[Fantastic Mr Catpiss]

Re: Tonight’s match v Leeds : Sat Aug 20, 2022 7:47 pm  

Barbed Wire wrote:

Exactly as expected last night. Played without the gravity of a relegation battle, and profited from that. Williams’ pass for the Wardle try was worth the drive. But in the cold light of day, we’re just not a good team.

The weaknesses were there, and have been consistently there. But we have to take what we can from this and look at the two new juniors getting minutes in the bank.

Still, concerned about the long term plan. Holmes was the obvious choice for right second row, without any real challenge. But went with Harrison, out of nowhere. Dean will get the stick for the early Leeds onslaught, but in truth, Harrison was out of position and asked a lot of Dean and Matautia to cover up. I think Powell might be settled on Holmes at 13, which then shuffles McGuire back into the rotation of props with Vaughan, Harrison, Mikaele, Philbin, Bullock, Dudson and Kasiano. It’s a bit top heavy, so who’s going? Or if not, why has he picked a prop in the back row and his long term back row in the middle?

The only other sour note, Thewlis. Dropped for Huddersfield, back for Wigan and played really well all considered, then back to the naughty step. Obviously not privy to what Minikin is doing in training, but it’s not consistent with the long term plan, unless Minikin is now plan A for the right wing next season with Wrench now out of the mix.

Credit to Leeds, they did what we should have done around 5 or 6 times this year, and just cling on to a lead and snatch the points. But they were there for the taking in my opinion.

You know what, looking at last night's team sheet seeing harrison 2nd row, I did wonder whether that's a thought for next year, with so many props to get a bigger body running out wide.

Looking at the highlights, currie and Holmes (and matautia AGAIN) were bobbins for a couple of tries

Re: Tonight’s match v Leeds : Sat Aug 20, 2022 9:05 pm  

Is it me or is Matautia absolutely rubbish in all positions?

Re: Tonight’s match v Leeds : Sat Aug 20, 2022 9:50 pm  

Also Harrison will be a good barometer of Powell. Powell has openly stated he was after Harrison for a while and sees him eventually as a Walmsley type player.

Personally I’ve not been impressed by Harrison yet, so far bang average but we will see.

Re: Tonight’s match v Leeds : Sat Aug 20, 2022 10:06 pm  

ratticusfinch wrote:

Is it me or is Matautia absolutely rubbish in all positions?

I’m not convinced by him, but then I was against signing him so he would have to produce decent displays regularly to win me over. He hasn’t, but not many have.

Re: Tonight’s match v Leeds : Sat Aug 20, 2022 10:47 pm  

ratticusfinch wrote:

Is it me or is Matautia absolutely rubbish in all positions?

Yes.

Re: Tonight’s match v Leeds : Sat Aug 20, 2022 11:10 pm  

ratticusfinch wrote:

Is it me or is Matautia absolutely rubbish in all positions?

So is our captain!

Re: Tonight’s match v Leeds : Sun Aug 21, 2022 8:03 am  

Barbed Wire wrote:

Re: Rowley, hindsight is a wonderful thing. But if he was appointed there would have been a mutiny. And he wouldn’t have seen Easter at the club.

It needed to be a serial winner. A winner who suited the brand and the style that the club is trying to adopt.

Just to expand on this as it might not have been clear, in my opinion, we needed a coach that has seen success in a successful system, in order to replicate and effect similar professionalism and standards within the group, in doing so turn a competent group into a winning one. I can round off my point on this, as I voiced my concerns on this at the time of the appointment, some 18 months ago, that I was concerned that the clubs (I think it was labelled extensive and robust) recruitment process didn't seem to have a chest terms of reference, as the job was getting the club from 3 or 4 to 1 (overall, not in the weekly rounds table), however the successful candidate didn’t really have the credentials to evidence that they could deliver this.

We needed someone to �sell’ the benefits of getting on board with the new plan. However we have been left with a “my way or highway” approach, which with the benefit of hindsight has been a train wreck.

My concern now is that we should be in the “reap what you sow” phase of the plan. We’ve had the arguments, fire sale, recruitment campaign and period of bedding in, yet we still can’t work out what Plan A is.

The right side is a glowing example. We’ve had (working backwards)Minikin, Wrench, Wrench, Minikin, Minikin, Thewlis, Thewlis on the right wing since and including Magic. Until this week, all three have been available, all three are here next year, all three have had chance to play in that position since round 10/11, but we still don’t have any idea who is play A. We were told Charnley was being cut out to help with Wrench’s development, then he was dropped for Minikin, who was dropped for Thewlis, who was dropped for Minikin…

Right side half is a similar story, as is the second row. The only constant is Matautia, who I have some sympathy with defensively as the pattern is just a mess and the partnership’s aren’t there, but that said he hasn’t hit the standards needed from a senior player, doesn’t look dangerous on the ball and doesn’t create. We’re not “reaping what we have sown”, with only Bullock who you could point to and say is a better player now than what he was at the start of pre-season.

Re: Tonight’s match v Leeds : Sun Aug 21, 2022 8:37 am  

That right side defence was awful last year too under Price. Charnley, Mamo, Austin, Hughes...

Re: Tonight’s match v Leeds : Sun Aug 21, 2022 9:52 am  

Douglas Black wrote:

That right side defence was awful last year too under Price. Charnley, Mamo, Austin, Hughes...

Bit harsh on Austin given he was at Leeds!

Re: Tonight’s match v Leeds : Sun Aug 21, 2022 9:55 am  

For half the season.