Re: OUT 2020 | Brett Ferres - Featherstone Rovers : Thu Nov 07, 2019 8:36 am  

KaeruJim wrote:

If you look at the squads Wigan, Wire, Saints and Hull have established, we are some way off still.

I'm actually pretty positive about the direction we're moving in now, but my word there has been an intensive care job over the past couple of years.

Personally think as it stands we are a squad that sits about middle tier at best right now.Those teams you quoted should be head and shoulders above the rest but then you have most of the rest of the league who should feel that 5th spot is attainable. As LionArmour alluded to though; it is a fine line between that spot and the bottom of table and relegation especially if Toronto are competitive which it looks like they will be.

Re: OUT 2020 | Brett Ferres - Featherstone Rovers : Thu Nov 07, 2019 9:07 am  

I can't see Toronto being bottom come the end of next season.

Wouldn't be surprised if Salford's halo slipped a bit and HKR don't look crash hot at this point.

In that context a solid signing like Prior makes sense I guess. If Singleton is also going, I can't see us not signing another prop.

We need some real physicality.

Re: OUT 2020 | Brett Ferres - Featherstone Rovers : Thu Nov 07, 2019 9:26 am  

To be honest, I think a great deal depends on who comes in between now and the start of the season. As things stand, we look weak up front and short of a good hooker. We should be stronger in the halves but until we stiffen up that pack that might mean little. If we run with what we currently have I think our name should definitely be included in the list of possibles for bottom four.

Re: OUT 2020 | Brett Ferres - Featherstone Rovers : Thu Nov 07, 2019 9:47 am  

and of course the jury istill out on us

Re: OUT 2020 | Brett Ferres - Featherstone Rovers : Thu Nov 07, 2019 9:51 am  

The squad as it stands is definitely bottom half of the table stuff, but it's likely injuries will play a large part in who is involved in the relegation battle. If we bring in a good prop and hooker, we can challenge for top 5 (I don't expect we get past the first round if we make it).

A winger would be nice, but perhaps this is an area where we can blood a younger player? Others will know if there's anyone even close to ready.

What we need more than anything is to utilise the players we have much more when we have the ball. Give Konny the ball early in space and he'll run riot. Get runners moving in all directions off Gale and give him options to play with and we become much more dangerous. Our concentration levels need to go up ten fold...

Without the ball we need to apply ourselves much more than we did last year, it got better, but you never felt like the other team couldn't score against us. We need that toughness back in our defence, and that's about attitude and application, not this specific player or that one.

I'd still like to see a Prop, a Hooker and a Winger coming in, all of starting quality.

Re: OUT 2020 | Brett Ferres - Featherstone Rovers : Thu Nov 07, 2019 11:17 am  

I do think Ferres leaving is a positive for the club - the salary is needed elsewhere.

We are clearly in for a prop already, and I'd expect us to make a signing before next season there - whether it's Prior or someone else.

I still think Prior looks a poor man's Jamie Peacock but he's clearly not a muppet either.

Hooker is a problem again. Johnson isn't ready for SL every week but Dwyer probably isn't the answer either, and on a 1 year deal. Ideally Johnson really develops in 2020 so he's ready to start 2021 (ambitious perhaps), with another young lad under him as cover.

I'd like us to move to an 80 min hooker again, there was a fad of "impact hookers" for a while but the really top hookers can play full games (and should).

It restricts your bench too much IMO.

Re: OUT 2020 | Brett Ferres - Featherstone Rovers : Thu Nov 07, 2019 12:07 pm  

KaeruJim wrote:

I do think Ferres leaving is a positive for the club - the salary is needed elsewhere.

We are clearly in for a prop already, and I'd expect us to make a signing before next season there - whether it's Prior or someone else.

I still think Prior looks a poor man's Jamie Peacock but he's clearly not a muppet either.

Hooker is a problem again. Johnson isn't ready for SL every week but Dwyer probably isn't the answer either, and on a 1 year deal. Ideally Johnson really develops in 2020 so he's ready to start 2021 (ambitious perhaps), with another young lad under him as cover.

I'd like us to move to an 80 min hooker again, there was a fad of "impact hookers" for a while but the really top hookers can play full games (and should).

It restricts your bench too much IMO.

Think people are bagging Dwyer too much, he was one of our best players last year, yes he is an headless chicken at times, but thats mainly due to him trying too hard and making manic panic plays as we had no threat from the halves. having more structured organisers like Gale, Lui, Mclelland and having more threat should allow him to play a more structured game plan himself and not trying to make it all happen by himself and play the percentages a bit more.
Unless a real high quality hooker is available i see no reason to just Sign another hooker.

Re: OUT 2020 | Brett Ferres - Featherstone Rovers : Thu Nov 07, 2019 12:25 pm  

rollin thunder wrote:

Think people are bagging Dwyer too much, he was one of our best players last year, yes he is an headless chicken at times, but thats mainly due to him trying too hard and making manic panic plays as we had no threat from the halves. having more structured organisers like Gale, Lui, Mclelland and having more threat should allow him to play a more structured game plan himself and not trying to make it all happen by himself and play the percentages a bit more.
Unless a real high quality hooker is available i see no reason to just Sign another hooker.

Yeah I think if you're going to play Dwyer, you do need a good strong pack to get him on the front foot and provide some strength in D, and then good organising halves should help.

his distribution and wider game is lacking but I'd agree I don't think it's terminal - if top class comes in then I'd be happy, but if not we can run with what we have.

Re: OUT 2020 | Brett Ferres - Featherstone Rovers : Thu Nov 07, 2019 1:48 pm  

Clearwing wrote:

To be honest, I think a great deal depends on who comes in between now and the start of the season. As things stand, we look weak up front and short of a good hooker. We should be stronger in the halves but until we stiffen up that pack that might mean little. If we run with what we currently have I think our name should definitely be included in the list of possibles for bottom four.

Agreed

Re: OUT 2020 | Brett Ferres - Featherstone Rovers : Thu Nov 07, 2019 2:49 pm  

rollin thunder wrote:

Think people are bagging Dwyer too much, he was one of our best players last year, yes he is an headless chicken at times, but thats mainly due to him trying too hard and making manic panic plays as we had no threat from the halves. having more structured organisers like Gale, Lui, Mclelland and having more threat should allow him to play a more structured game plan himself and not trying to make it all happen by himself and play the percentages a bit more.
Unless a real high quality hooker is available i see no reason to just Sign another hooker.

Not bagging Dwyer, he's every bit as capable of surprising the opposition as he is his own team mates. It sometimes works and I love his attitude.
That said, I've yet to see him play the role of effective organiser and that doesn't just apply to his time at Leeds. Why he should suddenly adapt to playing like that I'm not sure though of course you could be right. As for signing an average hooker, what fan would want that?