[Mild Rover]

Slender hopes : Sat May 14, 2016 4:56 pm  

Just watching Catalans V Hudds. Along with Hull, Catalans are obviously one of the most impressive and improved teams in 2016. 6-8 down at the moment, but even so.

Both the Dragons and Hull are big, big powerful teams. In the pack obviously, but a few of their backs too. Fouad Yaha (19) looks like he could be a circus strong man. Curtis Naughton (21) looks like a cage fighter this year. Liam Salter (22) and Ryan Shaw (23), bless 'em, look like Etonian sixth formers.

Rugby has fashions, and next year, slimline hollow cheeked players might be running rings around big clumsy plodders. The trick is to lead the way rather than mindlessly. But if you're bigger and stronger than your opponents, they're the ones that've got to find something different.

I don't want to put pressure on players to bulk up too much, but I do think we desperately need to add some size and power in '17, right across the park.

Re: Slender hopes : Sat May 14, 2016 5:16 pm  

Mild Rover wrote:

Just watching Catalans V Hudds. Along with Hull, Catalans are obviously one of the most impressive and improved teams in 2016. 6-8 down at the moment, but even so.

Both the Dragons and Hull are big, big powerful teams. In the pack obviously, but a few of their backs too. Fouad Yaha (19) looks like he could be a circus strong man. Curtis Naughton (21) looks like a cage fighter this year. Liam Salter (22) and Ryan Shaw (23), bless 'em, look like Etonian sixth formers.

Rugby has fashions, and next year, slimline hollow cheeked players might be running rings around big clumsy plodders. The trick is to lead the way rather than mindlessly. But if you're bigger and stronger than your opponents, they're the ones that've got to find something different.

I don't want to put pressure on players to bulk up too much, but I do think we desperately need to add some size and power in '17, right across the park.

We've been lacking size and power for the last 30 years.

Re: Slender hopes : Sat May 14, 2016 6:09 pm  

I thought crossland was claiming that recruiting big forwards was the wrong strategy and you sprightly small ones would run rings around them?

Re: Slender hopes : Sat May 14, 2016 7:06 pm  

Mild Rover wrote:

Just watching Catalans V Hudds. Along with Hull, Catalans are obviously one of the most impressive and improved teams in 2016. 6-8 down at the moment, but even so.

Both the Dragons and Hull are big, big powerful teams. In the pack obviously, but a few of their backs too. Fouad Yaha (19) looks like he could be a circus strong man. Curtis Naughton (21) looks like a cage fighter this year. Liam Salter (22) and Ryan Shaw (23), bless 'em, look like Etonian sixth formers.

Rugby has fashions, and next year, slimline hollow cheeked players might be running rings around big clumsy plodders. The trick is to lead the way rather than mindlessly. But if you're bigger and stronger than your opponents, they're the ones that've got to find something different.

I don't want to put pressure on players to bulk up too much, but I do think we desperately need to add some size and power in '17, right across the park.

Indeed MR, big is beautiful in SL in 2016. The problem for us is that historically big meant slow and ponderous. Now the bigger guys have speed, power and skill. Then there are behemoths like Dave Taylor at Catalans, Junior Moors at Cas and Frank Pritchard at Hull who have added wrecking ball bulk to go with these attributes.

The conundrum for 2017 is whether we need biff and beef in the pack or the backs. The answer will be to have beef and biff in both areas.

I reckon Dixon and Kelly will be gone and Salter and Cockayne will play less in 2017. Equates to 3 new backs in.

I reckon we will sign 3 forwards as well. Likely Donaldson, Green and possibly Blair will go. I hope the latter stays at the expense of Horne.

DNA ingredients for all new signings. The following mixed together in any order - 25kg of John Bateman, 25kg of Glenn Stewart, 20kg of Danny Solomona, 15kg of Ben Currie, 10kg of Rob Burrow and 10kg of Dom Manfredi. 6 of these should serve us well.

Re: Slender hopes : Sat May 14, 2016 8:01 pm  

Pickering Red wrote:

Indeed MR, big is beautiful in SL in 2016. The problem for us is that historically big meant slow and ponderous. Now the bigger guys have speed, power and skill. Then there are behemoths like Dave Taylor at Catalans, Junior Moors at Cas and Frank Pritchard at Hull who have added wrecking ball bulk to go with these attributes.

The conundrum for 2017 is whether we need biff and beef in the pack or the backs. The answer will be to have beef and biff in both areas.

I reckon Dixon and Kelly will be gone and Salter and Cockayne will play less in 2017. Equates to 3 new backs in.

I reckon we will sign 3 forwards as well. Likely Donaldson, Green and possibly Blair will go. I hope the latter stays at the expense of Horne.

DNA ingredients for all new signings. The following mixed together in any order - 25kg of John Bateman, 25kg of Glenn Stewart, 20kg of Danny Solomona, 15kg of Ben Currie, 10kg of Rob Burrow and 10kg of Dom Manfredi. 6 of these should serve us well.

Blair is staying another year at least

Re: Slender hopes : Sat May 14, 2016 9:30 pm  

fun time frankie wrote:

Blair is staying another year at least

I heard him say in interview recently that he was hoping for an extension.

Have you heard this for definite or is this a case of FFF wishful thinking?

We always seem behind other sides in carrying out contract renegotiations.

Re: Slender hopes : Sat May 14, 2016 9:36 pm  

Big men go down if they're hit hard and low.
Rover's problems have been there for some time, a lack of enthusiasm to make a tackle.
Our line defense is slow, three steps forward then stop and stand still. Lazy, lazy, lazy.
If you are stood still when making the tackle and they are running at you it means two things; first, they make easy yards; second, we receive injuries.
Our marker defense is the worst in the league. Slow to get square (could be explained by having no impact in the tackle, see above) if they do get square then they just watch the next play without getting involved. Usually our markers just give away a cheap penalty, saving them the bother of getting involved.
Our next coach needs to put a rocket up these players to get rid of the lazy attitude.

Re: Slender hopes : Sat May 14, 2016 9:41 pm  

Pickering Red wrote:

I heard him say in interview recently that he was hoping for an extension.

Have you heard this for definite or is this a case of FFF wishful thinking?

We always seem behind other sides in carrying out contract renegotiations.

Your not kidding, not only do we always let the contracts run down but we never offer long term contracts so that the players have some security. Players are lucky if they get a three year contract at Rovers.
We let Taylor's contract run down and did nothing about Cox and Green's contracts.
All three came through our ranks and we never offered them any security, very poor.

Re: Slender hopes : Sat May 14, 2016 10:11 pm  

Grimsby Red wrote:

Your not kidding, not only do we always let the contracts run down but we never offer long term contracts so that the players have some security. Players are lucky if they get a three year contract at Rovers.
We let Taylor's contract run down and did nothing about Cox and Green's contracts.
All three came through our ranks and we never offered them any security, very poor.

Taylor wanted out, cox was garbage regardless of nostalgic views and green is being talked to, not sure what we are meant to do about them

Re: Slender hopes : Sat May 14, 2016 10:40 pm  

Pickering Red wrote:

I heard him say in interview recently that he was hoping for an extension.

Have you heard this for definite or is this a case of FFF wishful thinking?

We always seem behind other sides in carrying out contract renegotiations.

I spoke to him a couple of months back and he said he was taking up an option of a third year