Re: One man rugby : Mon Feb 18, 2013 8:57 pm  

Greg Florimos Boots wrote:

I think KH was hoping bringing Murrell in would make up for our problems at half back last season and also may make the new problem of hooker less obvious but so far Im not sure. I think Handforth looked ok yesterday and did against Sheffield as well but he needs a good stand off to play with and Im not sure Thackery is that person although I thought he did better yesterday and may go better on dryer grounds.

The main problem is hooker though and I have to agree with Chris that Karl Ashall dosnt look ready for 1st team rugby at this level yet and Craig Ashall simply dosnt look good enough to play hooker. Both their distribution and reading of the game looks poor. Hopefully with us now taking a look at Craig Cook things may brighten up in that spot when he makes the team.

Totally agree with that, Tiger tries hard and I think is let down by Thacks who does not trust himself enough and chucks the ball at an often marked man who then just gets knocked over and we lose momentum, he showed with his try what he can do when he wants to!
Neither Ashall is good enough, I have seen nothing from either of them to suggest they can get us the yardage and the tries that we need them to sadly, I am not judging them against Penky just as a decent hooker and they are not, send them out on loan.
But we are still work in progress and Murrell has got a great pasing game and decent kicking game so lets see when the better weather comes! The pitch at the Shay does not help but its the same for both sides and a very ordinary Keighley side should have been put to bed they were poor really, how did they get a bonus point?

Re: One man rugby : Mon Feb 18, 2013 9:31 pm  

That's 3 bonus points we've given away now. It's a frustrating idea but we need to learn to close the game and the bonus points down.

Re: One man rugby : Wed Feb 20, 2013 8:03 am  

Norman Bates wrote:

That's 3 bonus points we've given away now. It's a frustrating idea but we need to learn to close the game and the bonus points down.

Giveing bonus points away don't hurt us. It's loseing games that do .I hope we give a bonus point away in EVERY game this season.

Re: One man rugby : Thu Feb 21, 2013 11:33 pm  

Giving away bonus points doesn't really concern us. If we won every game 10-nil & won all three comps would we be bothered ?

Re: One man rugby : Sun Feb 24, 2013 11:50 pm  

I agree the excitement on the terraces has gone, the crowd is dwindling! We have gone ten years back, this team could not come close to drawing with Castleford and to me that's our benchmark, but under Harrison I can honestly say Halifax are as dull as dish water to watch and it hurts me to say it!!! For all Callands faults at least it was exciting and unpredictable. Lets see how we get on against Batley!!

Re: One man rugby : Mon Feb 25, 2013 5:56 am  

Standidge wrote:

Yes John, been in the Army 20 years. 3rd time out here.

I never miss a game when i am home. And today I actually got to a phone and rang my son at half time. He was at the game with a couple of my mates. Looking forward to my R&R and getting to a game over Easter.

Good on yer mate, from all Batley fans.

Re: One man rugby : Mon Feb 25, 2013 9:27 am  

Re: The Bonus Point debate

There are no Bonus points for winning, if there was and we weren't achieving them I'd be a little upset, but as long as we leave a game with 3 points I dont care if the opponent get one or not.

This time of year the rugby is never pretty, we didn't start too well last year either, with last play wins at London and York.

Harrison doesn't coach the fast flowing unpredictable "we'll score one more than you" Rugby that we saw under Calland, but he does win games.

[triran]

Re: One man rugby : Mon Feb 25, 2013 9:42 am  

I am with Brew on this one. I am happy with a win and not having unpredictable games from the Calland era. Those days are gone.

Handforth at hooker did spice it up and take control. May be dropping Thacks and Craig Ashall might wake them both up! A fit Craig Cook will control the hooking role with Karl Ashall learning.

Moving Craig back to Loose with Murrell at Stand Off? Handforth at Scrum half, exactly what he did at Batley?

Re: One man rugby : Mon Feb 25, 2013 9:58 am  

Dear oh dear! only 4 wins from 4? shocking stuff.
Or....
Its February for gawds sake! its bleeding awful weather and pitches, and i for one think were playing the conditions very well and playing to our strengths, which incidently have served the previous two comp winners quite well.

Re: One man rugby : Mon Feb 25, 2013 10:30 am  

Lets look at the League Table Only us and Fev are not unbeaten after 4 rounds. We have the 3rd best number of points conceded. (52) Behind Batley (37) and Dewsbury (50). Fev are just behind us with 56. Fev have scored the most points (154). The teams in positions 3-6 have scored between 102 and 110. We have scored 86, which while it is less than anyone else in the top 6, is more than any other team outside of the top 6. I'd also suggest that the teams making up the current top 6 wont change now, but positions 7&8 for the playoffs give the other 8 teams something to play for On current form, Batley away on Thursday will be another tight game, we're not getting high scores and they're defending well. But i'll happily take a win by a Drop Goal if thats what it takes. One things for sure though, we have to convert better than we did against Keighley the other week. as every point will count!

Lets look at the League Table Only us and Fev are not unbeaten after 4 rounds. We have the 3rd best number of points conceded. (52) Behind Batley (37) and Dewsbury (50). Fev are just behind us with 56. Fev have scored the most points (154). The teams in positions 3-6 have scored between 102 and 110. We have scored 86, which while it is less than anyone else in the top 6, is more than any other team outside of the top 6. I'd also suggest that the teams making up the current top 6 wont change now, but positions 7&8 for the playoffs give the other 8 teams something to play for On current form, Batley away on Thursday will be another tight game, we're not getting high scores and they're defending well. But i'll happily take a win by a Drop Goal if thats what it takes. One things for sure though, we have to convert better than we did against Keighley the other week. as every point will count!