SAINTS boss Keiron Cunningham initially said he was stuck for words to sum up the team's disappointing performance against Hull.

But then he tore into the team, especially the under-performing big names.

Adding to what he said in midweek, Cunningham said some of the big-earners could "sit in the stand" after an abysmal defeat.

Cunningham said: "That was one of the worst games of rugby league I have seen for a long time.

"We completed at 51 per cent in the first half and 43 in the second half. I was bemused and couldn't get my head around the performance. I am stuck for words, to be honest.

"There were three players out there who put their hands up every week - Mark Percival, James Roby and Alex Walmsley - the rest of the boys sort of cruise along.

"This is one of the biggest games of the season for us coming off the back of the defeat in Catalans in the first round. We started with a little bit of intent but didn't see it through."

There was a clear contrast in the styles of rugby played, with carefree Hull expresses themselves better than the jittery Saints.

"Hull had nothing to play for and are playing better rugby now than when they were really structured. They looked dangerous and I said during the week they are playing ad lib and took Cas to the wire and should have won.

“They are dangerous with the ball in their hands with three ball players," he said.

When Cunningham came into the post match conference he appeared visibly shocked by what he had witnessed - but vowed to get it sorted.

“It is tough. The trials and tribulations of coaching are here and it is my job to try and improve my halves. I thought James Roby was phenomenal in a poor side. He came in for some criticism last week, and he didn’t have his greatest game in France.

“He rose to the occasion. He is a Saints product, understands our system and what grit and determination is. There were a lot of weak people out there in my side tonight.

“I have said all season that I have been proud of the team and our great performances, but I was embarrassed to be associated with a lot of them tonight.

“I have never seen people lie down and give up as though it means nothing. I need to have a real serious consideration about who is going to be around for next year.

“Joe had a better tonight, Andre was solid and Greg and Tommo were good. Even JT when he came on in the middle.

"But we have got some people earning big money who just don’t want to do it. I am afraid you can earn your big money sat in the stand. Reputations are going to go out of the window, I have said it all year, but there are no false promises.

"I don’t care who you are, if you are not committed to the club and the cause.

“We won a Grand Final last year with no half backs and no full back and all sorts. That was through true grit and determination.

“Everyone was telling me how wonderful this combination was going to be for us but I am still waiting for it to fire.

"We were pretty close in the semi-final but for a couple of defensive issues and at Catalan we had half a dig and still could have got that game, but for me that was woeful. I haven't got words in my vocabulary to tell you how bad that second half was.

“I went in the dressing room at half time to speak to the players and it was like a morgue. As a player I never gave up in my life and could not understand the dressing room. We were 18-6 up and had not played well but had just got in some sort of rhythm"

"If my players think it’s going to get any easier, then they are kidding themselves. Every week it will be tougher and we have got a little bit of soul-searching to do," he said.