Re: The Semi Final Thread : Thu Aug 04, 2011 11:07 pm  

McClennan wrote:

Any team with any brains concentrates on shutting down The Big Red Machine. They'd be foolish not to.

Of course they do but that usually involves the defence pushing up quicker and getting more men into the tackle so he can't build up steam or play a short pass. I'm presuming in this case they mean putting more impact into the tackle itself if the big stroppy scouser is playing with an injury.

Re: The Semi Final Thread : Fri Aug 05, 2011 7:21 am  

What's so special about Graham having a bulging disc?

Everything about FGB is bulging.....his belly.....petted lip.....piggy eyes! One more thing bulging is hardly going to make a great difference, now is it?

Re: The Semi Final Thread : Fri Aug 05, 2011 7:40 am  

BillyRhino wrote:

What's so special about Graham having a bulging disc?

Everything about FGB is bulging.....his belly.....petted lip.....piggy eyes! One more thing bulging is hardly going to make a great difference, now is it?

Re: The Semi Final Thread : Fri Aug 05, 2011 8:17 am  

Wigan will throw everything they've got at your front row tomorrow as it's your greatest strength. The starting 3 are that good though they could come out the other side of it and that usually doesn't happen.

If your front row manages to create space for the rest of the side you'll win a close one IMO.

Re: The Semi Final Thread : Fri Aug 05, 2011 8:34 am  

NickyKiss wrote:

Wigan will throw everything they've got at your front row tomorrow as it's your greatest strength. The starting 3 are that good though they could come out the other side of it and that usually doesn't happen.

If your front row manages to create space for the rest of the side you'll win a close one IMO.

The problem tend to come when Graham and Puletua are spelled after taking on the initial onslaught, that's when we fall off the pace. Clough being back will help immensely with that(if he's fit).

Re: The Semi Final Thread : Fri Aug 05, 2011 9:30 am  

Offside Monkey wrote:

The problem tend to come when Graham and Puletua are spelled after taking on the initial onslaught, that's when we fall off the pace. Clough being back will help immensely with that(if he's fit).

That's what happened at the DW but then your bench is much better now then it was that day. We really struggled to contain your starting pack that day but your bench let you down.

Saying that we were playing awful at that time and look like last years side again now.

Our better form and your returning players should ensure this is as close as Good Friday and it really could go either way. I don't have the best feeling about this one though.

Re: The Semi Final Thread : Fri Aug 05, 2011 9:36 am  

BillyRhino wrote:

What's so special about Graham having a bulging disc?

Everything about FGB is bulging.....his belly.....petted lip.....piggy eyes! One more thing bulging is hardly going to make a great difference, now is it?

Your missus was very impressed with another of his bulges by all accounts.

Re: The Semi Final Thread : Fri Aug 05, 2011 9:54 am  

Offside Monkey wrote:

The problem tend to come when Graham and Puletua are spelled after taking on the initial onslaught, that's when we fall off the pace. Clough being back will help immensely with that(if he's fit).

Not for me. The problem is that Wigoon are much more effective at tackling the player and turning him onto his back. If we could do that to them or alternatively improve our own ability to speed up the PTB then we can build on that. If we let them control the ruck (because we are significantly less effective at turning the player on his back and have been for a few years now) like they did in the last match, and have been doing against most teams recently, we're going to be up against it.

Having Leon playing should help us to get on the front foot a bit more often as would having some pace at full back when returning kicks.

Re: The Semi Final Thread : Fri Aug 05, 2011 10:19 am  

I personally think our defense is the key. Wigan's success and gameplan is 90% defense and 10% confusion in attack by overloading one side of the pitch. In the game at Widnes they spent so much energy getting good line speed, dominating in the tackle, lying on and wrestling and then we gifted them the first three or four tries through absolute idiocy from the likes of Wello.

If we can keep it tight and not concede the usual tries off kicks we're in with a chance. We'll never out muscle them in the pack as they will always get 3 or 4 into the tackle and we don't play that way.

We also need to be really, really dirty, sly and cheat as much as possible.

Re: The Semi Final Thread : Fri Aug 05, 2011 10:37 am  

Saddened! wrote:

We also need to be really, really dirty, sly and cheat as much as possible.

Sorry Pal, Sam would be Cup Tied if you tried to sign him