Lessons from Leeds, Dodd's wonder tackle and impressive Bell

1. Psychological boost or a wounded animal.

Nobody from Saints will have cockily walked away from Headingley on Friday night believing that this week’s Challenge Cup will be a formality having won this one.

In coach Paul Wellens’ words Leeds hit Saints with a “cyclone” at the start of the game and they needed to cling on at times and defend, scramble and cover back with sheer desperation.

From the outset Leeds were collectively more aggressive on both sides of the ball, and off the back winning the ruck and territory the three nippy pivots could exploit gaps in the middle, and as well as earning the right to spread it.

Thankfully Saints were able to limit the damage to just 8-0 before they steadied the ship by getting control of the ruck, and with impetus from the bench manage to begin turning the game around.

But at least Saints will have learned a lesson from how this Jekyll and Hyde Leeds side can play ahead of next week’s knockout game.

Forewarned is forearmed as they say.

2. Lewis Dodd's wonder tackle.

One of the relatively unsung aspects of Lewis Dodd’s play is his defence – but one particular effort at Headingley will not have gone under the radar.

Scrum halves don’t tend to get noted for their defence but Dodd has consistently been one of the best three-in defenders in the competition with the way he gets off the line, his speed and the way he handles the physicality for a smaller body.

On Friday night, as Leeds were on fire, key strike centre Harry Newman looked sure to score after he had wrong-footed Jack Welsby and the line had opened up in front of him. With the full back beaten it needed a special tackle from Dodd who not only hauled down Newman, but he did so in a manner that halted the momentum of the centre’s movement to stop what looked a certain try.

It was a top-drawer passage of play that epitomised the chase everything approach of this team.

3. James Bell's outstanding display.

Saints are blessed at 13 with two quality loose forwards who complement each other with the way they play the game.

And a fit again Jake Wingfield being a direct and skilful presence in the middle Morgan Knowles did plenty of tough stuff on both sides of the ball, and his workrate in defence in making tacklers, chasing and those often unseen 1 percenters are so valuable to the team.

James Bell brought so much energy, enthusiasm and aggression off the bench when he came on.

It was not necessarily his trademark ball playing that was to the fore this time, rather his doggedness and determination to make inroads into the Leeds defence. He is by no means the biggest of forwards but he had some potency and power in his carry that the tiring defence found hard to handle. He was Saints’ top metre-maker on Friday night with 156m.

Rugby league is a 17-man game and the rotation of the props, 9s and 13s is a key element of that and plenty of thought goes into how individual strengths and skillset of the personnel determines where they can have most impact.

We saw this in the late noughties, when James Roby was always off the bench to starter Keiron Cunningham because of what they both brought. In that time, 2007, Roby won the Steve Prescott Man of Steel coming off the bench every week.

Although Bell is more than capable of starting, on balance it is clear why Knowles starts given what he invariably brings to the blood and thunder early exchanges.

But the impetus brought off the bench by the likes of Bell, and the gaps that a player of his craft can prise in the middle, is equally invaluable.

4. Alex Walmsley’s kicking licence.

Paul Wellens joked after the game that Big Al’s kicking licence had been revoked after he grubber kicked close to the line. He is not the first prop to dabble with a kicking game, although I have yet to see one as adept as a chip over the top as 70s prop Dave Chisnall.

Friday’s game in that respect showed the occasional difference in approach with last tackle plays within the opposing 20m zone and twice Leeds turned the screw with half back Matt Frawley kicks forcing drop outs early in the second half.

Saints’ kickers – especially Dodd but also Lomax and Welsby - are all capable of asking questions with the boot. Indeed, Saints’ opening score came from a perfectly weighted contested chip to the line from where Moses Mbye fed Waqa Blake for the score.

However, on multiple occasions is seems that Saints prefer to play the percentages and not risk a seven-tackle play from the 20m and prefer to turn over and back their defence to do the rest.

5. Saints travelling army.

The turnout of 1,400 on Friday night was exemplary – especially given they all knew that they would have an evening exposed to the elements in the open West Terrace.

Headingley has been re-developed on all three sides but restrictions with the planning stop them putting a roof on the West. There is nothing that can be done with that, but one way round it could be to reserve another part of the ground for travelling fans who don’t wish to get soaked. Some fans paid the extra to sit down, but you wonder whether the sheltered South Stand could be made available to both home and away fans – just as the open end is.

The logistics are not as straightforward as giving up whole sections, given memberships are sold in all parts of the ground and Leeds are very well supported.

Saints fans in the past simply stood in the South Stand which was a lot easier back in the early 80s when average home crowds at Leeds were around 6,000 and the turnout from Saints was barely a couple of hundred.

6. Lewis Jones tribute.

A big well done to Leeds for the way they planned the pre-match tribute to Lewis Jones – a legend of both rugby codes who recently passed away.

The Leeds Male Voice Choir set the scene with Bread of Heaven and Abide With Me but Saints also played their part presenting the red and white wreath representing Saints, Wales and the British Lions.

And it was pleasing to hear the exemplary way that a crowd of 14,000 plus observed the minutes silence for the ‘King of Rugger’.