: Sun Apr 05, 2009 8:01 pm  

The Brother wrote:

Must have my eyes tested becuse i coulkd have sworn it was Platt trying a stupid offload behind the line, how can you blame the coach they stuck to his game plan to race in to a 22 point lead

It was the players making mistakes falling off tackles that cost you the game not Macca

Seems its all Macca's fault for coaching them that way according to received wisdom on here...

That said, as I said somewhere else there IS clearly something wrong with the players' heads - we seem to do this - panic and collapse when after long spell of dominance we get put under a bit of pressure. Its almost as if the players expect it to happen now. Or that's how it looks from a spectators' standpoint anyway. Seeing it every week, and its not new for this season either. Its becoming clearer (I suggest) that that is the issue that needs resolving and fast. As to how...well most on here have already decided...

: Sun Apr 05, 2009 8:09 pm  

The Brother wrote:

Must have my eyes tested becuse i coulkd have sworn it was Platt trying a stupid offload behind the line, how can you blame the coach they stuck to his game plan to race in to a 22 point lead

It was the players making mistakes falling off tackles that cost you the game not Macca

i quite agree how can you blame the coach for the team throwing away a 26 point lead they brought it all upon themselves the same team you were all positively crowing over at half time

: Sun Apr 05, 2009 8:16 pm  

Monko wrote:

Fancy a swap, Agar for Macca!

It might just work you know...

: Mon Apr 06, 2009 9:08 am  

Those comparing McBanana with Barack Obama clearly have taken leave of there senses. After watching BBC's show on rhetoric last night after the shambles earlier in the day it is clear that McBanana is more John Prescott than Cicero

: Mon Apr 06, 2009 9:18 am  

desmond decker wrote:

i quite agree how can you blame the coach for the team throwing away a 26 point lead they brought it all upon themselves the same team you were all positively crowing over at half time

.... and beyond. Don't forget we continued in the same vein at the start of the second half, took the ball the full length of the fiedl, and went in for 26 -nil. At this point
a) McNamara's team had been near faultless in the first half
b) McNamara has sent them out from half time in the right mood, as is indisputably shown by the clinical way we got the first score
c) McNamara is not on the pitch, and subs apart, can't do any more for the remaining half hour.

He carries the can - but this is so clear a case of blaming the players on the field, it's difficult to think of a clearer one. At 45 minutes, someone threw a switch and what could McNamara have actually done from the sideline?

: Mon Apr 06, 2009 9:23 am  

Ferocious Aardvark wrote:

.... and beyond. Don't forget we continued in the same vein at the start of the second half, took the ball the full length of the fiedl, and went in for 26 -nil. At this point
a) McNamara's team had been near faultless in the first half
b) McNamara has sent them out from half time in the right mood, as is indisputably shown by the clinical way we got the first score
c) McNamara is not on the pitch, and subs apart, can't do any more for the remaining half hour.

He carries the can - but this is so clear a case of blaming the players on the field, it's difficult to think of a clearer one. At 45 minutes, someone threw a switch and what could McNamara have actually done from the sideline?

But:

a) Macca has assembled this team over the last few years - it his more his team than anyone elses
b) The Frenchies were dire in the first half even the likes of Ray French managed to see it!!!
c) Macca has had ample time following other collapses against Wigan in the play-offs and Cas LAST WEEK to set the foundations for stopping this happen...

Just for a balanced view in af style

: Mon Apr 06, 2009 9:32 am  

Ancient Provocateur wrote:

But:

a) Macca has assembled this team over the last few years - it his more his team than anyone elses
b) The Frenchies were dire in the first half even the likes of Ray French managed to see it!!!
c) Macca has had ample time following other collapses against Wigan in the play-offs and Cas LAST WEEK to set the foundations for stopping this happen...

Just for a balanced view in af style

a) no argument, and it is - on paper ( ) a bloody good team
b) I know it suits the, shall we say, 'provocative' view to concentrate on the negative of the opposition being 'dire' rather than the positive of the Bulls playing very good, solid, disciplined, mistake-free rugby, but you are wating your time because it is on tape - watch it - you can't argue it. I am not saying Catalans were good in that period, though you are only as good as the opposition lets you be.
c) But WTF does that mean? "set the foundations"? A meaningless phrase. What do you think he did? One-on-one "Do-not-collapse-in-a-heap-when-under-pressure" training? A row of couches and the psychiatrists in?

: Mon Apr 06, 2009 9:43 am  

A one off collapse you can ignore. However as it's becoming more and more frequent that this team cannot hold a lead then there is clearly something fundamentally wrong.

It's McNamara's responsiblity as head coach to insure that the team know the tactics, know the game plan and know what's expected of them. The team this year clearly doesn't. Is it a mental or physical problem? But either way these are things that should be addressed by the head coach. If he is failing to do this (and it looks that way) then the ultimate responsiblity is his and the failure of the team reflects directly on the failures of the coach

: Mon Apr 06, 2009 9:49 am  

Paul124897 wrote:

I just said the same to some family members who hadn't seen the game and were lambasting Platt.

Hopefully he'll keep up the improvements and not be too downbeat - he's actually been good for the last couple of weeks.

I haven't seen him the last 2 weeks, but speaking from a neutral perspective I thought Platt was hopeless yesterday. He looks as dodgy under a high kick as anyone I've seen playing full back in Super League, combined with falling on his a**e for one Dragons try and gift-wrapping another. He can be good in attack, but defensively he doesn't look good enough to me.

: Mon Apr 06, 2009 10:01 am  

Paul124897 wrote:

Here's hoping Mick Potter fancies himself at a club he has ties with

Sodd off! We've only just landed him!!

Personally I think JC himself would have a battle on his hands and that's sad because Bradford were a team to be feared once.