Kristian Woolf Q&A: Penalties, response to defeat and Hull FC preview

MC: How have the players responded to the defeat?

KW: They have responded really well. The good thing about losing is it gives you a chance to reflect on things really honestly and a bit harder. And then figure out the areas where we need to be better at.

There is an honesty there in how they have reflected and accepted feedback, and what we have thrown at them to try and improve.

We have spent a few days reflecting.We were off right across the board and I don’t think we were as desperate as we were the week before.

In conceding those three tries, I don’t think we worked hard enough in each of those - and that is why they became tries.

The players feel the same way.

I don’t doubt we will be better in every area this weekend.

MC: Were the number of penalties conceded a concern?

KW: It was an ill-disciplined performance. First half we completed at 53 per cent and added to that there were 10 penalties. That is a hell of a lot of ball and opportunity we are giving the opposition.

You clean that up alone and it gives you a better chance of winning the game.

MC: How can you work on that ill-discipline - particular the penalties?

KW: The penalties that concerned me most were the general jumping offside and the general ill discipline.

There are always things in the ruck - you watch some tackles and get time to do what you want and yet other times you get penalised.

That is a little bit out of your control - but the ill discipline is where we a re not smart with what we are doing in a tackle and are not going offside. Those are the things we need to clean up.

There's not one specific area - it was just an ill-disciplined performance at the weekend.

That comes back to our preparation and where we were going into that game and that is obviosly things we need to improve.

MC: The Warrington pack was crowing afterwards, does the Saints pack take that personally?

KW: They need to take it personally and work hard to make sure we are not on the back foot again.

But a lot of things go into the game. I wouldn’t sit here and blame the forwards. I felt we were still in that game until the 70th minute. We did not give ourselves enough opportunity with the ball.

One, because we did not defend at our best and two, because we were too ill-disciplined both with and without the ball.

In terms of some real dominance I didn’t see it that way, but I am sure our forwards will take it personally and make sure they work really hard at Hull this week.

MC: Do you welcome a tough Hull trip to bounce back with?

KW: Hull are going to be just as big a challenge.

They are travelling really well and have played really well in their first two rounds, have recruited really well , and powerfully, so we have to make sure we front up really well for that on Sunday.

Hull are a good side across the park and that is why people are talking them up in terms of what they can do in this competition.

After a disappointing performance I could not think of anything better than for us to go to their home.

We know it is going to be tough with the whole road trip and playing at their home ground and having to front up to a really good side.

MC: Some handy players in the Hull side - what have you made of Jake Connor.

KW: He is obviously very talented. He was really good against Hull KR at the weekend.

He runs the ball really well and is a threat.

They also have big outside backs across the board - both centres Griffin and Tuimavave are strong.

Carlos is a a guy I know a bit about from playing in the Warriors 20s and a little bit of first grade.

They are a good side who are playing well because they have good players right across the park.

MC: Do you have to put Sydney Roosters out of your heads?

KW: For all of us there is not one thought about Roosters - we are just looking at Hull and worrying about being a lot better than we were at the weekend.

There are a lot of areas where we can be better and that is our focus first and then how we are going to be better against Hull.