What next? : Sat Apr 10, 2021 7:15 pm  

Another loss and another poor second half.
We are being completely dominated in the forwards and this seems to be taking its toll
in the second half as we run out of steam.
We need to to make better decisions in attack and our two first choice centres are still a
long way from their best. Tupou currently seems to pass when he shouldn't and would strengthen
the three quarters by moving to the wing. Arundel who is our best passing centre could then be brought in.
In the forwards I am sure that Battye will add some grunt but what has happened to the explosive runs of Tanginoa.
The lines run by him and Ashurst have not been good enough this season and the coaching time must sort this out soon.
Finally what do we do at hooker. Can I suggest that the team look at Dwyer's performance for Leeds this afternoon.
Fast and decisive is what we need at 9 with the ability to scoot from acting half back to get us on the front foot.
Statistics do not lie and our current win percentage is unacceptable. Changes in our style of play have to be made to avoid casualties in the coaching set up.

Re: What next? : Mon Apr 12, 2021 10:18 pm  

I just don’t get why given our apparent weakness in the pack we don’t shift it wide more often and stop Having 3/4s driving the ball up for at least half the tackles in a set.

Re: What next? : Mon Apr 12, 2021 10:31 pm  

Schunter wrote:

I just don’t get why given our apparent weakness in the pack we don’t shift it wide more often and stop Having 3/4s driving the ball up for at least half the tackles in a set.

I agree, we always seem to make more yardage when spreading the ball. Some sets we drive it up 4 tackles.

Take last week against Catalans. After half time the commentary said a Chesters talk was to go through them (I’m assuming down the middle). Being too focused too much down the middle can be negative imo and it certainly didn’t end well. We need to play to our strengths and move the ball and stretch teams on the edges more.

Teams tend to employ a rush defence when we are trundling our forwards in and it really puts us on the back foot. In fact I notice teams press us in defence more than other teams when I’m watching on sky. We need to find a way to combat that and work around it. The rare ocassion we spread wide early the opposition backs tend to be more standoffish allowing good yard gains.

Re: What next? : Tue Apr 13, 2021 7:57 am  

Schunter wrote:

I just don’t get why given our apparent weakness in the pack we don’t shift it wide more often and stop Having 3/4s driving the ball up for at least half the tackles in a set.

Come on mate your a savvy watcher of the game. You can't spread the ball wide to the wingers when they are the ones driving it in!

I reckon Senior who is skin and bones drove it in more than any prop! I may be wrong but that's how it looked. We can't then expect them to run the length.

Our pack, especially our big men simply don't do a full shift. At about that magical 50 minute mark, the opposition can smell it and they go for us, three times on the bop.

I'll keep saying it, our pack is soft, with the exception of Arona.

Re: What next? : Tue Apr 13, 2021 8:03 am  

vastman wrote:

Come on mate your a savvy watcher of the game. You can't spread the ball wide to the wingers when they are the ones driving it in!

I reckon Senior who is skin and bones drove it in more than any prop! I may be wrong but that's how it looked. We can't then expect them to run the length.

Our pack, especially our big men simply don't do a full shift. At about that magical 50 minute mark, the opposition can smell it and they go for us, three times on the bop.

I'll keep saying it, our pack is soft, with the exception of Arona.

So the question is then why? For me it is clearly a tactic from the coach(es) surely given it's consistency of occurrence? And if it isn't then it's still the coaches' responsibility to stop it happening game after game anyway. More to the point it gives the opposition so much confidence when on the first couple of tackles they've restricted us to 5 metre gains that their energy levels must be invigorated so by the time our props are on the scene (who half the time are at a standing start receiving the ball which is another story altogether) the opposition's peckers are up Tadulala style. It kills me watching Johnstone driving the ball into their middle men what a complete waste

Re: What next? : Tue Apr 13, 2021 8:08 am  

vastman wrote:

Come on mate your a savvy watcher of the game. You can't spread the ball wide to the wingers when they are the ones driving it in!

I reckon Senior who is skin and bones drove it in more than any prop! I may be wrong but that's how it looked. We can't then expect them to run the length.

Our pack, especially our big men simply don't do a full shift. At about that magical 50 minute mark, the opposition can smell it and they go for us, three times on the bop.

I'll keep saying it, our pack is soft, with the exception of Arona.

I’ve been saying it for ages regards our backs, they are our match winners but continuously are asked to run the ball off our line. Tj, bill , senior lyne and whoever plays full back. The forwards should be ashamed of themselves with these backs taking it in and getting pushed back, not suprised we don’t make ground. I would sooner the backs take say 7 quality runs in rather than 25 getting battered, injuries will follow. I though Catalan did well with their tactics kick it to senior or jowitt drive them back, or tj get a good chase on him and let him run it in and he’s out of all the set

Re: What next? : Tue Apr 13, 2021 8:47 am  

MOPSEY LIVES ON wrote:

I’ve been saying it for ages regards our backs, they are our match winners but continuously are asked to run the ball off our line. Tj, bill , senior lyne and whoever plays full back. The forwards should be ashamed of themselves with these backs taking it in and getting pushed back, not suprised we don’t make ground. I would sooner the backs take say 7 quality runs in rather than 25 getting battered, injuries will follow. I though Catalan did well with their tactics kick it to senior or jowitt drive them back, or tj get a good chase on him and let him run it in and he’s out of all the set

I agree with all of that.

The question is who's fault is it. Everyone blames Chester but I don't think that's the plan he's putting forward, I just think certain players are choosing to interpret it to suit themselves.

That said CC needs t get a grip, on that we agree. I have no issue with players 1 -7, it's 8 - 13 where the issue is.

I do hope the players read this forum because I've been calling the pack out as soft for weeks as have most fans and I stand by it. I hate doing it but to me, it seems obvious, to me our front row in particular seems like a retirement home.

Catalan tactics are the tactics every team will use from now on to beat us, easiest team in the league to play against are we. The tragedy is that for thirty minutes against Leeds we had the formula and scored three times! Then we stopped.

As I'm not in the team I don't know who's to blame, I'm beginning to feel it's both the forwards and the coach.

CC needs to do a Fergy, drop the prima donnas and run with youth, we won't win but we will start to move forwards. Aydin isn't ready but he's still given more than the rest and so on.

God this is depressing because unlike some on here you and me know the talent is there, certainly enough talent to be way better than we are.

Re: What next? : Tue Apr 13, 2021 10:19 am  

vastman wrote:

I agree with all of that.

The question is who's fault is it. Everyone blames Chester but I don't think that's the plan he's putting forward, I just think certain players are choosing to interpret it to suit themselves.

That said CC needs t get a grip, on that we agree. I have no issue with players 1 -7, it's 8 - 13 where the issue is.

I do hope the players read this forum because I've been calling the pack out as soft for weeks as have most fans and I stand by it. I hate doing it but to me, it seems obvious, to me our front row in particular seems like a retirement home.

Catalan tactics are the tactics every team will use from now on to beat us, easiest team in the league to play against are we. The tragedy is that for thirty minutes against Leeds we had the formula and scored three times! Then we stopped.

As I'm not in the team I don't know who's to blame, I'm beginning to feel it's both the forwards and the coach.

CC needs to do a Fergy, drop the prima donnas and run with youth, we won't win but we will start to move forwards. Aydin isn't ready but he's still given more than the rest and so on.

God this is depressing because unlike some on here you and me know the talent is there, certainly enough talent to be way better than we are.

Ive said before if we had a crap 1-17 we’d of been blown off the park after 5 mins but we’re not we’re losing composure after 50 mins ie poor decisions, penalties (slowing down play ball, poor fitness) and Ill discipline penalties like high tackles and stripping balls. I just don’t understand how we have literally no set attacking moves on the opposition line, it’s literally wang it around in hope, there’s no clear structures or set plays. I’m not saying we’re a top 5 team but we are no where near playing to what we could as the second half performances are that atrocious. If the league was dictated on first half performances we’d be alright. I think CC messed up bulling Lino up saying he’ll set super league alight (similar phrase in his interview), he’s just got a bullseye now on his back to hit the ground running in a poor performing team, with no forwards laying any platforms.

Re: What next? : Tue Apr 13, 2021 11:38 am  

Our forwards are too soft and light - have we really ever properly replaced England, Huby and even Hirst. Even he ran it in harder than Green! Our pack is shot.......we've had the same lads for many years now.....age & injuries have taken their toll.......Ashurst, Fifita, Arona etc all look a former shadow of themselves.

A clear out in the forwards is needed.......and that's not going to be cheap.

Re: What next? : Tue Apr 13, 2021 11:50 am  

Mary Millington wrote:

Our forwards are too soft and light - have we really ever properly replaced England, Huby and even Hirst. Even he ran it in harder than Green! Our pack is shot.......we've had the same lads for many years now.....age & injuries have taken their toll.......Ashurst, Fifita, Arona etc all look a former shadow of themselves.

A clear out in the forwards is needed.......and that's not going to be cheap.

Can't agree on Arona he's been excellent, no need to throw the baby out with the bathwater. Hard to defend the rest I have to conceed.