Re: Squad for Bradford : Wed Mar 11, 2020 2:04 pm  

I can only think of one player in the past who has stuck to his allegiance with the club as Max Jowitt has, and that was the late (and great!) Ken Hirst.
Ken constantly played second to other wingers, such as Prinsloo, Coetzer and Fred Smith and probably others. Yet he stuck with the club (having made his debut as a 16 year old), for years and nearly won the watersplash final for us.
Somehow, I don't think Max will stick around with the same patience and who the hell can blame him.
I think since his time here he's been treated badly to say the least.

Re: Squad for Bradford : Wed Mar 11, 2020 2:13 pm  

You forgot Stan Smith from the same era, he was a one club man at Wakey as was his namesake Fred who despite being signed on at Leeds never played for them only Wakey.

Re: Squad for Bradford : Wed Mar 11, 2020 2:29 pm  

little wayne69 wrote:

You forgot Stan Smith from the same era, he was a one club man at Wakey as was his namesake Fred who despite being signed on at Leeds never played for them only Wakey.

If he's old enough to remember Fred Smith its hardly surprising that he can't remember ! Being serious if Jowitt is fit surely a fairer test would be give them a game each, as a matter of courtesy would have thought max should (if fit) remained in the squad - we actually have 4 players in the squad that won't play so surely we could have extended him that courtesy

Re: Squad for Bradford : Wed Mar 11, 2020 2:34 pm  

Toronto is a game we need to win to give us a relegation buffer, and after that are four games where two wins would be a major result (Wigan, Leeds and Cas at home, and Saints away). If there was any game to bring Brough and Fifita back, it's the cup game. On his day, Brough is a much better player than Jowitt. That isn't bagging Jowitt, because on his day Brough is better than most. It'll give Chester an insight into how many days Brough might have left. Until he hurt his hand last year, he was the bees knees.

If Jowitt is to be first choice, arguably Chester would be mad to risk him in a cup game when there is an able deputy in Brough.

He can't win sometimes.

Re: Squad for Bradford : Wed Mar 11, 2020 2:45 pm  

Slugger McBatt wrote:

Toronto is a game we need to win to give us a relegation buffer, and after that are four games where two wins would be a major result (Wigan, Leeds and Cas at home, and Saints away). If there was any game to bring Brough and Fifita back, it's the cup game. On his day, Brough is a much better player than Jowitt. That isn't bagging Jowitt, because on his day Brough is better than most. It'll give Chester an insight into how many days Brough might have left. Until he hurt his hand last year, he was the bees knees.

If Jowitt is to be first choice, arguably Chester would be mad to risk him in a cup game when there is an able deputy in Brough.

He can't win sometimes.

TBH thats not quite the point I was trying to make I get giving brough a run what I dont get is dropping jowitt out of the squad

Re: Squad for Bradford : Wed Mar 11, 2020 3:04 pm  

Slugger McBatt wrote:

If Jowitt is to be first choice, arguably Chester would be mad to risk him in a cup game when there is an able deputy in Brough.

That's how I see it - and given that it's ostensibly a match we should win at a canter, if Jowitt needs a week to fix up any niggles, this would be the right week.

Re: Squad for Bradford : Wed Mar 11, 2020 3:27 pm  

It can only be fair to assume that Max has picked up a knock otherwise he would surely have made the 21.

On current form he is easily our first choice full back and first choice half back and if it's a case of someone making way for Brough then Miller and Walker should have been way more obvious candidates than Jowitt.

Re: Squad for Bradford : Wed Mar 11, 2020 4:06 pm  

Kirmudgeonly wrote:

If he's old enough to remember Fred Smith its hardly surprising that he can't remember ! Being serious if Jowitt is fit surely a fairer test would be give them a game each, as a matter of courtesy would have thought max should (if fit) remained in the squad - we actually have 4 players in the squad that won't play so surely we could have extended him that courtesy

I did say at the end who'd be a coach, as a fan you have to respect the coaches decisions he'll stand or fall by those, that's why I don't criticise, all I will say is he's in a privileged position doing a job he loves and getting paid reasonably well for it, personally I'm not really bothered who plays where, and it makes sense to bring Fifita and Brough back this week, but bringing sentiment into it, which tbh Chester can't afford that you can't help feeling sorry for Max, I also agree with what Wrencat said when he said that Chester picks his favourites and fwiw I honestly don't think that Max is.

Re: Squad for Bradford : Wed Mar 11, 2020 4:20 pm  

little wayne69 wrote:

I did say at the end who'd be a coach, as a fan you have to respect the coaches decisions he'll stand or fall by those, that's why I don't criticise, all I will say is he's in a privileged position doing a job he loves and getting paid reasonably well for it, personally I'm not really bothered who plays where, and it makes sense to bring Fifita and Brough back this week, but bringing sentiment into it, which tbh Chester can't afford that you can't help feeling sorry for Max, I also agree with what Wrencat said when he said that Chester picks his favourites and fwiw I honestly don't think that Max is.

I think one of our problems (and I say problems tongue-in-cheek, as it's not a bad one to have) is that we have four players who are of equal or similar ability. At some clubs, the half-back pairing or full back have obvious first choices. In our case, our half-back pairings are either Brough-Miller, Miller-Rocky, Miller-Jowitt, Brough-Jowitt, Brough-Rocky, Rocky-Jowitt, but they are all so similar in quality that it is hard to pick a winner. Similarly at full-back, not much to choose between Rocky and Jowitt, and Walker was good last year at London.

How a coach chooses, I don't know. Do you pick Miller-Jowitt because you think Rocky is a better full-back, or Miller-Rocky because Rocky is a better stand-off, or whatever combination? And factor in Brough, who can be superb with his kicking game on the right day, it's a coaches nightmare. Any combination sort of works, but every combination leaves one of the four out. And with Walker, five.

[PopTart]

Re: Squad for Bradford : Wed Mar 11, 2020 4:25 pm  

Chester is on record saying Brough has to earn his place back.

And on the one club man thing JT is exactly that guy. Was second fiddle for a long time but stuck it out to bring one of the most popular at the club.