Half year review : Thu Jul 15, 2021 1:06 pm  

With no game this week and it just being over half way through the season, thought it be interesting to get everyone's thoughts on how we're going.

Personally I don't think we could have wished for much more (maybe being more competitive against Fev) but we're currently sitting in third and thats with having a tough time with injuries, particularly at HB.

After the Sheffield game, some were fearing we'd be struggling to stay in the division. So it's been a decent turnaround.

Toulouse and Fev are clearly are cut above and have spent big to be where they are. But we're looking good for the top 4, think we'll have a fight with Fax for third who seem to be on a roll. But when you look how York have fallen of the edge of a cliff, despite the money they've thrown at their squad, top 4 would be fantastic achievement as I'd imagine we 're the 5th highest spenders in the league behind Toulouse, Fev, London & York.

But if we get in the play-offs then anything can happen and with Brough, Lilley, Matty Dawson-Jones looking like they'll be fit and fresh for those play-offs, I don't think we'd be a team the others would particularly want to face.

But after some awful years in the past, I think this is one we should all enjoy.

*prepare to jinx the season and we fall off a cliff and miss out on the play-offs altogether.

[Pumpetypump]

Re: Half year review : Thu Jul 15, 2021 2:39 pm  

It's so tricky to know exactly where we are. I had hoped with two established backs we would have been able to see against Featherstone how much we'd narrowed the gap, but of course we had the injuries and were bent over again.

I actually wish York well but the hype around them has been absurd. I wouldn't have pegged them for a freefall but I'm not particularly surprised they aren't anywhere near the "best of the rest" tag people tried to give them. As for who is best of the rest then I'd say Fax.

Re: Half year review : Mon Jul 19, 2021 8:23 am  

More than I expected to be fair but that comes with a real frustration in the fact that when we've clicked we've looked a match for anyone but when we go into our shell and our heads drop we look decidedly League 1.

But on balance... happier than I expected at this point (other then the RFL forcing us to play on a Mickey Mouse pitch)

Re: Half year review : Mon Jul 19, 2021 10:02 am  

Half Term Review: Grade B+

Notes: Poor start to the season at Sheffield after a very lackluster pre-season schedule. We've been vastly improved since that opening day defeat. Barring some bad injuries to some of our key play makers I don't think there is much to complain about (except the pitch). We are the best of the rest in this league as Fev and Toulouse are in a 2 horse race for the top spot.

[Bulliac]

Re: Half year review : Mon Jul 19, 2021 10:19 am  

dddooommm wrote:

Half Term Review: Grade B+

Notes: Poor start to the season at Sheffield after a very lackluster pre-season schedule. We've been vastly improved since that opening day defeat. Barring some bad injuries to some of our key play makers I don't think there is much to complain about (except the pitch). We are the best of the rest in this league as Fev and Toulouse are in a 2 horse race for the top spot.

I think that's a fair reflection.

I know it's a hopeless ask with us but, if only we can keep a fairly representative spine on the pitch, we'll do Ok. Best is yet to come?

[Bullseye]

Re: Half year review : Tue Jul 20, 2021 12:07 pm  

Grade C. Doing pretty much how I'd expect.

Re: Half year review : Tue Jul 20, 2021 8:30 pm  

Bullseye wrote:

Grade C. Doing pretty much how I'd expect.

Grade C?!
Jesus, would feel sorry for any pupils if you were a teacher!

I’d go for B given the budget/size/depth of the squad compared to the likes of York and 9/12 is an excellent campaign to date.

Re: Half year review : Thu Jul 22, 2021 9:21 am  

BullPen wrote:

Grade C?!
Jesus, would feel sorry for any pupils if you were a teacher!

I’d go for B given the budget/size/depth of the squad compared to the likes of York and 9/12 is an excellent campaign to date.

100% but I'd also say the budget/size/squad needs to be part of the review. We've been very fortunate with the free weekends and the timings of the loans as the squad is about 4 senior players short of a top championship squad. The loans have been excellent but I don't see why the squad is so light. Fev have 30+ and you can tell.

That said there is a (slim) chance we might reach the play offs with E. Kear, MDJ, Brough, Keyes. Wouldn't that be fun?

Re: Half year review : Thu Jul 22, 2021 9:33 am  

M@islebugs wrote:

100% but I'd also say the budget/size/squad needs to be part of the review. We've been very fortunate with the free weekends and the timings of the loans as the squad is about 4 senior players short of a top championship squad. The loans have been excellent but I don't see why the squad is so light. Fev have 30+ and you can tell.

That said there is a (slim) chance we might reach the play offs with E. Kear, MDJ, Brough, Keyes. Wouldn't that be fun?

Pickersgill
MDJ
Evans
Oakes
Kear
Brough
Lilley/Keyes
Crossley
Doyle
Fleming
Murphy
England
Evans

Walker
Flanagan/Lilley
Scurr
Rooks

Not a bad team once everyone is fit, hopefully we can get them all on the field by the playoffs(if we make it)

Re: Half year review : Thu Jul 22, 2021 9:57 am  

bulls2487 wrote:

Pickersgill
MDJ
Evans
Oakes
Kear
Brough
Lilley/Keyes
Crossley
Doyle
Fleming
Murphy
England
Evans

Walker
Flanagan/Lilley
Scurr
Rooks

Not a bad team once everyone is fit, hopefully we can get them all on the field by the playoffs(if we make it)

No it's not. Brough/Keyes with Lilley coming on could be devastating. I'd try Kear in the left centre, or even at fullback as an attacking strike option. I don't thinks Oakes or Pick could complain whereas Brown has improved all year. We need something else in that left back row channel.