These early games are pretty meaningless. Saints being humiliated by Huddersfield at this stage of the season is entertaining but doesn't tell us much. NB may be adopting a Leeds style approach for all we know. Wigan played easily the best rugby last seasson, but unfortunately they peaked in June and didn't have enough left in the tank when it came to the play offs. I'm not celebrating the demise of Saints yet...

It was obvious to me that Huddersfield came with a very simple game plan. Run harder, tackle harder, move in faster, play the ball quicker. They achieved all of those things and totally dominated the game.



Our pack was second best, TP is a monster and for the size of him, you'd expect he'd be more dynamic than he is. Perry touched the ball once in the opening 20mins before being subbed. Boof is simply too small for a prop and Manu, whilst he did put himself about, I think he was trying too hard with the offloads, costing us a lot of possession.



Lomax was non-existent but playing behind a pack that was dominated, its hard to expect much, and Gaskell just doesn't have the distribution skills for a top class 6 IMO. He's a victim of his size - as a junior his strength was his running game, which isn't as effective at SL level.



I'm sure they will all be working hard to turn it around in training this week but considering the hype around Nathan Brown and the new signings, you would have hoped as a team they would have shown up for the first game of the season. From where I sit, it was clear some of the players weren't happy with sections of the crowd booing at half time as they were leaving the field. Rightly or wrongly, it costs people a great deal of money to buy season tickets, especially for families, and its frustrating to think your hard earned money has been spent to watch a team who arguably didn't show up.



On the Wellens issue, whilst this may be his last season, and last night was one of his least impressive performances, it makes even less sense to me that we didn't even appear to be in the running for Greg Eden who is one of the most promising attacking full backs in the league. In Eden, I see a ready made replacement for Wellens, who could have offered us even more from an attacking perspective.



I agree that our recruitment over recent years has been a little questionable, Perry Hohaia and Laffranchi are three overseas imports who simply haven't delivered.

Ah, diddums.

Well, based upon the way results have gone today, at the end of round one it seems Saints are going to be second from the bottom of the league. Only Salford below us.



Correction: I think we may be third from bottom as Bradford have just scored again!



Further correction: Wakey converted their lone try but we didn't, so I think I was right the first time! Only Salford below us.

I'm not very optimistic about beating Widnes looking at their London result.



I do agree that "don't panic Mr Mannering" is the best approach but IF we are humiliated again against Widnes with Hull and Bradford to come - hardly the most intimidating of fixtures normally - (although we lost both games last year) then "something" needs doing.

I am also not encouraged with Brown's comment:

"I thought we'd do a bit better than we did"



A bit? Thats hardly reassuring - it sounds like he expected a mediocre performance not the worst for many a year!

Agree with that,they are quick enough to take the plaudits when they play well.When they show 0 effort and comitment then they should take the booing and use it as motivation to improve.

Have an opinion by all means. But do not state as a fact that he was useless for most of last season when you hardly saw him play. For what it's worth he was excellent for most of last season, although I cannot comment on the 2 games I missed.

I think this sums it up for me.



There's not a lot of point in talking about the (half)backs when our base was so comprehensively out enthused up front. Conceding that try from the scrum base show how below par our team was.



The opening fixture is a big day, and Hudds brought a big game attitude. We were beaten in a similar fashion to those awful defeats we've suffered to Wigan over the past 2 seasons - because they wanted it more.



That is what is unnacepltable to the ticket holders.



I'd bring in Ade Gardner, for a bit of purpose when retuning the ball.

I'd hope that Clough can come back in for a bit of hard graft and, after I'd defended him so many times, I'd drop perry, start LMS or Tony P and bring in someone like Walmsley/Hand who might actually play with a bit of passion.

I'd also give Flash, who was one of the few to look respectable, more game time.

Curiosly, I think Sia and Manu were both guilty of "trying too hard" - Manu coughing up possession and Sia missing too many tackle trying to ring bells.



No focus at all.

I agree with The Chief and Offside Monkey. We can only get better lol.

I think we read far too much into comments and press statements. Do people really want the coach to come on and lay into his players first game out?



He has to manage the squad for the season, not game to game. He has to go into training and get the best out of them. As shocking as that performance was, Brown can hardly call them a waste of space and expect to hold their respect for him for the next 3 years.



If my manager called me a waste of space no matter my performance I'd have issues with him from then on. It's a professional game and he has to act professionally. If it was 2 games from season end then he could call them what ever he felt like as he could get shut in 2 games.



Lets just see where we are come the Leeds game, before we all jump off the pier.

I know it was great, usually he cocks up so much I just blame everything on him. I think he has finally found his best position (on bondi beach working on his tan).



I was trying to think of why I was feeling a little happy at half time even though we were 22-0 down. Then it came to me, Flannery.



He is my Meli. Come to think of it what will happen when Meli retires and we lose a big game. Some people will be completely lost for a reason why.

Manu is a better player than flannery. But then we wouldn't have been anything like as leaky up front had flannery been in the side and I doubt the scoreline would have been as bad.



Just sayin!