Re: Leigh (H) : Mon Feb 29, 2016 9:06 am  

A broken hand for Sidlow is a blow but hopefully we can get through next week and Clough should be back which will help fill the gap. How many times will Jimmy admit it was probably his fault as the coach before the owner realises that also.

[Bullseye]

Re: Leigh (H) : Mon Feb 29, 2016 9:30 am  

I thought we came out and played to a lower intensity which showed by the various mistakes and penalties we gave away. Our game plan of playing up the middle with a very structured game also played into the hands of Leigh who were much stronger in the forwards. 90% of our carries ended up with the ball carrier being put on his back. That meant our PTB was really slow. In contrast the Leigh forwards either got offloads away or were playing the ball with our tacklers on the floor. With that platform Higham had a field day making ground around the ruck.

At 6-32 with 24mins to go I thought we were in for a serious thrashing. Defensively we were playing like individuals but I thought Lowes stopped the rot when he subbed three forwards. We then seemed to play more expansively, as if the shackles were off. Clare went from having a non descript game to getting us right back into it. I thought Haggerty had a super second spell and Clark really ran his blood to water.

Even though Leigh brought Higham back on it was too late for them. The pendulum had swung and once we got possession it looked like we’d score every time we got the ball in the last 10mins.

I’m glad to see Lowes saying that the draw won’t make up for the 65mins of dross we served up. Plenty to work on and losing Sidlow is a blow since he was the one forward that did anything for us in that first hour. The weakness in the pack going forward is concerning. We need Clough and Kavanagh back soon. I can see us struggling vs Fax and away at Batley unless we show a bit more up front.

Re: Leigh (H) : Mon Feb 29, 2016 9:45 am  

Ferocious Aardvark wrote:

Sorry but that's just plain wrong, at no point did they "look like they couldn't give a toss", I don't mind different points of view but while they looked a poor second best for much of the first hour, one thing they did do is keep going.

I don't think it's wrong. I equate not giving a toss to a lack of effort which was blatantly obvious in that first hour. E.g when Smith wrestled off three players to plant the ball down after being held up just short of the line. Just not good enough. Once their attitude picked up and they realised they had half a chance the game changed and they were exiting to watch.

Re: Leigh (H) : Mon Feb 29, 2016 10:17 am  

Having just read all comments. I don't think there's a whole lot extra to add. Agree on performance-wise, the likes of Clare, Haggerty and Clark won it for us in the last 15. I would also add Pitts to that too.

Re: Leigh (H) : Mon Feb 29, 2016 12:22 pm  

Think problem with our pack is our back rowers are too small. We've got some good props. Pitts, Olbison, Haggerty are all good players, but when you're playing all 3 of them plus Blythe, you are giving away some serious size. For me i would move Lovegrove into back row as he's too small for a prop and i would give Walshaw a run of games. He was MOM last time we played Leigh...

[Bulliac]

Re: Leigh (H) : Mon Feb 29, 2016 1:03 pm  

An amazing game: very similar to the win at Halifax a few years back and also, of course, the loss to Wigan at Odsal. Just shows how fortunes change when one team isn't 'on the ball'.

We looked as though someone has slipped mogadon into the pre-match drinks as we were far too laid back and lacked bite - fortunately, though I can't accept for a second that it was deliberate, we still had the energy left to capitalise when Leigh ran out of steam somewhat, later on.

I'd suspect that neither side would be too happy with how it went, though ultimately the draw was a fair result. We could have been well and truly hammered but, at the end, another couple of minutes and we could have won it - unbelievable. I know that neither side are peaking this early in the season but I'm equally sure neither coach can accept those capitulations, ours early on, and Leigh's at the end.

[Bullseye]

Re: Leigh (H) : Mon Feb 29, 2016 1:06 pm  

Blythe tried putting on a big hit and came a distinct second best. If you’re going to fly out of the line then you have to complete the tackle or you leave a huge gap. For me he’s too small to play in the forwards. I agree Lovegrove should be at loose forward with either Clark or Ferguson starting in one of the second row slots alongside Haggerty or Pitts.

Re: Leigh (H) : Mon Feb 29, 2016 1:50 pm  

Nothus wrote:

Based on this post and some you made earlier in the week, you seem to have some serious bitterness and resentment towards Leigh.
To say they didn't create any tries today is laughable - they played us off the park for 65 minutes and, for reasons that I am still struggling to comprehend, decided to simply stop competing for the last 15 and let us back in it.

Without getting drawn into too much a discussion, I'm not sure how you come to this conclusion about bitterness - I love the rivalry. Secondly, I already said they ran through our forwards like they weren't there, and you have agreed with me. However, if our defending had been more aggressive (or just better), then we wouldn't have given away the pathetic tries we gave away. All 5 were preventable and all in all it was a pathetic display, for 60 minutes.

So to come to a similarly hasty conclusion, I would say that perhaps you read the first few words of my post and gave up.

Re: Swinton (A) : Mon Feb 29, 2016 1:53 pm  

Nothus wrote:

You're supposed to save these kind of comments for AFTER we've played them, not before!
You're setting yourself up perfectly to be left with egg all over your face come 5pm on Sunday, don't say I didn't warn you.

You did

I deserved this.

Re: Leigh (H) : Mon Feb 29, 2016 2:15 pm  

Ste100Centurions wrote:

O.k, a Leigh fans perspective.

Firstly, Ferocious Ardvark is in the main talking a load of old [b]Bo Lax[/b..

Firstly, fsck right off! Who the fsck do you think you are?! Your team were shot, and even if they weren't, don't come on here being so fscking rude you ignorant prat, who appointed YOU teh font of all knowledge?