Re: Tonight’s game v Saints. : Thu Apr 20, 2023 10:54 pm  

runningman29 wrote:

Has anybody seen our so called enforcer McGuire?Looking like a terrible signing.

He looks a shadow of his former self.

Re: Tonight’s game v Saints. : Thu Apr 20, 2023 10:55 pm  

Mr Snoodle wrote:

Why is wilkin allowed to commentate on stains games?

Why not?

Re: Tonight’s game v Saints. : Thu Apr 20, 2023 11:41 pm  

I wasn't expecting that at all. I think whilst we were far more impacted by the absentees, both coaches had similar problems. No props, (no backrow for us too) and the normal gameplan unavailable. Powell seemed to replace Vaughan and Dudson's work with Ashton and Russell and try to play the same way. You were getting bullied when you took the ball in tonight in general and the slow play the balls on the first and second tackles stopped any momentum. Williams then tried to go laterally far too early and without any momentum forward. Contrast to Saints and the likes of Lees and LMS were used properly. They ran it in hard and got a decent play the ball. Lomax, Dodd, Welsby and Bell were then having fun pivoting the ball around off a retreating defensive line. We were making 15-20m a carry without even beating a man. I think we only used 15 players tonight too and had two of the oldest players in the competition playing huge minutes.

Sure you effectively had 3 props missing (You wouldn't have played 5 more even if they were all available), but the worrying thing for you is that if teams stop the quick play the ball, there is nothing else there and it goes straight to panic stations. Stop the quick play the ball and it's just a case of keeping an eye on Williams. Your back rowers were poor as well. Nicholson was bullied physically and looks like he needs taking out of the firing line for a week or two, which all young players need from time to time. Currie the other end of the career scale and both him and Clark looked way off. Maguie very poor too, but he needs gametime to get his sharpness back I guess. Team selection odd I thought too. Thewlis and Mata'utia on the bench and Minikin and Russell starting? Clark at loose not Ratchford? That way you could have had Walker coming off the bench with Kasiano. Why don't you play your academy forwards? Were Thomas and Holroyd injured too? Why put Green on the bench if you don't trust him to play?

Masterclass from Lomax tonight I thought too. The best player in the competition still.

Re: Tonight’s game v Saints. : Fri Apr 21, 2023 2:03 am  

McGuire… my Nan could have had more impact.

She’s been dead 30’years.

Needs to up his game massively or bugger off back to Oz.

Re: Tonight’s game v Saints. : Fri Apr 21, 2023 7:00 am  

Very disappointing last night.
Saints clearly derseved to win.
Not too many Wire players were on their game - Ashton, Walker and Matautia were 3 notable exceptions.
As Saddened says - Saints slowed the ruck speed down like Wigan and we didn't really get on the front foot.
I think Clark came into the game at less than 100% and Harrison seemed a bit short of match fitness.

Lomax was very very good.

Dufty had a bit of a mare and the high kicks under pressure found him out more than once. The 3rd try off a great kick should have been dealt with. The Saints player ran harder with more desire.

I think we played better last week, certainly defensively - even though in my opinion DP got his team selection wrong.

I think this week the tactics weren't right - or at least weren't executed at the right level.

These 2 games have been a reality check.
All 3 teams are down on numbers, but we should really gave done better lsst night.

Last week we got bullied and Wigan played the conditions better (Smiths' kicking was sublime). This week we struggled with the slow ptb, tactics might have been off and execution certainly was.

As an aside - we could end up with 2 more suspensions based on precedence.
Kasianos flop on Lomax that wasn't called, and the drop hit tackle on Welsby on around 59min (if memory serves me correctly) by the 3rd man - didn't actually see who it was. Again that wasn't called - and in my view was worse that Vaughans.

Re: Tonight’s game v Saints. : Fri Apr 21, 2023 8:11 am  

Dita's Slot Meter wrote:

Reading some of the comments on here does make me smile.

If knee jerking was an Olympic sport, there would be a few fellas on here who would be nailed on gold medallists...

People are allowed to be peed off having just watch us lose two games we were never really in against our two biggest rivals and two biggest challengers.

We were outfought, outclassed and out enthused in both. For all the talk about how many we were missing, Saints and Wigan were both missing lots of players too but they both wanted it more than we did. If you don't find that slightly concerning then - I'm sorry - we want different things for our club.

Re: Tonight’s game v Saints. : Fri Apr 21, 2023 8:21 am  

I think what needs to happen is for DP to blood as many young forwards as possible in the upcoming games to cover for our big men who are potential liabilities every time come on the pitch. Perhaps another good idea would be to educate the team in the errors of giving away cheap ball ,penalties &panic passes going to ground or in touch. Btw why was Kasiano penalised near Saints line ?

Re: Tonight’s game v Saints. : Fri Apr 21, 2023 9:04 am  

I think it’s important to keep things in perspective. Saints and Wigan are first class teams, even when down on numbers. While there are signs of weakness, there are also some bright sparks.

Previously, I criticised Powell stating that I couldn’t identify one player that was better now than when he joined, but I think Walker has displaced Clark as first choice, and has developed massively. There’s a positive there to latch on to, but we need to see more. Players like Ashton really need to kick on now from being decent prospects to actually being elite players.

There is also a positive that, despite it being labelled as the Dads Army pack, those missing aren’t generally “aging� injuries. Dudson with a broken hand and a stupid suspension, McGuire with a stupid suspension, Kasiano has played big minutes and has been effective, Vaughan has been great and will be back better for a week off. Take away the suspensions and we’d still be on Plan A, which is undoubtedly effective. The Hurrell try for example doesn’t happen if we’re on the front foot, in fact when we are on the front foot you see Currie get through hole there and he’s no longer on the RLFans scrap heap.

The issues are there for all to see, without big men to force momentum, we can’t create it ourselves. I see why Powell is looking at Russell to try and counter that, but I just can’t fathom not picking Thewlis at all. He’s got it all that kid. We got lucky with the Lees one, but again saints just kick behind Russell and see what happens. Worked in the Hopate try.

It’s good that this time has come now, now 8 weeks ago or in the play offs. The challenge is for the team to find a way to create momentum and space when we’re not bullying smaller packs. Week off this week, Wakefield the one after starting another run of very winnable games.

Come the end of June when we have Leeds, Wigan and Saints in succession, you’d like to think there will be significant improvement and we can demonstrate that we can keep up with the challengers.

Re: Tonight’s game v Saints. : Fri Apr 21, 2023 9:25 am  

Barbed Wire wrote:

Come the end of June when we have Leeds, Wigan and Saints in succession, you’d like to think there will be significant improvement and we can demonstrate that we can keep up with the challengers.

I agree with this. If those games turn out like the past two weeks, then I will be very disappointed.

Re: Tonight’s game v Saints. : Fri Apr 21, 2023 9:28 am  

ninearches wrote:

. Btw why was Kasiano penalised near Saints line ?

A very silly double movement of about 2 foot.