Re: Tonights game : Sat Mar 25, 2017 8:25 am  

jj86 wrote:

Very rarely as usually 30 minutes of defending takes a lot out of the players. Writing was on the wall from the first 15 yesterday sadly.

Possession wasn't against us in the first 30, territory was, so we weren't defending for half an hour. There was nothing in that first 30 that I saw that suggested winning that game was impossible. But we didn't. So we have to look towards Hull next week and try again.

Re: Tonights game : Sat Mar 25, 2017 8:53 am  

NtW wrote:

Possession wasn't against us in the first 30, territory was, so we weren't defending for half an hour. [There was nothing in that first 30 that I saw that suggested winning that game was impossible. But we didn't. So we have to look towards Hull next week and try again.

Errrrr, try not getting anywhere near the opposition's try line. We don't look like scoring from inside 10M, let alone our own half. I'd say it's pretty impossible to win a game, under those circumstances. Still, if you want to convince yourself, that's your prerogative.

Ostrich alert.

Re: Tonights game : Sat Mar 25, 2017 9:01 am  

NtW wrote:

Possession wasn't against us in the first 30, territory was, so we weren't defending for half an hour. There was nothing in that first 30 that I saw that suggested winning that game was impossible. But we didn't. So we have to look towards Hull next week and try again.

There was everything in that first thirty that suggested it was impossible to win. They couldn't make any metres and the game was being played solely in our own half.

[Fantastic Mr Catpiss]

Re: Tonights game : Sat Mar 25, 2017 9:04 am  

NtW wrote:

I'm surprised people struggle to see the comparisons to Leeds 2016. The pattern is very similar (not identical), in terms of early season narrow defeats, the effect it has on confidence and the momentum that follows.

That word momentum: it's crucial in our game. Look at last night: close contest for 30 mins, one mistake leads to a try, they score a good second and the third looks inevitable. But that's the thing: without Russell's error, none of that happens; we don't go in 18 down; we don't necessarily lose. We don't necessarily win either, but it's a different game.
.

Problem is, you say without the Russell error, he's making errors every week, in most cases it's not fifty fifty, you're expecting it to happen, I have no comfort in him and I'll bet the other players don't either cos you know it's going to happen.

AND YET HE STILL GETS PICKED,

For 3 seasons Now, it's been the same.

Re: Tonights game : Sat Mar 25, 2017 9:09 am  

Fantastic Mr Catpiss wrote:

Problem is, you say without the Russell error, he's making errors every week, in most cases it's not fifty fifty, you're expecting it to happen, I have no comfort in him and I'll bet the other players don't either cos you know it's going to happen.

AND YET HE STILL GETS PICKED,

For 3 seasons Now, it's been the same.

Coz he can make 5 metres from the play the ball, doesn't matter in Smith's eyes that
he's culpable on many tries that are conceded

Re: Tonights game : Sat Mar 25, 2017 9:10 am  

Westwood, Hughes and Russell between them must currently account for a large proportion of our mistakes, unforced errors, indiscipline, missed tackles and penalties. As has been stated, you expect the error/penalty whenever they get involved.

None of them should be remotely near the squad next week - in the case of the back row we have options and in the case of Russell, anything is an improvement.

Re: Tonights game : Sat Mar 25, 2017 9:24 am  

Indeed. Jack hughes has been utterly abysmal this season..to drop our only second row in form was just plain ludicrous when Westwood and Hughes have been woeful. Russell is just laughable.

Re: Tonights game : Sat Mar 25, 2017 2:25 pm  

it takes a special talent to make Jack Owens look like Rugby Player let alone a world beater.

Take a bow Matty russell.........

Re: Tonights game : Sat Mar 25, 2017 3:02 pm  

Matt Russell couldn't tackle a Sunday dinner.

Re: Tonights game : Sat Mar 25, 2017 4:14 pm  

NtW wrote:

There was nothing in that first 30 that I saw that suggested winning that game was impossible.

having NO possession in the Saints 25 until the 38th minute of the 1st half is the biggest suggestion I have EVER seen, in 30+ years of watching RL, that the team on the pitch is not capable of winning.