Re: Mark Applegarth : Wed Sep 14, 2022 11:14 am  

Really looking forward to this appointment. Well done Mark A you have created a great pathway to the first team built up teams that believe in themselves.
Earlier this season I hear you were instrumental with your dealings with the players in your capacity as an assistant coach helping to turn the season around after what could only be described as a disastrous run of results. Good luck and lets see you spot the talent now for the campaign ahead and develop a a focussed team of players who refuse to give up.

Re: Mark Applegarth : Wed Sep 14, 2022 11:15 am  

I hope he does well ,the club now has to back him with some quality players.

Re: Mark Applegarth : Wed Sep 14, 2022 11:21 am  

Big call, massive call, but he will have my full support. Good luck Mark.

Re: Mark Applegarth : Wed Sep 14, 2022 11:29 am  

I consider this a line in the sand.

Redevelopment of ground started.

Virtually a blank piece of paper re the squad.

And what seems an educated, bright and knowledgeable young coach.

Let's hope it all comes together.

Good luck to us all.

Re: Mark Applegarth : Wed Sep 14, 2022 11:34 am  

Feels like the cheaper of the cheap options! I dont understand replacing an in-experienced head coach with another, however it sounds like he is well respected in the club so good luck to him.

Re: Mark Applegarth : Wed Sep 14, 2022 11:43 am  

charlie wrote:

Feels like the cheaper of the cheap options! I dont understand replacing an in-experienced head coach with another, however it sounds like he is well respected in the club so good luck to him.

One may be happier to work within the constraints placed upon them.

Re: Mark Applegarth : Wed Sep 14, 2022 11:47 am  

Pleased with this myself, done a fine job so far, Good luck and I predict a top 6 season with him in charge.

Re: Mark Applegarth : Wed Sep 14, 2022 12:00 pm  

Rohan Smith seems to be doing ok. A short stint at Bradford and no NRL or SL experience and a similar age. Of course he has the all important accent but appear from that not much in it.

Plenty of coaches have taken over clubs with far less of a grounding than Applegarth and done just fine.

Apparently he’s one dimensional, well I quite like that because that dimension seems to be producing teams that win more often than they lose.

They also say that if your good enough your old enough, same applies to coaching.

I think he will find it hard to start with and will need to win over older players but that’s his challenge. Truth is that I’ve rarely seen so called experienced coaches manage that very often.

He’s Trinity to the core, it’s a good start. He knows the British game and he knows the quality of the players at other clubs. If we are on a budget that’s the knowledge you need.

Re: Mark Applegarth : Wed Sep 14, 2022 12:06 pm  

Shaun Wane and Matt Peet come to mind straight away, and Rohan Smith, as others have mentioned. A better option than a lifelong assistant fancying a go, which was the likeliest route.

I'm happy with it. It might turn out wrong. It might not. But that's the same for anyone who comes in.

Re: Mark Applegarth : Wed Sep 14, 2022 12:50 pm  

I like the appointment. If you look at the overall direction the club is going with the younger lads coming through. And success of academies/reserves/PDRL/WTLRL . It’s developing clear pathways in our own system which for me will be a lot more successful and sustainable going forward. With mash going through that same system on the coaching side. Hopefully the players buy in and our core group of British youth players plus with a couple quality overseas signings we can play a brand of rugby we can be proud of next year