Exactly, he didn't trust the youth enough, if he'd trusted them more, perhaps someone like Mark Flanagan would still be at Wigan instead of playing for Wests Tigers in the NRL
Rugby League Super League 2010
- Thread starter jgraham
- Start date
Hindsight is a great thing though - who knows, maybe Nobby thought that at the time the young lads weren't ready for the step up and held them back? there have been many occasions where a coach has blooded a youngster too early and initial promise has led to nothing substantial. I'm meaning more to do with the methods and regimes he set whilst at Wigan - i'm friends with a few of the coaching staff for the Saints development teams and they've all said that Noble did a lot for the youth setup and such at Wigan.
One thing I definitely think you can criticise him for is the condition of the players, just look how noticeably leaner players like Paleassina and Riddell were at the start of the season....the team was just a lot fitter and quicker, there's not really any excuse for that if you ask me
Any predictions for Saturday?
Any predictions for Saturday?
The head says Wigan, the heart says I don't give a stuff!
No, actually I'd like to see Saints win it, mainly because of guys like Cunningham and Wellens, and also because they've been runners-up for the last three years and deserve it this time around.
As I said in the thread earlier, is there a reason why Cunningham is calling it a day, as he showed in that Huddersfield game he's still got it
No idea, maybe his body is feeling the strain, who knows?
He's been on song for the last few weeks(probably in the knowledge that retirement looms large) but he's been average for the majority of the season IMO. 5 tries all year, 2 before his little burst since Casteford, says it all about his limited impact if you look at the whole campaign.
I'm not trying to knock him, he's a great player and I'll be glad to see the back of him from a Wire perspective but he's been quite subdued through 2010 IMO.
I'll be sticking a sneaky tenner on him to win the Harry Sunderland award on Saturday though, if Saints win, I can see him getting the MOM no matter how he performs
I'll be sticking a sneaky tenner on him to win the Harry Sunderland award on Saturday though, if Saints win, I can see him getting the MOM no matter how he performs
Probably a good value bet that
I'll be sticking a sneaky tenner on him to win the Harry Sunderland award on Saturday though, if Saints win, I can see him getting the MOM no matter how he performs
Sound logic indeed.
As a side note on Keiron, I am reliably informed that he is the younger brother of Eddie, who played for Saints in the '70s, who I'd always thought was his dad! Apparently there's a 25 year gap between the two, albeit there are another 8 siblings between them.
Just hearing that Gareth Ellis has won player of the year in the NRL once again. That's a great achievement for the fella.
His teams' Player of the Year isn't it
Hopefully a few more players will go over there, as it will make them better players
Yup, still a great achievement though with the likes of Benji Marshall, Farah, Tuqiri, Payten, and co in the Wests ranks.
Just hope Westwood and Harrison aren't two of those players that go down there from a selfish POV.
I've heard Gareth Hock will be joining Penrith Panthers when his ban is over. He's ideal for NRL IMO.
Yeah, you're right, I must have misheard. Still an accomplishment though, he'd have had to play his team-mates off the park for the Aussies to vote for a Pom in two successive seasons.
Yeh, no doubt
They've got a few England eligible players haven't they at Wests, Flanagan and Heighington (Aus born mind)
I've heard those Hock rumours, I guess he'll be at Wigan next season and then maybe NRL the season after...does he still get paid by Wigan, as if so, he probably owes them a few seasons
They've got a few England eligible players haven't they at Wests, Flanagan and Heighington (Aus born mind)
I've heard those Hock rumours, I guess he'll be at Wigan next season and then maybe NRL the season after...does he still get paid by Wigan, as if so, he probably owes them a few seasons
I've heard he's on the next plane to Aus as soon as his ban is completed, could be wrong though.
I thought his contract was terminated by Wigan? Again, could be wrong though.
If he returns to Wigan, how would they fit him aswell as Finch, Lima, and Hoffman under the cap along with the likes of Fielden, O'Loughlin, Tomkins brothers, Richards, Roberts, Gleeson, Carmont, Leuluai etc etc. I can't see many of that lot being on peanuts. I know Riddell is going but 1 out and 3 NRL stars + England international(Hock) coming in doesn't stack up unless the players other halves are getting £500,000 a year to wash the kits and mop the floor
No idea, but Fielden will have surely taken a huge cut for his new deal and the Tomkins are probably still on low contracts as young players
I'm fairly sure he's still a Wigan player, for how long though I don't know, if they wanted him he'd be being pretty out of order if they had still been paying him
I'm fairly sure he's still a Wigan player, for how long though I don't know, if they wanted him he'd be being pretty out of order if they had still been paying him
I reckon Saints will do them tomorrow. Gonna miss it due to work though
Well today is the day - all the hard work and effort put in during the season can today be rewarded with the winning of the Super league Grand Final. For me it's the final the game needs - the top two teams in the competition, the fiercest rivals in the competition and a farewell occasion for one of the greatest players to ever play in the competition. Has everything you want from a final.
If my team win then it will without a doubt go down as one of our greatest achievements of recent years given the injuries we've suffered throughout the course of the season. I can not imagine any other team in the leage going into a game of this magnitude without their first choice half backs and still having a good chance at winning. It's a credit to those lads that have stepped up to the mark in their absence that we have this chance to be crowned the leagues top team.
The sun is shining at present, a great day lies ahead and I just hope we all get to see a great game of RL with the Saints coming out on top!!
COME ON YOU SAINTS!!!!!!
If my team win then it will without a doubt go down as one of our greatest achievements of recent years given the injuries we've suffered throughout the course of the season. I can not imagine any other team in the leage going into a game of this magnitude without their first choice half backs and still having a good chance at winning. It's a credit to those lads that have stepped up to the mark in their absence that we have this chance to be crowned the leagues top team.
The sun is shining at present, a great day lies ahead and I just hope we all get to see a great game of RL with the Saints coming out on top!!
COME ON YOU SAINTS!!!!!!
Don't really watch RL anymore, but it's great to see Wigan reclaiming their trophy after all the years. Brings a tear to my eye
Don't really watch RL anymore, but it's great to see Wigan reclaiming their trophy after all the years. Brings a tear to my eye
Sorry but that's a load of cock n bull. It's like saying the same about Liverpool with the PL trophy
:.From a neutral perspective it was a huge let down, was a bit like the CC final where one team was too hot to handle for the other which detracts from the contest really.
Well done Wigan, well deserved SL winners and hopefully Richards makes a speedy recovery.
PS. Sam Tomkins is a slimeball. First time I've ever seen a rugby player from either code take a dive in the hope of conning the ref, and it worked, more is the pity
Did Wigan not win the Super League first? Rightful owners tbh bruh.
Erm, no, Saints won the first SL and have mopped up more than Wigan could ever dream of since. That's not my opinion, that's the cold, hard reality
Enjoy tonight, it was deserved but don't start all that devine right, "back on our thrown" bollocks that most Wigan fans have in their pie-clogged brains.
If it's anybody's trophy, it's Saints because they have been the most succesful team in the SL era and won the first ever SL, a bit like United in the PL come to think of it.
I just wiki'd it is all, as I have said, I don't even pay attention to RL anymore and it said 1998 was the first so um yeah, I don't really care, but I like how mad you are getting at a barely casual fan.
I just wiki'd it is all, as I have said, I don't even pay attention to RL anymore and it said 1998 was the first so um yeah, I don't really care, but I like how mad you are getting at a barely casual fan.
Not mad, just politically correct
Let's face it, if a "casual" Liverpool fan said it to a hardcore follower of United or Everton, you'd expect the United/Everton fan to pull him up on it and correct him. Same applies here.
And on that note, 1996 was the first SL season which Saints won, hence first to win it
Yeh, game was a let down, as Wigan were just far too good for Saints, shame really, as was looking forward to a really good game
well that was worth flying 7000 miles for really enjoyed it but as a rugby fan I was devestated for Kieron Cunningham, too good a bloke and player to have that as his swansong.
Iv been saying it for months and last night confirmed it, Sean O'Loughlan is the most overrated player in the Super League, one dimensional and as charasmatic as my left nut.
JGray, Any rumblings of a testimonial for Cunningham, would be a shame to go out on that performance.
really enjoyed it but as a rugby fan I was devestated for Kieron Cunningham, too good a bloke and player to have that as his swansong. Iv been saying it for months and last night confirmed it, Sean O'Loughlan is the most overrated player in the Super League, one dimensional and as charasmatic as my left nut.
JGray, Any rumblings of a testimonial for Cunningham, would be a shame to go out on that performance.
I don't think you can say that after the season he's had, some of the passes he's made for tries this season have been very impressive.
Couldn't watch the game but I've watched a re-run. As has been said, it was a pretty disappointing game, in that Saints were well below par. After the way they played against Warrington in the first round of the play-offs, it was strange to see them drop the ball so frequently.
Squad announced for Four Nations;
Backs: R Atkins (Warrington), T Briscoe (Hull), K Brown (Huddersfield), T Clubb (Harlequins), L Cudjoe (Huddersfield), D Goulding (Wigan), R Hall (Leeds), L Robinson (Huddersfield), S Tomkins (Wigan), M Shenton (Castleford), G Widdop (Melbourne).
Forwards: S Burgess (South Sydney), E Crabtree (Huddersfield), G Ellis (Wests Tigers), S Fielden (Wigan), J Graham (St Helens), D Griffin (Huddersfield), B Harrison (Warrington), S Lunt (Huddersfield), A Morley (Warrington, capt), S O'Loughlin (Wigan), J Roby (St Helens), J Tomkins (Wigan), B Westwood (Warrington).
Any major problems or omissions for you
And what team do you go with
Backs: R Atkins (Warrington), T Briscoe (Hull), K Brown (Huddersfield), T Clubb (Harlequins), L Cudjoe (Huddersfield), D Goulding (Wigan), R Hall (Leeds), L Robinson (Huddersfield), S Tomkins (Wigan), M Shenton (Castleford), G Widdop (Melbourne).
Forwards: S Burgess (South Sydney), E Crabtree (Huddersfield), G Ellis (Wests Tigers), S Fielden (Wigan), J Graham (St Helens), D Griffin (Huddersfield), B Harrison (Warrington), S Lunt (Huddersfield), A Morley (Warrington, capt), S O'Loughlin (Wigan), J Roby (St Helens), J Tomkins (Wigan), B Westwood (Warrington).
Any major problems or omissions for you
And what team do you go with
Where the feck is Martin Gleeson? He's the reason Goulding has bagged so many tries. fecking bizarre omission, as a Wire fan, he's not exactly someone on my Christmas card list but the guy has had a superb season with the SL winners.
Where the hell are the halves aswell? We'd have got butchered anyway but that set of halves is laughably poor.
My 17 in general would be...
1.Shaun Briscoe
2.Tom Briscoe
3.Martin Gleeson
4.Ryan Atkins
5.Ryan Hall
6.Sam Tomkins
7.Rob Burrow
8.Adrian Morley
9.James Roby
10.James Graham
11.Gareth Ellis
12.Ben Westwood
13.Sean O'Loughlin
Bench: 14.Matt Diskin. 15.Sam Burgess. 16.Paul Wood. 17.Joel Tomkins(reason Tomkins and Burgess are on the bench is because they are better impact players than Westwood/O'Loughlin IMO)
From the squad selected:
1.Sam Tomkins
2.Tom Briscoe
3.Michael Shenton
4.Ryan Atkins
5.Ryan Hall
6.Gareth Widdop
7.Kevin Brown
8.Adrian Morley
9.James Roby
10.James Graham
11.Gareth Ellis
12.Ben Westwood
13.Sean O'Loughlin
Bench: 14.Shaun Lunt. 15.Sam Burgess. 16.Eorl Crabtree. 17.Joel Tomkins.
Whatever we pick, we'll get destroyed by the Aussies and Kiwis.
Is it safe to come back in here now??
Adrian Morley has ruptured his bicep and will be flying home for surgery
Hope he'll be recovered in time for beginning of next season
Hope he'll be recovered in time for beginning of next season
Adrian Morley has ruptured his bicep and will be flying home for surgery
Hope he'll be recovered in time for beginning of next season
Any faint hopes England harboured of of beating the likes of Aus and NZ have been extinguised right there.
As you say, let's hope he makes a speedy recovery.
They should still be able to match up in the forwards, it's always the backs where we struggle, particularly the centres
Only just realised England v New Zealand is onl live on BBC1 now. Great that I'm working until 1 o'clock....
NZ up 12-0
Two tries in two minutes for England. They're back in it. 18-10 Kiwis
Final: 24-10 Kiwis
Didn’t know beforehand that they were going to wear throwback tops for this game. Wasn’t really impressed with New Zealand. England were just atrocious.
Aus vs PNG tomorrow.
Didn’t know beforehand that they were going to wear throwback tops for this game. Wasn’t really impressed with New Zealand. England were just atrocious.
Aus vs PNG tomorrow.
Hmmmm, interesting developments in the land of the sheep today...Brian McLennan has left Leeds and Brian McDermott(mastermind behind Quins ineptness for the last 3 years) has been installed as his replacement for next season after originally being brought in to Leeds to assist McLennan. I smell a rat...
I think the decline of Leeds Rhinos has well and truly set in, to lose a world-class player of Greg Eastwood's calibre and replace him with dross like Ben Cross along with the coaching merry-go-round means Leeds will struggle to match last season's achievements let alone the 3 title winning campaigns.
Wigan, Wire, and Saints pack's piss all over the Rhinos even with Eastwood and the pack's they had this season, the fact Perry and LMS are Saints bound and Hoffman and Lima are joining Wigan suggests the Rhinos are going to get left behind by the current top 3 and with Huddersfield snapping at their heels may even miss out on top 4 status.
I think the decline of Leeds Rhinos has well and truly set in, to lose a world-class player of Greg Eastwood's calibre and replace him with dross like Ben Cross along with the coaching merry-go-round means Leeds will struggle to match last season's achievements let alone the 3 title winning campaigns.
Wigan, Wire, and Saints pack's piss all over the Rhinos even with Eastwood and the pack's they had this season, the fact Perry and LMS are Saints bound and Hoffman and Lima are joining Wigan suggests the Rhinos are going to get left behind by the current top 3 and with Huddersfield snapping at their heels may even miss out on top 4 status.
Who won the super league?