Re: SWINTON LIONS : Fri Apr 26, 2024 3:21 pm  

I see this signing as a bit of both of Gregs and Hudds posts. It does show our current situation that we are bringing back a former player who had finished playing league. At the same time beggars can't be choosers we have no one from Leeds this week most of the players from last week should be dropped and players at other clubs available on loan seem to be going everywhere other than to us. So throw him in at centre i say and he will either sink or swim.

Re: SWINTON LIONS : Sat Apr 27, 2024 8:39 am  

Barber should make the cut for Sunday's team. But it will be a close shave.

Re: SWINTON LIONS : Sun Apr 28, 2024 5:00 pm  

Hard to be constructive at the moment as struggling to suggest a way out of this hole that financially could be curtains .

Re: SWINTON LIONS : Sun Apr 28, 2024 10:19 pm  

At least they scored some points!

Re: SWINTON LIONS : Mon Apr 29, 2024 8:12 am  

And to quote the great Ross Strudwick "We won the 2nd half"

Re: SWINTON LIONS : Mon Apr 29, 2024 8:57 am  

I'm guessing it was as bad as the scoreline suggests? I saw the team selection and looks like we have now resorted to player players in random positions. The playoffs may have been a bit of a push this season but we are clearly in a relegation dog fight. What amazes me is that some people are still defending the the club and the whole situation. I often asked questions of the previous board but did not go as far as some did wanting them out but I now question their decision in letting people take over who it seems apparent have no clue how to run a rugby club or the finances to get us out of this mess.

Re: SWINTON LIONS : Mon Apr 29, 2024 10:08 am  

I'm loathe to criticise the BOD as it must be a god awful (and thankless) task running a rugby club on small crowds and trying to compete with the likes of Wakey, plus throwing the very costly running of the Shay into the mix it makes a very difficult situation almost impossible.

As shown with Toronto, Leigh, Fev and now Wakey it requires a massive injection of outside funds. And you wouldn't blame a money man not getting involved, after Tony Gartland was driven out by a bunch of ungrateful idiots (a long time ago I know but I remember it well and it was very unpleasant).

So I really don't know where we go from here.

Re: SWINTON LIONS : Mon Apr 29, 2024 12:57 pm  

Thought about the game before posting.
Last week we were poor but Sheffield played at a different level.
This week we were poor but Swinton were an average team. The difference was error count as ever and Patton. They out fought and out worked us too though we were so poor at times that wasn`t difficult.

Selection was unusual to say the least. Douglas in the squad for ten minutes game time? There to make up the numbers?
Barber did what Barber does and looked fitter than i had feared. But to move our most dangerous half to fullback , strange when Widdop has experience at fullback too , I am amazed.

I won`r enter the debate re the whole squad as the writing was on the wall two or three years ago for some of them.

Finn was given a rough hand and then to be without two first choice,props your first choice hooker and centre . He was handed a poison chalice and must feel that he drank from it during the cup run.

I wont be going to Fev , haven`t done so since i was pointed to a corner of a stand and told to stay there as if I had done something wrong. Sort out your own Fev. They do not get more of my money.

Re: SWINTON LIONS : Mon Apr 29, 2024 2:46 pm  

Yesterday was the first time in just over 30 years of supporting Fax that i have seen fans leave at half time. These are fans that i have seen in the south stand right back to when it was first opened but hey ho Finn says he is proud of our efforts so what do they know. Swinton are no mugs and playing with confidence but what is unacceptable that they out worked us too.Look at when they put kicks in who was in the picture a number of Swinton chasers and none of ours, or even when we made a few breaks in the second half they was chasing back in numbers were we was just leaving it to the player who made the break to do something. I don't think Douglas even got 10 minutes off the bench before being brought back off yes he gave away a pen but at least he was fired up trying to make a impact.

I have said before that we are in a scrap to avoid relegation this year, and when will the penny drop with the board about this who knows. It seems to me that they and Finn are in denial and the players are clearly not playing for the coach so we are in a fair old mess with no sight of anything changing. Maybe if we get a right good pumping at Fev then they might finally get it but i wouldnt hold my breath.

Re: SWINTON LIONS : Mon Apr 29, 2024 3:06 pm  

The players we have are capable of better than what we have seen but all the talent in the world doesn't replace effort and our lack of it yesterday was probably the difference between us and a decent, but limited Swinton side. Playing lads out of position hardly ever works either. I'll reserve my opinion on LF until he's had time with more of our injured players back. Up The Fax!