Re: Fax : Mon Mar 27, 2017 6:57 am  

After considering it, Moss isn't even the best player called Kieron let alone the best FB.

Re: Fax : Mon Mar 27, 2017 7:13 am  

Gallanteer wrote:

After considering it, Moss isn't even the best player called Kieron let alone the best FB.

That doesn't bode well....

Re: Fax : Mon Mar 27, 2017 7:55 am  

We had 4 players turn out for St. Helens reserve team on Saturday.T.S. said they couldn't raise a full team and we had players who needed a challenging run out.
If this is a venture that is to be repeated, should we be sending those players who are looking out of sorts in the main squad not just our fringe players ?

The likes of Greenwood, Moss, etc could benefit from A team rugby, whilst allowing Oakes, Milton, Moran and the like to come into the first 19 and get some first team exposure in readiness for when called upon.

I think it's a good link up with a top professional club and who knows who it could give us access to later in the season.

Re: Fax : Mon Mar 27, 2017 8:32 am  

BiltonRobin wrote:

We had 4 players turn out for St. Helens reserve team on Saturday.T.S. said they couldn't raise a full team and we had players who needed a challenging run out.
If this is a venture that is to be repeated, should we be sending those players who are looking out of sorts in the main squad not just our fringe players ?

The likes of Greenwood, Moss, etc could benefit from A team rugby, whilst allowing Oakes, Milton, Moran and the like to come into the first 19 and get some first team exposure in readiness for when called upon.

I think it's a good link up with a top professional club and who knows who it could give us access to later in the season.

Whilst it's good, the whole system is messed up, can any player just turn up for another club these days, Clavering for example has already played for 3 different clubs, I'm not blaming Rovers, more the RFL.

Another fear could be if say Jubb really impresses playing for Saints and enjoys playing for them, you could lose a good young player to a SL club (probably won't be an issue if you get promoted)

Re: Fax : Mon Mar 27, 2017 8:39 am  

Mild Rover wrote:

The SL teams, even Widnes, will enter the 8s as favourites to stay up. They look the most like us last year though, IMO. In terms of squad quality and apparent inability to do much about it. Rule's list of missing players to return wasn't that impressive and they'll likely lose other important players as those return. We'll have injuries to deal with too, of course. Where their morale is will be important - chances are it won't be great.

I know it is early season, but the cherries you've picked for Widnes aren't all that. We had narrow defeats, and spells of looking good in games (20 minutes, you say?!) last year.

It's still 15 or so rounds away, so for now I'm just happy to enjoy the Championship in of itself.

Can't be too much enjoyment playing in this league can it?

Some fair points though, not sure who exactly Widnes have out, but Mellor is a good player for them and Cahill and Dudson offer good go forward.

As others have mentioned Widnes might have money, but no quota spots, so unless they look to release quota players (I think Wakey did this in 2015) they might find it hard to recruit.

Fixtures are key, maybe a bit of luck is needed on that front as you dont want Widnes or Tolouse away.

Does anyone have the format of fixtures for the middle 8's?

Re: Fax : Mon Mar 27, 2017 11:01 am  

Funny how people see things differently looking at these opinions isn't it....here's my take...

- Forwards did ok ( at best ) got smashed sometimes but to say they got bullied is a bit of a stretch. We had plenty of field position in Fax's 20, just didn't do out with it. Forwards laid enough of a platform. Second 40 contact was much better in defence and to be honest fax were not in the game at all.

- Attack just didn't get going. Not enough width and or early ball to our centre's and wingers. The problem of playing the fullback as the pivot to create that is when you lose them to injury you don't have a ball playing FB to cover all attacking structures go out the window. If Quinlan gets injured later in the season i fully expect matty marsh will be the step up simply as he fits into our structures better.

- Shaw isn't good enough. I get that he had no service, but i am not sure he can break a tackle or get us upfield. Moss i am very dubious on, but as shown by his try - pace to get him past last defender may help him out.

- Abdull is playing better then ellis at the moment, but will always get more critics because of FC connection. Bigger problem is they are very similar players, we have no running threat really - especially from deep. Although both effective from within 5 yards as they have the power and nouse to dominate this league.

- Playing within your self and doing enough to win is ok some of the time, if it becomes habitual then you have problems coming out of it. We need some strerner tests in all honesty and thankfully we responded well to the stinker first half yesterday. Hopefully that has woken us up a bit for the fev and toulouse matches. Overall though, nothing to worry about it is still a work in progress as a new team i genuinely do believe peoples expectations are too high

Re: Fax : Mon Mar 27, 2017 11:50 am  

mean_machine wrote:

- Abdull is playing better then ellis at the moment, but will always get more critics because of FC connection. Bigger problem is they are very similar players, we have no running threat really - especially from deep. Although both effective from within 5 yards as they have the power and nouse to dominate this league.

Not just me who thinks this then, goal kicking aside I'm not seeing much in Ellis as a 7, he's playing more 6 along with Abdul. I was astounded that Ellis got MOTM yesterday, when the said there are 4 choices over the tanoi I thought all 4 would be Shaun Lunt.

Re: Fax : Mon Mar 27, 2017 12:57 pm  

mean_machine wrote:

Funny how people see things differently looking at these opinions isn't it....here's my take...

- Forwards did ok ( at best ) got smashed sometimes but to say they got bullied is a bit of a stretch. We had plenty of field position in Fax's 20, just didn't do out with it. Forwards laid enough of a platform. Second 40 contact was much better in defence and to be honest fax were not in the game at all.

- Attack just didn't get going. Not enough width and or early ball to our centre's and wingers. The problem of playing the fullback as the pivot to create that is when you lose them to injury you don't have a ball playing FB to cover all attacking structures go out the window. If Quinlan gets injured later in the season i fully expect matty marsh will be the step up simply as he fits into our structures better.

- Shaw isn't good enough. I get that he had no service, but i am not sure he can break a tackle or get us upfield. Moss i am very dubious on, but as shown by his try - pace to get him past last defender may help him out.

- Abdull is playing better then ellis at the moment, but will always get more critics because of FC connection. Bigger problem is they are very similar players, we have no running threat really - especially from deep. Although both effective from within 5 yards as they have the power and nouse to dominate this league.

- Playing within your self and doing enough to win is ok some of the time, if it becomes habitual then you have problems coming out of it. We need some strerner tests in all honesty and thankfully we responded well to the stinker first half yesterday. Hopefully that has woken us up a bit for the fev and toulouse matches. Overall though, nothing to worry about it is still a work in progress as a new team i genuinely do believe peoples expectations are too high

Got to agree with what you are saying but it is good that we win 7 on the trot and people still moan but the bigger picture is still to come the dreaded 8s

[Mild Rover]

Re: Fax : Mon Mar 27, 2017 1:02 pm  

Dave K. wrote:

Can't be too much enjoyment playing in this league can it?

Well it beats 2016. Not saying much, from our POV, I know. To some extent though it's what you make of it, and winning helps.

The game is often as scruffy as a ragamuffin dragged through a hedge backwards at this level, I have to admit. You know in SL when the ruck is a real mess, but the ref sometimes decides to be lenient - happens a few times a game maybe? Few times a set in the Championship.

Re: Fax : Mon Mar 27, 2017 1:06 pm  

Gallanteer wrote:

After considering it, Moss isn't even the best player called Kieron let alone the best FB.

Is Kieron Moss your new Dane Tilse