Re: Widnes on thursday : Tue Mar 11, 2014 2:56 pm  

Think also a telling factor in what looks like a weakness in the second half is that when you lose players mid game to injury like we have been doing you also then have less options with your interchange.

Pretty certain in the first game Chase would have stayed on most (if not all) of the game, at Widnes Rapira would have played more of a part, Hock would have stayed on till the death at Saints and likewise S'au at Widnes.

Re: Widnes on thursday : Wed Mar 12, 2014 12:10 am  

John Gilbert Reds wrote:

I heard similar things in pre-season, Howarth was training hard and impressing the coaching staff etc. As you say, Howarth isn’t a hooker, never has been and never will be. His distribution is poor and slow. Has he scooted once yet in his spells at 9? So far McShane, Roby and Clarke have all dominated us at the ruck area. In answer to your question, I wouldn’t play him let anyone play him anywhere else. Fact is he isn’t good enough.

You make a valid point re the team’s performance, but you’re forgetting this is a new team. The bulk of the work we would have undertaken in pre-season would have relied vastly upon Rangi & Smith, that partnership lasted no longer than 40 minutes. We’re now having to play two scrum halves at 6 & 7 which isn’t ideal. We look devoid of ideas going forward and whilst I felt Theo and Smith looked better vs Widnes, apart from Theo’s off the cuff play we were still generally poor. Add into that Howarth’s spells at dummy half and you can see why the opposition are scoring more than us.

Other injuries haven’t helped. Rapira, Hock and Griffin have left the forwards lightweight. Meli and Sa’u have disrupted the backline and we haven’t had a settled wing/centre partnership once.

In all honesty, I’m dreading the Warrington the game this Friday which I didn’t think I would. Our defence is a massive cause for concern and I can see the Warrington backs having a field day. My head says Warrington by 22.

why pick on howarth?
most coaches with the full salary cap to spend would spend most of it on building a strong spine to the team of which the hooker is one of the most important components. you seem to have gone for cheap options at full back and hooker and wasted the money on high profile injury prone has beens else where in the team. very good high profile signings for making an impression at the ridiculous pre season launch but some one must be feeling silly now the old men are predictably coming up short. well predictable to every one but the man with the cheque book.

Re: Widnes on thursday : Wed Mar 12, 2014 8:38 am  

newgroundb4wakey wrote:

why pick on howarth?
most coaches with the full salary cap to spend would spend most of it on building a strong spine to the team of which the hooker is one of the most important components. you seem to have gone for cheap options at full back and hooker and wasted the money on high profile injury prone has beens else where in the team. very good high profile signings for making an impression at the ridiculous pre season launch but some one must be feeling silly now the old men are predictably coming up short. well predictable to every one but the man with the cheque book.

What do you know about Jake Mullaney that makes you feel he is a "cheap option"? He's been one of the better signings do far.

As for the injury prone has-beens, the current injury list is:
Junior Sa'u (age 26)
Francis Meli (age 34)
Rangi Chase (age 27)
Gareth Hock (age 30)
Darrell Griffin (age 32)
Steve Rapira (age 25)

Now, with the exception of Francis Meli (maybe Darrell Griffin, although 32 isn't particularly old for a prop), which of the above would you class as has-beens?

Re: Widnes on thursday : Wed Mar 12, 2014 8:40 am  

newgroundb4wakey wrote:

why pick on howarth?
most coaches with the full salary cap to spend would spend most of it on building a strong spine to the team of which the hooker is one of the most important components. you seem to have gone for cheap options at full back and hooker and wasted the money on high profile injury prone has beens else where in the team. very good high profile signings for making an impression at the ridiculous pre season launch but some one must be feeling silly now the old men are predictably coming up short. well predictable to every one but the man with the cheque book.

You obviously havent watched much of Salford this season have you? Howarth has been absolutely awful, he has never been a hooker in his life (or at least until he joined Salford) as far as I know he played his junior RL as a loose forward. His distribution from dummy half is slow, he gives the opposition defeence at least 2 metres more than they should be getting and doesnt have the brain required to play at 9. Rarely does he spot a flagging tackler and run at him, infact I bet you can count on one hand the amount of times the lad has scooted from dummy half in the last 4 games.

As for the cheap option at full back, I cant imagine Mullaney was cheap considering his pedigree. He's also been one of the better signings and looks very lively in attack.

Which our of new "has been" signings have been injured yet then? Chase isnt a has been, Hock isnt a has been, Griffin isnt a has been, The only over 30 injury we have had this far is Meli as far as I can remember.

Next time you come on here trying to make a point, know a little bit about the subject before hand.

Re: Widnes on thursday : Wed Mar 12, 2014 9:08 am  

I'm really impressed with how many morons from other clubs we seem to be attracting to the site compared to other years. Obviously doing something right.

Re: Widnes on thursday : Wed Mar 12, 2014 10:54 am  

John Gilbert Reds wrote:

You obviously havent watched much of Salford this season have you? Howarth has been absolutely awful, he has never been a hooker in his life (or at least until he joined Salford) as far as I know he played his junior RL as a loose forward. His distribution from dummy half is slow, he gives the opposition defeence at least 2 metres more than they should be getting and doesnt have the brain required to play at 9. Rarely does he spot a flagging tackler and run at him, infact I bet you can count on one hand the amount of times the lad has scooted from dummy half in the last 4 games.

As for the cheap option at full back, I cant imagine Mullaney was cheap considering his pedigree. He's also been one of the better signings and looks very lively in attack.

Which our of new "has been" signings have been injured yet then? Chase isnt a has been, Hock isnt a has been, Griffin isnt a has been, The only over 30 injury we have had this far is Meli as far as I can remember.

Next time you come on here trying to make a point, know a little bit about the subject before hand.

my whole point beeing, why didn't you spend some on a good hooker whose distribution is good.

Re: Widnes on thursday : Wed Mar 12, 2014 10:56 am  

Chester J Lampwick wrote:

I'm really impressed with how many morons from other clubs we seem to be attracting to the site compared to other years. Obviously doing something right.

I'm more impressed how many people this troll is catching with his pish poor efforts.

Just more reason to hope Cas implode and go through the trap door.

Re: Widnes on thursday : Wed Mar 12, 2014 11:29 am  

Michigan red wrote:

I'm more impressed how many people this troll is catching with his pish poor efforts.

Just more reason to hope Cas implode and go through the trap door.

This doesn't get any less mad the more you post it.

Re: Widnes on thursday : Wed Mar 12, 2014 11:35 am  

newgroundb4wakey wrote:

my whole point beeing, why didn't you spend some on a good hooker whose distribution is good.

Same reason you didn't spend money on an English teacher: you think what you've got is good enough. Obviously, others would disagree.

Strange thing is, most of us would argue that we have got exactly the hooker you describe. Unfortunately, we've sent him on loan to Sheffield.

Re: Widnes on thursday : Wed Mar 12, 2014 11:36 am  

stouffer wrote:

This doesn't get any less mad the more you post it.

He needs to put the whole of Castleford (and Greg Johnson) on his foe list and be done with it.