[Bullseye]

Batley (H) : Thu Sep 12, 2024 6:18 am  

Should be a home win but I expect Batley to put up much more of a fight after their humiliation last week by Doncaster. Not sure what's been going on there as that performance and this season has been most unlike them.

Think we have pretty much a clean bill of health in our squad haven't we? Apart from Gill perhaps.

Re: Batley (H) : Thu Sep 12, 2024 8:56 am  

Been a poor season for Batley standards, started off the season poorly had a good middle section but have dropped off again in recent weeks.
Should get the 2 points but I’ve thought that about 5 other games this season and come away with nothing.
Need to start playing play off standard from here on in.

Re: Batley (H) : Thu Sep 12, 2024 9:32 am  

Really can't see us losing this one. Even the debacle at their place, despite us being utter dross, we should have won that game comfortably.

Batley will be game but look to seriously lack any quality when Hooley doesn't play.

Think we've still aArundel, Butler, Baldwinson & Lbb out, Doro has to be a major doubt too.

Re: Batley (H) : Thu Sep 12, 2024 7:46 pm  

As we prepare for our next home game against Batley, it’s crucial that we don’t allow complacency to creep in. Earlier in the season, we suffered a loss to them, and we simply cannot afford another slip-up. We’ve been in decent form recently and are approaching the play-offs, so it’s more important than ever to keep our momentum going.

[Bullseye]

Re: Batley (H) : Fri Sep 13, 2024 8:58 am  

I remember we lost at Batley because we weren't prepared to do the hard work down the middle and we tried to play around them. We've done that a few times this season, usually when the leaders weren't on the field. Hopefully that won't be the case this time.

Re: Batley (H) : Sun Sep 15, 2024 5:46 pm  

Scrappy game but we come away with the win and secure a play off place.

I felt that we dominated the game, but we just couldn't put it to bed. We had great field position and consistently marched down the field with ease, yet Batley managed to keep us out. Even more bizarre, we botched two drop goal attempts that should’ve been straightforward. Our game management in the final 10 minutes was alarmingly poor, and Batley were honestly unlucky not to take something from the game. Given how we’ve lost similar games this season, we were probably due a bit of luck ourselves!

Re: Batley (H) : Sun Sep 15, 2024 8:39 pm  

I thought the Batley pack really gave ours a match today and there was very little in it. I thought Okunbur and Tafua were probably the difference today. They really helped out our pack in the heavy conditions.

The game probably deserved to be a draw, we certainly didnt control the game well at all in the final stages. Hopeful for drier conditions next week, in a game where I expect Halifax to be well up for it. Forget the league positions, they will have been targeting this match for some time.

Re: Batley (H) : Sun Sep 15, 2024 10:17 pm  

Sounds like the weather was a bit of a leveler.

2 points in the bag, next weekend will be the one I think determines 2/3 finish.
We need to beat fax and the only likely slip up you can see from Toulouse is Widnes away (though they seem to have found a form dip at the wrong time)

Re: Batley (H) : Mon Sep 16, 2024 7:10 am  

Well first things first, bar a swing of 127 points (which isn't going to happen looking at the fixtures) we've secured a minimum of 3rd spot for the second successive season. So well done all.

On the game I thought we dominated them completely and only time they got in our half was our ill discipline or brain farts. They tried did Batley but lacked any quality what so ever IMO and a better team would have punished us.

The last 10 minutes was disorganised chaos. Abysmal drop goal attempts with such poor set up it was alarming. The amount of 7 tackle sets we gifted them in the last 15 minutes had me tearing my hair out. I would have rather us just handed the ball over on their try line as they were never going to go 100m. I thought it was going to be dejavu of the away fixture. Woods kicks the goal then has 1 attempt at a drop goal and nails it. Thankfully he missed the conversion. Lucky to come away with the points, but that's all that matters at this stage of the season.

Big improvement required for next week.

[Bullseye]

Re: Batley (H) : Mon Sep 16, 2024 7:52 am  

2pts at the end of the day but we nearly blew it when Okunbor got robbed of the ball by Brown and they scored in the corner.

Bit bemused how we didn't manage to set up

for a drop goal properly despite being camped up their end. Some half arsed attempts were made but despite all the leaders being on the field we didn't manage to execute it.

Thought both wingers were good particularly Taufua, a deserved man of the match. Not sure Gaskell was fully fit, he tried to avoid any contact and apart from a few kicks was largely anonymous. Hallas nearly got sucked into the niggle again and at times we didn't help ourselves at all.

Could be interesting next week if we're without Taufua and possibly Myers and Appo with his HIA.