Re: Two Games Down : Mon Feb 16, 2015 1:13 pm  

bren2k wrote:

No surprise to see Saints and Wire going well; and Saints remain the most entertaining team in SL - playing a brand of rugby that doesn't leave a sour taste in the mouth...

Speaking of which - Wigan look a bit weaker, but they'll dog their way into contention.

Cas, HKR and Salford, despite confident predictions going in to the season, have looked pretty grim - Cas are still well drilled, but have lost too much quality to repeat what they did last season; Salford look totally rudderless and without any team spirit and HKR I suspect are too 'new' a team to gel just yet - of that three, they seem most likely to come good.

Catalans - typically dumb rugby with flashes of brilliance; they're as impossible to predict as Elois Pellisier's hairdo.

Shudds & Widnes look ordinary and I haven't seen Leeds or Hull FC yet other than highlights.

Biggest surprise has to be Wakey - we were overwhelming favourites to finish bottom (as per) and yet we're 2 from 2, following a brilliant resurgence against Cas and a comprehensive taking apart of HKR on Sunday.

It's a long season and there'll be some changing around as teams gel or find form, but some have already put themselves under immense pressure.

Sts playing entertaining rugby? They've participated in two bore fests, even admitted by their own fans. A lot of what they've done has admittedly been technically correct and very steady but entertaining I ask you.

Re: Two Games Down : Mon Feb 16, 2015 2:03 pm  

Ovavoo wrote:

Sts playing entertaining rugby? They've participated in two bore fests, even admitted by their own fans. A lot of what they've done has admittedly been technically correct and very steady but entertaining I ask you.

Christ, if Saints are boring I would love to see how you describe your own team's style.

Re: Two Games Down : Mon Feb 16, 2015 2:46 pm  

Ovavoo wrote:

Sts playing entertaining rugby? They've participated in two bore fests, even admitted by their own fans. A lot of what they've done has admittedly been technically correct and very steady but entertaining I ask you.

Scoring 50+ points is hardly boring rugby ?? but, it may have had plenty to do with Saints opposition.

Cas aren't too far away.
They lost 3 of their best players from last season and Clarke especially is a massive loss, but they will improve and losing by 2 points and 1 point shows that thy will be posting some league points soon.

Salford, KR and Huddersfield will be most concerned at the moment.
KR appear to have had too many changes in their squad, which is going to take some time to organise and their defence looks very shaky but, again they will improve.
Salford should be competitive with their first 17 but there appears to be a lack of team ethic with them and it appears that they may not be getting along, either with each other or with the coach/owner.
Something is definitely not right.
They have enough quality to be mid table. Maybe Tim Sheens coming in for a few weeks will sort them out ??
And what about Huddersfield.
Contenders for the last few seasons and yet they have been slow off the mark, although that may not be giving Hull enough credit. They weren't too far away against Wigan.

Top 4 still looks like Wire, Saints, Wigan and Leeds with Catalan and maybe Hull just behind.

Then its take your pick for the bottom half.

A decent run rom any of the others could see them make the top 8 but, they will only be making the numbers up for the "super 8"

Re: Two Games Down : Mon Feb 16, 2015 3:25 pm  

As a Wakey fan I'm delighted with the start, but I'm not getting carried away. It's only two games in and I'm finding this dark horse talk a bit preposterous really. I reckon we can make the 8, but our feet need to be firmly on the ground week in week out.

As for the other teams, not surprised with Leeds, Sts, Wire. Huddersfield I'm a bit surprised at, and I think they really need to consider removing Brough as captain. Castleford, they'll come good, unlucky against Catalans. I reckon they could pull off a win at Saints, or if not as history shows they'll definitely get something out of the Wigan game. Hull, got off to a decent start. They seem to be much tighter as a defensive unit. Salford, not surprised. Too many egos in there, probably on lucrative contracts and don't seem to have the team spirit other clubs have. I also Koukash is the most petulant owner I've ever seen in RL, and I think he'll do more harm than good in the end.

As for Hull KR, they just need to sort their defence out, and fast. A big game against Wire coming up, and they'll have more attacking threat than Wakey.

All in all, I'm pleasantly surprised at the impact the new format has had, including on the championship teams.

Re: Two Games Down : Mon Feb 16, 2015 3:53 pm  

Ovavoo wrote:

Sts playing entertaining rugby? They've participated in two bore fests, even admitted by their own fans. A lot of what they've done has admittedly been technically correct and very steady but entertaining I ask you.

I hardly think WE'VE been boring. The Catalan game was a poor game but that was mainly do to the stop/start nature and the amount of penalties given. I thought we played some really good stuff at times and if Percival hadn't had the ball stripped on the line, we could have been looking at an early contender for try of the season. I thought we played some really entertaining stuff at Salford, although the lopsidedness of the game will obviously make that game seem boring to neutrals too.

Just because the game itself isn't exciting, doesn't mean we aren't! Happy with our start, although I do feel we'll be brought down to Earth on Sunday by the Rabbitohs.

As for other teams, I wasn't expecting much from Hudds this year, don't know why... Just a hunch. They've started pretty poorly though. Wire look to have a bit more steel about them than I predicted. I was thinking a 4th place or so finish for them but I think I'm actually going to move them up to 2nd as Wigan haven't looked very impressive at all, in my opinion.

Gonna be really tough for those 7th and 8th spots. Wakey have made a great start and Widnes have showed they have enough about them to get there. But you'd also expect Salford to eventually turn up and Cas to improve (although I don't think they'll make the 8 ). It could be a real scrap down there, as I can't think of a single team in which I can say 'nah, they're definitely not gonna make it'. Probably the first time in Super League for a long time, so that's progress.

Re: Two Games Down : Mon Feb 16, 2015 3:55 pm  

All these people claiming Salford have no team spirit, based on what? One thrashing at the hands of the current Super League champions. I would suggest a true test of such spirit and character will be to see how they can bounce back from that against Hull FC in two-weeks time.

Re: Two Games Down : Mon Feb 16, 2015 8:33 pm  

Salford's problem isn't team spirit. It's that a massive chunk of their cap is invested in a very small group of big names, one of whom spends half the season suspended and a couple of others who only perform when they fancy it.

The rest of the squad is frankly mediocre. The likes of Caton-Brown, Tommy Lee, the Griffins, the Walnes are simply not up to the standards of a side that wants to be in the top 8.

Re: Two Games Down : Mon Feb 16, 2015 8:41 pm  

Andy Gilder wrote:

Salford's problem isn't team spirit. It's that a massive chunk of their cap is invested in a very small group of big names, one of whom spends half the season suspended and a couple of others who only perform when they fancy it.

The rest of the squad is frankly mediocre. The likes of Caton-Brown, Tommy Lee, the Griffins, the Walnes are simply not up to the standards of a side that wants to be in the

top 8.

Fair assessment there.

Re: Two Games Down : Mon Feb 16, 2015 9:29 pm  

Wakefield have started like a house on fire. Its something we used to see under P+R, squads at risk of relegation go very intense pre-season, start quickly and hope to get enough in the bank early. They look fit and have been hitting hard but they are limited in terms of quality and will struggle late in the season in my opinion but hey, 10 wins will probably get you in the 8. Being 20% there after 2 games gives you a decent shot.

Leeds, Wire and Wigan look leggy from what I have seen. All seem to be lacking a little fitness. Wigan's discipline has been terrible for them, tried to bully their way through games and when they haven't been able to they have lost all composure. Lost them the win against Widnes, almost did against Hudds too.

Hudds look a mixture of unfit and not as good. Looked poor against Wigan in a game they could have won and looked spent towards the end.

Cas, down to earth a bit. Werent great against Les Catalans, will probably consider themselves a bit unlucky but Les Catalans sans Carney have looked to struggle in unlocking opposition defences and getting over that line. The Cas some people proclaimed them to be last season would have won that game. Instead they lost against a side who did their best to throw it away.

Widnes, jeckyll and hyde so far. Great effort against Wigan, capitulated against Leeds. Will win more than they lose if they play like they did against Wigan for the rest of the year. Wont get near the 8 if they play like they did against Leeds.

Saints just haven't been tested in my opinion. Les Catalans looked like they could play for a year and only score a couple and Salford were just pants. They look good going forward but haven't been perfect, have made mistakes and have given away a lot of penalties. I think in a tight game a few of those will come back to bite them.
Salford have been appalling, they aren't playing well. They have a lot more to come though and I think they will be capable of some good performances. I wouldn't discount them from the 8 just yet.

Hull FC, flatter to deceive again this season in my opinion, good result against Hudds but you cant feel hard done to if you keep wire to 1 try and still not win. You can only blame yourself for that. 8th is probably the best I can see from Radford and his squad. Which is poor for a club with Hulls potential.

Hull KR look like a team of players who have never played with each other before, led by an inexperienced coach. Conceding 84 points in 2 games is terrible. Against a 2 gear Leeds side and Wakefield is worrying. Scoring 54 has to give them hope and teams who score points will win games.

I don't think I would change much about my expectations pre-season. Except to say im more confident that the 4 who miss out will come back. The couple who I thought might struggle have proven themselves better than I thought.

Re: Two Games Down : Mon Feb 16, 2015 9:51 pm  

SmokeyTA wrote:

Wakefield have started like a house on fire. Its something we used to see under P+R, squads at risk of relegation go very intense pre-season, start quickly and hope to get enough in the bank early. They look fit and have been hitting hard but they are limited in terms of quality and will struggle late in the season in my opinion but hey, 10 wins will probably get you in the 8. Being 20% there after 2 games gives you a decent shot.

Leeds, Wire and Wigan look leggy from what I have seen. All seem to be lacking a little fitness. Wigan's discipline has been terrible for them, tried to bully their way through games and when they haven't been able to they have lost all composure. Lost them the win against Widnes, almost did against Hudds too.

Hudds look a mixture of unfit and not as good. Looked poor against Wigan in a game they could have won and looked spent towards the end.

Cas, down to earth a bit. Werent great against Les Catalans, will probably consider themselves a bit unlucky but Les Catalans sans Carney have looked to struggle in unlocking opposition defences and getting over that line. The Cas some people proclaimed them to be last season would have won that game. Instead they lost against a side who did their best to throw it away.

Widnes, jeckyll and hyde so far. Great effort against Wigan, capitulated against Leeds. Will win more than they lose if they play like they did against Wigan for the rest of the year. Wont get near the 8 if they play like they did against Leeds.

Saints just haven't been tested in my opinion. Les Catalans looked like they could play for a year and only score a couple and Salford were just pants. They look good going forward but haven't been perfect, have made mistakes and have given away a lot of penalties. I think in a tight game a few of those will come back to bite them.
Salford have been appalling, they aren't playing well. They have a lot more to come though and I think they will be capable of some good performances. I wouldn't discount them from the 8 just yet.

Hull FC, flatter to deceive again this season in my opinion, good result against Hudds but you cant feel hard done to if you keep wire to 1 try and still not win. You can only blame yourself for that. 8th is probably the best I can see from Radford and his squad. Which is poor for a club with Hulls potential.

Hull KR look like a team of players who have never played with each other before, led by an inexperienced coach. Conceding 84 points in 2 games is terrible. Against a 2 gear Leeds side and Wakefield is worrying. Scoring 54 has to give them hope and teams who score points will win games.

I don't think I would change much about my expectations pre-season. Except to say im more confident that the 4 who miss out will come back. The couple who I thought might struggle have proven themselves better than I thought.

Most of that seems pretty fair to me. I don't think anyone at Hull is feeling "hard done by" though. It was a tough game with two excellent defences on show. Warrington just about did enough. Only scoring one try doesn't necessarily mean you attacked poorly, just as scoring 40 doesn't always mean you attacked really well. I am optimistic that we can have a real good dig this year. But then again in 2009 we won our first 5 and then only won 5 more of the remaining 23. So I will wait and see how things develop.