: Sat Jan 03, 2009 5:44 pm  

wolfie wrote:

the saying goes

TAKE NO NOTICE OF SQUAD NUMBERS THEY MEAN FUC-ALL

Hence the wink

: Sat Jan 03, 2009 6:50 pm  

1.Saints
2.Leeds
3.Hudds
4.Wire
5.Catalan
6.Wigan
7.Hull FC
8.Bradford
9.Hull KR
10.wakefield
11.Quins
12.Salford
13.Cas
14.Celtic

: Sat Jan 03, 2009 6:51 pm  

Didn't Cas sign a new half back this season?

: Sat Jan 03, 2009 6:52 pm  

09:37 GMT, Friday, 1 August 2008 10:37 UK

"Castleford have completed the signing of New Zealand half-back Rangi Chase.

The 22-year-old St George-Illawarra player will join up with Castleford at the end of the season after signing a two-year contract. "

: Sun Jan 04, 2009 12:16 pm  

The Hollywood Frasier wrote:

I would actually go as far as saying the weakest squad on paper since we have been at the KC.

Absolutely right !! Certainly the squad with the most mediocrity in it since we've been at the KC.

It is very difficult to see where exactly we will pick up the wins in order to finish top2/top4/top6 or even top8.

We don't have anywhere near the pack that we would need to beat teams down the middle and, therefore, the fact that our halfbacks are dubious/unproven is probably not that important.

So without the forward domination down the middle, do we change to an expansive game and hit teams with strike and pace out wide ??? Looking at our second rowers and centres, the answer is quite obviously NO.

: Sun Jan 04, 2009 12:20 pm  

thehullwhitestar wrote:

Absolutely right !! Certainly the squad with the most mediocrity in it since we've been at the KC.

It is very difficult to see where exactly we will pick up the wins in order to finish top2/top4/top6 or even top8.

We don't have anywhere near the pack that we would need to beat teams down the middle and, therefore, the fact that our halfbacks are dubious/unproven is probably not that important.

So without the forward domination down the middle, do we change to an expansive game and hit teams with strike and pace out wide ??? Looking at our second rowers and centres, the answer is quite obviously NO.

is it? because imo we have good pace in the backs and a very good ball handling back row.

: Sun Jan 04, 2009 12:28 pm  

Sheldon wrote:

is it? because imo we have good pace in the backs and a very good ball handling back row.

So our backrow (which BTW I think is generally quite strong) is capable of playing an expansive game with pace and strike out wide ???

Radford, Tickle and Crocker are all so renowned for that aren't they !!!

Whoever we put with Yeaman in the centres is going to be ordinary, inexperienced or both and I'm sure that the rest of SL is is quaking in it's boots at the prospect of facing the pace and strike of Todd Byrne/G Horne/Whiting or whoever else is supposed to be providing for Calderwood.

On the other, I don't think that the same teams will actually be fearing a forward battle with our front row either.

: Sun Jan 04, 2009 12:32 pm  

thehullwhitestar wrote:

So our backrow (which BTW I think is generally quite strong) is capable of playing an expansive game with pace and strike out wide ???

Radford, Tickle and Crocker are all so renowned for that aren't they !!!

Whoever we put with Yeaman in the centres is going to be ordinary, inexperienced or both and I'm sure that the rest of SL is is quaking in it's boots at the prospect of facing the pace and strike of Todd Byrne/G Horne/Whiting or whoever else is supposed to be providing for Calderwood.

On the other, I don't think that the same teams will actually be fearing a forward battle with our front row either.

i dont know what agars planning on but a back row of crocker, tickle, washbrook with mnu coming off the bench could do.

hall could provide very well for calderwood and has pace to burn.

: Sun Jan 04, 2009 12:41 pm  

Sheldon wrote:

i dont know what agars planning on but a back row of crocker, tickle, washbrook with mnu coming off the bench could do.

hall could provide very well for calderwood and has pace to burn.

I think most fans can see a backrow of predominantly Crocker, Radford and Tickle with Manu on the bench. Also it seems pretty clear that horne and Byrne will be our two first choice right centres.

None of that IMO inspires an expansive game of attacking flair with strike or pace. Hence, my first point.

After we've lost the forward battle down the middle most weeks, where does that leave us ??

We needed some serious squad changes or some incredible RA/JS influenced white rabbits from hats magic tricks.

: Sun Jan 04, 2009 12:46 pm  

Sheldon wrote:

i dont know what agars planning on but a back row of crocker, tickle, washbrook with mnu coming off the bench could do.

hall could provide very well for calderwood and has pace to burn.

You're right about the backrow selection aswell. that would be our strongest but we all know that he will find a spot for Radford every week which is one of the issues that effects our pack the most.

He wouldn't be in any starting 17 that I would pick and he would have been near the top of the list of departures come the end of 2009 season but RA has somehow justified giving him another contract extension. It just baffles me !!!