Re: Keighley game. : Sun Jan 29, 2017 4:56 pm  

Thought Nathan Kitson for Cougars changed the game. Number 4 I think? Played at Hooker when he came on.

Onto the Bulls. Peltier was good but unfortunately him and Magrin cannot do it all on their own. It showed today that we need Joseph. We look light, although I was impressed with our Number 12's go forward! Again loved how the young lads got stuck in when Pryce got his head taken off.

Attack was a lot better this week than last week. Defence was okay.

Halafihi made some poor options in that first half which (had the right option been taken) could have taken the game away from Keighley. Thomas was poor. What the bloody hell was he doing when they kicked through and scored? Looked like he planted his feet. Everything does run through Pryce at the minute although I think Keyes will have more of a say as we play a few games.

All in all. Good run out for the lads. Need Joseph and Foster! All loans should be forwards. And it was a good chance for Toovey to assess his squad.

Re: Keighley game. : Sun Jan 29, 2017 5:03 pm  

Bulls Boy 2011 wrote:

Thought Nathan Kitson for Cougars changed the game. Number 4 I think? Played at Hooker when he came on.

Onto the Bulls. Peltier was good but unfortunately him and Magrin cannot do it all on their own. It showed today that we need Joseph. We look light, although I was impressed with our Number 12's go forward! Again loved how the young lads got stuck in when Pryce got his head taken off.

Attack was a lot better this week than last week. Defence was okay.

Halafihi made some poor options in that first half which (had the right option been taken) could have taken the game away from Keighley. Thomas was poor. What the bloody hell was he doing when they kicked through and scored? Looked like he planted his feet. Everything does run through Pryce at the minute although I think Keyes will have more of a say as we play a few games.

All in all. Good run out for the lads. Need Joseph and Foster! All loans should be forwards. And it was a good chance for Toovey to assess his squad.

Agree on Bentley (Our Number 12). He plays well above his weight. Not the biggest kid, but he hands players off, he tackles people much bigger than him. Same could be said for Joe Lumb too.

And yes, all new loans/signings need to be forwards. Or at least the priorities need to be. A three quarter line of Caro/Macani, Mendeika, Oakes & Ryan is ok for us. It may not be amazing, but it's good enough. The current pack is too young and lacking experience.

Re: Keighley game. : Sun Jan 29, 2017 5:24 pm  

first time I have seen a Goose on the pitch. I am more used to Peacocks!

Re: Keighley game. : Sun Jan 29, 2017 6:04 pm  

HamsterChops wrote:

Agree on Bentley (Our Number 12). He plays well above his weight. Not the biggest kid, but he hands players off, he tackles people much bigger than him. Same could be said for Joe Lumb too.

And yes, all new loans/signings need to be forwards. Or at least the priorities need to be. A three quarter line of Caro/Macani, Mendeika, Oakes & Ryan is ok for us. It may not be amazing, but it's good enough. The current pack is too young and lacking experience.

Couldn't tell if it was Bentley or Wilkinson haha! Yes was very impressed with Bentley as I was in the game or two he had last season. Aye Lumb has been good and will be our main hooker from now on I would have thought Be nice to see him play a full season! To be honest that 3/4 line is class. For me Oakes and Ryan need to be a long term partnership. Both 20? So give them a few years together. I do hope Mendeika gets a run too but I can see Foster going there if we manage to beef up the pack!

Agree with the young and lacking experience. For me, I'd play Peltier and Joseph with Kirk and Magrin on the bench with a loan prop. Need a couple of second rowers though to complement Roche. I'd give Bentley a run at 13 though!

Re: Keighley game. : Sun Jan 29, 2017 6:05 pm  

I thought we started well, but as we fed in more academy lads throughout the game, the impact & intensity dropped off. I dislike picking out individuals in a team game, but Oscar Thomas gifted Cougars 2 tries and generally had a shocker.

Re: Keighley game. : Sun Jan 29, 2017 6:17 pm  

Aye Thomas was garbage. Saying that I though Halafihi was poor. Threw a terrible ball in a 4 v 2/3 situation that went to no one in the first half when Mendieka and Macani were wide open. Then cost an opportunity when on the 5th he went left where there were 3 Cougars marking 2 Bulls instead of whipping it straight to Pryce/Keyes for the kick.

Re: Keighley game. : Sun Jan 29, 2017 6:52 pm  

I saw enough again today to still feel positive that we will eventually be a good team. It is still very early days and only the second time this thrown together team has played together, first time Pryce and Keyes partnered each other etc.

I thought we were good in the first half. Along with the trys we scored we had two good breaks ruled out for forward passes and there were two occasions on our right edge where we should have scored but picked the wrong pass. Attacking cohesion will only come with more game time. We looked a lot more creative than last week.

In the second half we removed Campbell, Keyes, Roche (who looks an excellent signing) and it showed. Thomas made two bad decisions that led directly to two trys; he needs more game time I think to sharpen up but I see him firmly as a backup player this year.

Our young lads all look excellent. The best of them today were Oakes (again), Bentley and Hodgson.

They wont however be able to do it every week for a full season and as everyone has recognised, we need a few experienced heads in the pack to take some of the pressure off them.


If Foster re-signs that's the backs sorted for me.

If Joseph signs then I would also be looking for 1 more experienced prop and two experienced second rowers and I think we'd be looking ok.

Re: Keighley game. : Sun Jan 29, 2017 7:07 pm  

I wonder if Huddersfield would be willing to loan Mellor back to us. No idea where he is on their pecking order because I don't know enough about their squad, but it certainly wouldn't hurt to ask.
He'd be great cover for second row and centre.

Re: Keighley game. : Sun Jan 29, 2017 7:19 pm  

As I say I would give Lumb the 9 shirt and Bentley the 13 shirt. That gives us four 20 year olds in the starting line up in Ryan, Oakes, Lumb and Bentley. Wilkinson will go well this season too!

Nothus wrote:

I wonder if Huddersfield would be willing to loan Mellor back to us. No idea where he is on their pecking order because I don't know enough about their squad, but it certainly wouldn't hurt to ask.
He'd be great cover for second row and centre.

Could have asked him. He was at the game today!

Re: Keighley game. : Sun Jan 29, 2017 8:23 pm  

woolly07 wrote:

first time I have seen a Goose on the pitch. I am more used to Peacocks!

Presumably a Toronto fan...