Re: Lessons from Leigh and Bradford, 2016 : Sun Nov 13, 2016 8:58 pm  

Zook Ema's Hose wrote:

I have to agree with that. I was extremely confident we would not even be in the MPG and that was with Campese, Kelly, Sio, Walker, Mantellato, Green, Thornley, Allgood and Larroyer. All of these Super League calibre. To say we can lose them all, replace with players from Bradford, Wakefield, Doncaster and 4th choice halves from Hull and Huddersfield and just have to turn up with a couple of new players available mid season to secure promotion is delusional. I find it strange that my confidence with last year’s far higher quality roster was mocked yet some are thinking promotion will be straightforward. Fortunately Sheens should have some pulling power but the mountain to climb is underestimated by a lot of fans.

No matter who is in charge you'll find it difficult to get any real quality players to commit to you half way through the season with no guarantee of top flight rugby in 2018 without throwing silly money at players plus they will only be players other teams don't want

Re: Lessons from Leigh and Bradford, 2016 : Sun Nov 13, 2016 9:01 pm  

eastul105 wrote:

Once we ended up in the middle 8 I said at the time there was every chance we would be relegated, poor coach, a one legged half, another who was behaving like an idiot, no game plan that used Sio as an attacking weapon etc. With this in mind, and zooks post above have we really lost that much? Best prop and both wingers are our big losses imho, gains are everyone who is here is here by choice, we have a top coach, loads of young talent, no Charlie at full back, team spirit (hopefully) now the tit is radders problem. If we start well our great fans will get behind us and who knows, no doubt it will be hard getting back but after the last 2 years I'm looking fwd to being entertained while we try. Top 2 for me with minns and whoever plays outside him scoring a shed full.

The biggest mistake anyone at your club made last year was appointing webster but sheens should get much more out of the players at the club. Next year I think leigh will struggle as they've signed no one of any quality other than stewart plus salford look to be weaker than last season and their coach is clueless. Obviously you'll all be confident of finishing above wakey as chester is useless according to every rovers fan I know

Re: Lessons from Leigh and Bradford, 2016 : Sun Nov 13, 2016 9:07 pm  

Zook Ema's Hose wrote:

We hear every year that we have brought in players that only want to play for us. Usually that they are young and want to prove themselves or "know the club" like Cockayne. The harsh reality is that quality wins games and promotions. Do you think Leigh or Salford are top flight through players whose ambition had always been to play for them? Take Scruton. He's a solid pro but never stood out and dropped down a level for a reason. Yet now he'll be a success for his desire to play for Hull KR and will help run over packs of Salford or Widnes? I hope so mate. But..

Nobody is saying it's there dream to play for Rovers but when you drop down a league it shows who wants to play and who doesn't give a toss and your limited to who you can sign been in a lower league Campese is a lot better player than Ellis but who's going to bring more to the team that would be Ellis because Campese never plays in truth will we miss the players that have left (Sio and Walker apart ) I don't think so

Re: Lessons from Leigh and Bradford, 2016 : Sun Nov 13, 2016 9:10 pm  

Fine margins got us relegated last season. We beat ourselves in the last 2 games. Everybody should realise that by now.

Players of Super League quality making bad decisions, showing poor composure and errors at crucial times. I saw the same thing in spades today in the England team against the Aussies. Sam Burgess, Josh Hodgson and Mark Percival had shockers.

Campese passing to Ryan Brierley for an interception try. Lunt throwing an interception pass running across a stretched defensive line 20 metres out in the same game instead of an easy pass back to Campo for an easy equalising drop goal. Mantellato throwing a needless hospital pass to Cockayne 15 metres from his own line, leading to a sin binning and immediate try.

Then the MPG. Walker ruck penalty to gift field position 2 minutes from time. Horne then mugged twice at centre in 2 minutes by Josh Griffin. Result = 2 tries.

If that is Super League standard play from experienced SL quality players, none of it was very smart. Give me a team of hungry players who can use well coached game smarts to play high percentage Rugby for 80 minutes like the Aussies and win ugly if necessary week in and week out.

One step at a time please. Let's start winning regularly. Top 4 Championship first and foremost. Add quality for the Middle 8s. We have the right mix of skills and talent at the mo and a coach whose track record suggests he can elevate their collective game smarts and skill sets.

Re: Lessons from Leigh and Bradford, 2016 : Sun Nov 13, 2016 9:11 pm  

Jake the Peg wrote:

The biggest mistake anyone at your club made last year was appointing webster but sheens should get much more out of the players at the club. Next year I think leigh will struggle as they've signed no one of any quality other than stewart plus salford look to be weaker than last season and their coach is clueless. Obviously you'll all be confident of finishing above wakey as chester is useless according to every rovers fan I know

I wouldn't be surprised if Kear is in charge of Wakefield come the middle 8s and maybe Leigh backloaded contracts meaning they can't really sign anyone this season

Re: Lessons from Leigh and Bradford, 2016 : Sun Nov 13, 2016 9:36 pm  

fun time frankie wrote:

Nobody is saying it's there dream to play for Rovers but when you drop down a league it shows who wants to play and who doesn't give a toss and your limited to who you can sign been in a lower league Campese is a lot better player than Ellis but who's going to bring more to the team that would be Ellis because Campese never plays in truth will we miss the players that have left (Sio and Walker apart ) I don't think so

Mate, how many of this squad were Super League clubs in for? Half? A dozen? A few? Or Lunt, Greenwood and Blair? Ellis only found out last week Rick Stone wanted rid. We have a chance but I'm underwhelmed with what Sheens achieved at Salford where he was responsible for the playing culture etc. I think it could be very tough and a lot depends on Lunt whose fitness record has been patchy. Hope we have some aces up the sleeve.

Re: Lessons from Leigh and Bradford, 2016 : Sun Nov 13, 2016 9:53 pm  

We shouldn't lose sight of the fact that whoever finishes in the bottom 4 of superleague is now aware that it is possible for a superleague team to be relegated.(unlike us)
So they also will be looking to strengthen for the middle 8's, it really is worth a million pounds to stay up.
The pool of talent available will be small so our recruitment needs to be done earlier if we are serious about regaining superleague status.

Re: Lessons from Leigh and Bradford, 2016 : Sun Nov 13, 2016 10:17 pm  

Pickering Red wrote:

Fine margins got us relegated last season. We beat ourselves in the last 2 games. Everybody should realise that by now.

Players of Super League quality making bad decisions, showing poor composure and errors at crucial times. I saw the same thing in spades today in the England team against the Aussies. Sam Burgess, Josh Hodgson and Mark Percival had shockers.

Campese passing to Ryan Brierley for an interception try. Lunt throwing an interception pass running across a stretched defensive line 20 metres out in the same game instead of an easy pass back to Campo for an easy equalising drop goal. Mantellato throwing a needless hospital pass to Cockayne 15 metres from his own line, leading to a sin binning and immediate try.

Then the MPG. Walker ruck penalty to gift field position 2 minutes from time. Horne then mugged twice at centre in 2 minutes by Josh Griffin. Result = 2 tries.

If that is Super League standard play from experienced SL quality players, none of it was very smart. Give me a team of hungry players who can use well coached game smarts to play high percentage Rugby for 80 minutes like the Aussies and win ugly if necessary week in and week out.

One step at a time please. Let's start winning regularly. Top 4 Championship first and foremost. Add quality for the Middle 8s. We have the right mix of skills and talent at the mo and a coach whose track record suggests he can elevate their collective game smarts and skill sets.

I agree we were not the worse team in superleague last year if you throw in the derby at home and the last minute loss to wigan and wakey at home all dumb stuff not outplayed in any of them, we did it before im sure the club is big enough and strong enough to gain promotion again with the fans backing

Re: Lessons from Leigh and Bradford, 2016 : Sun Nov 13, 2016 10:28 pm  

fun time frankie wrote:

I wouldn't be surprised if Kear is in charge of Wakefield come the middle 8s and maybe Leigh backloaded contracts meaning they can't really sign anyone this season

Leigh have signed 8 players with "it sounds like" one more player to come in "Harrison maybe but no hurry" and then I think we're done unless some players aren't up to it.

I agree with you about wakey putting kear in charge probably sooner rather than later

Re: Lessons from Leigh and Bradford, 2016 : Sun Nov 13, 2016 10:33 pm  

j.c wrote:

Leigh have signed 8 players with "it sounds like" one more player to come in "Harrison maybe but no hurry" and then I think we're done unless some players aren't up to it.

I agree with you about wakey putting kear in charge probably sooner rather than later

I like who Wakefield have signed in the backs. Caton-Brown and Williams. Wood excellent at hooker. Grix average at FB. They need some better forwards though. That's Chester for you.