Re: Preview of 2013 squad - who's left plus rumours : Tue Nov 27, 2012 9:46 am  

The top 7 are miles in front IMO. There are several - HKR, Wakey, London, Bulls - competing for 8th.

Re: Preview of 2013 squad - who's left plus rumours : Tue Nov 27, 2012 11:23 am  

On paper maybe but you never know, Hudds where one of the best teams at the start of last season look how they finished, and leeds had been written off but GF winners again.

50% win ratio is enough to get into the 8

Re: Preview of 2013 squad - who's left plus rumours : Tue Nov 27, 2012 12:08 pm  

My money would be on Anderson to be first coach to go next season. Still they should easily have enough class to ensure top 7, not that I think 7th would be good enough for Davy.

Re: Preview of 2013 squad - who's left plus rumours : Tue Nov 27, 2012 12:39 pm  

Anderson has done the smart thing considering he has inherited a team who appear to have lost all belief in what they were being asked to do. He's packed the middle with size and numbers, and will utilise Brough's boot to full extent.

It might not be fun to watch but they'll win more than they'll lose in this comp.

Re: Preview of 2013 squad - who's left plus rumours : Tue Nov 27, 2012 12:44 pm  

They did last year but 7th is not good enough. He's certainly going for size & power but half of the game is defence. You also need technique to go with power. 14 games then goodbye IMHO.

Re: Preview of 2013 squad - who's left plus rumours : Tue Nov 27, 2012 1:05 pm  

They won't sack him for finishing 7th, not after the fiasco of Brown's last months. The main reason they fell in such a heap was the lack of props (Gilmour?). If you lose the battle in the middle, defending in the channels is near impossible.

Re: Preview of 2013 squad - who's left plus rumours : Tue Nov 27, 2012 1:18 pm  

M@islebugs wrote:

If you lose the battle in the middle, defending in the channels is near impossible.

That sounds like a truism that might get repeated often on our forum over the coming season

[Bulliac]

Re: Preview of 2013 squad - who's left plus rumours : Tue Nov 27, 2012 2:43 pm  

tigertot wrote:

They did last year but 7th is not good enough. He's certainly going for size & power but half of the game is defence. You also need technique to go with power. 14 games then goodbye IMHO.

It depends on one bloke to be honest; if Davy is prepared to say 'we're a new team and I'll give him time to get it together', then he has a chance, otherwise I agree. The 'winners in life', like Davy, don't normally have much of a reputation for being forgiving of failure though...

Re: Preview of 2013 squad - who's left plus rumours : Tue Nov 27, 2012 3:24 pm  

Bulliac wrote:

It depends on one bloke to be honest; if Davy is prepared to say 'we're a new team and I'll give him time to get it together', then he has a chance, otherwise I agree. The 'winners in life', like Davy, don't normally have much of a reputation for being forgiving of failure though...

Apart from pea head leaving they aren't that new. Davy has invested a fortune & will want a return. Appointing Anderson was extremely naiive in my humble, the classic Peter Principle.

[Bulliac]

Re: Preview of 2013 squad - who's left plus rumours : Tue Nov 27, 2012 4:08 pm  

tigertot wrote:

Apart from pea head leaving they aren't that new. Davy has invested a fortune & will want a return. Appointing Anderson was extremely naiive in my humble, the classic Peter Principle.

Yeah, I agree they're not really 'new' but the coach is and the team had crumbled, whatever the reasons and needed ( still needs?) an infusion of confidence to become successful again. I know full well they are (on paper) a far better side than they showed last season and Davy will want a return on his cash. I think I sort of alluded to this in what I said about patience, but naive blunder or masterstroke, will Davy be patient enough to find out? Maybe he won't have to be - there is a lot of quality in that side.