Re: Cas (H) : Tue Feb 04, 2025 9:10 am  

Good point. The 2 games that the majority of the first team played in - Doncaster & Huddersfield, discipline was much better. Keighley away & Dewsbury away - basically academy/reserve grade but more penalties and 6 agains.

[Bullseye]

Re: Cas (H) : Tue Feb 04, 2025 9:44 am  

If your dominating the game up front there should be no excuse for ill discipline. We have a stronger pack this year so that shouldn't be an issue against the teams that try most of the niggle (I'm thinking of Barrow in particular here now Swinton have gone down).

I'm looking forward to the Cas game. There'll be no complacency from them so it should be a good test. If we come away with a win it'll be a great achievement. Everyone, including the bookies, has us down as firm favourites but I think Toulouse, Fev and York in particular have a great chance and I can see us losing games against all of them.

Re: Cas (H) : Tue Feb 04, 2025 10:37 am  

Highlander wrote:

Gee, Fulton & Donno are all starting. The 3 middles on the bench that Waine has to force in front of are Scurr, Pele or Michael. I suppose Michael could be the one to miss out. But it’s unlikely.

Waine isnt a middle though he is a second rower and will make meters for fun which could be invaluble against cas michael has more aggression than LBB and a better offload imo - will be interesting ti see how we go

Re: Cas (H) : Tue Feb 04, 2025 10:41 am  

Bull Mania wrote:

I think LBB looks a different player to last season. A full pre-season has done him the world of good. Looks very aggressive so I wouldn't drop him. I wouldn't risk Armitage either. He's missed pre-season, only just come back from a calf injury. To throw him on against a full time team on a glue pot of a pitch would be madness. Gill more than capable.

Nice options to have and if any player has the brain fart discipline of last year they can be hooked with an equal replacement.

Gill has yet to show hes more than capable the Toulouse playoff game is a prime example

Re: Cas (H) : Tue Feb 04, 2025 10:50 am  

But Armitage hasn't played since last year. Hasn't had a pre-season and the Cas game will likely be the fastest game we'll face all year. It's asking for trouble. Armitage can be eased back in against London where it should be a comfortable day. Gills not exactly a liability.

Re: Cas (H) : Tue Feb 04, 2025 11:05 am  

Bull Mania wrote:

But Armitage hasn't played since last year. Hasn't had a pre-season and the Cas game will likely be the fastest game we'll face all year. It's asking for trouble. Armitage can be eased back in against London where it should be a comfortable day. Gills not exactly a liability.

He can be sinbinnings against Toulouse would beg to differ armitage schooled him and myers

Re: Cas (H) : Tue Feb 04, 2025 11:15 am  

Pyrah123 wrote:

Waine isnt a middle though he is a second rower and will make meters for fun which could be invaluble against cas michael has more aggression than LBB and a better offload imo - will be interesting ti see how we go

Right. This all comes back to preseason. Waine is a 2nd row, although London played him at prop a fair bit.

You put up the suggestion we take out one of our specialist props (LBB) and replace him witha 2nd rower, who can play a bit of prop. I didn’t really follow that. Waine isn’t going to shift Gee or Fulton (yet) and Scurr and Pele are the impact props. So that leaves Michael I suppose so are we looking at Michael as a specialist prop? Or a prop/2nd rower.

We’ve only 1 competitive game to look at I suppose. A lot of this is interchangeable these days but I would say we had 5 middles (Bruno, LBB, Scurr, Pele, Michael) and 3 2nd rowers (Fulton, Gee, Donno) in the 17. If Waine is getting in, either we drop a 2nd rower or Nobby has to adjust his ratio of 5:3 for middles & 2nd rower. I think.

On a drier track, I think Waine for Michael is a good shout. For this weekend, we keep as it is.

[Bullseye]

Re: Cas (H) : Tue Feb 04, 2025 11:32 am  

When Nobby picked Michael at loose forward for the friendly vs Keighley and put him on the bench versus Huddersfield and then against Doncaster it showed to me that he likes to have a bit of size on the bench. The Doncaster game was the real telling selection - going with LSS, Pele and Michael on the bench with Lilley.

Did anyone ask Nobby to explain that selection? I'm intrigued because Michael is a very different player to Donaldson and Michael came on to play at loose forward. Is Donaldson not fit? Or was it the gameplan to really put pressure on Doncaster down the middle with ever bigger lads coming on?

I guess that for games on a small heavy pitch like Odsal it makes sense to have a lot of big lads in the 17. I'm sure Waine could play as an extra prop like Michael if he comes on and plays at no 13. It's whether we want to be sparing with Donaldson or not.

Re: Cas (H) : Tue Feb 04, 2025 11:54 am  

Lawrence can rotate to 13 as well.

I suppose you look at what happens with injuries. If a prop is injured, we still have 4 props in the 17. If a 2nd rower is injured, either Lawrence or Michael go to loose. If a centre is injured, Fulton is the obvious cover option. Lilley can play halves & FB

Re: Cas (H) : Tue Feb 04, 2025 12:33 pm  

Scurr is the starting prop at the moment with Lawrence so on the bench is 2 props Michael and Pele plus waine LBB to miss out from last week.fantastic impact from the bench that is how I would go .maybe also start Lilley in the halves for this game.