Ridiculous : Mon Mar 02, 2009 1:36 am  

As this is a fans forum, all fans of course have the right to post their views.

My view is that all the people who have posted under this thread are in a world of their own!

It is a marathon not a sprint. This is a three year franchise. It may take us 1 year to find our feet - but so what?! We need to grow as a Superleague team in that time. Learn to play against these teams and learn from our mistakes. We'll blood the youngsters when we have more confidence in the side, not when we have very little. It could blow up in our faces.

What the hell is the point, 3 games in, questioning the coach's ability? Where does it get us? You're not on the planet if you think that he's going to be sacked in the first 3 games.

So what if the players heckled him at the players evening after a few beers? Maybe it's because they actually all respect him, but get on with him well as a coach that they can do that.

FFS say something constructive. You're starting to sound like statler and waldorf who stand in the middle of the shed on the half way line, moaning about the players every f*****g minute of every match. You make it painful for everyone else to watch.

Come to the games to try and enjoy it - not to have your daily bitch about the world.

I wasn't going to write a reply on this thread as it wasn't worth a reply.

Maybe I really shouldn't have. But you lot need a f*****g wake up call.

Rant over

Re: Ridiculous : Mon Mar 02, 2009 8:35 am  

Singapore Steeps wrote:

As this is a fans forum, all fans of course have the right to post their views.

My view is that all the people who have posted under this thread are in a world of their own!

It is a marathon not a sprint. This is a three year franchise. It may take us 1 year to find our feet - but so what?! We need to grow as a Superleague team in that time. Learn to play against these teams and learn from our mistakes. We'll blood the youngsters when we have more confidence in the side, not when we have very little. It could blow up in our faces.

What the hell is the point, 3 games in, questioning the coach's ability? Where does it get us? You're not on the planet if you think that he's going to be sacked in the first 3 games.

So what if the players heckled him at the players evening after a few beers? Maybe it's because they actually all respect him, but get on with him well as a coach that they can do that.

FFS say something constructive. You're starting to sound like statler and waldorf who stand in the middle of the shed on the half way line, moaning about the players every f*****g minute of every match. You make it painful for everyone else to watch.

Come to the games to try and enjoy it - not to have your daily bitch about the world.

I wasn't going to write a reply on this thread as it wasn't worth a reply.

Maybe I really shouldn't have. But you lot need a f*****g wake up call.

Rant over

Well said

: Mon Mar 02, 2009 9:46 am  

As a team we need to be able to play for the full eighty minutes. As full time professionals who are fit despite what some people suggest we should be able to manage that. I know that tiredness sets in and people will make mistakes but the team's overall intensity must be improved.

I think this has been a major problem for us over the last few seasons. We got away with it more often than not in National League 1 (Batley away springs readily to mind) but sometimes we didn't (Sheffield in the League and Oldham in the Northern Rail Cup are examples of that.) We won't get away with it in Super League. The last two matches are proof of that.

In National League matches the tactics seemed to be to overpower or 'bully' the oppsition in the first half and then play a slightly more expansive game in the second half. Perhaps we brought in big forwards in an attempt to use the same tactics in Super League - but it isn't going to work. I hope that we've got a Plan B.

Shaun Macrae talks about the speed and intensity of Super League and the fact that we are off the pace and nobody can disagree with that. Starting on Friday we've got to increase the defensive intensity. We've got to make sure tackles are made and that we kill the ball. I'd love to see our defensive line moving up quickly after the ball has been played - but I've wanted to see that for years and still think that we are the only team that gives the opposition ten metres in which to play football. We have to be up and in the opposition's faces more quickly. We gave Castleford time to move the ball wide and they destroyed us.

On attack we have to show more variety too. Castleford played well and had dummy runners and various options every time they had the ball. Our safety-first approach didn't help much though we did look better (relatively speaking!) when we moved the ball wider. We all need to run on to the ball at pace as Phil Leuluai did and try not to have a play the ball followed by a flat pass and a drive into the nearest opposition player.

I also think we need to make some changes. I'd like to see Sidlow and Jewitt in the seventeen and perhaps we need to think about bringing Paul White back and moving Henry to full back. I think that Jordan Turner is worth a place ahead of Stuart Littler after Saturday as well. Young Ratchford must come into the reckoning too as I thought that Jeremy Smith was off the pace of the game.

Friday's match now becomes a very big game for this season. A win would be very nice as we try to establish 'Fortress Willows' - but the quality of the performance is of major importance too.

: Mon Mar 02, 2009 10:22 am  

RedDave wrote:

As a team we need to be able to play for the full eighty minutes. As full time professionals who are fit despite what some people suggest we should be able to manage that. I know that tiredness sets in and people will make mistakes but the team's overall intensity must be improved.

I think this has been a major problem for us over the last few seasons. We got away with it more often than not in National League 1 (Batley away springs readily to mind) but sometimes we didn't (Sheffield in the League and Oldham in the Northern Rail Cup are examples of that.) We won't get away with it in Super League. The last two matches are proof of that.

In National League matches the tactics seemed to be to overpower or 'bully' the oppsition in the first half and then play a slightly more expansive game in the second half. Perhaps we brought in big forwards in an attempt to use the same tactics in Super League - but it isn't going to work. I hope that we've got a Plan B.

Shaun Macrae talks about the speed and intensity of Super League and the fact that we are off the pace and nobody can disagree with that. Starting on Friday we've got to increase the defensive intensity. We've got to make sure tackles are made and that we kill the ball. I'd love to see our defensive line moving up quickly after the ball has been played - but I've wanted to see that for years and still think that we are the only team that gives the opposition ten metres in which to play football. We have to be up and in the opposition's faces more quickly. We gave Castleford time to move the ball wide and they destroyed us.

On attack we have to show more variety too. Castleford played well and had dummy runners and various options every time they had the ball. Our safety-first approach didn't help much though we did look better (relatively speaking!) when we moved the ball wider. We all need to run on to the ball at pace as Phil Leuluai did and try not to have a play the ball followed by a flat pass and a drive into the nearest opposition player.

I also think we need to make some changes. I'd like to see Sidlow and Jewitt in the seventeen and perhaps we need to think about bringing Paul White back and moving Henry to full back. I think that Jordan Turner is worth a place ahead of Stuart Littler after Saturday as well. Young Ratchford must come into the reckoning too as I thought that Jeremy Smith was off the pace of the game.

Friday's match now becomes a very big game for this season. A win would be very nice as we try to establish 'Fortress Willows' - but the quality of the performance is of major importance too.

Think Paul White is still injured.If you'd seen the reserves at Cas on Saturday I don't think you'd be pushing the case for Jewitt and Turner.Jewitt played his usual game,bags of enthusiasm,but then got sin-binned for back-chat.That's the last thing we need at the moment.I was a big fan of Turner last season But on his performance on Saturday he should not be in the 1st team,his tackling really needs to improve.Shame because I think he has bags of potential.
I agree about the intensity of the tackling,but on the few occasions we did move up,we got pulled for offside.It really is a fine line and something to be worked on in training

: Mon Mar 02, 2009 10:47 am  

RedDave wrote:

I'd love to see our defensive line moving up quickly after the ball has been played - but I've wanted to see that for years and still think that we are the only team that gives the opposition ten metres in which to play football.

On attack we have to show more variety too.
Our safety-first approach didn't help much though we did look better

(relatively speaking!) when we moved the ball wider. We all need to run on to the ball at pace as Phil Leuluai did and try not to have a play the ball followed by a flat pass and a drive into the nearest opposition player.

I'd like to see Sidlow and Jewitt in the seventeen and perhaps we need to think about bringing Paul White back and moving Henry to full back. I think that Jordan Turner is worth a place ahead of Stuart Littler after Saturday as well.

Young Ratchford must come into the reckoning too as I thought that Jeremy Smith was off the pace of the game.

Friday's match now becomes a very big game for this season. A win would be very nice as we try to establish 'Fortress Willows' - but the quality of the performance is of major importance too.

Wasn't there Saturday, but if it was anything like Wakefield then it can't have been good. Have to say I agree with a lot of your comments though. We need to get some genuine pace on the wings, but if Wilshire played as badly as he did at Wakefield then I'd be questioning his place before Henry's, as he looked good against Celtic.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, you can't fault Stuart Littler for effort and commitment, but he's just never been good enough and the club need to find someone who can take his place. If we are going to progress then Turner needs to be in the team. I'm not saying he was amzing in every game last year but there were signs of sheer class out of him last year.

The lack of pushing up by the defensive line needs addressing quickly. It has been the same for too long now and it can't be the fault of two good coaches. I hate to ask the question, mainly because I think that I know the answer, but who is the leading the line????????????? A possibly a more common factor!!!!!

As for the Nash issue, never been impressed by him but if the coaches think he has the ability then he needs game time. Personally I think Jewitt and Sidlow deserve a place ahead of him.

To wrap it up I remember back to 2004 when we got humped by Hull FC. Karl Harrison didn't make excuses he just told them to buck their ideas.

Re: Ridiculous : Mon Mar 02, 2009 12:31 pm  

Singapore Steeps wrote:

As this is a fans forum, all fans of course have the right to post their views.

My view is that all the people who have posted under this thread are in a world of their own!

It is a marathon not a sprint. This is a three year franchise. It may take us 1 year to find our feet - but so what?! We need to grow as a Superleague team in that time. Learn to play against these teams and learn from our mistakes. We'll blood the youngsters when we have more confidence in the side, not when we have very little. It could blow up in our faces.

What the hell is the point, 3 games in, questioning the coach's ability? Where does it get us? You're not on the planet if you think that he's going to be sacked in the first 3 games.

So what if the players heckled him at the players evening after a few beers? Maybe it's because they actually all respect him, but get on with him well as a coach that they can do that.

FFS say something constructive. You're starting to sound like statler and waldorf who stand in the middle of the shed on the half way line, moaning about the players every f*****g minute of every match. You make it painful for everyone else to watch.

Come to the games to try and enjoy it - not to have your daily bitch about the world.

I wasn't going to write a reply on this thread as it wasn't worth a reply.

Maybe I really shouldn't have. But you lot need a f*****g wake up call.

Rant over

Take your rose tinted fooking specs off, if people want to moan they pay there money so why shouldn't they?????? Why should we accept it when we travel to west Yorkshire just to be humiliated like a bunch of fools? If we concede 50+ against cas ( no disrespect) what will it be at saints in two weeks?? If the players don't perform why should we stick up & make excuses for them?? we have done that for too many years now and i for one want to see a bit of pride & passion back in the jersey.

I for one dint expect a win on Saturday but its the manor in which we lost im annoyed about.

Its not us that need the wake up call mate its they players

Re: Ridiculous : Mon Mar 02, 2009 12:35 pm  

Singapore Steeps wrote:

What the hell is the point, 3 games in, questioning the coach's ability? Where does it get us? You're not on the planet if you think that he's going to be sacked in the first 3 games.

Its not just 3 games though is it?? Yeah maybe 3 this season, but what about last year?? 4 away wins in the National leagues is just unaccatable. I'm sorry, but the style of rugby we play is boring and predictable, I know because I go and watch it every fookin week!!!

: Mon Mar 02, 2009 1:22 pm  

Fair comments ...but let's be a little analytical:
Wakefield - we were still on the coach for 20 minutes. Once we woke up, it wasn't too bad ... not good but better than Warri could find.

Cas really impressed me - tey're stepping back to set up plays that constantly pulled defensive positions out of place and then quck passing to utilise the gaps reminded me of the classy Cas of the late 60's - and 70's.

They played differently to a lot of teams - most (in both SL and NL) still drive up two/three times close to the play-the-ball before any passing moves are put in. Our defense were in place for this but not for what happened. The attacks came 30/40 metres apart tagettting different players and slanting in to cause overlaps.. Moving Alker to second row seemed to compensate but we were well behind by then. Fitz constantly has 2/3 players to tackle.

There have been comments about the experience in our team. Like it or not NRL is different from SL - SL expects quicker off-the-mark moves and more passing.


Cas impressed. We need to be patient.

: Mon Mar 02, 2009 6:49 pm  

so the attidude seems to be ,Well we`ve got 3 years to get things right...........ok so what would happen if us fans didnt buy a season ticket until the third year then ?

: Mon Mar 02, 2009 7:43 pm  

san wrote:

so the attidude seems to be ,Well we`ve got 3 years to get things right...........ok so what would happen if us fans didnt buy a season ticket until the third year then ?

Then there'd be f*ck all money coming into the club and there'd be no chance at all of us improving over the next three years.