Re: Today’s game v Catalan : Sun Mar 31, 2024 9:38 am  

Winslade's Offload wrote: The quick loss of 3 early tries was really poor with Vaughan of all people responsible for much of the self inflicted damage. However perhaps I am in a small minority in thinking this is a much better side than we have had for a couple of years ? The side never gave up, and the level of effort was very high. The one worrying area is defence with lots of very poor mistakes. In contrast our attack is improving quickly; we don't look like headless chickens anymore when we get close to the opposition line. We are certainly short of some weight and quality in the pack, but Burgess will already know this and will be waiting for an opportunity to bring someone in. On this showing Im encouraged with what Burgess has managed to achieve but it's still very much a work in progress. We have one specialist attack coach but I think I would bring in someone to sort out the defence. Catalan looked much better organised than us in this respect. I think it is a better side than the last few years but we were really bad. The side seems to have spirit and character but we were out muscled in the pack. We are something like 4th / 5th / 6th best side in the competition. Marshall was appointed as defensive coach under Daryl Powell. (https://www.loverugbyleague.com/post/ri ... warrington). Whatever he is doing did not work yesterday. We did not look solid at all, look easily stripped for numbers and very vulnerably under a high ball. Some players need to be on the tackle bags all week (Ashton for one, his attempt was shocking).

Winslade's Offload wrote: The quick loss of 3 early tries was really poor with Vaughan of all people responsible for much of the self inflicted damage. However perhaps I am in a small minority in thinking this is a much better side than we have had for a couple of years ? The side never gave up, and the level of effort was very high. The one worrying area is defence with lots of very poor mistakes. In contrast our attack is improving quickly; we don't look like headless chickens anymore when we get close to the opposition line. We are certainly short of some weight and quality in the pack, but Burgess will already know this and will be waiting for an opportunity to bring someone in. On this showing Im encouraged with what Burgess has managed to achieve but it's still very much a work in progress. We have one specialist attack coach but I think I would bring in someone to sort out the defence. Catalan looked much better organised than us in this respect. I think it is a better side than the last few years but we were really bad. The side seems to have spirit and character but we were out muscled in the pack. We are something like 4th / 5th / 6th best side in the competition. Marshall was appointed as defensive coach under Daryl Powell. (https://www.loverugbyleague.com/post/ri ... warrington). Whatever he is doing did not work yesterday. We did not look solid at all, look easily stripped for numbers and very vulnerably under a high ball. Some players need to be on the tackle bags all week (Ashton for one, his attempt was shocking).

Re: Today’s game v Catalan : Sun Mar 31, 2024 9:43 am  

Bobby Digital wrote:

Dufty ducking out of a catchable ball it’s becoming an embarrassment for us

That was terrible. He tried to take it to avoid contact and set up an attack I think by offsetting his body outside the ball and trying to catch it from the side, but missed the ball completely. Stupid play.

Re: Today’s game v Catalan : Sun Mar 31, 2024 10:02 am  

With 2 props (at least) missing next week v Leeds I expect Bullock will come in but is Wood tied to another week at Bradford? If so I wonder whether we'll rotate Currie and Crowther in a propping role. Crowther did cover prop yesterday for a while.

Re: Today’s game v Catalan : Sun Mar 31, 2024 10:14 am  

Wires71 wrote:

Some players need to be on the tackle bags all week (Ashton for one, his attempt was shocking).

Jeez. One poor tackle. Will this be harked on about for years like his two errors in the cup a few years back?

[Fantastic Mr Catpiss]

Re: Today’s game v Catalan : Sun Mar 31, 2024 10:28 am  

Wires71 wrote:

An entertaining game. Some backbone shown. Pack needs bolstering with some big bodies. Plenty to work on and remember we are building from a very low base. We have got into the poor state over years, will take a few seasons to get out of it.

Very much this, yes it was a bad start but we clawed our way back into a game that was almost dead and buried and could conceivably have got embarrassing.

In the last 15 minutes we had them on then ropes and they were wobbling, especially when we were shifting it out left. When we brought vaughan back on we went route 1 again

[Fantastic Mr Catpiss]

Re: Today’s game v Catalan : Sun Mar 31, 2024 10:30 am  

Also, whoever gave man of the match yesterday, I know it's all subjective, but on behalf of James harrison, you've made a mortal enemy.

He was ridiculous and got through so much work.

[Uncle Rico]

Re: Today’s game v Catalan : Sun Mar 31, 2024 12:13 pm  

Wires71 wrote:

That was terrible. He tried to take it to avoid contact and set up an attack I think by offsetting his body outside the ball and trying to catch it from the side, but missed the ball completely. Stupid play.

Perhaps I'm being harsh only Dufty will know but I think that you are giving him too much credit here

Re: Today’s game v Catalan : Sun Mar 31, 2024 2:05 pm  

easyWire wrote:

My thoughts exactly. We look like a side that will eventually be competitive in all games, and we didn't panic despite being poor in the opening 10 minutes and stuck to the processes. We seem like a side who can slot people in and out without it disrupting us too much.

We definitely look underweight and need more go-forward, as we got steamrollered all match. We need to sort that defence out too. My only criticism of Burgess is that he dropped Wrench too soon, as Tai looked like a schoolboy trying to tackle in the first half. I think Wrench would be far more creative too with better hands, at this stage of the season anyway.

I was hoping that we had taken a calculated risk to give Tai some game time and was resting Wrench to give Tai some game time, as we’ll been to call on him at some point. Rather than being dropped as you said.
So it backfired anyway.

Re: Today’s game v Catalan : Sun Mar 31, 2024 7:15 pm  

FWIW, here's my 2 penn'orth on yesterday...

We need another big forward, Vaughan and Harrison need to have a rest at some point
We are a work in progress & will not win anything this season
Hats off to Sam for putting the youngsters in, let's hope he sticks with it if they keep performing
Hayes is a star in the making - shows no fear, no nerves, never stops trying & looks so proud to be wearing the shirt. Barring injuries, Drinkwater wouldn't see the 1st team again for me
The young forwards need to concentrate on bulking up a bit
The video of yesterday's game should be used in training, for how to tackle &esp Hayes to watch Abdull's kicking game, that was a masterclass
We need tackling practice, lots of it
We need to move up quicker in defence
Dufty needs to practice catching & needs a carrot not stick approach
Sorry to say it, but I think thewlis needs a break from the 1st team, he was like a rabbit in the headlights yesterday

All in all, I think the Sam experiment is working

PS - how lucky were those people at the front of the north stand when the Hayes goal kick knocked the speaker (?) down? Funny how there's nothing in the reports about that. People on here have said the ground needs an overhaul, there's your proof!

Re: Today’s game v Catalan : Sun Mar 31, 2024 7:21 pm  

Mr Snoodle wrote:

FWIW, here's my 2 penn'orth on yesterday...

PS - how lucky were those people at the front of the north stand when the Hayes goal kick knocked the speaker (?) down? Funny how there's nothing in the reports about that. People on here have said the ground needs an overhaul, there's your proof!

It was a Thewliss try conversion kick, which knocked down the speaker in the East Stand. Stuart Middleton went straight over and came back to tell us that thankfully, no one was hurt.