Re: vs. Batley (H) - Friendly : Sun Jan 09, 2022 11:39 pm  

I would like to see how Forshaw does at half back.

Re: vs. Batley (H) - Friendly : Mon Jan 10, 2022 7:09 am  

Any injury concerns from the game? And how did Wallace, Gill, Patton and Baldwinson play?

[Bullseye]

Re: vs. Batley (H) - Friendly : Mon Jan 10, 2022 9:03 am  

Bulls Boy 2011 wrote:

Any injury concerns from the game? And how did Wallace, Gill, Patton and Baldwinson play?

Don't think anyone got a knock. Wallace looked steady, didn't break the line or anything. Gill didn't get any quality ball but made a try for Burton who unfortunately knocked on when all he had to do was catch it and put it down. Patton looked very good in the first half, great ball to Scott for one try and a great instinctive play to put Kear in for one. As the game wore on Batley payed him more attention and we had less go forward so he was less effective. As I said Scott scored one try when he ran a great line off Patton and he almost got another in the second half but was held up. I didn't notice much from Baldwinson.

My only real concern about the game was our unwillingness/inability to try and offload or to spread the ball. There were poor conditions but Batley moved the ball really well and we had to defend for our lives at times. I feel there's no point in signing improved backs unless we try and get them some early quality ball. Think Batley offloaded about 4 times as many times as us too. When we did it was a surprise to all and sundry - we saw this a lot last season.

Re: vs. Batley (H) - Friendly : Mon Jan 10, 2022 10:06 am  

Bullseye wrote:

Don't think anyone got a knock. Wallace looked steady, didn't break the line or anything. Gill didn't get any quality ball but made a try for Burton who unfortunately knocked on when all he had to do was catch it and put it down. Patton looked very good in the first half, great ball to Scott for one try and a great instinctive play to put Kear in for one. As the game wore on Batley payed him more attention and we had less go forward so he was less effective. As I said Scott scored one try when he ran a great line off Patton and he almost got another in the second half but was held up. I didn't notice much from Baldwinson.

My only real concern about the game was our unwillingness/inability to try and offload or to spread the ball. There were poor conditions but Batley moved the ball really well and we had to defend for our lives at times. I feel there's no point in signing improved backs unless we try and get them some early quality ball. Think Batley offloaded about 4 times as many times as us too. When we did it was a surprise to all and sundry - we saw this a lot last season.

Agreed, And yet we have players with nice hands in the pack - Walker, Crossley, Fleming get the ball out but as you say it's a shock to other players and clearly off-plan. And yet because the pack is quite slow overall, we don't make many breaks, just metres (which we do well). But there's something I've noticed about rugby league. Backs that don't get running opportunities gradually stop running. It's an instinct that has to be nurtured. In football strikers need chances or they stop chasing. It's a confidence thing. Lingard is a good coach. Burton needs to be in League 1.

[Bullseye]

Re: vs. Batley (H) - Friendly : Mon Jan 10, 2022 10:11 am  

Yeah Burton had a bit of a shocker poor kid.

Interesting point about players stopping running. That seems to be the norm with us. We must be easy to defend against if the packs are well matched. Think this ought to be Kear's last season with us.

Re: vs. Batley (H) - Friendly : Mon Jan 10, 2022 12:42 pm  

Bulls Boy 2011 wrote:

Any injury concerns from the game? And how did Wallace, Gill, Patton and Baldwinson play?

Can’t say I noticed anyone coming off injured, but who knows? Lilley was injured on Thursday apparently, but nothing was announced until Sunday evening.
After 3 months without a game it was frustrating to go into this match with so many missing. Lilley, England, Kibula and Miller are all confirmed as being injured, whilst Murphy, Hall and Ho have yet to be seen anywhere near a rugby field. With the lack of info about them, I suppose we’ll just have to wonder where they are.
Patton was good, the other new players were ok. Batley deserved to win, but we weren’t disastrous. Adam Horner injected some energy and enthusiasm when he came on. I don’t know anything about him or what basis he’s joined us on, because I’ve not seen him mentioned anywhere. Agree Burton was disappointing. Hopefully he can improve.

Re: vs. Batley (H) - Friendly : Mon Jan 10, 2022 12:51 pm  

Of greater concern, to me at any rate, were the state of the pitch and the sparse “crowd “.
The sea of deep, cloying red mud that surrounds what is now a small pitch is a depressing sight.I understand the need to accommodate motor sport but surely between us all we can do better than this? It’s not a good look, to say the least.
I’m guessing the crowd was in three figures, a worrying development. Lots of people on social media wanting updates but hardly anyone in the stadium. Hopefully the ten quid tickets and the visit of Leeds will reverse this trend.

[Bullseye]

Re: vs. Batley (H) - Friendly : Mon Jan 10, 2022 12:57 pm  

Silver Bullitt wrote:

Of greater concern, to me at any rate, were the state of the pitch and the sparse “crowd “.
The sea of deep, cloying red mud that surrounds what is now a small pitch is a depressing sight.I understand the need to accommodate motor sport but surely between us all we can do better than this? It’s not a good look, to say the least.
I’m guessing the crowd was in three figures, a worrying development. Lots of people on social media wanting updates but hardly anyone in the stadium. Hopefully the ten quid tickets and the visit of Leeds will reverse this trend.

Yes the pitch was very heavy and if the weather doesn't improve it'll be a bog by the time the season begins. The waterlogged track and sparse crowd (definitely about 500 at the most) certainly didn't look good. A couple of the Leeds loanees were sat in front of me and I can't help but wonder what they were thinking. Odsal is not really any better than it was 40 years ago. At least the floodlights are fixed though.

It was a rotten day and I expect that put some people off. We decided to transfer to the main stand and found it was free to do so. I wonder if more would've come if they knew they could sit under cover for no extra cost?

Re: vs. Batley (H) - Friendly : Mon Jan 10, 2022 1:59 pm  

Bullseye wrote:

It was a rotten day and I expect that put some people off. We decided to transfer to the main stand and found it was free to do so. I wonder if more would've come if they knew they could sit under cover for no extra cost?

I didn’t know this and stood as normal. I think a fair few more might have gone as you say.

I think the pricing probably hasn’t helped. Although I think £15 for a friendly is fair enough, advertising Halifax and Batley for £15 seems steep when Leeds is £10 albeit that’s a deal for the game.

Bills are flying up at the moment and we play batley early ish in the season so I think many will (hopefully) be waiting for the season to start proper

Re: vs. Batley (H) - Friendly : Mon Jan 10, 2022 2:36 pm  

Silver Bullitt wrote:

Can’t say I noticed anyone coming off injured, but who knows? Lilley was injured on Thursday apparently, but nothing was announced until Sunday evening.
After 3 months without a game it was frustrating to go into this match with so many missing. Lilley, England, Kibula and Miller are all confirmed as being injured, whilst Murphy, Hall and Ho have yet to be seen anywhere near a rugby field. With the lack of info about them, I suppose we’ll just have to wonder where they are.
Patton was good, the other new players were ok. Batley deserved to win, but we weren’t disastrous. Adam Horner injected some energy and enthusiasm when he came on. I don’t know anything about him or what basis he’s joined us on, because I’ve not seen him mentioned anywhere. Agree Burton was disappointing. Hopefully he can improve.

Where has it been mentioned about England, Kibula and Miller being injured?

And thank you all for your replies. Sounds like how I expected the first friendly to go. Main thing is the lads got back out there and got some minutes into their legs.