Time for some honesty. : Sat Aug 15, 2020 8:06 pm  

From the players & coach, it's not that they lost, it's the clueless way they lost, no effort & no organization !
If they cannot respond then regretfully, change /s has to be made !

Re: Time for some honesty. : Sat Aug 15, 2020 9:23 pm  

My family and I have been supporters of our great club for 38 years. We have also been regular season ticket holders for the same time period as well

I have witnessed some disappointing team performances over the years (and you don’t become and remain a Trinity fan if you expect otherwise), and during that time I have never taken to social media to ventilate my frustration about a game, but I am unable to contain my sheer anger and embarrassment at today’s woeful performance which was quite frankly a disgrace.

Our club has always prided itself on its grit, team spirit and determination but there was none of that on display today. I accept that there were injuries in the game, and that obviously has an effect on the level of performance, but those injuries do not excuse the complete lack of effort and leadership from minute one of the game. The players who took to the pitch today – a virtually full strength side - were highly capable of competing with that Catalans side but they delivered up a performance devoid of effort and any attacking threat and need to take a long hard look at themselves. Whilst many rational fans can overlook a number of issues, a complete lack of effort is not one of them. If many supporters had turned up to work and put the level of effort in that those players did today, the reality is that they would be sacked or at the least be facing some kind of disciplinary process.

It is not just the players who must take responsibility for that performance but also the coaching staff because the team is seemingly incapable of executing basic rugby league skills in both attack and, on the basis of today’s performance, defence. You did not need to listen to the embarrassing Sky commentary of the game to put your finger on the issues with the performance, which have not just appeared overnight but have been gradually developing ever since John Kear’s departure from the club and have often left us, and many supporters we know, feeling more and more disheartened with the direction of the team’s approach to playing the game:


1. There was no structure in attack whatsoever and at times you could throw a blanket over the whole team in the middle of the park. It may be unfair to draw comparisons with other teams but look at Salford, a team very similar to ours in terms of the calibre of playing personnel and budget constraints, who week in week out play free flowing rugby, utilise a deep attacking line, run onto the ball and use dummy runners to confuse the defence. In far too many games our attacking line is too flat, players do not run onto the ball, the passing is laboured/misdirected and there is too much one out rugby which makes it is so easy for defenders to gang tackle and pick off our runners. We desperately need a midfield general who can organise attacking structures because we seem rudderless in attack and have done for some time.

2. The kicking on last tackle of sets is woeful. In both this game, and the Wigan game last week, we did not contest kicks and kick pressure was virtually non-existent. We also seem unable to get any appreciable distance on kick-offs compared with other teams so whilst we end up taking first tackles on our 10m line, the opposition manage to reach the 20m line before being tackled.

3. Leadership from the captain was non-existent and often seems to be. It was plain for everyone to see today that there was no leadership on the field when heads dropped and when stood under the sticks - try after try - there was little, if any, communication from the captain to the other players.

4. The defence, which has been decent and has so often kept us in games over the last couple of seasons, deserted the team today but that is not the issue which concerns so many supporters.

5. The players last week and this week look completely unfit, lethargic and uncommitted to the cause. General fitness and match fitness are different but look at the NRL teams and many other Super League clubs, who right from the restart, are competing at the level they should be.

I am no coach and don’t profess to be one; just someone who cares passionately about my club and is frustrated by regularly attending matches and seeing points 1 – 3 identified above game after game, which have been issues now for a couple of seasons. I don’t know what the answer is but maybe an attacking coach to assist Chris Chester and a half back who can marshal the team around the park. I fear that if we continue to perform like we have for the rest of the season there will be a significant reduction in season ticket numbers, supporters will fall away and attracting new fans will be extremely challenging.

I listened to Chris Chester’s post match Sky press conference and I am all for blooding the younger lads in the squad and giving them a chance to prove themselves for the rest of the season but, let’s not be under any illusions here, that is not the panacea to issues 1-3 above, which many fans perceive as fundamental problems which urgently need addressing if we are to compete and survive at the highest level.

All of my family and I have committed to forgo any refund/rebate on our season tickets and have indicated that we will purchase season tickets for next season but, unless the level of commitment that Trinity deserves from its team and coaching staff is significantly raised over the next few games, I am afraid that regrettably we will no longer be season ticket holders and will no longer be sponsors in the future. For supporters for nearly 40 years this really is not an easy thing to say but it is unfair to expect loyal fans to give up valuable time and spend significant money supporting a team not willing to put in the effort and with seemingly no pride when they put on the red, white and blue.

Re: Time for some honesty. : Sat Aug 15, 2020 9:38 pm  

The players today just didn't look up for it. They looked flat, they looked soft and not up for a fight. There was no leadership on the pitch and it appears none off it. Games are going to come thick and fast over the next few weeks and to turn todays performance around is a big ask for the players and coaching staff. Are they capable ?, with 5 wins from the last 22 games I don't thing so.

Re: Time for some honesty. : Sat Aug 15, 2020 9:41 pm  

Milky is no good as captain, Chester is out of ideas and has no clue how to motivate his squad, and I've no idea what Gilmore does, but it doesn't seem to be much.

Re: Time for some honesty. : Sat Aug 15, 2020 10:10 pm  

My other team, Barnsley FC, had one or two occasions during the season just finished when they played "pretty badly", although not to the same level as today's debacle. What did the Club do? They made a public apology to all the fans and, I believe, on one particular instance they reimbursed travelling fans' expenses. I wonder if we will see any public statement from Belle Vue.

Re: Time for some honesty. : Sat Aug 15, 2020 10:14 pm  

Redscat wrote:

My other team, Barnsley FC, had one or two occasions during the season just finished when they played "pretty badly", although not to the same level as today's debacle. What did the Club do? They made a public apology to all the fans and, I believe, on one particular instance they reimbursed travelling fans' expenses. I wonder if we will see any public statement from Belle Vue.

They'll just blame the fans for not backing them while they get trounced

Re: Time for some honesty. : Sat Aug 15, 2020 10:22 pm  

Something seems so wrong with this club at the moment.

How can we go toe to toe one week, against one of the top sides over the past 30 years, and then serve up something like this.

We have a coach, with 5 wins in about 23 games, an ex NRL player as captain, who seems undroppable, despite his last half decent game 2 seasons ago.

Add to this, our self appointed CEO goes away from social media. I do recall him saying when he became chairman back in August 2013, that the club need to be more transparent.

Re: Time for some honesty. : Sat Aug 15, 2020 10:35 pm  

Eastern Wildcat wrote:

Something seems so wrong with this club at the moment.

How can we go toe to toe one week, against one of the top sides over the past 30 years, and then serve up something like this.

We have a coach, with 5 wins in about 23 games, an ex NRL player as captain, who seems undroppable, despite his last half decent game 2 seasons ago.

Add to this, our self appointed CEO goes away from social media. I do recall him saying when he became chairman back in August 2013, that the club need to be more transparent.

I don’t think the club could be any more transparent. I don’t know why MC is getting flak for today.

The buck stops with Chester. For the past two years at least the rugby served up has been one dimensional.

Re: Time for some honesty. : Sat Aug 15, 2020 10:39 pm  

dpbnov wrote:

My family and I have been supporters of our great club for 38 years. We have also been regular season ticket holders for the same time period as well

I have witnessed some disappointing team performances over the years (and you don’t become and remain a Trinity fan if you expect otherwise), and during that time I have never taken to social media to ventilate my frustration about a game, but I am unable to contain my sheer anger and embarrassment at today’s woeful performance which was quite frankly a disgrace.

Our club has always prided itself on its grit, team spirit and determination but there was none of that on display today. I accept that there were injuries in the game, and that obviously has an effect on the level of performance, but those injuries do not excuse the complete lack of effort and leadership from minute one of the game. The players who took to the pitch today – a virtually full strength side - were highly capable of competing with that Catalans side but they delivered up a performance devoid of effort and any attacking threat and need to take a long hard look at themselves. Whilst many rational fans can overlook a number of issues, a complete lack of effort is not one of them. If many supporters had turned up to work and put the level of effort in that those players did today, the reality is that they would be sacked or at the least be facing some kind of disciplinary process.

It is not just the players who must take responsibility for that performance but also the coaching staff because the team is seemingly incapable of executing basic rugby league skills in both attack and, on the basis of today’s performance, defence. You did not need to listen to the embarrassing Sky commentary of the game to put your finger on the issues with the performance, which have not just appeared overnight but have been gradually developing ever since John Kear’s departure from the club and have often left us, and many supporters we know, feeling more and more disheartened with the direction of the team’s approach to playing the game:


1. There was no structure in attack whatsoever and at times you could throw a blanket over the whole team in the middle of the park. It may be unfair to draw comparisons with other teams but look at Salford, a team very similar to ours in terms of the calibre of playing personnel and budget constraints, who week in week out play free flowing rugby, utilise a deep attacking line, run onto the ball and use dummy runners to confuse the defence. In far too many games our attacking line is too flat, players do not run onto the ball, the passing is laboured/misdirected and there is too much one out rugby which makes it is so easy for defenders to gang tackle and pick off our runners. We desperately need a midfield general who can organise attacking structures because we seem rudderless in attack and have done for some time.

2. The kicking on last tackle of sets is woeful. In both this game, and the Wigan game last week, we did not contest kicks and kick pressure was virtually non-existent. We also seem unable to get any appreciable distance on kick-offs compared with other teams so whilst we end up taking first tackles on our 10m line, the opposition manage to reach the 20m line before being tackled.

3. Leadership from the captain was non-existent and often seems to be. It was plain for everyone to see today that there was no leadership on the field when heads dropped and when stood under the sticks - try after try - there was little, if any, communication from the captain to the other players.

4. The defence, which has been decent and has so often kept us in games over the last couple of seasons, deserted the team today but that is not the issue which concerns so many supporters.

5. The players last week and this week look completely unfit, lethargic and uncommitted to the cause. General fitness and match fitness are different but look at the NRL teams and many other Super League clubs, who right from the restart, are competing at the level they should be.

I am no coach and don’t profess to be one; just someone who cares passionately about my club and is frustrated by regularly attending matches and seeing points 1 – 3 identified above game after game, which have been issues now for a couple of seasons. I don’t know what the answer is but maybe an attacking coach to assist Chris Chester and a half back who can marshal the team around the park. I fear that if we continue to perform like we have for the rest of the season there will be a significant reduction in season ticket numbers, supporters will fall away and attracting new fans will be extremely challenging.

I listened to Chris Chester’s post match Sky press conference and I am all for blooding the younger lads in the squad and giving them a chance to prove themselves for the rest of the season but, let’s not be under any illusions here, that is not the panacea to issues 1-3 above, which many fans perceive as fundamental problems which urgently need addressing if we are to compete and survive at the highest level.

All of my family and I have committed to forgo any refund/rebate on our season tickets and have indicated that we will purchase season tickets for next season but, unless the level of commitment that Trinity deserves from its team and coaching staff is significantly raised over the next few games, I am afraid that regrettably we will no longer be season ticket holders and will no longer be sponsors in the future. For supporters for nearly 40 years this really is not an easy thing to say but it is unfair to expect loyal fans to give up valuable time and spend significant money supporting a team not willing to put in the effort and with seemingly no pride when they put on the red, white and blue.

Re: Time for some honesty. : Sat Aug 15, 2020 11:07 pm  

Willzay wrote:

I don’t think the club could be any more transparent. I don’t know why MC is getting flak for today.

The buck stops with Chester. For the past two years at least the rugby served up has been one dimensional.

I guess he's getting flack because ultimately, he's one of the decision makers about where we go next, and history tells us that he's unwilling/unable to have the difficult conversations with coaching staff