Head Coach Paul Rowley spoke to the press following his side’s 30-10 away loss to Castleford Tigers.
Rowley admitted St.Helens were nowhere near good enough, with errors and penalties proving costly throughout the game.
The Saints’ coach said his side made life difficult for themselves by repeatedly handing over possession and giving Castleford far too much territory. He felt that constant pressure eventually took its toll physically, with Saints unable to gain any control or momentum during the 80 minutes.
Rowley did not believe team selection was behind the performance and insisted the side named was still strong enough to win. He also felt effort was not the issue, especially in the first half when Saints managed to stay in the contest despite spending long periods defending their own line. However, he admitted Castleford were more aggressive, more direct and deserved the victory.
Dropped balls and poor discipline were examples of the problems that hurt his side, and Rowley said momentum only comes from completing sets, defending well and staying disciplined, something the team failed to do consistently.
Whilst praising Castleford for taking advantage of the opportunities they were given, he stated that any Super League side would punish a team making that many mistakes. He also confirmed Harry Robertson missed the game as a precaution after picking up a minor quad issue in training, but the problem is not expected to keep him out for long. Saints now head into a short break before returning to action later this month.
