Re: Today’s match v Giants : Sun Feb 16, 2025 5:47 pm  

It's round one.
We needed a test like that. Sam knows we need to improve, but it shows where we are.
From this weekend I thought Wigan and Leigh were hot. Glad we didn't play them.
Blown off a few cobwebs and got 2 points with no injuries from what I could tell.
I'll take that.

Any reason for the Ratch v Leyland call? What about Tai and Lindop?

Re: Today’s match v Giants : Sun Feb 16, 2025 5:49 pm  

Smiffy27 wrote:

Yep.
Russell ... played... but I hardly noticed him.
Musgrove ... did a couple of strong runs then he's taken off. Why?
Powell looked completely off the pace.
Williams ... I'd have a chat with.

Powell as likely not trained as much as the others coming from shoulder surgery. Williams has i said was miles off. Already said what I think of the other 2. Catalan were poor against Hull but we will have to step up on today’s performance.

I also get it’s the first game of the season but if you put in to perspective of the other games played a few of them were a much better watch than our match. But a win is a win and we are on the board.

Re: Today’s match v Giants : Sun Feb 16, 2025 5:51 pm  

Also if he does go with Leyland and Tai next week I would not take them as knee jerk decisions. I would like to see Leyland given the chance though.

Re: Today’s match v Giants : Sun Feb 16, 2025 5:58 pm  

Not having the "it's round one" brigade. That's why we have friendlies, the intensity of Wigan, Leigh and dare I say, Cas this weekend disprove that line of thinking. Anyway a wins a win and we've got off to a winning start at least.

Re: Today’s match v Giants : Sun Feb 16, 2025 6:06 pm  

Also, pain in the neck to suffer from another "I have a try" call, whys it always us? No way you could tell if they'd got that down. Good job it didn't cost us the match.

Re: Today’s match v Giants : Sun Feb 16, 2025 6:31 pm  

matt_wire wrote:

Also, pain in the neck to suffer from another "I have a try" call, whys it always us? No way you could tell if they'd got that down. Good job it didn't cost us the match.

Yep ... once the ref says "I have a try" it is hard work.
The video ref. should have looked a bit more though ... cos it was not a try.

Re: Today’s match v Giants : Sun Feb 16, 2025 6:32 pm  

matt_wire wrote:

Also, pain in the neck to suffer from another "I have a try" call, whys it always us? No way you could tell if they'd got that down. Good job it didn't cost us the match.

Said that earlier in the thread. What really annoys me with it if he sends it up as a try then he must think it’s try so why not just give it. In that instance he is clearly unsure so it should just be left to the video ref full stop and not then having to go with the ref if he can’t make a choice. I’d say go back to benefit of the doubt but thinking of that while I’m writing this I’m not sure what the answer is.

Re: Today’s match v Giants : Sun Feb 16, 2025 6:32 pm  

A few tough buggers on here to say there are question marks over Russell - especially as he is a guy we had almost zero expectations of going into the season.

Did he have a rampaging game? No. Did he miss tackles and let his opponent dominate him? Also no.

He made quite a few decent tackles and looked willing to take the ball up. He's a good size so, if he gets a bit better ball from the halves he could grow to be a bit of a threat. We will see.

On the match, I thought it was a 6/10 showing against a limited team but we did find a way to wrest the game in our favour and ought to have put a couple more scores on in the 2nd half. Crowther and Walker were excellent I thought; Dufty had a very patchy first half but showed a bit of class in the second.

Re: Today’s match v Giants : Sun Feb 16, 2025 6:33 pm  

Smiffy27 wrote:

Yep ... once the ref says "I have a try" it is hard work.
The video ref. should have looked a bit more though ... cos it was not a try.

It was clear the ball did not reach the line, I honestly don’t know what the video ref saw that we didn’t.

Re: Today’s match v Giants : Sun Feb 16, 2025 6:36 pm  

I didnt think it was a terrible display...... we did look a bit rusty, but you have to give Hudd's some credit.. i thought their defence was excellent first half.

But when we needed to, we stepped it up and won the game. So that's a positive.

There was plenty of effort... Just not a huge amount of end product.

We do look slow and laboured with ratchford in the halves though... as many have said, be nice to see leyland get a game soon... Russel i thought got through alot of work defensively.... didnt really do anything with the ball... got to give him time to settle though.

main thing i took away from the game was 'YES THE RUGBY IS BACK'