2 hours Ago
He was also asked some key points arising from last Friday's defeat by Hull KR - including the kicking game, sub selection and Tristan Sailor. MC: Some talent within that Leeds squad - some real potency within that side if it clicks? PW: They have got dangerous players who can hurt you on the day - Jake Connor Ash Handley, Harry Newman and Brodie Croft. They have a number of players in the outside backs who are potent attacking threats.
That is backed up by a competitive forward pack who are working hard to lay a platform for those types of players. So all these challenges and permutations within the game are things that we're going to have to deal with. MC: There is a long and competitive rivalry between St Helens and Leeds in the Challenge Cup and you yourself will have played in some absolute humdingers in the Noughties - any particular memories? PW: We met them in a number of Grand Finals, but in that period as well we met them in a number of cup ties.
Although they had the victories at Old Trafford we had a good record against them in the Challenge Cup. We seemed to always run into Leeds in a big game – which is great for both clubs and great for the game because we want to see those big games and we want to be part of them MC: It is a big prize – taking a step to Wembley, but If you lose early on it is painful. There is some real jeopardy in a Challenge Cup tie, isn't there? PW: I think it maybe what makes the Challenge Cup really special.
It's not lost on anybody that there are no second chances and you have got to perform well on the day. You've got to be prepared at times in the game to do it tough and you've got to show that resilience. If you want to be successful and want to get to Wembley and win at Wembley, then there's a number of strong characteristics that you have to show as a team, but that starts for us on Friday night against Leeds.
MC: Friday night's the focus, but just looking how busy this period is with the Challenge Cup Final, and consequently the early rounds, coming forward with Magic coming forward and with Easter coming in the middle of it. This is a really testing period for all the top teams, and an interesting period for Saints. PW: It seems like the big games just come week after week, which is great.
We want to be involved in big games. We want to be testing ourselves against the best teams. And each week we're going to get the opportunity to do that.
It is going to be a really tough challenge for us, but one that we feel that we are prepared for. MC: What is the reason behind Moses Mbye and James Bell not making the 17. Are they not fully fit or just not forcing their way into the team at the moment? PW: Obviously both came back from niggling injuries.
Moses got injured in the Morgan Knowles testimonial which set him back a few weeks and obviously the team that got out generally got on and did a good job and I felt like I needed to reward the guys that were doing well. James Bell missed out last week with having Morgan Knowles and Jake Wingfield in the team, I decided to go with Noah Stephens on the bench - a bigger body given what we were coming up against with Hull KR. I have got to make some decisions every now and again.
I understand players are disappointed because they all want to play. But I have stressed to the squad and the team that you have to be patient for opportunities and throughout the course of a long year - and it is going to be a long year – that they're all get an opportunity at some point. MC: In terms of balance on that bench, since Sione Mata’utia moved on do you need somebody who's going to give you that bit of versatility to cover the backs, without dismissing Matty Whitley as a second row? PW: Matty Whitley's a back rower for us and a very good back rower, and that's where we see his future at the club.
However, we do know he can fill out on the centres and he has done that successfully in the past. Jake Wingfield can play front row, he can play loose forward and he can also go into 9, so you know he's took on that role and done a real good job at it. We've got a couple of blokes on the bench there who give us that bit of versatility that I think you need in the current climate when things can change pretty quickly out there.
MC: A lot of focus has gone on your halves after Friday’s loss. Tristan Sailor will get plenty of attention here because he is a high-profile NRL import – but do you cut him any slack given he is new to playing 6 in Super League after so long as a 1? PW: He's learning to play a new role, and it is slightly different to playing at full back - there is a bit more responsibility there in terms of game management and he's building new combinations with Daryl Clark, Jonny Lomax and Jack Welsby - that takes time. So absolutely, we do cut him some slack, but at the same time we challenge him and we challenge the rest of the playing group to find those improvements that we're going to need to make if we do want to be successful.
So there's a balance to be had there. We were disappointed as a team on how we handled certain things in the game on Friday, and I've worked hard this week and I've had some honest conversations around how we're going to improve those things. MC: With regards to the weakness in the kicking game - do you work on those as individuals and their inability to execute - or is it a team collective effort to put those players in better positions to get those kicks away? PW: I think the two go hand in hand.
We need to find ourselves in better field position where we can be more effective with our kicks. But at the same time you don't always have it your own way and you're going to have to kick from areas of the field that are not always the most comfortable areas to kick from. So we're going to have to be adaptable and learn to do both.
And then also, within that, is we are going to have to work hard individually on our kicking game. Even the best players - and the most experienced players - need to practise and that's what we're challenging these guys to do. MC: Hull KR did to you what good teams do? Wigan are going to probably do exactly the same thing if they get the opportunity.
This is something that you're going to have to deal with and have a means of combating? PW: It is a type of game we like to be involved in as well and have been very successful at it when we're playing well. It's attritional, it's hard work. But it's the type of game that we like being involved in.
I was really encouraged when you look at the back end of the game that we are still going at the game and finishing strongly, despite what we'd had to deal with in within that 80 minute period. MC: Remarkable defence in the circumstances – conceding two of the four tries from kicks and one after a last tackle penalty. PW: We conceded four tries so we are disappointed with that.
The two from kicks – the first from a bounce that does not go our way and the other from a fantastic offload from Joe Burgess. We will work hard on not conceding from kicks anymore because we will be challenged in that area again moving forward. The other couple of tries that we conceded we feel that we can handle those situations better as well and Eamon O’Carroll has sat down with the group and sat down with individuals involved there as how to how we can handle them better.
And off the back of those learnings we can improve as a team and can improve as individuals..
