That Saints Pod 2025 Episode 1

That Saints Podcast-listen as the lads discuss the new season, squad changes, and their predictions for the coming year. Independent Saints chat with opinions from all angles. Download and listen now.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
Hello and welcome to that Sens podcast for twenty twenty five,
a new year and a new venue.

Speaker 2 (00:13):
We're here Winford waiting the club while we're recording for
this year the chapin facilities and grenf.

Speaker 3 (00:20):
And with me today seventeen and I'm back.

Speaker 4 (00:24):
At twenty four and we have to stay offered. Thanks
very pleading end on its seasons with us.

Speaker 5 (00:31):
Evening and good brothers and Graven.

Speaker 4 (00:36):
Welcome and while we all go hoking forward to the season.

Speaker 5 (00:40):
Yep, excited.

Speaker 3 (00:48):
Exactly, that's so exciting, excited.

Speaker 5 (00:51):
We were in bold ask me in April.

Speaker 2 (00:56):
Oh yeah, officially drawn a life. That's the I'll say
last year. I think we've had long enough, long enough
break to look forward to what's.

Speaker 4 (01:07):
Happening for the other podcasts and TV shows have been
doing everything every every other day for the Gods album.
But we're took.

Speaker 3 (01:14):
Up break and we're looking forward.

Speaker 1 (01:16):
So one of them who been looking at today, well
I went to read before the season starts, we've got
the challenge.

Speaker 4 (01:22):
Cup games could look at we'll start.

Speaker 1 (01:25):
We're looking at one changes for Thanks for the departures
and arrivals for the new season and get the love
Stalks on its just a quick summary of the main
the main items from last year, the departures as we
all know, Lewis, Tommy makings wonder Blake and the mentality.

Speaker 3 (01:44):
Yeah, and do we think they were only replaceable for people?

Speaker 4 (01:49):
Who do we? Who do we think will miss? The
longer is a tough factor follow.

Speaker 6 (01:58):
The fantastic game is to day. Let's castle.

Speaker 3 (02:03):
I don't think we're listen.

Speaker 4 (02:04):
I don't think I've ever seen a player.

Speaker 7 (02:06):
I know we won't miss?

Speaker 6 (02:09):
Did clear?

Speaker 1 (02:13):
Was that freak tap parent tap past it forward?

Speaker 6 (02:20):
It was a new and you how we managed to
not score its league believe players were off in the
interesting room.

Speaker 5 (02:27):
We will possibly do a show on what he did
wrong last year?

Speaker 4 (02:31):
You know what I name memory.

Speaker 6 (02:35):
I really discored that.

Speaker 1 (02:38):
He wan't passing back and all right, there's one we're
not doing this okay, And I don't even think they've
come back to homes was really.

Speaker 5 (02:45):
No, definitely not.

Speaker 8 (02:48):
Really for thinking about last year. But apart from that, alright,
let's start. This is an interesting one one. Our thoughts
on losing Lewis to the quest.

Speaker 7 (02:59):
I think I think we'll be better because hopefully, hopefully
Sailor will go well in the halfs with Johnny or Whitby,
because we'll find out about Dodd, lean't we know, because
well as Dodd's been poor, as DoD been told to
do six and bomb six and bombs like deal Farger,

(03:21):
we'll find out when we see how he goes in
the n RL. But we can't be worse in the
arts than it was last year, so hopefully hopefully Sailor will.
But with the concern have we Sailor, which we discussed
last time, is that all these liking into Ben Barber
and stuff, which is a ridiculous ask him to try
and follow. But hopefully, if hopefully you can put a

(03:44):
bit of life into us though, which means I don't
think we'll miss DoD know, and hopefully Whitby comes through
as well.

Speaker 2 (03:51):
Well.

Speaker 4 (03:51):
I think I think Yesterday's suggests that he's comfortable in
the role. I think that I think initially Johnny will
be playing at seven.

Speaker 5 (03:59):
Yeah, well a couple of he's going with Flying I
and you had, like Danny Richardson coming through and when
God first come through, you had competition and back up,
back up places ending you. So I think that's what
you got this year. If you've got whipy knocking on
the door. Then low Max and Welsby for example, Sailor
their place aren't cemented. So at any point the young
lads can come through and step up. And if that's
what we've got a competition place, that's what we wanted
last year, wasn't it instead the phone at the deep end?

(04:21):
So Dodd I did like Dodd, but like as just said,
then it depends what he was taught or told to
do last year. If he's just if we've been doing
five drives and he's putting that bomb to the corner,
then obviously we can't blame him. But then if we
started playing this free flowing rugby, it's different acting it.
So time will tell on that one.

Speaker 3 (04:39):
I mean, for me, it's a shame that he never
really continued before he was in re injury.

Speaker 5 (04:45):
And then too it's a real shame that Yeah to
disappear off to.

Speaker 3 (04:50):
I remember that day I was in a bar in Spain.

Speaker 7 (04:53):
It was a good Friday, would be being in twenty
seven too, when Dodd was absolutely outstanding and then a
hear an hour late she got an injury. Because you've
played the full match and you're like, well, that day
he was unbelieve and he's never been the same chance
well you know all the best let something goes well, Yeah.

Speaker 6 (05:11):
That's always been the debate, isn't it about Dotton? Was
he not at the same level because of the injury
or was it because he was being raided in by Wellens?
If he's been raided in by Wellens, it might be
that Whitby also is nothing changes and whit has not
known for me anyway, not he's approving at this level
yet for me, So we can't We can't guarantee. I
don't think that he's going to just you know, seamlessly

(05:32):
take over exactly, So we need time to develop.

Speaker 5 (05:37):
We've also got brains as relevant when he's coming as
a show called Attacking Coach.

Speaker 6 (05:41):
Yeah, which a lot of people think will help and
walk away and say on that one as well. But
also Johnny's to do at the end of the scale
where he's you know, held together with bits of string
and he's like, you know, thirty four years old. Is
he gonna get Are we gonna get a full season
out of him? I would suggest probably not.

Speaker 4 (05:57):
I think one of the one of the issues we've
had over the last couple Yeah, we've we've made the
same point as run into the ground and there's not
been a significant rotection to give the prayer as arrest
and mean, well that's because we've had too with injuries
and just that and the other. But it is one
thing the cause of the other.

Speaker 5 (06:13):
Have the young lad's not been quite ready to step up?
Is that another point?

Speaker 3 (06:17):
So it's possible, it's possible. I'm not I'm not sure
about that. But we seem to have more flexibility.

Speaker 7 (06:24):
I think I think we're only issue with a bit
more flexibility with having Mikes and Bennison. We can play
full back, Addie Robinson, he can flay full back, Jack
can go six. We've got we seem to have more.
But the only place we haven't really got it is center.
And I'm thinking if that Robertson might.

Speaker 5 (06:41):
Be opened up the door for Robinson, which we did
say before the show come on, was if we've not
purposely gone out to sign a center to back up
personal and hurdle because we're pushing Robinson when I'm more
than happy for that and adde hundred percent go with
that and say fair play, understand why we've.

Speaker 9 (06:57):
I like your point there about the flexibility players. However,
I would like to see some stability because the longer
you go on with a like a team that you're
constantly rotating, there's no consistency with the team is there
as well?

Speaker 5 (07:12):
So you use Yeah, you catch.

Speaker 4 (07:15):
Any two players that are plowing, then out systems and
you ain't going to get the season a thirteen.

Speaker 10 (07:22):
No, that's I think consistency. That point is especially Cerliens
in the halves. You want to have a good combination
that I used to work in to get together. Yeah,
if you have chop and gend all time, it tends
not to work.

Speaker 9 (07:35):
I think the earlier we get that right in the season,
whether it be sailor wellsby Lower, Marx Robertson, whoever, you know,
whoever it is, then you know, I think we just
need that that stability.

Speaker 5 (07:50):
My only concerning half backs is going to be our
kicking game, because none of the half backs at the minute,
apart from Whitby which I'm getting going to start, who's
going to take control of the kicking. That's a concern
for me.

Speaker 6 (08:02):
But last year a lot of the time it was
Muslim by.

Speaker 5 (08:05):
Then we had to wait till the sixtieth minutes till
he come on. All the half fair job.

Speaker 11 (08:09):
With it to refer to him, but all the time
to do that, to be fair, we've not we've not
played a game in nine yet as such, and I
think once next week or on Saturday when we're playing,
so we might Delibria's effect coming to play where hopefully
touchwards the shapos are awfum, we can someone else.

Speaker 4 (08:27):
Can plain what you see and and work works on moves.
I don't know.

Speaker 3 (08:32):
I'm hoping that's what we'll see, remains to be seen.

Speaker 4 (08:37):
Just to finish off here Tommy makers Men's Day for
Catalans and on Saturday a game, so a bit of
that one.

Speaker 9 (08:45):
But it was strange seeing in and other shirts.

Speaker 6 (08:51):
I didn't I couldn't verse. I didn't see it.

Speaker 3 (08:56):
Well, as far as said, he deserves it, deserves his
two years.

Speaker 6 (08:59):
On beach, and I think I did that.

Speaker 7 (09:03):
You know, the big thing we've been crying out for
two years is that pace, and hopefully with signed pace.

Speaker 6 (09:09):
Lewis Karl felt pretty much a light for light as
he was both like thirty two years, three years comes.

Speaker 4 (09:21):
To the Wingers and a second. The biggestness I think.

Speaker 12 (09:23):
For us will probably be the only massive without I
understand he's gone back to Australia for with a job
out of side the sport, but it wouldn't surprise me
one bit for it Suld being turned up with the
contract somewhere.

Speaker 5 (09:37):
I think it's good undred percent good enough. Yeah, it's
a tough one because I know a lot of fans
have been calling for to go and replace him, but
it's wre because we have got we've got a number
of second rowers and with Wingfield back we've got like
a new sign as of Prop. So I diealy. I
would like a bit more of a bigger like Tonguing

(09:58):
or for g and Prop to match Warmsley. But realistic
at the minute, do we need where do we go
out and replace with idea it would have been the centers,
but if we're doing that with Robinson then that makes sense.
And is that money going to go on renewing contracts
with Morburn, Noles, Matty Levees, etcetera. You don't know, dear.
That's the thing that's the.

Speaker 3 (10:18):
Problem in our game with the salary cap as found
we never actually know where.

Speaker 4 (10:22):
It's been eaten up. Yeah, and you look at all
the squad, how the hell are.

Speaker 3 (10:25):
They under the salary cap?

Speaker 6 (10:27):
And Warrington.

Speaker 4 (10:33):
I personally did not mention those names, but you see
how the floods cloth the bigger squads, how will they
under the salary cap and how they do that. But
we clearly have been making contract higher contract awards the
players already with us than bringing other players in, which
clearly then limits what players you can bring.

Speaker 5 (10:54):
Yeah, the new four. I know we'll mention the new
contracts giving out to the kids later on the show,
but that's going to take a lot of money as well.
So so it's a Catchwinny two. And I'm sure a
lot of other clubs four or five years ago have
turned around and said, Saints, I'm under the cap with
when we're winning everything there probably we've probably come under
a few names, and in.

Speaker 4 (11:13):
A way it might be part of the problem that
we've been kept under the cap with an aging team. Yeah,
after four years.

Speaker 3 (11:20):
Last year, wasn't we.

Speaker 7 (11:21):
Fifth we spend We're not spending to that cap maximum.

Speaker 4 (11:26):
I think the cap slightly different depending on your actual
income through your your own generation funds, doesn't it. So
it's a percentage job.

Speaker 9 (11:37):
You've also got the academy who don't some of them
don't count on the cap or something.

Speaker 6 (11:43):
There's a maximum amount of the salary that counts like
one hundred and fifty.

Speaker 5 (11:48):
So it's like it was.

Speaker 9 (11:49):
Surely Saints will be in that bracket of having the
maximum amount of kids that are not classes, you know
what I mean.

Speaker 4 (11:56):
So the whole the whole thing looks like a job
for man City is a count goes and whether they
are Falcon place it is another matter. I don't know.
I'm not pretty to the indus and aunts of it,
but I think we often forget that she only came
over as a winger. Didn't he was in the wingers,
entered and turned into be one of our best play.

Speaker 6 (12:18):
For Australia as the winger he did, He did bizarrely.

Speaker 3 (12:21):
Strange, stranger a game, isn't it all right?

Speaker 4 (12:24):
Let's have look at bad.

Speaker 6 (12:25):
To come in?

Speaker 4 (12:27):
Easy to be over there in trip get Tristan Sells
and Lewis Murphy. What what are our thoughts? And clearly
two wingers coming and we needed two ringers personally, no
complaints with those signs.

Speaker 2 (12:42):
I think the.

Speaker 4 (12:44):
Proud will be the easiest to say that problem with
Satige will get a pass.

Speaker 5 (12:50):
I think I think Steve.

Speaker 9 (12:51):
Steve mentioned it before with Tommy Felt as a direct
replacement for Tommy. For me, having watched him in that friendly,
there was a chance of him showing us what speed
he had, and there wasn't much to see. So I'm
not expecting great pace from Felt. But what I am
expecting is a hard, sort of tough wing gro who

(13:12):
can finish for us, but maybe knock a few off
on the way to the trial line. Murphy possibly, Yeah,
it might might have took him a bit of acclimatization, yeah, possibly,
you know, you know, watching highlights, I know we can shift,
you know, once he gets going. So I'm looking forward

(13:34):
to once the pictures hardened up. But Murphy is a
you know, he is a bit of a speeds doing
in this. So I think he's showing a glimpse of
that on on a Saturday against Westthull, you know. So hopefully,
I think we've got two good signings. And like you
said before, Gary with a you know, with the backing

(13:55):
up of Benison, you know, and Tea Rits and even
you know, I don't think we've yeah, you know, we've
we've got some players that can come in. And you
said Paul push for them places you know, yeah.

Speaker 4 (14:09):
And point to see them.

Speaker 7 (14:12):
I watched a lot a lot of film last year
because when once I knew he was coming and gone
back around Queensland.

Speaker 3 (14:19):
He's got his own corner, Felt the corner.

Speaker 4 (14:21):
He's got all.

Speaker 7 (14:22):
Sorts of records and he was top, he was over
top on next the top try scoring and last season
in the NRL twelve years yeah, yeah, yeah, and monument
to the phone and he's massive to one difference he
has to Tommy.

Speaker 3 (14:37):
He's about six three.

Speaker 5 (14:38):
And as long as we're passing the ball, make the
most wing because we've cried out. We've cried out for
two but making it has been fantastic. But one with
Felt coming over, he's not going to be used like
Making has been used the last four or five years
as another prop forward he'll probably get is dused to
getting the ball scoring try so when need a sentence
to pass the ball, I just don't. Is he going

(14:59):
to be Percy, said Conrad. Well, if he's outside Conrad.
To be fair, Conrad does get a lot of stick.
Its defense and fantastic. But one thing Conrad can do
is pass the ball, attract to the defenders and passed
so he could end up with some decent, decent ball,
so hopefully it works out. And like since Reagan left,
we've been crying out for another winger with pace, and

(15:20):
now we've brought murphying, so we look at that and
then add Sailor on top to the X factor. I
think we look I think we look good. If you're
looking at signings over the last few seasons, there are
three players who we've been crying out for. Ideally, again
the center, we could have done a sense to back
up horror of to start and then Hurdle to back up.

(15:41):
But then with the conversation right before about Robinson and
Robinson's going to start late or be a backup center,
then I've got no issues with that.

Speaker 4 (15:47):
Well, I think he started there against and I think
he was certainly in the.

Speaker 5 (15:52):
Yeah, I think I think he's got the size, he's
got a cent attributes to what Wellsby has as well,
and Wellsby to fill up wings center six seven thirteen.
First two seasons, didn't he And then if anything, I
thought Wellsby made an absolute brilliant center name it was
too he was just too good. Wen He balling hand
and he won seven to six and he wanted him

(16:13):
with the ball in hand. So hopefully Robinson makes the
same trails as he does and he can push on.

Speaker 4 (16:20):
What do you think we all see more interchanging on
the attack if Briers has got full full power on
the attack front, that we actually will see players in
different positions like Wellsby of time into center.

Speaker 5 (16:34):
Him into potentially, because I'm still interested to see how
Wellsby and Sale is going to work because there's no
issues why them two can't turn around in attack and
defense and then to can get the ball balling and
a lot more. So that's what we didn't have last year,
wasn't it. So again it's more competition for places and
hopefully better players in them positions. So on the signing front,

(16:56):
I do think we've done okay, we've like we said before,
we've not really replays Matautia. But if that money's gone
elsewhere then that's understandable. I would have liked to prop forward.
But also, like we said before, the show, come on
a wingfields like a brand new player this year.

Speaker 4 (17:13):
So there's an issue that's cropped up only recently at
the beginning of this last week, I think where some
rumors suddenly appeared that Johnny Vaughn and Dan Sambry were
going off to Wigt under the change of rules of recruitment,
which I think has moved from some time in the
mid season.

Speaker 9 (17:31):
I can remember when it is to the first of
December December. I think it's first December.

Speaker 4 (17:38):
Of a season that hasn't even started, which is bizarre
to me. I think that news has leaked earlier in
the club would have wanted it because I think that
might have something to do with them bringing in four
year contracts for whitby Dad, Noel Stevens and Robertson whether
that was lined up to be announced as before the season,

(18:00):
and it's been scooped.

Speaker 3 (18:01):
By the news that Valling sound we might be off
to Wigan.

Speaker 4 (18:04):
I don't know, which is sort of muddied the waters
for the for the p R of the club, what
are our thoughts on that. I mean, it leaves a
great area for me.

Speaker 7 (18:13):
I'm not sure it has. I think I think they've
now come out looking really good. If it's the same
before we started to the guys. If you give me
those six which term are not signing, it's Vonn and Sambu.
So I think since that came out and there we've
had the other four all on four year deals. We
haven't seen Dad, no, but the other three. But the
other three look really bright.

Speaker 2 (18:35):
Hmm.

Speaker 13 (18:35):
I've come out that I've come out of this. I've
come out of this week feeling great and went, you
know what, let them go. If we've signed, it looks
like we've picked the right four and let them go.
And that's a th like they'll be saying if they're
not gonna play at wiged any anyway.

Speaker 4 (18:50):
No, it's the problem with this is that we've I've
got two lads you were on X thousands of pass
a year. I don't know how much done I'm assuming.

Speaker 13 (19:02):
But.

Speaker 9 (19:06):
If they come in any point this season and whether
it gets announced or not, if there's that overshadow of
the potence is signed for Wigan until that's announced by
either club, they're just going to get booed. It's going
to be you know, and I know they've they've not
really made indents into the first team yet, but no matter,
if any player signs for Wigan, they're just going to

(19:28):
get booed.

Speaker 5 (19:29):
It's a tough one, but it depends what they've been
offered by Wigan. And what their plan is, because I
can't imagine they're going to They're not going to step
into the first team for the next couple of years,
so it depends if they're going to well, realistically they
have more chance of Saints to play in the first
team they would at the minute with the Wigan squad,
But it depends. You just going if Kehran's going in
two years time and Bahne has been promised the center

(19:51):
spot after that, then you could understand it. And he's
been paid decent money to play the reserves to len
and Samboo has been offered Misky's contra that runs up
in two or three years, whatever it is, then you
can understand that. But we don't know what's what's been
signed and what money they're on, so it's a tough one.
But like as I just said, then out the six players,

(20:12):
the four people who signed the contracts are the ones
that you would like to keep. Don't get me your
own Vaughns. Vaughns did okay for me. I like to
lash year. I didn't see much of Samboo. The time
we did see Sambo was when he got chased well,
was chased down by the Sofford second rower when he
made a break so but again time will tell. But
all rumors as well, apparently there's a Wigan player coming

(20:35):
to Saints on the back of that deal. So I
don't know how to that. As a young prop who's
played at Bradford, who is rumored to be played at Bradford,
Loan and Saints have been interesting or Carol wanted to
bring him with with him, so with that, because it
does a lambell start ring if you're thinking two young
players going to Wigan but nothing's coming back. So if

(20:55):
you put a prop in the window there and you
think that's happening, you think fair enough that much that
might actually work.

Speaker 4 (21:02):
It's a it's a bit in a sense as well,
when we're writing about players to warranting.

Speaker 6 (21:18):
Song and dance about that. He was not happy at all.

Speaker 3 (21:22):
I think we're going to see more of that.

Speaker 4 (21:23):
I think that's just that's just something that's happened this January,
because it can.

Speaker 3 (21:29):
I think I'm not so sure it would have happened.

Speaker 4 (21:32):
The way it's happened June or something.

Speaker 5 (21:35):
I think.

Speaker 9 (21:35):
I think you I think as a fan of any club,
you know, not just Saints, but you go into sort
of like defensive mode, don't you when when when you
wearing news that Wigan have come to sign two of
our promising young players, you like, hang on a minute,
well are they going? What's happening in the club? And then,
like you said before, guys like then the club whether
they were going to do it or not this week,

(21:56):
but like you say, this week, I'm coming out of
it more confident and am more happy than I was
going into the week. Here in the news off some
total r L saying they've gone, and you're thinking, I'm
on a minute, why are we going signing them? Why
aren't we signing and what's going on?

Speaker 6 (22:12):
But I'm very surprised. I said that we can actually
want these lads because I don't good enough. But I
don't know. But at the moment nowhere here.

Speaker 4 (22:23):
I don't see you. I don't I agree.

Speaker 7 (22:24):
I don't see when you've got like was that kid Zachs.
They've got some, they've got some great lads at Wigging.
There's not that's not in their first team, but probably
everybody else's. I don't see, guys, what they send in
these lads, I don't.

Speaker 6 (22:40):
Know which improves them imaginable work? First time?

Speaker 5 (23:01):
Sorry, I was ordering my pint. The only worrying thing
about that new real coming in is you're looking at
lads now. We've got a shed full of players out
of contract at the end of the year, but we're
in a situation now where we want them players to
play that contract. Some there's probably fifty percent of the
players are off contract that at this stage I probably

(23:21):
won't give the contract. But then if you've got other
teams coming in from now, it does make teams probably
jump into action a bit sooner than what they'd like to.
And then you potentially give give team to our players
a contract and then you think that's past six months
down the line, you think that's possibly a mistake. So
there's that's a playing fact as well, because a lot

(23:41):
of a lot of the players at Saints at the
minute don't deserve a new contract, but in six six
months times seven months time they might deserve contract and
by that point somebody else has come in and took himself.

Speaker 4 (23:51):
I'm just wondering as a lock on effect, whether it
will actually cause an issue going forwards with the finances
of clubs, if they shouldn't have a round of pressure
twelve or eighteen months earlier. To give plays bigger money.

Speaker 9 (24:05):
Well, if you look, we chatted about Wonger Blake before
the before we started. Imagine this time last year, we're
potentially got you know, like a superstar coming in Wonga
Blake that no one's heard of. Next minute, you know,
do you sign him again for the next season, you're
not even sending play. Yeah, Imagine if we signed longer
Blake's a three year deal, we' don't be like, what's

(24:26):
going on here? Like it's it's ridiculous, isn't it.

Speaker 6 (24:31):
There'd be a mutual agreement there if that were the
case for a long problem.

Speaker 4 (24:36):
This is this is the problem because we're in a
situation where finances could get out of control because contracts
are being brought forward. Yeah, and and clubs are suddenly thinking,
oh no, we've got twenty eight players signed on for
this year, but we've suddenly got thirty four listed for
the year after.

Speaker 9 (24:55):
Well, we're fortunate at Saint tim with the light wigging.
We've got a good academy, like you know, Leeds, a
lot of clubs who've got a good academies there. So
we're in a fortunate position that you know, you've got
some youngsters where you think, right, that's our squad, Like
we signed up these players now, and you're thinking, right,
our squad for the next five years is X y Z,
and you know we've got them on long deers. Imagine

(25:17):
teams like Castleford, Wakefields, you know, Huddersfield who've got some
of the superstars who've not seen them play. You know,
they're then getting threatened by the likes of Saints, where
you know they might think, oh, we'll have him and
we'll have them and which we'll whip them out and
then next minute, you know, all these lesser teams and
then panicking because won the finances and some of the

(25:37):
clubs are not great. But then it's like, well, all
them superstars are getting snapped up, and you know, if
that's the rules, then clubs are not doing anything wrong
by signing them up early.

Speaker 5 (25:48):
You know it's those are the.

Speaker 4 (25:49):
Rules, but whether it's I'm assuming all the clubs have
signed up to it, otherwise it wouldn't have been gone through.

Speaker 6 (25:57):
Usually nothing it's done left the club designed.

Speaker 5 (26:00):
Yeah, one thing it might push is a lot of
the youngsters might get more of an opportunity early doors.
Instead of holding onto youngsters and playing them a couple
of years down the line, they might. They might turn
around and say right, they go, we're giving you a
contract now and go and play. So instead of sometimes
we might all back three four years. But if other
teams coming sniffing now for the decent youngsters, then we

(26:20):
can't afford to sit on the sideline, can we?

Speaker 9 (26:23):
If we if we wouldn't have had Vaughan and Sam Samboo,
is it Samboo signed for Wigan? Potentially, as the newsers
come out, if they would have signed for us Field,
I don't think we'd be having this conversation. No, no,
so you know we might not have yeah, but we yeah, exactly,
we might not notice. But I think because it's Wigan,

(26:44):
everyone goes, oh, Hagon defenses what we're like, what's going
on here? Wy Wigan stiffing around our youngsters.

Speaker 4 (26:49):
Which might be Paul's point about, well, somebody's going to
be coming the other way that they're going to fans
might not like. So they can have their they can
have their happy time now laughing at us two of
our young but when one of them comes the other way,
they think, oh, I'm on a minute, so something's.

Speaker 5 (27:03):
Got to be in that because I can't see saying
obviously it's not up to Saints the players out of
the contract, but something must must give the something must
be coming about the other boy.

Speaker 4 (27:12):
Well, fingers crossed, touchwood and all that. Yeah, hope, hopefully. Okay,
let's nail our colors to the masks, and let's have
some predictions for how we think we're going to do
this year. They would like to go first, looks.

Speaker 6 (27:26):
Like about my usual brand of optimism was half empty,
and they're concerned. Last year we finished sixth right and
were crying out for pairs, desperate for pairs to improve
the attack. They've addressed that to an extent with the

(27:48):
players that they brought in and the coaches they brought in.
That could be important as well. Carol, coming so hopeful
of the improvements, but I still think you've got the
same man at the helm, if he's calling the shots
and the tactics are the same as they were last year.
I don't expect a huge improvement. Top six, yes, but

(28:08):
I don't think we challenge Do you.

Speaker 4 (28:10):
Think what's your thoughts on the squad? Do you think
we're weak in places or do you think we're we're
looking a lot better.

Speaker 6 (28:16):
I think there's an increasing reliance on youth, and we're
all like assuming they're all going to be wonderful and fantastic,
and that's I don't known for me. We have to
wait and see on that one. But I'm excited about
the new signings and for a fact that Felt is
a fantastic player who can do the job every bit
as well as Makingson did. It's whether he's motivated to

(28:37):
do that. And you know, sometimes get a guy coming
over from the n r L, like mister Blake and
they just wander a round for a year and they
end up in Bradford because they don't really care. So
we have to wait and see on that one. How
how and he and the Sailor, how seriously they take it.
If they're the best, they're great signings. And Murphy as well,

(28:58):
he didn't really make it in an RL, but he
does have the one thing we were desperate for, pays
So but I'm concerned about Wellings and his tactical methods
and I think maybe he could be gone by sort
of Easter or mate. If it doesn't, if we don't
start well, I think well I'll move on to Paul.

Speaker 5 (29:18):
I think I reckon forth. I think Wigan, OKAYR and
warren Ston be in front of us. I think we
will make I think US leads fourth and fifth. It's
gonna be a tough year, but going off last year
with the injuries we had, I don't think we can
do any worse than what we did. We made the
sixth there and realistically we went up Warrington well tange

(29:40):
of season. It's a completely different season. And again I
do actually think before the season started we are if
Saints made the six and Saints have a full strength
squad out I'm so confident on saying we'll beat anybody
on our day, but we've got to play that attractive
rugby first, first few out ins. Last year we played well,
played some good rugby that wedfield and first three or

(30:01):
four games the season, I thought we'd look like a
completely different team and then obviously a few injuries it
formed it and we we didn't look great. But I
don't think we can do any worse last year. I've
held out on calling them back into last season, but
hopefully with new coaches, a couple of new players, and
looking probably around fourth fourth position.

Speaker 9 (30:25):
Yeah, I agree with you. I think we are about
third or fourth in the league. I think we're light
up front. I think loss of Mattausi is massive. I
think we're light in the centers. And yeah, we've we've
gained some pace and that, but I really do think
now as Saints fans, we've just got a look at

(30:46):
it as we are in that transition period where I
think it's going to be another two years before we
and that's two years of making the right decisions. So,
like Steve said, I don't know whether well And is
actually the right man at the moment for the job.
And I think i'd agreeing and giving him, you know,

(31:07):
sort of like Easter to see where we're at. But
I think we can't hope too much because you've got
Wiggan the far the best by far, the best team
up there, not far behind. You've got all kr and
then you've got Warrington. I mean we didn't even beat
with Warrington once last season, so you know, I don't
think we're looking like we're going to beat him again

(31:29):
this season because nothing's much changed. The only thing that
has changed with us is Bree is coming in and
you know that could be our biggest signing. So improvement
on last year from six maybe so fourth.

Speaker 7 (31:43):
So there's now an obligation on me to say super
League is coming home.

Speaker 6 (31:49):
There's always one, there's always one.

Speaker 7 (31:51):
There's no way I'm going into this season without some optimism.
Good god, six fourth, No, No, you've got to believe. Well,
as he's telling us that he has got full reins
on the attack, Carol's got full reins on the defense.
So so he was asked the question, what exactly are
you doing? Then Let's hope he has given them that freedom.

(32:15):
Let's hope we don't see six and bottom every week
because that would be demoralizing very quickly. I think the
signings are great. I think we've been needing pace. We've
got some pace. You know, we was so near last year.
Back end of the year, we were very very you know,
gooden point at Warrington. I think we'll be better than

(32:37):
Warrington this year because they've signed I don't know what
they've signed, not nothing much seven from seven from London
who was average. Yeah, they're not now special then, So
I think we have We've made three good signings hopefully,
and we've made four other ones that might come through

(33:01):
and be great. They might not, but they might, you know,
Whippy might come in and be a revelation, and you
don't have to be twenty one twenty two. You know
Sean Long and Bobby Gilding was sixteen, So why do
we Why did they have to be good enough enough?
John's not doing it?

Speaker 5 (33:18):
Get with b Why don't we start with then?

Speaker 4 (33:22):
So so I'm trying to lift the show.

Speaker 6 (33:26):
I'd like to leave our letters.

Speaker 7 (33:28):
So I don't. We don't think we're as good as Wigging,
probably not, but injuries make a big difference. She'd take
French outs.

Speaker 4 (33:37):
They're done, they're done.

Speaker 5 (33:39):
We went We went to Wigan last year, back into
the season with the kids out, and we only went
with Ben Davis mistaken the last couple of minutes that
cost the game. There's nothing in Saints and as a squad,
Wigging a lot stronger than Saints. We play him in
a game, I don't think there's much in us. Any
team is going to beat Wigging it Saints and I.

Speaker 7 (33:59):
Think this year they're like, you know, not to have
a poppet Ben Davis. But I don't think he's going
to get near because we've got much more coverage and
the wingers, the centers that I know we've only got.
But on about Robertson stepping in as backup. We have
got We've got a lot of cover in the backs
that we've not had so many years. We've gone in
with two wingers and nothing behind.

Speaker 5 (34:17):
We have with the forwards. If you look, you've got
Dave Delayey Stevens wingfield. Now, I believe from a lot
of forums I've took place the props now were going
for a bit more mobile. But we're going to play
rugby and go mobile and fair enough, let's see it,
not let not just say it, let's see it.

Speaker 7 (34:35):
Injury is a key we need. We need Warmsley to
play most of the year, which he hasn't done for
about two or three years. So we could do because
we haven't got a lot of cover though, But if
but if they do, if we get some positive momentum,
it's amazing when you watch sports. If you're winning games,
nobody's injured. So if we can get a bit of

(34:55):
early momentum, but it will matter early on. We are
going to If we start the same as last year
with that drab bloody six and kick bomb nonsense, then
it will be under pressure. But if we start and
we start throwing it round and we see a bit
of a bit of zip from Sailor and you know Coop,

(35:15):
but listening on Saturday a few times he's doing those
miss out passes and all that sort of stuff. Early
on you think, I don't know, So I think why not.
I think we're better than Warrington and who knows. We
wigging and Okay is going to be stronger out there,
but let's hope in the mix.

Speaker 4 (35:36):
Well, I'm going to go.

Speaker 7 (35:37):
I'm going to go top three for sure.

Speaker 4 (35:39):
I think I'm a bit more with guys. If we
have a better run with injuries, if we if we
can keep key players fit, I think there's no reason
we can't challenge.

Speaker 9 (35:49):
What One of the things though last season, which was
concerning for me, and go back to Allen's as a coach,
is when we did have them injuries, we had the
young has come in and half of them games, I'd
say probably three quarters of them games were winnable, but
it was bad decision making. Whether that's players or whether
that's coaching, I don't know. And for me it was

(36:11):
by tactics. When you go back to the Sulfur game,
that was just like we should have had that one.
Even Wigan, we should have won that game, you know,
like there's all these games where we should have won them.
So is that the players, is that the coaching?

Speaker 5 (36:25):
Were we just in that rut? I don't know, but
you know, well, you've got to.

Speaker 4 (36:29):
Hope he's learned by it. And there was there was
there were other games wuld I think I can remember
we never used some of the subs and I was
I was banging against the seat saying, what's.

Speaker 5 (36:40):
Going on here?

Speaker 4 (36:41):
We've We've played a team who've been rotating. They've played
all seventeen, we've played fifteen and one lad's come on
for three minutes.

Speaker 6 (36:48):
You know.

Speaker 7 (36:49):
Last year, though, what we have coming in into this
year is if we've got Noh Stevens that's played quite
a lot of games now and been blooded in tough
games that a lot of them we haven't won. Yeah,
and similarly Robertson, who was incredible at fallback in such
an awful team. So they're coming into this year, they're
not coming in as raw. They've already they've already done it. Well,

(37:12):
I'm hoping that first team players then know some of
the players that.

Speaker 4 (37:16):
Are key to us, but we know will have injuries,
will and probably injuries because of attrition and the fact
that they're not up to it quite like the likes
of no disrespect m Johnny Percy, Conrad Huddle will need
to be pulled out for a week and kept fitter,
rather than going for seven, eight nine games on the

(37:39):
run then and then and then it's in a wall
and being out for a month. I think they need
to be rotating and hopefully if we get some proper
planning in fitness wise, that we'll have a fit and
functioning team every week.

Speaker 5 (37:52):
That's all about having competition for places, Like we said before,
isn't it. If you've got competition for places, then if
people aren't performing, then you can drop them for a week.
To Listen, Johnny, you're not performing, then he's gonna get
a chance. Listen, Conrad Robinson's in this week because you've
been awful last month. And let the players, like the
experienced players, fight for the places. We've not had that
for the last couple of seasons. So with as bad

(38:13):
as last season was, with a few young lads making
the name for themselves and they're pushing for them places
this year, which I do think will make a massive difference.
Whitley and bats are come under a lot a lot
of stick last year, but both of them aren't prop
forwards eighty minute bat rows playing prop. They're out out
and out wide runners, running running lines and when we're

(38:33):
on the front foot. Half last year he wasn't on
the front foot. So Batcher and Whitley co under a
lot of criticism, but they were playing a game plan
that they don't play. Whitley is in the forty line
eating lines out wide. So I do think we'll see
the difference through a couple of players like that. My
only concern is it's just getting on the front foot
this year. But Matty Lee is no issues from my eight.

(38:55):
If Warms is fit, then hopefully he'll be as good
Parsi and other pre season under him, Fitter Stevens, Delaney Wingfield.

Speaker 4 (39:05):
We have got the players, We've got the six props
there exactly, so.

Speaker 5 (39:08):
Then you can understand why we've not gone out and
replacement out if we're going for more of a mobile
prop props kind of thing and throw the ball about.
But just time will tell. I just hope they've learned
the lessons on last year and we do come out
guns players and we turn out and played rugby and
we get beat. As long as the fans have been entertaining,

(39:28):
you walk away, you think, you know what, that was
a fantastic game. We beat by the best team there.

Speaker 7 (39:33):
See another revelation from last year at the back end
of the year, it was Burns when you know, so
we're going with three nines, Clark, Burns and them buy
as well. But Burns, Burns played Saturday and he was
great at the end of last year, Burns Clark's top drawer,

(39:53):
but he was a cracking backup. He was a better
backup than then by once he got established. That's another one.

Speaker 5 (39:59):
We've got that.

Speaker 4 (40:00):
But he is a hooker.

Speaker 7 (40:01):
Yeah, there's a nine. Yeah, but he's a good nine
and he scores tries, he goes, you know, he's stocky, fast, lad.

Speaker 4 (40:07):
He's good.

Speaker 7 (40:08):
So he's another positive for us going into this year
because I'm hoping I'm going to step in and play
he's good.

Speaker 4 (40:15):
I'm sincerely hoping with with Liebriers in charge of attack
formations and et cetera, that our kicking game will have
a substantially more variety with I'm hoping.

Speaker 5 (40:26):
So it just depends who's going to who's going to kick.

Speaker 7 (40:29):
Wellsby probably.

Speaker 4 (40:32):
Well Sale will be Sailor will be doing some.

Speaker 9 (40:35):
I don't know who's our goal kicker per season.

Speaker 4 (40:40):
Felt Fell can kick, but I think as a as
a fans formed of the week, he says, you'll have
to get the ball off Percy first, but Percy can
kick in the games where it doesn't.

Speaker 5 (40:49):
Matter who kicks in the pre season from I.

Speaker 6 (40:51):
Would suggest that play more games than personally.

Speaker 4 (40:54):
I think.

Speaker 9 (40:54):
I think Robertson kicked him with a pre season friendly.
You were piste on the sofa games.

Speaker 5 (41:09):
Looks did a good job.

Speaker 7 (41:12):
We'll be took him at weekend and he got all
but one.

Speaker 4 (41:16):
If Whip's playing kick because he's a quality kicker, what's
the same way that Lewis Dodd was before his injury. Yeah,
he knocks him over from everywhere. I think he missed
one from wide out and it just faded across rather
than being there.

Speaker 7 (41:29):
But Felt kicks calls. I don't think we should let
Perceval do it. We should just protect him all we can.
I think we've got to stop him charging ball into
line for four tackles as well. I've never understood that
for years and then mad but he he's wrapping up
in his cotton ball box.

Speaker 6 (41:46):
Tackle one and two was just going straight in with
wingers and centers. The heads took off madness.

Speaker 4 (41:51):
But they're coming inside. They're running into props and second rows.

Speaker 7 (41:56):
Percival's issue is.

Speaker 6 (41:58):
Walking back.

Speaker 4 (41:59):
Yeah, I don't. I don't get that at all. I mean,
to a certain extent, you can't have a proper a
second row taking the first, taking the first running because
they're felt.

Speaker 5 (42:08):
Question that move when he first signed and he looks
at Tommy and.

Speaker 4 (42:15):
It's a it's a good question. I think you probably
run a bit more laterally and be tackled by a
center or a winger. Then I think that the worry
is that you get hustled into touch. But there's ways
of stopping that. But okay, right, okay, let's move on
a little bit. A couple of changes that I picked
up that will being in the game itself. A couple

(42:35):
of rule changes that might be effective Captain's challenge. What
do we think about the Captain's challenge? Who wants to
he wants to lead on this. It's going to take
place in it's going to be available in all televised
games where there's obviously a referee to talk to the referee.

Speaker 6 (42:50):
Which is all that.

Speaker 7 (42:55):
Again live every games on TV before.

Speaker 5 (43:00):
They're still paying us last morning, but.

Speaker 4 (43:03):
Less money more games.

Speaker 6 (43:07):
Isn't the same dealers last year?

Speaker 7 (43:08):
Pay for one game, get the rest of it the BBC.

Speaker 4 (43:10):
Game BBC had got some of Channel four had some
last year.

Speaker 6 (43:14):
It's the same dealer last year ectively.

Speaker 5 (43:16):
Yeah, they got a pizza deal and give all the
players pizza.

Speaker 9 (43:21):
Or just put the names on a truck.

Speaker 4 (43:24):
Seriously, challenge.

Speaker 5 (43:26):
It was a good idea, really good idea.

Speaker 4 (43:29):
I've seen it work in the n r L, and
it's you've got to have a smart captain who knows
when to challenge and when not to I suppose. But
that comes from the player involved, doesn't it.

Speaker 9 (43:39):
Didn't We see this in the World Club Challenge, didn't
We have a Captain's challenge and it got us a penalty.

Speaker 5 (43:45):
We got the penalty anyway, didn't we We got the
ball back, didn't we? But we wanted the peny out
of it?

Speaker 9 (43:51):
Yeah, I think, yeah, but didn't know it wasn't successful.
We weren't successful, right, But we're seeing it in we're
seeing it work and in the n r L.

Speaker 4 (43:59):
I like it.

Speaker 9 (43:59):
Yeah, I think it's a good, good thing.

Speaker 4 (44:02):
I mean, it's hard to think of an example that
you'd probably used, but normally there are certain things that
it can't be used for, like forward forward passes and
things like that. But I think it's where it seems
to see in the r L word. It's there's an
argument about a loose carrier and drop ball and a
player's claim it's been ripped out. I think that's what

(44:22):
it is.

Speaker 5 (44:23):
It could be a game change decision, can't it. If
your game's close and you've you've got five ten minutes
left and you bring it into play and it could
favor one of the teams. So yeah, I think that I.

Speaker 6 (44:33):
Call like that when it's been ripped out, it is subjective,
so you're just looking at it such just another person's opinion,
albeit with the help of the video. I think it
was inevitable that would come in. But I'm more fundamentally
I'm not a fan of video preplayers in any sport.
It's killed football stone.

Speaker 4 (44:54):
Dead, it's killed the join in football st hasn't it.

Speaker 6 (44:57):
Absolutely?

Speaker 4 (44:58):
I think it's I think it could be born big
games that will be important.

Speaker 7 (45:02):
I think Johnny could be good in that position because
he was quite it's quite rational, it's quite level headed.
And if I was in i'd luck to the player
who thinks she's been wronged and just say and if
they go definitely and then and then if he's wrong,
then he doesn't trust them Again.

Speaker 6 (45:18):
You've got to know which of your players you can trust.

Speaker 7 (45:22):
You don't want any emotional captain in that situation. I
think we've got a non emotional captain.

Speaker 9 (45:28):
Imagine l MS in that situation keeps.

Speaker 7 (45:32):
He's challenging for us. Minute you're wrong, see.

Speaker 3 (45:40):
You next week.

Speaker 4 (45:41):
A couple of other changes. Now, what's what is coming
is called the on field Sentencing Guidelines, which is a
new I think from from what I've seen so far,
totting up procedure on disciplinaries. I think it works. You
get certain certain number of points for certain number offenses,
and as soon as you go over certain points you.

Speaker 5 (46:01):
Get a band.

Speaker 4 (46:02):
Certain things will get will will require matter.

Speaker 6 (46:05):
You still have the grading system, but each grade has
given a points value. Is that correctly and once you
get to a certain level of points a number of
points that determines if you get a band. I on
the band its fault.

Speaker 5 (46:18):
So if you've got one band to then point to
carry over to if you make one the next week,
or I.

Speaker 6 (46:24):
Think so yeah, I think I think if you get
three points this week, I know Stevens did. I think
he keeps them points until he never until he gets that.

Speaker 5 (46:31):
Band, so he's got fine for then then point to
carry over.

Speaker 6 (46:36):
I think that's right, isn't it?

Speaker 5 (46:37):
Yeah?

Speaker 9 (46:37):
Gas are the next person this has gotten on his phone.

Speaker 7 (46:42):
I've got three points. She's getting a fine, which is gay,
which means you can play.

Speaker 4 (46:47):
Like you're driving history guys. Is it? Yeah?

Speaker 7 (46:51):
But if he goes and if he goes to an
event and watches a video, then points will be wiped
off eighty quid.

Speaker 6 (46:58):
The last three years.

Speaker 5 (47:00):
No, it must be.

Speaker 4 (47:01):
It must be for the season. I'm sure. But I mean,
he would have.

Speaker 7 (47:04):
Thought she'd be had three points perid. He's fine, he
goes back to zero.

Speaker 6 (47:07):
Well, it could be the case. I don't know.

Speaker 9 (47:11):
I don't know, I don't I don't know enough about it.
But again, I mean for me, when I first looked
at it, I went, oh, yeah, that that that looks
really good. It's you know, clarity. Everyone can see if
you get a certain amount of points, you get that fine,
everyone knows what they're doing. However, then when we had
a conversation before the show, we're like, well, it still

(47:31):
depends who's on the panel, still depends who they favor,
It still depends what your history is as to what
points you got.

Speaker 6 (47:40):
You still get the argument of people that's a great
b that would be a great bee carry on.

Speaker 9 (47:47):
That's so really it hasn't changed, is it.

Speaker 4 (47:49):
There'll still be what about reflying around.

Speaker 6 (47:51):
They've just been complicade.

Speaker 9 (47:54):
Yeah, pretty much, yet.

Speaker 5 (47:57):
More for us to talk about.

Speaker 4 (47:58):
I suppose maybe it's a chance to cut the cost
of having a disciplinary tribune'll sit in every Monday night
and every Tuesday night.

Speaker 9 (48:06):
But I mean, what it doesn't sound there is is
what them points entail. And that's what everyone needs to know.
Because if you come in you hit somebody around the head,
well that's forty points. You're going to be banned for
ten games.

Speaker 5 (48:18):
Whatever it is.

Speaker 9 (48:19):
If you're you know, if you slap someone around the
face or give them a bit of a you know,
tap on the shoulder or whatever. You know, I don't
know you just and I know you can't be that
sort of specific, but it needs to be like for me,
like a hit someone around the head, high tackle, you know,
cannon ball, whatever it is that that's your sort of It.

Speaker 4 (48:41):
Might be it might be a subtle way of rolling
back from the if you touch somebody's edge, you're getting
sent off.

Speaker 5 (48:47):
Yeah, we'll find out with the first month, won't because
they'll go sick and come up with these mad ideas
and then two months later it scrapped.

Speaker 6 (48:54):
That's that last season when there was a class of
heads in the Warrington.

Speaker 4 (48:58):
My goodness, it's crazy to start sometimes.

Speaker 9 (49:03):
I mean, one, we're sorry. One thing that's not been
mentioned this season we've not heard much about is the
had high shoulder over the shoulder head.

Speaker 4 (49:10):
I think that's subtly been moved away as a I
don't think that's I know it started in the n
c L, but I think I think I think it's
not actually being brought in.

Speaker 9 (49:19):
Because this sound last year was hot topic of next season,
it's going to be you can't tackle above the arm pit.

Speaker 4 (49:27):
Well, I think road back a little bit, but we'll
find out.

Speaker 6 (49:30):
On Saturday, they listened to some let's call it feedback
from fans.

Speaker 9 (49:34):
And players, probably from that Saints pod.

Speaker 6 (49:40):
Even I didn't like that. I think you might. I
think it's it's been shelved for a while at least.

Speaker 4 (49:46):
Yeah, a couple of couple of other things that have
cropped up on the off side reel. They're going to
be looking at whether players passive or active in the decisions,
for example, But when somebody's within ten yards of the
of the of the the player catching a ball, for example,
these cases where tries disallowed because somebody was intent within

(50:10):
ten yards of a of a man catching a ball
or whatever one man kicking the ball. But players are
not going to be determined to be passive or active.
If you're active within that ten yards, it will be disallowed.
If you're not active and you're passive, if you're walking
away or whatever. I think it's common sense the player
will be allowed to go on. But it's the subtle

(50:30):
change of rules. I don't know what what anybody thinks.

Speaker 6 (50:33):
I think they will be still be argument about what
is active and what is passive exactly. There's a lot
of a lot of arguments about that in little spots.

Speaker 4 (50:46):
Yeah, it's a bit of a bit of principally, yeah,
I think I think if it's just it's just tinkering
to balance it up I think, or to give give
the video rap a bit more of an option to say, well,
player Bill those within ten yards was walking away, so
we shouldn't be disallowing to try for that.

Speaker 6 (51:08):
So then it depends what one is active. What do
you need to be doing to be active? Have you
got to be jumping for the ball, or have you
got to be throwing to make.

Speaker 5 (51:17):
A tackle or what we'll find out this weekend. We'll
find out soon enough, I think Thursday Friday. Social media.

Speaker 4 (51:24):
Yeah. One one of the one of the things I
picked up on was that the green card issue has
been balanced now where it used to be a defender
quotes injured feigning injury when his team under pressure as
the green card and asked opp for two minutes. The
same will applied to an attack and now, and I
don't quite follow that rule, but.

Speaker 6 (51:45):
I understand what they do it, but I don't really
see a need for it. If you're attacking, why would
you think, why would you take an injury to slow
the game down? Well it's not the game. Don't make
any sense as it so not to me.

Speaker 5 (51:56):
No, no, don't get that one.

Speaker 4 (51:59):
Okay, we'll wait, so we'll maybe have a look at
the rule changes in the next in a month or so. Okay, right,
so let's move on to our first couple of games,
because this year we'll be doing shows every couple of weeks.
Because doing the month last year, we couldn't remember what
had happened in the previous month.

Speaker 5 (52:16):
I thought it was fans demand, wasn't it more of us?

Speaker 4 (52:21):
Okay, all right, Well, obviously we had the Cup game
at the weekend West Hull Neill Saints thirty eight. Comfortable
in the first half and foot off the gas in
the second half very much and not much. I think
we can determine out of that as to how we'll
we'll be playing on Saturday. Hopefully we're playing a little
bit different, but we're playing Salford Red Devils at five

(52:42):
thirty on Saturday, and it's the first of a couple
of Saturday night games we've got coming up in the
first month of the season. Swtford Red Devils, as far
as I'm aware, I've had their takeover proof now good,
so probably won't be flogging off half the players and
playing with the cleaner in the office.

Speaker 5 (53:01):
Sort of the next six months.

Speaker 7 (53:03):
What's interesting there is never red a really interesting article.
I think it was Ryan Brearley. They didn't really leave,
didn't they. They've got a good unity though. I mean,
they could have all bailed on that, and they didn't,
to be quite honest, And I don't think virtually any
of them left, So they must do the other cracking
team spirit that's got a lot of a lot of

(53:24):
that's got to go down to Rolayers.

Speaker 6 (53:28):
Wanted to leave it all. No, no, if there'd been
a financial need for it though.

Speaker 7 (53:33):
Oh yeah, but they'll come to us on Saturday and
they'll believe and there will be Well, there was a
good spirit there.

Speaker 4 (53:40):
So they won't change the way they play, will they.

Speaker 6 (53:42):
But they can't.

Speaker 7 (53:43):
They've only got that many plays. Well to be we
discussed this, didn't we in the the show The seventeen
Can Do to watch?

Speaker 5 (53:52):
In the pre season friendly played a full strength squad
and I thought they've only got one squad. They've only
got twenty players anyway, Yeah, to play the players they
had where Saints did rotate it. But it's so for
always a tough game because you literally don't know what
you're gonna come up against. I've got so many good players,
they've got a good coaching team, and like you said
the commitment the team morale is fantastic and have done

(54:13):
that for years. And to be fair, if they're on
song and they've got a full strengths squad, they will
upset any team in Tuoper League. But I do think Saints.
I think Saints will approach this deffinitely to the friendly
because I know a lot of fans are already saying
we've got beat by Sofa, We've only put X amount
of points on West All and an amateur team. But
the main main name for Saints was to go out,

(54:34):
get a bit of game time and yeah, run out
a bitter fitness in the legs for some of the
players and then move on to West All exactly the
same again, get the game won. At the end of
the day, the grubs up there, they don't any any
of our players because I got injured on Saturday. The
main thing was go out. I was expecting more of us,

(54:56):
try scoring frenzy from us and probably sixty seventy points.
But at the end of the day we come away
with a winning no injuries and win the next round
of the cup. So that's the main name for me
and I think we will see a completely different Saints
side the Saturday, And realistically, if we are playing Soul
for two weeks before we play in the main first
game of the season, are we going to show our hand?
Are we going to play show moves and play play

(55:18):
a game that weren't playing our first game? Probably not.
So I am expecting to see something completely different this Saturday.
But then next show I might slag them off from.

Speaker 6 (55:26):
Sayrendous awfully and.

Speaker 7 (55:31):
Hopefully hopefully not. And you know, we could do with
a good start, can't we start of the season getting.

Speaker 5 (55:39):
Yeah?

Speaker 4 (55:39):
Well, I think Darren and I went to the coaches
for him just before Christmas with Wellens, Oh, Carol and
Briars and my One of the comments that Breers had
made for me, the best one, was that we are
I will be changing stuff, but you'll have to bear
with me for Yeah, it will be because there will
be a few mistakes here.

Speaker 2 (55:58):
And he was.

Speaker 9 (55:59):
He was asking for the fans patients in them basically
getting things wrong before they get it right, which, okay,
you can, you can sort of take that, but I
don't think that'll do Wellens any good because the longer
that goes on, I think Wellens needs a good start

(56:19):
to the season, and if he doesn't get a good
start to the season, pressure will be on his shoulders.

Speaker 4 (56:26):
Got this daft situation where the head coach has a
shorter contract than the assistant coaches at the moment, Yes,
a bit odd.

Speaker 9 (56:33):
Yeah, But I've also well, I've also heard rumors that
you know, Christian Wolf wants him as his number two
in OZ next season, So you don't, you know, you
don't maybe a reason, Maybe that's the reason why he's
only sound one of your deal. Who knows, but you
know that's all speculation, you know, that's who knows what's
going to happen. But but yeah, I think I think

(56:54):
certainly the pressure will be on Wellens if he doesn't
get the starts of the season right.

Speaker 4 (56:59):
Well, I think I think what you can guarantee with
this game it'll be pretty quick and pretty open, the open.

Speaker 5 (57:04):
Which we love to watch, don't we. So I'm looking
forward to Saturday.

Speaker 4 (57:08):
I think we go rather we order rather win a
game thirty two thirty than twelve to ten.

Speaker 5 (57:14):
A lot of the time them quickie games Suit Saints
and the better teams we play at the beginning of
the season suit Saints again, because if we turned out
and played Castleford this week, then you could guarantee it
would be an absolute terrible game again, probably win ten
eight or something, and everyone walks away pissed off. But
we place Alford and you think they're going to come

(57:35):
out and play, we know what, we know what game
plan we've got to put in place to beat them.
So you know you've got to be one hundred percent
on your game plan to beat them. So I'm excited.

Speaker 4 (57:43):
Yeah, I'm looking forward to it. So what are we
saying stay for prediction?

Speaker 6 (57:47):
Yep, as we're at home and we're sticking by Saints
and say Saints by about six because it made laws.

Speaker 5 (57:56):
Twenty points to twelve Saints.

Speaker 9 (58:00):
I'm going to go twenty eight eighteen Saints.

Speaker 4 (58:05):
Guys, I'm not asking you for between an exact seventy four.

Speaker 7 (58:09):
No, No, I just can't comprehend us not winning. So
I'm going to be a bit optimistic.

Speaker 6 (58:20):
Remember last year.

Speaker 4 (58:22):
Lying under that.

Speaker 7 (58:23):
I was just thinking last year when you mentioned I'm
sure cast beaters are all last year, Yeah, it did,
But I'll go US by.

Speaker 5 (58:31):
I'm gonna be.

Speaker 7 (58:31):
Really optimistic and go US by sixteen.

Speaker 4 (58:34):
I'm going to go the same way I think We're
going to see a seed change and Saints by ten
for me, So I'm looking for you either way. I mean,
it can be. It could be a points fest, I think.

Speaker 5 (58:43):
I hope. So that's what we've wanted for the last
couple of years, and we've full shrined for pretty we
should be full.

Speaker 4 (58:49):
Well, yeah, I hope. So I mean, having said that,
you're looking at the We've only had two games and
we haven't seen Warmsley or Parsi or Noles or Lomac.

Speaker 5 (59:00):
Realistic them types of players.

Speaker 4 (59:02):
You would like some even darn Clark, you would like warms.

Speaker 5 (59:05):
Each have run out for his fitness. But the rest
Seron and dour Clark Perceval you know, can turn up
and producer goods anyway, can't your nose, So you're not
overly fussed by them. Guys, probably Parsy and warms they.

Speaker 7 (59:17):
Think we need to protect them, so we're looking on worms.
Is the last thing we needed was to play warms
all exactly because they had gone for him big star
and he probably snapped. They only need I don't mean snapped,
I mean snapped in half.

Speaker 9 (59:29):
They only need like you've got, but we bubble wrap
on it.

Speaker 7 (59:34):
That's what we need. Extra temperature.

Speaker 4 (59:37):
Okay, so if we get if we get through that Saturday,
we've then got on the twenty second of February, Castle
a Tiger's eight o'clock on a Saturday night, which is
another odd time that's away, that's away clock in.

Speaker 5 (59:51):
Castleford pissed up fans and I was, having.

Speaker 6 (59:55):
Seen them yesterday, I've been very disappointed if we didn't
beat them, sally, even even though we're from On, they
lost a brand, they lost a brand for the copy,
so then they looked they looked bad.

Speaker 4 (01:00:06):
They didn't look great and expected to be them.

Speaker 9 (01:00:09):
I've not got my visa for this game yet, but
hopefully might be, might be from.

Speaker 4 (01:00:17):
Need some.

Speaker 5 (01:00:19):
Don't the week after.

Speaker 4 (01:00:22):
Wait over the week we'll have another show before then.

Speaker 5 (01:00:27):
So I think, yeah, I think I agree with See.
I was going to say.

Speaker 6 (01:00:38):
To though it's been a long win, going to win.

Speaker 9 (01:00:44):
No, I agree with ste I think I think that
should be that should be a walk over that I
don't think Castle offered up too much this season. So yeah,
if and to be honest with you, that there the
games that you want to be targeting as this is
gonna we've got, you know, we've got to win it
and we've got to put some points on them because
we said it last year. You know, there's there's so

(01:01:06):
many games where.

Speaker 5 (01:01:07):
You need to win.

Speaker 9 (01:01:08):
You need to win, Bake.

Speaker 4 (01:01:09):
The trouble is if you don't win these games, you've
then got to be your Warrington's and Wigans twice yeah
in the year to keep yourself.

Speaker 5 (01:01:16):
On the target. So it will be. It will be
will be their first home game as well, won't it.
So it won't be the easier what we're making out.
It will be tough because the fans are on their back,
but I am expecting to cast for them put twenty
thirty points on them.

Speaker 6 (01:01:29):
I think yesterday they look like a team that knows
it's not getting really headed best on its results and
that they seem to be concentrating more on getting their
off field issues in order to keep the Super eight
players intact.

Speaker 4 (01:01:41):
That's what are your thoughts on going to cast played
two one too?

Speaker 5 (01:01:44):
Mate?

Speaker 4 (01:01:45):
Yeah? Yeah, top.

Speaker 9 (01:01:49):
Looking down, Well, we can have got Vegas then, so
we'll we'll shove your.

Speaker 4 (01:01:55):
No no, okay, well thanks very much, lads. That's what
brings us to the end of our first show, where
again we'll be back in a couple of weeks, assessing
the damage at that point and looking forward to looking
forward to the next couple of games. So I'd just
like to say thanks to Stelford.

Speaker 9 (01:02:16):
Welcome, Paul Rigby, thank you very much, problem.

Speaker 4 (01:02:20):
Gas Tinsley, thank you. I'm Graham. Come with and we'll
see you again in a couple of weeks