Re: Boxing Day : Fri Dec 30, 2022 3:46 pm  

homme vaste wrote:

homme vaste wrote:

Albeit against a lesser opposition, I was impressed with quiet a few on boxing day but to call a few;

Ashurst doesn`t look to be slowing down at all, I was worried that age might be catching up with him at points last year but he looks as fit and as hungry as ever.

Atoni looked as strong as an ox and exactly what we need in the middle, to say he won`t yet be in the best condition having just arrived I thought he was a real handful.

Whitbread seemed to beat the first man every time he took the ball up, but I was particularly impressed with both Butler and Bowden who I thought looked strong in the carry and found quick PTBs.

I watched on trinity tv and Whitbread was head and shoulders the best player to take the field by a distance. The guy has such an engine and will be vital to us.

Bowden and Butler were solid in the middle making decent yards and crucially as you say a quick ptb. This is what we need from them, run hard and quick play the balls. I’ve no doubt the forward pack will be working hard to be in the best shape possible and be working on the technical side so they can carry us forwards.

Re: Boxing Day : Sat Dec 31, 2022 10:32 am  

Trojan Horse wrote:

Trojan Horse wrote:

I watched on trinity tv and Whitbread was head and shoulders the best player to take the field by a distance. The guy has such an engine and will be vital to us.

Bowden and Butler were solid in the middle making decent yards and crucially as you say a quick ptb. This is what we need from them, run hard and quick play the balls. I’ve no doubt the forward pack will be working hard to be in the best shape possible and be working on the technical side so they can carry us forwards.

Whitbread had a good game but head and shoulder! Can’t agree there tbh.

Re: Boxing Day : Sat Dec 31, 2022 12:13 pm  

Friendly games mean nothing ,though I am paying to go to hospitality for R Lynn testimonial. We will see were we are when the season starts My thoughts are ,though pack looks strong apart from 9 could be a hard slog for us to survive .Hope I am proved wrong

Re: Boxing Day : Sat Dec 31, 2022 2:38 pm  

alegend wrote:

alegend wrote:

Friendly games mean nothing ,though I am paying to go to hospitality for R Lynn testimonial. We will see were we are when the season starts My thoughts are ,though pack looks strong apart from 9 could be a hard slog for us to survive .Hope I am proved wrong

Optimist as ever.

Friendlies are no indicator of who will win when we meet Leeds in the SL, but then neither is the previous game a lot of the time.

What you look for are the following, imho.

First is Individual performances, especially the new lads and young kids.

So, Smith in truth was excellent and looks just what we need. Antoni is not Fifita, nobody is, but boy he looked quality on that showing.

Of the younger players, surely you had to be happy there. Of those on show both Eseh and Windrow looked ready to step up, physically both are very big units. Bowes looked like he'd mentally made the step up, looked first choice to me. The rest looked what they are, first season rookies, but good ones, gap fillers if needed.

Second is team cohesion.

By nature friendlies are chaotic and messy, especially in recent years in our case, so when you see a performance that isn't you have to be happy. If you can get your team playing off the same sheet at this stage then something is going right. If we carry on in this vein against Fax and Fev, we may actually hit the ground running and win some early points, something we have not done for a while.

On one game it's too early to say, but if the other two friendlies pan out the same, then I'd say you'd have to feel more confident.

However, when it comes to points, there are no prizes in friendlies, they are in essence enhanced training runs, but very worthwhile imho.

Re: Boxing Day : Sat Dec 31, 2022 3:14 pm  

Fully agree with you Vasty, and add hopefully no serious injuries.

Re: Boxing Day : Sat Dec 31, 2022 4:20 pm  

vastman wrote:

vastman wrote:

Whitbread had a good game but head and shoulder! Can’t agree there tbh.

Watched it live and twice since. Only reinforces my opinion, Whitbread was the best player on the park or best forward. Atoni though did have a good game with two very good offloads and took his try well.

High workrate, good yardage post contact. Technically very good getting fast PTB.

Then the extra’s you don’t expect from a prop in cutting down leeming who broke the line and chasing and diving on loose balls.

It’s fine if you don’t agree though and you’re free to put your points across on your player.

I came away feeling positive though looking at the 30 man squad I’m already quite optimistic we will have a decent season.

Re: Boxing Day : Tue Jan 03, 2023 4:04 pm  

Highlights now on YT https://youtu.be/HaCiI0DjZ_U

Highlights now on YT https://youtu.be/HaCiI0DjZ_U

Re: Boxing Day : Tue Jan 03, 2023 5:25 pm  

FULL MATCH

FULL MATCH

Re: Boxing Day : Fri Jan 06, 2023 8:56 pm  

A sign of things to come?

Leeds Rhinos forward James Donaldson has been charged with a Grade B offence of Throwing following his sin-binning against Wakefield Trinity on Boxing Day. The Cumbrian back-rower was yellow carded following a tackle on Trinity’s Oliver Pratt, but a change to the sport’s on-field misconduct rules means Donaldson has been fined, rather than banned.

The Match Review Panel, which met yesterday, charged Donaldson with a dangerous throw and issued a £250 fine, but he was not suspended. The panel minutes stated: “Other tackler’s actions were part of the problem (only applies where player is not aware of other tackler’s actions).”

Up until the end of the 2022 campaign, grade B charges carried a ban of one-two games – depending on the player’s previous record- and a fine would only be issued if the case went to a disciplinary hearing. Now, a grade B offence will now result in either a fine, one-match suspension, or both. Grade A offences - which previously could have led to a one-match penalty notice (ban) - will be punished by either a caution or a fine.

Re: Boxing Day : Fri Jan 06, 2023 9:35 pm  

Dunkirk Spirit wrote:

A sign of things to come?

Leeds Rhinos forward James Donaldson has been charged with a Grade B offence of Throwing following his sin-binning against Wakefield Trinity on Boxing Day. The Cumbrian back-rower was yellow carded following a tackle on Trinity’s Oliver Pratt, but a change to the sport’s on-field misconduct rules means Donaldson has been fined, rather than banned.

The Match Review Panel, which met yesterday, charged Donaldson with a dangerous throw and issued a £250 fine, but he was not suspended. The panel minutes stated: “Other tackler’s actions were part of the problem (only applies where player is not aware of other tackler’s actions).”

Up until the end of the 2022 campaign, grade B charges carried a ban of one-two games – depending on the player’s previous record- and a fine would only be issued if the case went to a disciplinary hearing. Now, a grade B offence will now result in either a fine, one-match suspension, or both. Grade A offences - which previously could have led to a one-match penalty notice (ban) - will be punished by either a caution or a fine.

Other tackler….

I thought Donaldson made the tackle solo vs Pratt and basically slammed him into the ground with no other players around him or involved. It was a dangerous tackle.

I just checked and there was some grabbing by another Leeds player but it was certainly still dangerous and Donaldson followed through with it too. I guess we will be seeing more sun bins and fines and less lengthy bans this season.