Saints (H) 150th Anniversary game

The match all changed on the linesman not flagging Ritson out of play. He was stood right over it and it was clear to everyone in the stand. From that moment on the momentum of the game changed. Until then Saints had barely troubled our line. It was an appalling error but hardly surprising. In the first half at one point the linesman was stood looking at the floor swishing his flag around his legs. I remarked that he looked like a little lad who had been given a flag to hold as he had not been picked to play. His whole performance reflected this.

I accept Referrees will make mistakes, as do players, the game is so frantic. However, in the last three home games the outocme has been decided on the back of incidents that have been clear and obvious wrong decisions, where officials have had clear views. There is no excuse and Rowley is right to call it out. In any profession, if you made mistakes as glaring as those, you would be called out.    

On the whole though I think the game has become a complete mess. It is too fast and frantic for its own good. At the play the balls, scarcely anyone plays it with their foot or even makes an attempt at doing so. Markers are never square. The six again rule adds to the mayhem and is so arbitary. I think if a penalty had to be given for interference the decisions would be different. (In terms of six again, how do Saints get away with their tactic of one of their players falling on as the tackle nears completion, with the sole purpose of preventing their own players getting up ?).

Separately, does anyone think when a try is scored the clock should stop. Yesterday, it was close on three minutes before Saints final try being scored and Percival taking position for his kick and the clock being stopped. I know Sneyd does it too. I think the clock should stop until the kicker says he is ready to kick and he then has 30 seconds to take it. We are being robbed of game time. 

This isn't just about Salford though. Its happening in every game you see. There were many people leaving yesterday who were saying what's the point amymore of coming to a game when it is too often decided on the whims of the official.       

Saints only used 16 yesterday as well.
I thought Singleton, Partington and Addy started well - aggressive and disciplined in defence - but even then we weren’t making many metres down the middle. When Atkin, King and Helliwell were on any go forward in the middle pretty much dried up.

We looked pretty good when we got near their twenty. And at the end of the day we only lost by three.

Everyone on here has already said it - we are short in the middle. The Atkin at 13 tactic doesn’t work when you’re on the back foot.
I’m sure Rowley would like some fresh troops, especially someone who can break (or bend) the line.

Stats on metres made are pretty bleak.

BS-31, KV-25, OP-58, BH-21, DA-15, CA-3

For Saints- Lees-105, Delaney-98, Knowles -62, Mbye-44, Sironen- 21, Norman-33.

Anyway lot of positives IMO.
Lot of effort and bravery in defence when Saints were dominant in the second half.
Better execution in attack when we got the ball in their twenty.

Yes Salford Slim, I dared to provide some travel advice and some forum poster compiled my list of anti Saints comments from the past two years must have time on their hands. They have now moved onto Rowley labelling him a disgrace for his honesty - Jack Smith is incompetent. Still they turned up the Saints fans, that is another 50k made on a game and a decent crowd. As for Rowley he now should be feeling under pressure 7 games lost is not acceptable if we want to compete in the league. Hudds and Wakey are winnable but I said that about Leeds and Leigh.  

With the exception of Partington, Rowley got his recruitment wrong this season. 

The following players are all off contract at the end of this season. 

Danny Addy, Amir Bourouh, Deon Cross, Matty Costello, James Greenwood, Ben Hellewell, Ken Sio, King Vuniyayawa, Rhys Williams.

I'd keep Deon Cross, Ken Sio, and King Vuniyayawa. The rest you can review, Greenwood and Addy have had bad injuries. In addition Sidlow and Dixon are contracted next season but have hardly played due to injury. Olmomdroyd has been out of favour but is on contract for another year. 

Don't recall him being sin binned?

Yes took Croft? off the ball, start of 2nd half, but Croft wasn’t concussed enough…strong telling off tho

Take away some poor refereeing decisions are pack is just not good enough some of them stats are so bad. Singleton played well, king was solid along with Watkins and stone but we just keep getting smashed down the middle. On that what has happened to ormondroyd this year?