Re: v WIDNES (a) : Tue Feb 18, 2014 12:00 pm
When you look at the side we put out you could note that there are some possibly stronger alternatives to come down the line e.g.Duckworth or Solomona rather than O'Callaghan
Farrar rather than Gigot
Greenwood rather than Wicks
Slyney rather than Lovell
Dollapi rather than Kransniqi
What led to the huge margin was that the opposition were on most plays making about twice as much distance on their attacking runs, probably about 10 metres rather than 5 metres. They were starting sets near our half way line and we were bringing them down, but they were starting the last play within our 20 metre zone.
They must have chipped the ball over our line at least 5 times for tries by simply out-jumping us with defenders in reach of the ball close to the tryline and putting the ball down.
Two more tries were due to us resting after a penalty was conceded and an individual error dropping the ball within our own try area.
Several other plays were really good ones where they ran the ball and we just weren't at the races due to the high skill level of Brown; tries that were hard to defend against. Widnes have a settled team and they were good plays that we can't easily get ready for. We can't let any playmaker have so much time in future that is for sure.
They weren't running in tries from all over the field which is at least one small relief I suppose.
We look desperate for a bit more size and if not we'll need to be more expansive than sending in a medium sized man 'one up' against a bigger line if we are to compete more in the next game.
We need to also be determined to catch the ball when chipped over and to fall forward over our own tryline rather than surrendering in goal in the remaining games.
Crikey, 10 hours on the road, it seemed like a long trip that is for sure but it is nothing compared to the 8 or 9 hours one way on a Friday night I've done in the past, so I will have to get used to the trips again.