Re: SL RD 5 | Castleford Tigers (A) : Sat Mar 11, 2023 4:46 pm  

Leeds_Luke wrote:

Yes, this definitely appears to be the game plan - keep the ball moving to keep the opposition running. Leeds have already shown moments of brilliance by doing this in the past few weeks, and I can't wait to see it in full flow when summer improves the conditions and players have honed their ball handling.

I get a nagging feeling that our light weight forwards have forced this style of play though. I like to see a couple of old school wrecking-ball forwards that need several defenders to stop. Leeds have always been a bit lightweight for me, but the current team of forwards just look small compared to other packs, even with a couple of heavy additions such as Sangare and Lisone.

Light weight forwards?

Our pack this year is one of the biggest weve had in years. Not the biggest in thr League but I wouldn’t call it lightweight and we have oledski to come back in

Re: SL RD 5 | Castleford Tigers (A) : Sat Mar 11, 2023 5:34 pm  

Yeah, odd comment about the forwards

Re: SL RD 5 | Castleford Tigers (A) : Sat Mar 11, 2023 5:36 pm  

christopher wrote:

Our pack this year is one of the biggest weve had in years. Not the biggest in thr League but I wouldn’t call it lightweight

But they could be called lightweight against other packs then? They need to eat more pies.

Leeds have carried a lightweight pack for years, and I like BIG stout forwards. That's all I'm saying. We have had a tenancy to get bullied in the middle by bigger forwards, thus the need to play the current free-flowing passing game - it suits lighter and more mobile forwards and punishes the heavier ones.

Re: SL RD 5 | Castleford Tigers (A) : Sat Mar 11, 2023 6:00 pm  

Leeds_Luke wrote:

But they could be called lightweight against other packs then? They need to eat more pies.

Leeds have carried a lightweight pack for years, and I like BIG stout forwards. That's all I'm saying. We have had a tenancy to get bullied in the middle by bigger forwards, thus the need to play the current free-flowing passing game - it suits lighter and more mobile forwards and punishes the heavier ones.

Lisone, Sangare and Olefski not big?

Bar the opening game we haven’t been bullied at all.

Re: SL RD 5 | Castleford Tigers (A) : Sat Mar 11, 2023 6:04 pm  

Leeds_Luke wrote:

But they could be called lightweight against other packs then? They need to eat more pies.

Leeds have carried a lightweight pack for years, and I like BIG stout forwards. That's all I'm saying. We have had a tenancy to get bullied in the middle by bigger forwards, thus the need to play the current free-flowing passing game - it suits lighter and more mobile forwards and punishes the heavier ones.

We are by no means lightweight anymore. I'm sure you'll point to the Wire defeat but worthing bearing in mind: No Oledski, Holroyd playing his first competitive SL game for more than a year, Lisone clearly not match fit, and Walters not selected. Donaldson on the bench may quickly become a thing of the past. Smith clearly values big middle forwards, but doesn't make them his plan A. Personally I applaud that.

Re: SL RD 5 | Castleford Tigers (A) : Sat Mar 11, 2023 6:23 pm  

christopher wrote:

Lisone, Sangare and Olefski not big?

Bar the opening game we haven’t been bullied at all.

The 'heavy additions' i name dropped in my original post? I think Sangare is about a stone heavier than the next biggest, and I welcome their addition. They bring bulk and skill to our roster.

Saints tried to bully us in the middle, we were getting knocked back a lot against Hull FC. But we have recruited size, as I noted, as well as played a game plan which keeps the ball away from the middle of the park.

Take out Lisone, Sangare, Oledzki, and Walters, and you are left with 15 or 16 stone forwards in reserves.

We have some class players, and some strong guys, I just like to be the team that is bigger than the rest and intimidate the opposition through size. I'm also aware that Rohan gets paid to sit on the coaches bench, whilst I have to pay to stand on the terrace.

Re: SL RD 5 | Castleford Tigers (A) : Sat Mar 11, 2023 7:01 pm  

We were absolutely dire for 50 minutes and were lucky that Wakefield are awful. We would have been a few scores behind against any other side (not seen Cas play).

I personally thought we reverted back to the one up stuff yesterday rather than throw it around like at Saints (likely due to the weather). We never do well when we go one up.

I still hate this sitting back defence. It gifts the opposition 60m each set and pretty much always gives the opposition at least one attacking play at our line. Yes, the goal line defence was ok but I would prefer it if we didn't allow teams to get into that position to test our goal line defence out.

Re: SL RD 5 | Castleford Tigers (A) : Sat Mar 11, 2023 7:13 pm  

With a fit Newman and McDonald plus Fuzzy and Handley when he returns, we finally have a back line that once again that will threaten our opposition and make them worry.

Plus with Bentley and Newman our team have two very effervescent players that will wind up other teams and hopefully inspire ours.

Re: SL RD 5 | Castleford Tigers (A) : Sat Mar 11, 2023 7:54 pm  

Leeds_Luke wrote:

The 'heavy additions' i name dropped in my original post? I think Sangare is about a stone heavier than the next biggest, and I welcome their addition. They bring bulk and skill to our roster.

Saints tried to bully us in the middle, we were getting knocked back a lot against Hull FC. But we have recruited size, as I noted, as well as played a game plan which keeps the ball away from the middle of the park.

Take out Lisone, Sangare, Oledzki, and Walters, and you are left with 15 or 16 stone forwards in reserves.

We have some class players, and some strong guys, I just like to be the team that is bigger than the rest and intimidate the opposition through size. I'm also aware that Rohan gets paid to sit on the coaches bench, whilst I have to pay to stand on the terrace.

I was at the game, saints didn’t in my opinion bully us, I would say that physically we matched them fairly easily. Taking out lisone, sangare, oledzki and Walters is like saying taking out walmsley, Lees, Paasi and LMS and wondering what happens.
Or take out Vaughan, Harrison, Kasiano and Bullock and see what happens. Of course the pack looks smaller if you do that? We can’t run a squad with 8 huge props, no squad can.
I would say the difference with Leeds and maybe saints would be the size of the back row but that comes down to how you want to play.

Re: SL RD 5 | Castleford Tigers (A) : Sat Mar 11, 2023 8:40 pm  

Leeds_Luke wrote:

The 'heavy additions' i name dropped in my original post? I think Sangare is about a stone heavier than the next biggest, and I welcome their addition. They bring bulk and skill to our roster.

Saints tried to bully us in the middle, we were getting knocked back a lot against Hull FC. But we have recruited size, as I noted, as well as played a game plan which keeps the ball away from the middle of the park.

Take out Lisone, Sangare, Oledzki, and Walters, and you are left with 15 or 16 stone forwards in reserves.

We have some class players, and some strong guys, I just like to be the team that is bigger than the rest and intimidate the opposition through size. I'm also aware that Rohan gets paid to sit on the coaches bench, whilst I have to pay to stand on the terrace.

'Take out 4 of your 6 props' Well yeah, no sh it! Holroyds not a small thing though either with bags of improvement.