- 1 year ago
We're excited to bring you the first of our weekly video series. Here, Will Jackson, Peter Smith, Sam Cook and Sam Brocksom discuss Jake Connor, Hull KR and where Warrington Wolves and Sam Burgess go from here.
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00:00Hello and welcome to the Serious Sport Rugby League show.
00:10For those that don't know me, I'm Will Jackson, I'm the editor of Serious Sport Rugby League.
00:15Joining me today is Pete Smith, who a lot of you will know.
00:19He's the Leeds Rhinos reporter for the Yorkshire Evening Post.
00:23We've got Sam Cook and Sam Broxham there.
00:26It's not going to get confusing at all, is it?
00:28Yeah, two Sams, they're both writers of Serious Sport Rugby League.
00:34Look, this is the start of a new video series.
00:37I know you're thinking three games before the end of the season, but we've got plenty to talk about.
00:42So, you know, now's as good a time as ever.
00:47Yeah, round 24 looks like this.
00:50So, we've got Lee Leopards beat Castleford, 46-6.
00:54Salford beat Warrington, 25-12.
00:57Hull KR beat St Helens, 12-8.
01:00Hull FC lost to the Leeds Rhinos, 3-4-0.
01:04Wakefield beat Huddersfield, 48-2.
01:07And Wigan won at Catalan's, 44.
01:11We'll get to Warrington in a little bit, but let's start at Hull KR.
01:14Sam Cooke, what did you make of him?
01:19I thought it was a very tough performance from both sides, really, in terms of, I don't know that it was that great a spectacle.
01:28It was very intense, but I'm not sure that it was a game you'd want to necessarily re-watch.
01:33I think it was a bit too stop-start, but it probably favoured Hull KR in terms of, they've obviously got that home support.
01:40And they've kind of, they've been the team that have sort of formulated this grinding teams down thing.
01:46Leeds have probably copied it a little bit or maybe replicated it a little bit lately.
01:50But Hull KR are kind of the team that can really get you in that grind.
01:55And it kind of, I think Willie Peters had spoken the week that he wanted it not to be two-stop sacks.
02:00He can kind of get the fatigue out.
02:01But I think Robbins still managed to do that.
02:04And obviously, I mean, there's the late try, but it was quite comfortable in terms of Saints not really threatening the line.
02:11But equally, there wasn't much that Hull KR really created.
02:15I mean, there's the Mikey Lewis 40-20 and then he created the assist.
02:18But barring that, I think they didn't offer too much going forward, which has been a bit of a trend.
02:23So a win, which is important, especially going into next week and potentially winning the league leader's shield.
02:28But you're looking at it and thinking that they're not quite on the form that all the other playoff contenders are.
02:34So I think there's still a lot to be seen in these past three, the next three weeks.
02:39Yeah. Do you think that's just a case of burnout after going full tilt for the entire season?
02:45I think probably, yeah.
02:46And I think they've not necessarily had that spine solid for the past few weeks.
02:52They've had changes with Morg coming into the half when May was banned.
02:57Lewis obviously missed that game after his failed HRA against Leeds.
03:00And I think just little tweaks and changes haven't necessarily helped.
03:05But also, yeah, the fact that it's been such a long season for them.
03:08And obviously, you can see now what effect that's having on Warrington.
03:12So I think it's understandable that Hull KR maybe having just a little bit of a low period.
03:18But the fact that they're still winning in games like this is something that Willie Peters will take great solace in.
03:23Yeah, I mean, I spoke to Willie Peters after the game and he said that he wasn't particularly concerned about the lack of attack,
03:31even though they've only scored a try in each of the last three games.
03:34But it was something he'd be looking towards.
03:36I mean, it can take a lot out of the fact that Mikey Lewis just came up with the goods late on, didn't he?
03:41Yeah, I think that's when he was referencing the fatigue, he said that he wanted it to be a game where there was a lot drained out.
03:50And then he was going to look towards Mikey Lewis and Tyrone May to create some at the end.
03:54And I think in the defeat to Leeds, I mean, they were well off it.
03:58But Mikey Lewis misses a 40-20 by about a foot or so.
04:02It really wasn't much when I think that was in the first half, potentially.
04:06And you think if that comes in, then how much does that change the game?
04:09And obviously, it's a piece of skill that's hard to execute, but he's got it right the week after and he's kind of made up for it.
04:16And obviously, like that Leeds game was a complete write-off after that point.
04:20But the fact that he's come out and done it and he's maybe silenced a few people because he wasn't massively active during the game.
04:26But that final 20 minutes where it kind of, it was a little bit touchy and edgy, he's done something.
04:32And I think they can take great confidence in that because you've seen how grand finals are won.
04:38The one-by-one moment, one try, and Mikey Lewis can make that one moment.
04:42That's all you really need him to do.
04:45Yeah, and I thought Jez Litton was absolutely superb in that game as well.
04:49He made 40-plus tackles.
04:51It wasn't that much of a live error on the rook, but in terms of his overall performance coming up against Darrell Clark,
04:58if you're treating that as an England audition, if Sean Wayne was watching,
05:02I think Jez Litton was the best hooker on the pitch.
05:05Pete, I know you watched that game. Do you agree?
05:07Yeah, I thought it was quite a... I didn't enjoy it.
05:14I thought it was quite a dull contest, I must admit.
05:17I mean, 20 minutes to go when I saw what was happening at Warrington, I turned over.
05:24I think that Hull KR, I think it was a very good win for Hull KR in terms of their response to the previous week
05:32when they were totally outplayed by Leeds.
05:35I don't think they were ever in that game.
05:36I know what Sam's saying about the 40-20, but I don't think that Hull KR were ever anywhere near to Leeds.
05:45Leeds were a level above.
05:47So to come back with that sort of response, I think it's very good.
05:49And you're at the stage of the season now where it's just winning that matters.
05:55And obviously Hull KR have got that back.
05:59They're not looking as dominant as they were a few weeks ago, but other than the Leeds game,
06:04they are still winning. That's important.
06:07I think their big players can play better.
06:09I think the big players will play better when it gets to the business end or the knockout games that are coming up.
06:18I thought St Helens, I think St Helens are going really well.
06:22I know they've obviously had a lot of criticism over the coach this season,
06:28but the recent results have been very strong against a lot of adversity.
06:32They keep losing players, but they keep turning up.
06:34And they weren't that far off against the Robins.
06:37They never really looked like they were going to win the game,
06:41but they hung in there right until the end and they were within one score.
06:45So I think there'll be a real danger in the playoffs.
06:51But that's the exciting thing.
06:53You look at it now and a few weeks ago we'd have all have said it's a two-horse race.
06:57We're going against Hull KR and I don't think it is now.
07:00I think you can throw St Helens in there and you can throw Leeds in there and Lee as well.
07:05So I think it's going to be a fascinating few weeks coming up.
07:10Yeah, St Helens got absolutely pumped at Hull KR just before the Robins went to the Challenge Cup final.
07:17So they can take a lot of the fact that they were toe-to-toe with Hull KR for 65 minutes really,
07:25before Robins got that try.
07:26The full 80 really.
07:28Sam B, have you got any concerns about Saints moving forward after this one?
07:35I think, I mean, on paper they've got the toughest running with the Wigan game next week
07:42and then they've got a tough battle against Lee.
07:44But all them upcoming fixtures will just be a tester for the playoffs.
07:51And if Saints do finish fifth, which they are now, they will, could play Hull KR in the semi-finals.
08:00So they've got a good idea of what to expect in that big game coming up.
08:04Yeah, I've got to say, I think Morgan North is going to be a big miss for them next week as well,
08:08against, this week, sorry, against Wigan.
08:09Pete, tell us then about Leeds Rhinos this week.
08:14Well, we were both out that game, weren't we?
08:16We were wearing different hats.
08:18I know with your black and white hat on, you'll probably point a finger at Hull's performance.
08:24But looking at it from a Rhinos point of view, I thought it was a very good win.
08:28I don't think they were quite at the level they've been in the last few weeks,
08:33but they got the job done really comfortably, which it was a banana skin beforehand.
08:37You'd probably say Leeds were favourites, but certainly no one would expect them to win 34-0,
08:44particularly with a little bit of adversity.
08:46And I know Hull had players missing, and I know Hull lost a couple in the first half.
08:51But Leeds went into the game without Keenan Palacier, who was so good against Hull KR.
08:57He withdrew at about 10 o'clock in the morning of the game.
09:01They'd lost Ash Hanley, who's Leeds' most underrated player.
09:04He's had a really terrific season in the centre.
09:07They lost him during the week.
09:09They had a young kid who hadn't played for three years, 21-year-old centre Max Simpson,
09:14came straight in.
09:15He'd had a couple of halves of reserve rugby.
09:19He came in.
09:20So they were, you know, it was a big test for them.
09:26And I think they passed it with flying colours, very even 20 minutes.
09:30But once Leeds scored, they put the hammer down for a spell, scored four tries in 11 minutes,
09:36and played some really good rugby during that time.
09:40And I think Leeds are improving every week.
09:43And they look like a side that could go all the way this year.
09:47And just to qualify for the sixth is a massive improvement on the last couple of years,
09:52obviously, when they finished eighth.
09:54They're a much tougher outfit now, which is probably the best thing about them.
09:58They're very difficult to score against.
10:01Against Castleford and Hull KR, they conceded.
10:05They were a long way in front and conceded.
10:07They only scored against them in the last couple of minutes.
10:09And you could see at Hull that they really didn't want to have their line breached.
10:15And Hull threw a bit at them in the last five, ten minutes.
10:19But Leeds were determined not to concede.
10:21And I think that's a good sign.
10:24They've got two of, I think, the best players in the comp at the moment,
10:29in Lockie Miller and Jake Connor.
10:32I think Brodie Croft is playing really well.
10:35He's flying under the radar a little bit because Connor's hogging the headlines.
10:39But that suits him and it suits Leeds.
10:42And the pack, which has obviously been a bit of a weak link over the last few seasons,
10:47is really strong now.
10:48And they've been beating teams without some of their front line forwards.
10:54The players that are coming in are coming in and stepping up to the plate
10:57and doing a really good job.
10:59I just think there's something about this Leeds team.
11:01Whether they are ready to win the big one this year, I'm not sure.
11:07We'll find out over the next few weeks.
11:10But I think next year, if they can continue this rate of improvement,
11:13I think there'll be a real threat.
11:16Yeah, that's what Brad Arthur mentioned, wasn't it, after the game?
11:18Just that ability to deal with adversity and not let it, you know, knock them off the game.
11:24Yeah, I don't think they're seeing setbacks at the moment.
11:27I think they're seeing challenges and they're rising to those challenges.
11:30And it's been very impressive.
11:32It's been unlike the Leeds we've seen probably since 2017 when they last won the grand final.
11:39The soft edges have been knocked off them and they're a hard team now.
11:46They've got a tough coach who won't accept setting best.
11:50And he's improved the players, all of the players.
11:53He'll cut Lucky Miller, who last year looked like a Sevens Rugby Union player
11:57who'd been thrown into Super League.
11:59And this year looks like a quality Super League player.
12:01Go on then, Sam.
12:03Tell us about Jake Connor, Sam B.
12:08Yeah, I mean, he showed his class yet again, didn't he?
12:11That intercept try probably been, well, as well as the four assists,
12:15probably another big game that he showed up in.
12:20Again, you mentioned Sean Wade, if he's watching,
12:23there was talk at the start of the season about him being inconsistent.
12:26He's probably the most consistent player in the league at the minute.
12:29Yeah, I just think him and Miller, when they're both on the day,
12:35Leeds are just attacking-wise, and in defence with the pack,
12:39but attacking-wise, yeah, they're one of the best sides in the league to watch.
12:45Yeah, I just think, and I watched a lot of Jake Connor,
12:49you know, in a previous role I did covering Hull FC,
12:51and, you know, he struggled sometimes with his composure.
12:55He wanted to be the main man, but he never really,
12:56he couldn't really grab that role, I suppose.
13:01He got struggled with mindset a lot as well,
13:02but what I've been really impressed with him this year
13:04is just how consistent and composed he is,
13:08how much he's enjoying that.
13:10I mean, he's taken that game-playing, you know,
13:13management role off Brodiecroft completely,
13:15and he just seems to be thriving in that.
13:17Yeah, look, he got four assists on Saturday, one try.
13:23I mean, that try itself, he just read the game perfectly
13:25to accept that Brad Fash pass.
13:29I mean, that Man of Steel race, it's, you know,
13:32it's a foregone conclusion now, isn't it, Sam Cooke?
13:35Yeah, I think probably, and I've kind of,
13:40I've kind of been a bit of a doubter or such of Jake Connor.
13:45I've not really, start of the season,
13:46I didn't really understand the hype.
13:48I thought a lot of it was around the fact that
13:49he was just performing a lot better than people expected,
13:53not necessarily around the fact that he was the star man,
13:56but I think you've come to see that he is,
13:58weekly, like, one of the best players on the pitch,
14:01one of the best players in the league,
14:02and you look at the leaderboard, when it went dark,
14:05he was about five, six points clear of Herman Essay,
14:09who hasn't been as dominant.
14:12Jay Field was also in there,
14:13and obviously Wigan have had their dip,
14:14so he's not been as dominant.
14:16I think, realistically, the only player who could catch him,
14:19if you're going on the metric of that
14:21three, two, one point scoring per game that they do,
14:24probably is Lockie Miller, in terms of the fact that
14:26he's, this second half of the season,
14:28he's really come into his own,
14:29but I don't think he's necessarily done enough
14:32to catch up with Connor,
14:34because I think, say, you take a game where Miller's
14:36man of the match, he might score three,
14:37but I think, on the Man of Steel metrics,
14:40I think Connor's probably scoring two,
14:41so I don't think the gap is necessarily closing much,
14:44but, so yeah, it looks like Jay Connor
14:46is going to be Man of Steel,
14:48and I think I was looking,
14:49I did an article earlier in the week,
14:51sort of looking at the contenders,
14:52and the pre-season prices,
14:54and he was sort of 25 to one,
14:55like, there was a lot of,
14:56a lot of players you'd look at that were far,
15:00you'd think far more likely ahead of him in the betting,
15:02and he's kind of,
15:03especially when he considered he didn't get given
15:05a number in the 1-17,
15:07which I think looking back at,
15:09it's probably been,
15:09like, a great piece of management from Brad Arthur,
15:13in terms of making him earn that spot,
15:15because there was questions about,
15:17oh, would he play in the centres,
15:18would he play full-backs,
15:19obviously Pete mentioned last year that Miller
15:21wasn't spectacular,
15:23it wasn't that consistent,
15:24so there was talk of,
15:25well, will he play centres,
15:26will he play full-back,
15:27could he play in the halves,
15:28is he going to be a 14,
15:30and, obviously, Matt Frawley,
15:33kind of, the form wasn't there,
15:35he's just made that 7-30's own,
15:37as such, like,
15:38there's no reason to drop him,
15:40and there's no reason really to look past him
15:41in the Man of Steel,
15:42whereas I think it's,
15:43I think it's pretty much,
15:44yeah, a foregone conclusion,
15:46like you say.
15:47Perfect shot.
15:48I wouldn't say it's a foregone conclusion,
15:51Leeds players,
15:52don't have a good record in Man of Steel,
15:55do you know how many,
15:56since Super League began in 96,
15:57how many Leeds players?
15:58I don't know,
15:59but I know I was assessing the other day,
16:01and I know there was no Sinfield,
16:02no Maguire,
16:03there's been some huge names
16:04that you think would be,
16:06they're among the top 5,
16:0810 players in the league ever,
16:09and they've never won it,
16:10so I know the record's not great.
16:12Sinfield was never shortlisted,
16:13Maguire was in 2004,
16:15when he scored 36 or 7 tries or something,
16:19and they won the title,
16:19and he didn't,
16:20he didn't win it.
16:21Leeds have had two Men of Steel,
16:23Zach Hardacre in 2017,
16:26Yeston Harris in 1998,
16:30so bearing in mind the fact
16:31that they've won 8 Super League titles,
16:32the Challenge Cup 4 times,
16:343 World Club challenges,
16:36they don't have a great record,
16:38in Man of Steel,
16:39to put that in context,
16:41do you know how many Castleford have won?
16:43How many Men of Steel Castleford
16:44have had in the Super League?
16:45Luke Gale's got one.
16:47Dara Clark's got one,
16:48I don't know,
16:48Dara Clark got one.
16:50Yeah.
16:51You've missed several.
16:54Well,
16:54I'll tell you,
16:54it's five.
16:55Castleford has had five.
16:57Five Men of Steel.
16:59Leeds have had two.
17:00I do think that's a big flaw in the Man of Steel,
17:03and we've said it for years,
17:04that if you're a star player in a pro team,
17:08it does work out a lot better for you.
17:10This has happened under different ways of deciding it.
17:14It's just one of those strange things.
17:16Brangie Chase and Adrian Vowles are the two that you're missing for Cass.
17:24So whether he gets it or not,
17:26I don't know,
17:27but I think he's,
17:29like Sam says,
17:30if it's not Jake Connor,
17:32who is it?
17:32And the only person,
17:33I agree with Sam,
17:35the only person I can think of that comes close to him is Lucky Miller.
17:39Yeah,
17:39I mean,
17:39I think Jay Field is up there as well,
17:41but I just don't think he's been enough over the last few months to pick up the points needed.
17:46I mean,
17:46he looks a lot more like himself now with Bevan French in that team occupying defenders,
17:51but if you're Sean Wayne then,
17:55I mean,
17:55you can't not pick Jake Connor,
17:57can you?
17:59Well,
17:59he could not pick him.
18:03He didn't pick him in the train on squad,
18:06but I mean,
18:08Connor's done everything that could be asked of him.
18:11He has been consistent.
18:13We know Sean Wayne said he needed to be more consistent,
18:16but he has been consistent.
18:19He's been better than the other halfbacks who we know will get him.
18:24We know George Williams will be in there.
18:26Has George Williams had a better season than Jake Connor?
18:29No,
18:29he hasn't.
18:30Has Harry Smith had a better season than Jake Connor?
18:33No,
18:33he hasn't.
18:34So it's a tough one.
18:35No coach picks entirely on recent form.
18:39They just don't.
18:40They never do.
18:41George Williams is one of the best halves.
18:45Probably,
18:46I was talking to Alan Hunt,
18:48actually,
18:48at Hull,
18:49on Saturday,
18:51someone who's played for Great Britain,
18:54and he was saying George Williams is the best half Leeds have got.
18:58He's not playing like it at the moment,
19:00but he still is.
19:00So he'll be in,
19:03and I think Harry Smith will get in,
19:05and I can't see him having,
19:06I just can't see him having Mikey Lewis and Jake Connor in there as well.
19:11So we will have to see,
19:13but I wouldn't be surprised if Connor's not there.
19:18I think he should be,
19:19but I wouldn't be shocked if he isn't.
19:21Yeah,
19:21I mean,
19:22I was speaking to someone at the start of the year,
19:24so after that friendly against Wigan that me and you went to,
19:29Pete,
19:29where Jake Connor played out of his skin,
19:31and there was,
19:32even then we were making some early sort of jokey comments about Jake Connor being the man of steel.
19:38But I was speaking to someone about him potentially being in the England squad at that point,
19:43and they were talking about how Sean Wayne had a bit of an issue with,
19:48you know,
19:48Jake Connor's perceived attitude in his younger days,
19:52and I don't think,
19:53and he was saying that I don't think,
19:55however well Jake Connor plays are probably not going to get in because of that.
19:58But just that attitude,
19:59that's completely turned around now under Brad Arthur,
20:02hasn't it?
20:04Yeah,
20:04as far as I can,
20:05I can see.
20:07Yep.
20:07Yep.
20:07I've seen every minute of every game he's played for Leeds this year,
20:12and he,
20:13you know,
20:13he still winds the opposition up,
20:15and he winds the opposition fans up,
20:17but his discipline's been good.
20:21I think his attitude has been spot on.
20:24He's done everything that Reiner's avassed of him.
20:27He clearly enjoys being at Leeds,
20:29and I think sometimes players just find an environment that suits them,
20:33and I think maybe that's the case with Connor.
20:35Now he just fits in at Leeds,
20:37at Leeds.
20:38Obviously doing it for a second season is the big one,
20:41but I don't think Leeds have got any complaints about his attitude or any aspect of him,
20:49really.
20:49I think Brad Arthur's handled him really well.
20:53giving him the 18-squad number was a smart move,
20:58as Sam said.
21:01And Arthur wouldn't commit to where he was going to play or what he was going to do with him all through pre-season.
21:07And he was quite critical of him in the first half of the season when everyone else was getting carried away about Connor.
21:14He was reigning back a bit.
21:16He's not doing that so much now in the press conference the other day.
21:19He was open about how effective Connor's been.
21:24But I think Brad Arthur's a very wily experienced coach,
21:30and he knows how to get the best out of players,
21:32and he's doing it with Jake Connor.
21:37Maybe Jake Connor wouldn't work as well under Sean Wayne.
21:40We don't know, do we?
21:42But he's got to be worth the risk putting him in the squad, in my opinion.
21:47But as I say, I'm not sure that he will be.
21:50Yeah, I just want to touch on Hull FC as well before we move on.
21:53I just feel like they're starting to limp over the line a little bit now,
21:57obviously, of the missing John Asiata, Will Price, Jed Cartwright, Liam Knight already before Saturday.
22:04And they lost Herman Essay Essay and Ed Chamberlain.
22:08And within that 20-minute spell where Leeds were just racking up the points,
22:12and Hull are really just going to keep their heads above water, really.
22:17Pierre Cus picked up an injury, and Liam Watts as well.
22:19So, I mean, they could be going into Sunday's derby with Hull KR, missing four more players.
22:27I mean, is there any reason for optimism going into that one for Hull FC, Sam B?
22:37Probably not.
22:38It's probably, I mean, John Cartwright's done an incredible job this season.
22:42You know, Hull FC were awful last year.
22:46And he's come in and he's turned Hull around massively.
22:51Making the playoffs would be a huge statement and a huge reward for that improvement.
22:59But I just think they're running out of steam at the minute.
23:02And with the fixtures that they've got, and more importantly, the fixtures that Wakefield have got,
23:06I think it's just too much for them to do.
23:11Yeah, who have Wakefield got?
23:12So, they've got Castleford.
23:14Wakefield have got Castleford, and then a big game against Hull KR, and then Salford to finish the season.
23:18And so, realistically, they're going to get four points from that.
23:24Probably could beat Hull KR, but unlikely.
23:29So, yeah, four points from the last six means that Hull FC have to win their final three.
23:34One of them is a Hull derby next week, which, again, unlikely that Hull KR are probably going to win that one.
23:40Yeah, I think I'm inclined to agree with you.
23:44But we'll move on to the big talking point then.
23:47Sam Burgess, Warrington.
23:49Embarrassing defeat for them, really, on Friday night.
23:52All credit to Salford.
23:53They more than deserve it, the fans in particular.
23:56But, you know, there's absolutely no way that Warrington should be getting beat by a Salford team.
24:02We've seen umpteen players leave this season.
24:05Where does Sam Burgess go from here?
24:08Back to Australia, I should imagine.
24:13Well, that's the thing I was going to say about Australia, because he was effectively touting himself for the first job.
24:18And I think if you look at that in hindsight, I'm not sure it necessarily coincided with bad form.
24:24But if you look now and think, if you were to rank the 12 Super League coaches on how likely they were to get an NRL gig,
24:31I'm not sure Sam Burgess would be in the top six, really.
24:34I don't think this season's gone well at all.
24:38Even, yeah, if they hadn't made the Challenge Cup final, would you be saying this was even worse than the Daryl Powell year?
24:46When, obviously, they lost eight in a row or whatever.
24:48I think you'd probably be looking at this as one of the worst in recent history.
24:52I mean, it already has been viewed in such a way.
24:55But the Challenge Cup final kind of is the saviour.
24:58And, I mean, again, they were so unlucky to lose that.
25:01They probably deserved it.
25:04And who knows what would have gone differently had they won it.
25:07But the fact is that they didn't.
25:09And since then, it's been sort of disaster after disaster.
25:12I know they've had a lot of big season-ending injuries, but a lot of other teams have as well.
25:17So, there's just, there's something not right about the team.
25:20He's had Matt Dufty dropped.
25:22Zane Musgrove was obviously released as well.
25:25I think there's far bigger issues than losing to Salford, which sounds stupid in itself.
25:30But I think there are far bigger issues within the club internally and the squad and the coach.
25:36George Williams sort of offering himself or trying to make a move to the Dolphins as well.
25:41So, I think there's, I'm not sure where Samburgis goes next, basically.
25:48Yeah, Pete, do you agree with that?
25:50Yeah, I think one person who's come out of it very well is Daryl Powell, really.
25:56Because does anybody really think Daryl Powell was the problem two years ago now?
26:01I don't think he was.
26:02I think they should have stuck with him.
26:03I think he'd have turned things around and sorted the culture out.
26:06But, I mean, I don't know enough about the ins and outs of Warrington, really, to say.
26:12But it looks, from the outside, like they do have an issue with culture, if you like.
26:18And they need probably a stronger, an experienced coach to deal with that.
26:25But it's not always easy, that sort of thing.
26:28There's often resistance to it.
26:32And I think if they'd stuck with Daryl, he would have turned things around.
26:34But they chose to go in a different direction.
26:37And to be fair, last year, it looked like a gamble that was going to pay off, didn't it?
26:41They were very close to getting to the grand final.
26:46Didn't quite do it in, you might say, controversial circumstances.
26:51Our whole KR, but this year's been just an utter disaster.
26:54And I think it would be very hard for Sam to hang on, particularly with the fact that, as Sam's just said,
27:03we all know he was looking for a job in Australia.
27:06He's been interviewed for a job in Australia.
27:08He is, yeah.
27:09Yeah, and that's just, that's not good, is it?
27:13I mean, I don't know.
27:14What do you say to your players about loyalty and giving everything to the shirt?
27:20But when you're looking to get out, it's not a great look, in my opinion.
27:27Yeah, just how open he was about that.
27:29And you could say the same about George Williams looking at the NRL as well.
27:33Do you think that's just sent off the complete wrong message,
27:35especially coming off the back of Wembley and everything else?
27:38Just since then, it just seems to have fallen off a cliff.
27:41Yeah, I think he did send the wrong message.
27:43Yeah, I mean, I think it's a bit different with George Williams as a player.
27:47But when your coach is doing it, it's not great, is it?
27:51He's the leader.
27:52He's the man who sets the standards.
27:55And, you know, I'm sure coaches do it all the time, but they don't do it as openly as that.
28:03And Sam doesn't look, he obviously doesn't look happy, does he?
28:06It's taken its toll on him and you think, well, maybe it's time for both parties that they make a change.
28:18Having said that, Warrington have had a few coaches, haven't they, over the last few years.
28:23They could do with some stability.
28:26So it's a difficult one, but I just can't see how Sam's going to be in charge next year.
28:30Yeah, the recruitment as well over the last off-season was pretty poor.
28:36You know, Dan Russell, Altha Johnson and Leyland as well.
28:42Sam B, do you think, you know, he was always up against it with that recruitment?
28:46And do you think if they're going to stick with him, they need to really back him now?
28:52Yeah, I think they do.
28:53Like you said, the recruitment wasn't there this year.
28:56But, yeah, I think the culture needs to change.
29:00As Pete said, it's just gone downhill this year.
29:04I mean, last year they were, you know, the best attacking and defensive side in the league.
29:10This year, you know, they're like eight, they're the eighth in the league.
29:14I think they conceded double the amount of points than they were this time last year.
29:20So, yeah, the recruitment needs to be right.
29:23Duffdee has been dropped, you know, a couple of times this year.
29:26And there's a problem with the leadership or the experienced squad, experienced players in that squad.
29:33So, yeah, the recruitment, there needs to be big change at Winesco next year.
29:38Just looking ahead to this week then, look, I think Warrington have got Lee today.
29:44Can anyone see a way in which they bounce back and surprise a few people?
29:49I mean, I think they're going to have to bounce back.
29:52But I think equally everyone said they were going to bounce back after the loss to Huddersfield.
29:58I think it's going to, like, the training this week just has to be so stripped back and just kind of effort areas.
30:04Don't try anything.
30:05Effort areas.
30:06And then you've got, I know, I think they handed out three debuts last week.
30:11Whether those players play again, I think, obviously, they're not part of the problem.
30:14But whether you throw them into the problem and kind of give them sort of a bad experience.
30:19I know that a lot of coaches have obviously spoke this year about, particularly, obviously, Paul Rowley spoke about not wanting to sort of put young players into those sort of situations.
30:27He's been forced to.
30:29Sam Burgess can kind of stop that.
30:31But then, obviously, that means relying on those, the experienced players is potentially not performed up to scratch.
30:37So, I think it's really tough.
30:38But with Lee seeking, Lee can still technically come third.
30:42So, they're not going to let off.
30:44We saw what they did to Castleford last week.
30:45I think it's another loss coming.
30:48And I think the fact that Warrington are at home actually hurts them.
30:51Because you heard the boos at the Hallowell Jones on Thursday night, half-time, full-time.
30:57I don't think home is an advantage at the moment for Warrington.
31:01Thankfully, it's their last home game of the season.
31:04So, there may be some sort of lenience with the fans in the second stage.
31:09It is the final time they'll play there.
31:10But I think if Lee don't win by more than 20, I'd be surprised.
31:17Great, Pete.
31:19Yeah, you never know, do you?
31:22But Lee would be very strong favourites.
31:26I think they're in better form and they've got everything to play for.
31:30They're still chasing that third spot, as Sam says.
31:34And I just think Warrington's season's finished.
31:39I think it finished by the looks of it.
31:40It finished a few weeks ago.
31:42But there'd have to be a massive improvement from what they showed last week.
31:49And I just can't see any sign of it coming.
31:51Yeah, St. Helens-Wiggin is probably the standout fixture.
31:55I mean, it always is when that game's on.
31:57But, you know, there's so much riding on it for both teams.
32:01Wiggin are second.
32:02St. Helens are fifth, I think, at three points back.
32:06Two points back.
32:07How do you see it going?
32:13You mentioned earlier, Morgan Nilsmissen's massive.
32:16And we were recording this before disciplinary's come out,
32:20but George Delaney looks like he could be copping a ban.
32:24So, that's two forwards, one of whom's probably the best forward
32:27in Super League at the moment.
32:31That's just such a massive loss.
32:34I don't think Kyle Felt will be back either.
32:37So, you're looking at...
32:38I mean, it creates a solution to the Tristan Saylor.
32:42Wellesby thinks you can kind of just put Saylor on the wing,
32:44but it doesn't...
32:45You lose so much at Kyle Felt, the yards he gets out of backfield,
32:48I think, and Wiggin coming into their own at the moment.
32:53It's a really hard task for Saints to go back up
32:56after having that attritional game against KR
32:59and then asking them to go and beat Wiggin,
33:01who are looking likely...
33:03Well, looking like Wiggin again, basically,
33:05especially when you've not got your best player on the pitch.
33:08I think it's really tough,
33:09and I don't see much more than a Wiggin win,
33:12but it is a derby, so they kind of go every way, don't they?
33:16Yeah, you touch on something there with Tristan Saylor.
33:18Given he doesn't bring the ball out all that well out of backfield,
33:21that contributes a lot to the lack of attack, doesn't it,
33:24for St. Helens in terms of just not getting the platform
33:26to actually build.
33:28I mean, they didn't really get any good ball at all
33:30against Hull KR,
33:31and I think that might actually really kill them against Wiggin.
33:35Even Owen Dagnall as well.
33:36Owen Dagnall, I mean, obviously, he's still young,
33:38and obviously a smaller body,
33:39which we'll grow into a bit more,
33:40but he was really good at carrying out.
33:43So you've got, I think, now they played with Dion Cross,
33:46who I think is better than Tristan Saylor,
33:49but he's in the binomies the same level as Kyle Felt.
33:53So you're not generating anything for your pack
33:55to play off the back of,
33:57but then it's a pack that's missing Nulls,
33:59potentially Delaney.
34:01So you look into Alex Wormsley and Matty Lees,
34:04and they're showering a hell of a lot
34:06against a Wigan pack that is big
34:09and has proven very good in recent weeks.
34:14I'm not sure where Luke Thompson's at,
34:15but even without Luke Thompson,
34:17I think Wigan's pack comes out on top in that game.
34:21Yeah, and Bevan French is back
34:23and seems to be firing on all cylinders as well.
34:25I mean, I didn't watch the Catalan game at the weekend,
34:27but I watched the Wakefield win the week before,
34:29and he was just, I mean, he was just,
34:31he hit the ground running on his return.
34:32He was superb.
34:34Him occupying, I mean, I mentioned it earlier,
34:36him occupying defenders' minds,
34:39it just brings out the best in Jayfield
34:40and Harry Smith as well.
34:41I mean, Luke St. Helens have been great defensively,
34:45but St. Helens and Wigan
34:46are just going to throw too much at them, are they?
34:48Yeah, I'd agree with that.
34:51I think Field and French linked up really well,
34:54and it's not even necessarily
34:56that Jayfield's come back into form,
34:58what you say, it's just the fact
34:59that there's just that extra danger man to defend,
35:03and French had a kick assist for Field,
35:06and Field obviously broke away from distance
35:08after a Zac Ecker's the offload.
35:11Adam Kieran missing could be a big thing,
35:13but I think there's way too much
35:16sort of creativity and firepower
35:19that Saints are going to have to deal with it a lot
35:22on their own line,
35:23especially if they can't get the territory,
35:24because if they don't have Moses in by his kicking game as well,
35:27which that's a decision to be made in the spine,
35:29but they're not going to gain as much territory
35:31from the kicking game either.
35:33So I think there's a lot of the things in the equation
35:37that are adding up towards Wigan win,
35:40and I'm not seeing many things
35:41that suggest Saints can go well.
35:43Yeah, Pete, preview the Leeds game for us then, Huddersfield.
35:50Well, you would think, wouldn't you,
35:52that that should be a fairly comfortable two points
35:56for Leeds.
35:57Huddersfield, up until Saturday,
36:02I just said Huddersfield had shown some improved signs,
36:05but they got a flogging at Wakefield.
36:08Leeds are in such good form defensively,
36:11I think Huddersfield will find it very hard to break them down.
36:15Leeds might have some players missing,
36:17but Huddersfield, obviously,
36:18have got huge injury problems,
36:19particularly in the halves.
36:22Leeds will have to play well,
36:24but if they do,
36:26they've got every incentive,
36:27obviously, with that third spot in the table
36:31in the home semi-final,
36:32up for grabs.
36:33I can't see anything really
36:35other than a fairly convincing Leeds win.
36:38Yeah, we touched on the Hull derby as well earlier.
36:41Is there anything else that stands out this weekend
36:43for you, Sambi?
36:46Yeah, the Hull derby.
36:48I mean,
36:49chaos to lose, isn't it?
36:50I think with the injuries,
36:52like you mentioned,
36:53with Hull FC and Hull KR pushing for that
36:56league leader's shield,
36:57I think Hull KR will come out on top with that one,
37:00especially with it being at Craven Park.
37:03I think Salford-Catalan
37:04is an underrated game this week.
37:08Maybe not for the players on show,
37:11but it could be a second win for Salford in a row.
37:15I mean, they played really well against Warrington,
37:18Rowan Milms and Jack Walker stepping up.
37:22Catalan not being in great form.
37:25I know they got that win against Castleford,
37:27but then they got thumped by Wigan.
37:29And again,
37:30with the travel,
37:32we could see another upset
37:34and another victory in this torrid season for Salford.
37:39Yeah, it's a big week for Salford as well.
37:41I think it's Wednesday,
37:43the next day with HMRC as well.
37:45So we'll see how that one pans out for them.
37:49I think that'll do us,
37:50to be honest with you guys.
37:52Just look out for all the preview stuff
37:57all this week on Salford Rugby League
38:00and Yorkshire Evening Post, Pete.
38:05Yeah, cheers.
38:06We'll see you next week on Salford Rugby League.
38:09We'll see you next week on Salford Rugby League.
38:09We'll see you next week on Salford Rugby League.
38:10We'll see you next week on Salford Rugby League.
38:11We'll see you next week on Salford Rugby League.
38:12We'll see you next week on Salford Rugby League.
38:13We'll see you next week on Salford Rugby League.
38:14We'll see you next week on Salford Rugby League.
38:15We'll see you next week on Salford Rugby League.
38:16We'll see you next week on Salford Rugby League.
38:17We'll see you next week on Salford Rugby League.
38:18We'll see you next week on Salford Rugby League.
38:19We'll see you next week on Salford Rugby League.