End of an Era

[DaiJones]

Obviously delighted Saints are out and Sam Tomkins of all people is the one to put all that 'drive for five' stuff to bed but just pondering as their run ends, how good were this Saints side?

This year they've struggled with an ageing team, injuries, suspensions and a new coaching set up but have still been phenomenally hard to beat and could easily have won tonight. Their attack hasn't really fired but their defence has remained virtually impenetrable and they still have an astonishing will to win. So , where do they rank in terms of the summer era?

I have heard them described as the greatest team of the Super League years for their achievement and yes, Walmsley, Makinson, Percival, late career Roby and Welsby are all major talents but for me they aren't as good a unit as the Saints sides of the Long, Gleeson, Sculthorpe, Cunningham, Wellens, Joynt era. They are also playing against weaker opposition than that early 2000s team. Four Grand Final wins in a row is an impressive feat but it comes with caveats. A bounce of the ball was all that beat us in 2020, and they controversially squeaked home on the night against Catalans in '21 after playing fewer games than their rivals so could quite possibly have won 2 from 4.

We also appeared in four Grand finals in a row between 2013 and 2016 and could easily have won all four (without Ben Flower's rush of blood and with Danny McGuire's knock on being spotted) but no one is seriously suggesting that Wigan team was one of the greatest of the summer era.

[widdenoldboy]

Obviously delighted Saints are out and Sam Tomkins of all people is the one to put all that 'drive for five' stuff to bed but just pondering as their run ends, how good were this Saints side?

This year they've struggled with an ageing team, injuries, suspensions and a new coaching set up but have still been phenomenally hard to beat and could easily have won tonight. Their attack hasn't really fired but their defence has remained virtually impenetrable and they still have an astonishing will to win. So , where do they rank in terms of the summer era?

I have heard them described as the greatest team of the Super League years for their achievement and yes, Walmsley, Makinson, Percival, late career Roby and Welsby are all major talents but for me they aren't as good a unit as the Saints sides of the Long, Gleeson, Sculthorpe, Cunningham, Wellens, Joynt era. They are also playing against weaker opposition than that early 2000s team. Four Grand Final wins in a row is an impressive feat but it comes with caveats. A bounce of the ball was all that beat us in 2020, and they controversially squeaked home on the night against Catalans in '21 after playing fewer games than their rivals so could quite possibly have won 2 from 4.

We also appeared in four Grand finals in a row between 2013 and 2016 and could easily have won all four (without Ben Flower's rush of blood and with Danny McGuire's knock on being spotted) but no one is seriously suggesting that Wigan team was one of the greatest of the summer era.

Fair assessment and it did seem like the wheels came off in the last 15 tonight. Saints got very little from Makinson & Welsby and virtually nothing from Bennison coming out of defence and not much in open play. The forwards hung in there but they were overly physical and (eventually) paid the price. Some rebuilding needed but they will never be far away.

[fozzieskem]

For me the signs were there last week v wire,they dropped the ball for very little reason at times while the muppets on both channels where trying to say Warrington are almost there ready to go it still took a saints side that didn’t get out of third gear to beat them and that’s the problem this is an aging side now for saints and this season it has caught up with them,it’ll be interesting how they manage the rest of the rebuild that’s coming now.

As for this side being the best of the super league era no because for me they’re boring to watch,Wanes sides where the same robotic but they won things same for this saints side,a very good side but not a great one.

[Saints70]

As a saints fan who has a look on here now and again i thought i'd have my say.

The last 6 years since holbrook took over have been a hell of a ride but like all roller coasters it ends eventually.

Is this a great saints team ????? I would say over the past 5 years i have loved the success but havent enjoyed the rugby as at times its been turgid and attritonal but it worked, maybe its the sign of a poor league but again thats down to opinion

For me the best saints i saw was the 2006 side , they walked the treble then and would do now .

How will history judge this saints team, i would say in the same way we look back at the great wigan , saints , leeds and huddersfield teams of the past and lets just say they were the best of there era

[moto748]

Watching that game, I was reminded of Joe Mills' phrase, "Bowling-shoe ugly".

[Charriots Offiah]

As a saints fan who has a look on here now and again i thought i'd have my say.

The last 6 years since holbrook took over have been a hell of a ride but like all roller coasters it ends eventually.

Is this a great saints team ????? I would say over the past 5 years i have loved the success but havent enjoyed the rugby as at times its been turgid and attritonal but it worked, maybe its the sign of a poor league but again thats down to opinion

For me the best saints i saw was the 2006 side , they walked the treble then and would do now .

How will history judge this saints team, i would say in the same way we look back at the great wigan , saints , leeds and huddersfield teams of the past and lets just say they were the best of there era

I think that’s fair.

[josie andrews]

As a saints fan who has a look on here now and again i thought i'd have my say.

The last 6 years since holbrook took over have been a hell of a ride but like all roller coasters it ends eventually.

Is this a great saints team ????? I would say over the past 5 years i have loved the success but havent enjoyed the rugby as at times its been turgid and attritonal but it worked, maybe its the sign of a poor league but again thats down to opinion

For me the best saints i saw was the 2006 side , they walked the treble then and would do now .

How will history judge this saints team, i would say in the same way we look back at the great wigan , saints , leeds and huddersfield teams of the past and lets just say they were the best of there era

I think that’s fair.

Yes, well said. I would have loved it to be a Wigan Warriors/ St Helens final

[DaveO]

As a saints fan who has a look on here now and again i thought i'd have my say.

The last 6 years since holbrook took over have been a hell of a ride but like all roller coasters it ends eventually.

Is this a great saints team ????? I would say over the past 5 years i have loved the success but havent enjoyed the rugby as at times its been turgid and attritonal but it worked, maybe its the sign of a poor league but again thats down to opinion

For me the best saints i saw was the 2006 side , they walked the treble then and would do now .

How will history judge this saints team, i would say in the same way we look back at the great wigan , saints , leeds and huddersfield teams of the past and lets just say they were the best of there era

Fair. I think you are right it’s maybe a sign of a poor league. Wigan during that period have not been that good. Warrington not good despite seemingly having an elastic salary cap but the best indicator was perhaps the fact Roby, great player though he was, was able to extend his career to this season. He was still good enough for SL but nothing like how good he was when at his peak.