If the last season and three quarters has taught Saints anything, I would think that would be that what’s gone before in the regular rounds count for nothing when it comes to these big games. Yes it gives you an advantage finishing first but come two weeks time everything starts again, the pressure racks up and it takes an unbelievably brave team to not go in their shell a little and start to play more conservatively. That then means that the gap between any ‘form’ teams and ‘out of form’ teams narrows because it becomes a game of margins, desire and in some cases luck. We’ve seen time and again that a run to a grand final win can be all in the timing.

I was reading a story today that Holbrook resigned after the challenge cup final but the Saints board wouldn’t accept it. It’s doing the rounds in Oz by all accounts and Gary Schofield (hardly a fountain of knowledge) was bulling it up in the media.

I saw that story too. In respect of the earlier posts, this could be huge if true. Upheaval of this kind can have a massive effect on team morale. I mentioned a while ago that the announcement of Holbrook's leaving could foreshadow a worsening in Saints form in a similar way to Wane's announcement did to us. I think we've seen that over subsequent weeks. Will this have a further effect? It's certainly a possibility and the timing, coming into the playoffs, couldn't be worse for them.

Suppose it could galvanise them as well if the players think a lot of him, as you’d think it would hit them hard that their performance in the final would make Holbrook think like that.



It’s probably untrue anyway but to think we looked at a seemingly unstoppable force a couple of months back in Saints, to now see some cracks appearing is heartening. I’ve still got them as big favourites but there’s no doubt the pressure is huge.

This will sounds like sour grapes I fully acknowledge

but there is a theory that big games (finals) are referees differently. Refs are more lenient, less prone to blow for technical offences in the spirit of “letting the game flow” In a way that is not the case during normal weekly rounds.



So you often get slower play the balls, skinny 10m etc which serve to level games out.



I think there is an element truth in this and that it tends to flow against the faster (better?) teams.



But lord knows we’ve had long enough to get used to it

Could I ask where this theory is from? (Please don't say RedVee!

)

Can't say I've ever noticed the ptb being slower or the 10m shorter in finals. They'll be a bit less eager to penalise generally, but teams seem to play cleaner as well.

I do actually see where you’re coming from. Big finals and big games are definitely refereed differently. But they’re also played differently too. Everything about these games is a world away from a run of the mill away trip to Hull KR for example. Thus the refereeing is, rightly or wrongly, bound to be different.

The same argument is made about Origin games compared to ordinary NRL matches. And it's true there too.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2019/ ... -cup-wigan "Edwards said he decided not to take over at Wigan because he questioned his experience for the role. “It was very difficult and it is best not to say too much. I said Wigan needed a more experienced rugby league coach than me and I was right. They are doing well under Adrian Lam and I think they will win the Super League again this year.” Interesting spin from all angles, how was he right saying experience was needed when Lam isn't experienced? How does he conclude Wigan will win under Lam this year ?

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2019/ ... -cup-wigan "Edwards said he decided not to take over at Wigan because he questioned his experience for the role. “It was very difficult and it is best not to say too much. I said Wigan needed a more experienced rugby league coach than me and I was right. They are doing well under Adrian Lam and I think they will win the Super League again this year.” Interesting spin from all angles, how was he right saying experience was needed when Lam isn't experienced? How does he conclude Wigan will win under Lam this year ?

Sounds like him trying to justify his cowardly cop out to himself.

Nail hit firmly on head there!