: Sun Feb 22, 2009 12:48 pm  

Richeastender wrote:

Lowes and Noble are both products of the Bulls way of playing, and it is boring and ineffective.
A coach should at least be able to engender some pride and spirit in the team. There is none apparent in that shambles tonight.
A lot of that team are taking the money under false pretences!

5 consecutive Grand Finals, SL titles and World Club Championships?

: Sun Feb 22, 2009 12:50 pm  

you remind me of leeds not so many years ago .
i think its a C.E like gary hetherington .
it was who put leeds on the right track after years of paying money to big name merceneries , a team with no spirit or passion and giving a few good performances a season just to keep the fans interest ,but winning nothing

: Sun Feb 22, 2009 1:00 pm  

Nobles style of a giant bulked up team doing 5 drives & a kick worked for the time. Millward (for all his failings) was a brilliant tactician. He changed the way Saints ran & tackled which not only ended the Bradford dominance but are now established coaching techniques in our game at all levels. It's outdated.

The "ooh look at the guns on him" comments on here were laughable. How's anything we've done pre-season improved our team an ounce. We fell to bits second half last season. The "meaningless" friendly v KR was a clear indication that nothings changed. We're running on quicksand.

At least with Nobby we'll still be poop but will save some money after binning all this junior development rubbish like he has at Wigan.

: Sun Feb 22, 2009 1:07 pm  

Nobby got in my opinion a very ordinary Wigan side to within 80 mins of the Grand Final last season, and once in the game, they missed out on a GF appearance by one score, to eventual winners Leeds.

He may well coach 'boring' teams, he may well ditch exciting youngsters, he may well even still be coaching a gameplan that is a little out of date, but to write it off as history, and to claim he's ineffective for me is daft. At the business end of the season, he's one of the best coaches around at guiding his troops towards Old Trafford, for me, the last couple of years they've just left themselves with a bit much too do, but they've got a damn sight closer than we have, and I know who I'd want in our camp come September.

All that said, I'd much rather have Tony Smith.

: Sun Feb 22, 2009 1:15 pm  

Your first win of the season will be Leeds at home.

You've a pretty good record against the Rhinos at Home and win or lose the WCC against Manly Leeds will be there for the taking.

Last year Cas murdered them the week after the WCC and this time round Leeds have lots of injuries/minor niggles and no doubt will pick more up in what should be a physical battle against Manly.

: Sun Feb 22, 2009 10:28 pm  

'Hitman' Norvern Soul wrote:

5 consecutive Grand Finals, SL titles and World Club Championships?

And the last one was????

How can anybody not support hanley but support noble when in sporting terms, both are well into the past.

Re: Since Paul Cullen went : Sun Feb 22, 2009 10:36 pm  

Sporting Billy wrote:

We're still suffering from the effort we put into the Saints game. Not last weeks, the one in August!

Indeed, and that is very poor too!

: Sun Feb 22, 2009 10:45 pm  

Cullen last 15 games.
WLWWWLWWLLLLWLL
7 wins, 8 losses.
347 points scored (23.1 per game), 378 against (25.2 per game)

Lowes first 15 games.
WWLWWWWWLLLLLLL
7 wins, 8 losses.
385 points scored (25.7 per game), 447 against (29.8 per game)

: Mon Feb 23, 2009 10:01 am  

the squad lowes inherited is far superior to the one Cullen inherited.

: Mon Feb 23, 2009 11:13 am  

FWIW I was extremely impressed witgh Wire when you played at knowsley road t'other week. Extremely pysical pack led by Carvell and Morley, defended hard, made very few mistakes and had a good kicking game.

It may not've been super entertaining, but it was good solid armwrestle rugby. Only problem was that you ran out of steam.

I came away from the ground saying "they'll beat some good sides this year".

That's only judging on one game mind.