utter garbage section, but now we know like you said cas heads wasnt in it , also neither their hearts. bet they didnt sleep either, plus setting off to ground latish .

[classysupercas]

Given only one team can with each trophy, almost every other coach would have a similar record.
For every winner, there is one loser in a final, two losers in a semi-final and 4 losers in a quarter final.
The way the competitions are structured, there are far, far more losers than winners.
I'd be interested to see the statistics of how many coaches can match Daryl's record from 2014-2017. Two major finals, two top-four finishes and never lower than 5th.
You've also conveniently forgotten that we finished the season at the top of the league this year, so you need to add that to his successes.
I doubt anyone else would have achieved what Daryl has given the situation he inherited.

I am talking solely in terms of one off/winner takes all games.
Obviously only one team wins each comp, I am not discussing or debating that
I am highlighting the fact that the big one off games are often totally one sided and we are rarely in them unless the opposition are weaker.
Winning the league is an outstanding achievement and sign of consistency. We secured the league v Wakey but it wasn't a one off game. We knew we had other chances if we lost and eventually after a nervous first 50 mins, we came good.
In the other key games we have seemed like a different team who struggle to handle the occasion and adapt tactically to circumstance.
Wigan QF 2014 is the only major swinger for me where we battled and ground it out brilliantly. Widnes semi: we were v good against a poor side who offered little. Same v Saints in cup this year. We were white hot and they were shot for confidence amd woeful.
In league games we have blown teams away, both poor ones and good ones but in the do or die games there seems a pattern. I want this not to be the case. Is it something that needs addressing?

i totally agree pal

[Tamworth Tiger]

Perhaps it's just me but I thought the Saints Semi was the ultimate do or die game?
Sorry if the facts don't fit the argument

[RonnieGibbs'forearm]

Perhaps it's just me but I thought the Saints Semi was the ultimate do or die game?
Sorry if the facts don't fit the argument

Agree to a point. We won. Incredible scenes but it really felt like we froze for large parts. Defensively looked like shells of their previously selves. No argument we found a way to win and deserve credit for that.
Do you think the other examples are just coincidence then? Genuinely asking as I am concerned.

[Tamworth Tiger]

To be honest I don't buy into the theory at all.
What happened thre years ago is pretty irrelevant as there have been so many changes and in any event that team overachieved
There was no expectation that we would do as well as we did.
The fact that individual players learn from experience and improve is evidenced by 2024 first half choker Sneyd now having two Lance Todd wins.
I predicted two monthsw ago that Leeds in the final with Burrow and McGuire in their farewell game was my biggest worry and so it proved, not helped by the Hardaker bombshell and the conditions playing into Leeds hands. No excuses for those but we had no Grand Final experience either but now we do and they will play better for feeling that pain next time like Leeds have previously done.

[gateman]

This was a game is a game that is better forgotten, we know we are a better team than Leeds but on this occasion instead of one or two players who had an ok game the rest of the lads were well below what we have seen over the last season, whether it was the occasion venue or ZAK that got to them is anyone's guess , no one will know better than our players that they let their magnificent support down , lets get over it and get behind the team next season like we always do, COME ON YE FORD

[Tamworth Tiger]

Absolutely agree