Thoughts : Mon Apr 04, 2022 4:42 pm  

Some real positives from yesterday and some things to work on :
- Another two points in the bag, this is going to be a very competitive League, no poor sides, it really is ` every minute counts `
- Salford are a good team, yes they had a few missing but all sides have injuries, they look a strong side and I thought they played some good rugby, their forwards were a handful and in Snyed they have a great organiser, and yet we came away with the win.
- TJ just keeps getting better but how good has Hall been for us, he has made the step up to SL, grasped his chance and just looks 100 % the part.
- Our back row strength in depth is impressive, Ashurst, Pitts, Walker, Crowther, Batch, Adyin, Whitbread all look the part, defend well and honestly any combination of the 6 doesn't seem to make any difference.
- We have several decent goal kickers.
- Liam Kay has proven beyond doubt that he is a quality player.
- Hopefully the coaching staff have now worked out that Kelepi is a prop. Think he did 35 minutes in his first spell, was heavily involved with 10 plus carries, just get him carrying on a straight hard line near the ruck and he will get us on the front foot.
- We look fitter than I can remember since the days when we had that ex Saints and Huddersfield fitness chap on board in the Korkidas days.

- Would like to see Hood get on his skates a bit more between plays, I am a big fan and I love the way he brings our forwards onto the ball, he has improved the team but he just seems to mouch around between plays when we have the ball and I would like to see him speed up play.
- Kay is doing a first class job on the wing, he was my MOM yesterday, I thought he was excellent, that said we need him at 9 to come on and give us that change of focus, to zip around the ruck and really test out the defence. I would like to see John Daveetanivalu get a few games, he looked a real handful against Halifax in pre season. I really like Crowther but not sure him covering 9 maximises his best attributes.
- Only real concern is a lack of Rugby brains from who ever are the leaders on the pitch, I love the effort, desire, team spirit etc but boy oh boy who is making the call to go for short drop outs when we have a healthy lead, who is deciding to turn down the 2 when we get penalties. We need to lean to rein it in a bit and be a little more respectful of possession.

- Absolutely delighted to hear Willie talk so much sense after games, no longer are we hearing coaches and players talk about finishing in so and so position, that we are a top four side etc etc. We are just looking to improve, take each game as it comes. For years we have had squads that at some stage in the season have fallen in love with themselves and come a cropper. Willie by the sounds of it will not let the players get ahead of themselves.

Re: Thoughts : Mon Apr 04, 2022 4:48 pm  

bellycouldtackle wrote:

Some real positives from yesterday and some things to work on :
- Another two points in the bag, this is going to be a very competitive League, no poor sides, it really is ` every minute counts `
- Salford are a good team, yes they had a few missing but all sides have injuries, they look a strong side and I thought they played some good rugby, their forwards were a handful and in Snyed they have a great organiser, and yet we came away with the win.
- TJ just keeps getting better but how good has Hall been for us, he has made the step up to SL, grasped his chance and just looks 100 % the part.
- Our back row strength in depth is impressive, Ashurst, Pitts, Walker, Crowther, Batch, Adyin, Whitbread all look the part, defend well and honestly any combination of the 6 doesn't seem to make any difference.
- We have several decent goal kickers.
- Liam Kay has proven beyond doubt that he is a quality player.
- Hopefully the coaching staff have now worked out that Kelepi is a prop. Think he did 35 minutes in his first spell, was heavily involved with 10 plus carries, just get him carrying on a straight hard line near the ruck and he will get us on the front foot.
- We look fitter than I can remember since the days when we had that ex Saints and Huddersfield fitness chap on board in the Korkidas days.

- Would like to see Hood get on his skates a bit more between plays, I am a big fan and I love the way he brings our forwards onto the ball, he has improved the team but he just seems to mouch around between plays when we have the ball and I would like to see him speed up play.
- Kay is doing a first class job on the wing, he was my MOM yesterday, I thought he was excellent, that said we need him at 9 to come on and give us that change of focus, to zip around the ruck and really test out the defence. I would like to see John Daveetanivalu get a few games, he looked a real handful against Halifax in pre season. I really like Crowther but not sure him covering 9 maximises his best attributes.
- Only real concern is a lack of Rugby brains from who ever are the leaders on the pitch, I love the effort, desire, team spirit etc but boy oh boy who is making the call to go for short drop outs when we have a healthy lead, who is deciding to turn down the 2 when we get penalties. We need to lean to rein it in a bit and be a little more respectful of possession.

- Absolutely delighted to hear Willie talk so much sense after games, no longer are we hearing coaches and players talk about finishing in so and so position, that JK we are a top four side etc etc. We are just looking to improve, take each game as it comes. For years we have had squads that at some stage in the season have fallen in love with themselves and come a cropper. Willie by the sounds of it will not let the players get ahead of themselves.

Shouldn’t you be at Cas supporting the club with the boy genius?

Seriously though Belly I don’t know how you have the cheek at times.

Re: Thoughts : Mon Apr 04, 2022 5:16 pm  

My thoughts on a few of those points...

Agree on Salford...think they've the makings of a very good side and will shock a few like us...

Hall has been brilliant...staggering how Leeds let him go and play Sutcliffe and Briscoe in the centres! Hall has everything...that pass for the first try was right out of the top drawer, a superb piece of skill...I never thought I'd say this but Bill Tupou is going to struggle to shift Hall from that left centre birth if he carries on playing like he is...surely he'll have some kind of dip at some point but we've snapped an outstanding young player back up.

As seen yesterday with Sneyd missing...kicks are such an important part of the game nowadays...can have real big swings in momentum...we've got arguably the best goalkicker in the league in Lino and to have both Jowitt and Batchelor as back ups, who are both excellent is a real plus.

Kay is having a great season whether that at 9 or on the wing...playing really well and confidence must be sky high, especially with signing a new deal too...it's well deserved...I do like Hood though, think he's been a key signing...a good old fashioned number 9...also got high hopes for Bowes from what I've seen...Crowther does ok there but he's much better at loose...we just seem to lose a bit when he's at 9..

I've always been happy with Kelepi at prop...even last season when everyone was berating Chester for playing him there...the best game I saw him have was against Saints where I thought he outplayed Walmsley which is no mean feat...he's a strong runner and 9 times out of 10 wins the collsion and can get on the front foot with a quick play the ball
which is a huge asset. I wouldn't rule out games in the second row or spells there though...thought there were signs at Warrington that he had a great understanding with Lino and made countless line breaks off quality Lino passes...in Poaching we've got a thinking coach though who can utilise him in different ways depending on the oppostion.

Think the game management yesterday was just a sign we were getting a little carried away with ourselves! We probably thought it was game over at half time with the lead and how well we've been finishing games...maybe an over confidence and trying things you don't need to at 20 points up. I acrually think the short dropout is the best risk for reward play there is...if you kick it 40 metres say...a forward gets a clean run and makes probably 20 metres then has a full set...if the kicks good you've an excellent chance of getting posession back and if you don't they probably start another 10-20 metres further forward....that said...at 20 points up and when it's already failed it probably wasn't the best idea...it's all a learning curve moving forward though and is probably a good thing it happened yesterday....I know it's lesser opposition but thought our game management againt Toulousse was excellent so we do have it in us...

Things are certainly looking bright at the minute...team full of confidence...pretty healthy injury wise...a big run of fixtures coming up...killer short turnaround games have been a big achilles heel for us in recent seasons so with many fringe players chomping at the bit and proving themselves previously I hope WP uses his squad over the easter period....three massive games coming up....if we can turn Wigan over and then win 1 or both of the easter fixtures we'll be in a cup semi final and top half of the league having played Saints, Catalans, Warrington and Wigan all away from home...what a position that could be in a few weeks!

Re: Thoughts : Tue Apr 05, 2022 12:14 pm  

bellycouldtackle, the conditioner was Geoff Evans, father or uncle of Dally cherry Evans (sp) who was offered to us at the time GE was here

Re: Thoughts : Tue Apr 05, 2022 12:48 pm  

JINJER wrote:

bellycouldtackle, the conditioner was Geoff Evans, father or uncle of Dally cherry Evans (sp) who was offered to us at the time GE was here

Didn’t know that, still we’d have only sold him on at the time

Re: Thoughts : Tue Apr 05, 2022 5:09 pm  

I agree with all what is said, a good point about hookers acting at PTB, the best in the business is Roby, he always looks around at positions & numbers which side, then as the player plays the ball, he moves quick but nearly always on moving off he takes one short step of two to pull in the markers & the first nearest line runners, this to engage but no contact, his passing is so accurate & at speed that his support players get the best chance of yardage or break the line. When after enough times the two markers do not move off as quick thinking he is just stepping & the line tacklers will move in quicker to the 1st receiver, he spots this, takes his first step, dummies, & because markers act late, line tackles move to 1st receiver Roby has a vital 1 or 2 seconds to Sprint ahead, but he usually does this late in the 2nd quarter of time & especially in the 3rd & possibly the 4th quarter of the game !
The nearest we had to this was Woody who has left us now.
I have for some seasons watched how Roby does it, basically he lets them commit their positions & reasons of play, adjusts his play to move them about thus predicting & controlling play, one he'll of a player.

[PopTart]

Re: Thoughts : Tue Apr 05, 2022 6:04 pm  

TrinTrin wrote:

I agree with all what is said, a good point about hookers acting at PTB, the best in the business is Roby, he always looks around at positions & numbers which side, then as the player plays the ball, he moves quick but nearly always on moving off he takes one short step of two to pull in the markers & the first nearest line runners, this to engage but no contact, his passing is so accurate & at speed that his support players get the best chance of yardage or break the line. When after enough times the two markers do not move off as quick thinking he is just stepping & the line tacklers will move in quicker to the 1st receiver, he spots this, takes his first step, dummies, & because markers act late, line tackles move to 1st receiver Roby has a vital 1 or 2 seconds to Sprint ahead, but he usually does this late in the 2nd quarter of time & especially in the 3rd & possibly the 4th quarter of the game !
The nearest we had to this was Woody who has left us now.
I have for some seasons watched how Roby does it, basically he lets them commit their positions & reasons of play, adjusts his play to move them about thus predicting & controlling play, one he'll of a player.

I agree about Roby but Wood couldn't do this.
I liked him but his step was slower and his pass was way less accurate.

I like Hood. His passing is very accurate and has distance. He is a big reason the half backs have more time and the forwards are making more ground.

Re: Thoughts : Tue Apr 05, 2022 6:28 pm  

TrinTrin wrote:

I agree with all what is said, a good point about hookers acting at PTB, the best in the business is Roby, he always looks around at positions & numbers which side, then as the player plays the ball, he moves quick but nearly always on moving off he takes one short step of two to pull in the markers & the first nearest line runners, this to engage but no contact, his passing is so accurate & at speed that his support players get the best chance of yardage or break the line. When after enough times the two markers do not move off as quick thinking he is just stepping & the line tacklers will move in quicker to the 1st receiver, he spots this, takes his first step, dummies, & because markers act late, line tackles move to 1st receiver Roby has a vital 1 or 2 seconds to Sprint ahead, but he usually does this late in the 2nd quarter of time & especially in the 3rd & possibly the 4th quarter of the game !
The nearest we had to this was Woody who has left us now.
I have for some seasons watched how Roby does it, basically he lets them commit their positions & reasons of play, adjusts his play to move them about thus predicting & controlling play, one he'll of a player.

Very much agree with you re Roby at the PTB. One of the best No 9s during the SL era. Regarding Trinity, the two hookers of recent years that could compare with him imho at the PTB are Aiton and Obst. I've seen both of them acting at six consecutive PTBs on more than one occasion.

Re: Thoughts : Tue Apr 05, 2022 6:58 pm  

Always thought Randell and woods were a great pair in recent years ,Randall stood up well in the heat of the battle ,and woods exploited the tiring defence in the second half .

Re: Thoughts : Tue Apr 05, 2022 7:35 pm  

[quote="vastman"]Shouldn’t you be at Cas supporting the club with the boy genius?

Seriously though Belly I don’t know how you have the cheek at times. [/quote]


Absolutely disgusting comment vastman,

No need what so ever
A well thought out and positive OP and as usual you’re straight in looking for an argument

I’ve always known you are vile but to bring someone’s family into it is apalling even for you

You are an utter disgrace