[Bullseye]

Re: That Was The Season That Was : Tue Sep 10, 2013 3:13 pm  

Would like to see us with a slightly larger squad to withstand the inevitable injuries. As things stand the 2014 squad is on a par with this year’s in terms of numbers. I remember Whitcut saying a squad of 30 was what we needed so at least two further signings to come I hope.

We seem to have plenty of options at hooker, backrow and halfback. At prop we look better for 2014 but another wouldn’t go amiss. At centre we look extremely thin. Hopefully replacements for Lulia and Platt are lined up.

Re: That Was The Season That Was : Tue Sep 10, 2013 5:25 pm  

It will be hard to find a replacement for Lulia and I really hope Cummins doesn't see George or Gaskell as Lulia's successor. My current first choice 17 would be:

Kearney
Kear
Blythe
Purtell
Foster
Sammut
Gale/Gaskell
Scruton
L'Estrange
Carvell
Bateman
Ferguson
Addy

Donaldson / Olbison / Walker
Manuokafoa
Sidlow
Diskin

So far for next season we have a much stronger pack, but a much weaker back line.

Re: That Was The Season That Was : Wed Sep 11, 2013 12:26 am  

A disappointing season tbh yes I know we have had injuries but you'd think with the likes Kearney, Sammut, Gale, Scruton, Le Strange, Bateman Lulia and Foster I thought we would have made at least 7th or 8th, the amount of times we let leads go against Wigan, Widnes (twice), London and Catalans were infuriating it was like Steve McNamara was coaching us again. Hopefully FC will sort the defence and we will be more creative in attack and also hope that George, Carvell and Ferguson will be add a lot to the squad next season, my expectation next season will be at least the play offs.

Re: That Was The Season That Was : Wed Sep 11, 2013 7:34 am  

I tipped us for the bottom 4 mainly due to the pack, which I thought was thin. I expected Scrutes to play less than 10 games and Sidlow to be below average. Both have had good seasons and losing Sidlow was a significant blow. Danny Addy has had another excellent season. Didn't see the logic of losing Joseph and Pryce for Evans and Foster and probably still don't, although I expect a much better, fitter, stronger Evans next year.

Disappointments - Gale and Bateman for different reasons and obviously Whitehead.

Recruitment is early and good quality so far. A prop and a centre plus a little bit of luck and we'll push on with the young players we have.

[Bulliac]

Re: That Was The Season That Was : Wed Sep 11, 2013 9:38 am  

Only disappointment was the fact that our our early third position gave false [and to be honest, unrealistic] expectations, which with hindsight it shouldn't have done. though I confess to being on the optimistic side when looking forward, I think, given the pre season shenanigans, realistically we finished about where we should have done - mid table.

I'm now looking forward to kicking on, all be it on half money, and I hope not too optimistically, to making the bottom end of the play-offs next year - though to be perfectly frank, I'll be happy if we don't get into the relegation spots and remain in the top division and then back on full funding the following year.

Reading back through the last paragraph it sounds a bit downbeat, which to be fair I don't totally feel, but for me getting back on that same financial level as the other clubs and still here in SL is the main objective, with one season down and one to go..

Re: That Was The Season That Was : Wed Sep 11, 2013 10:22 am  

Bulliac wrote:

Only disappointment was the fact that our our early third position gave false [and to be honest, unrealistic] expectations, which with hindsight it shouldn't have done. though I confess to being on the optimistic side when looking forward, I think, given the pre season shenanigans, realistically we finished about where we should have done - mid table.

I'm now looking forward to kicking on, all be it on half money, and I hope not too optimistically, to making the bottom end of the play-offs next year - though to be perfectly frank, I'll be happy if we don't get into the relegation spots and remain in the top division and then back on full funding the following year.

Reading back through the last paragraph it sounds a bit downbeat, which to be fair I don't totally feel, but for me getting back on that same financial level as the other clubs and still here in SL is the main objective, with one season down and one to go..

Totally agree with your last paragraph. Avoiding the two relegation spots has to be the priority, anything else is a big bonus.

Re: That Was The Season That Was : Wed Sep 11, 2013 2:11 pm  

hindle xiii wrote:

So I thought I'd throw in a bucket full of stats to shock and amaze the RAB collective; the first are Bulls v SL, the second are Bulls v Bulls.

Points for - 11th
Points against - 8th
Tackles - 5th
Missed tackles - 2nd
Tackle busts - 8th
Metres - 7th
Gain - =12th
Clean breaks - 11th
Dummy half runs - 1st
Errors - 6th
Goals - 6th
Missed goals - 13th (or 2nd best)
Offloads - 1st
Penalties - 9th (big improvement since earlier in the season)

Now the other bit
Year . W . D . L . Fr . Ag . +/- . Pos
2009 . 12 . 1 . 14 . 653 . 668 . -15 . 9
2010 . 9 . 1 . 17 . 528 . 728 . -200 . 10
2011 . 9 . 2 . 16 . 570 . 826 . -256 . 10
2012 . 14 . 1 . 12 . 633 . 756 . -123 . 9
2013 . 10 . 2 . 15 . 640 . 658 . -18 . 9

So in short our best defensive display since 14 teams and missing the play offs, and our 2nd best attack since ... signs of improvement. It just so happens many other teams really racked up the points it pushes us down the rankings. So work to be done in attack and some better defence and we'll be reet.

Spiffing.

Just a little more to add to this post. Shows signs of improvement, which considering how late the squad was put together is amazing:

Points Scored: 640. Best since 2009

Points against: 658. Best since 2008

Points diff: -18. Best since 2009

Average for: 23 Best since 2009

Average against: 24 Best since 2008.

Re: That Was The Season That Was : Wed Sep 11, 2013 5:15 pm  

I think everybody probably feels a bit deflated after our good start. This was better than expected and at the back of your mind was the fact that we were doing it without a recognised scrum half. Unfortunately when we did get him back instead of kicking on we seemed to fall away. Not blaming anyone just stating a fact.

Re: That Was The Season That Was : Wed Sep 11, 2013 8:27 pm  

To be honest after we were effectively kept out of the transfer market last year, and given little time to assemble a squad we actually did better than I expected. We played some good football especially in the opening third of the season, and a with bit more composure closing games out we could have been in the eight.
It looks like there could still be some additions to the squad - so I would like to think we aim for playoffs next year. It would be wrong to just aim to avoid being relegated we need to be more positive. FC has a three year plan and I give him 8/10 for the first of those years.

Re: That Was The Season That Was : Thu Sep 12, 2013 7:57 am  

Overall it was a respectable season given the loss of the telly money and the thinness of the squad.

I thought we benefited at the start of the season from a continuation of last season's backs to the wall spirit. Not surprisingly that ebbed away. Also not surprising that injuries eventually took their toll on the squad.

Have to admit I'm very pessimistic about next year. Losing the telly money for one season was bad enough, two could be terminal. And the way the season fizzled out will not have done much for season ticket renewals.

If we're playing SL in 2015 it will be a case of job done for next season.