: Thu Feb 19, 2009 11:28 am  

Mild mannered Janitor wrote:

I am not aware of any player, let alone any winger who can jump from a standing start (due to the accuracy of the kick they are defending) to win the ball from an on rushing attacker the majority of the time.

This is a weakness for every team and the reason the high kick is so successful for all teams.

I wouldn't be overtly worried, its just one of those things.

Thats the thing, 9 timesout of 10 the defending winger is flat footed and on his own try line, where as the attacking winger has a 10m or more run up and leap.

It is down to his centre/second row to try and combat the attacking wingers run and give himsome form of protection, but the thing they are weary of is leaving the man they are marking in case there is a pat back.

Agree we need to put more pressure on the kickers though, buti suppose the thing this highlights is it was the only way Wigan could break us down all night !!

: Thu Feb 19, 2009 12:25 pm  

PAUL M wrote:

Its always a bit of a lottery when a kick goes to the corner, which is why its a good tactic, even if you don't score you can often get another set of 6.

Its every teams problem and not just ours.

Indeed , We must have put more bombs up last Friday than the whole of last season.

: Thu Feb 19, 2009 1:14 pm  

ash4hullfc wrote:

Richards is one of, if not the best, taker of the high ball in the league, especially in attack. Smith's kick to him was also pinpoint. Not much Calderwood could have done about it in all honesty, you just have to sit back and admire.

Spot on.

Hes one big unit Richards.

: Thu Feb 19, 2009 2:07 pm  

Raynor isnt bad under the high ball...

: Thu Feb 19, 2009 2:50 pm  

ash4hullfc wrote:

Richards is one of, if not the best, taker of the high ball in the league, especially in attack. Smith's kick to him was also pinpoint. Not much Calderwood could have done about it in all honesty, you just have to sit back and admire.

spot on.

: Thu Feb 19, 2009 2:53 pm  

We could turn the corners of the pitch up a bit like they do at Bradford so our wingers start their jump from a bit higher than the opposition.

Sorted...

: Thu Feb 19, 2009 2:56 pm  

Its not that big of a deal except for when you play Wigan as Richards is just a freak and basically a Aussie Rules player on a rugby pitch and all you can do is let him catch the ball and hope you can stop him putting it down like Calderwood did in the 1st half.

The fact Tim Smith is 1 of the best kickers in the world makes it even more difficult