: Sun Mar 01, 2009 1:19 pm  

wire-quin wrote:

Welcome back GF. You missed a shocker last night.

still in the car...gutted about the result and the crowd.

: Sun Mar 01, 2009 2:04 pm  

OK i have waited until the red mist has cleared and had a good? nights sleep to get my head clear and while I think a more thoughtful response is now more likely with less expletitives I am still fuming at our 'naivity'.

BM highlighted our poor decision making at key moments as the major reason for missing the playoffs last season get a 10% improvement and we would have made it he said. Well if he's been working on it with them, it certainly hasn't sunk in. First half what the .... was Howell doing trying to pass that ball on Wigans right 20 metre touchline when he was surrounded by Wigan players and not having good control of the ball. Chances of losing it 90% imo and if a Quins player got it he had no where to go! NO NEED TO PASS

Second half we are attacking down their right side Gafa (i think) runs towards the right touchline which is well covered by Wigan defenders and a nothing play in no space and gets dragged into touch????? posession lost!

Randall's moment of madness. Its already been said. Stevo said he will just have to learn from his mistake. FFS he is one of our most experienced players and it was Chad who did the same thing at MM when we threw it away with one of his unnecessary long and again sadly inaccurate passes in front of the Catalans defense which resulted in a runaway try when holding on to the ball and keeping them pinned on their 25 would win it!

Our decision making at key moments by players in posession was poor and this game should have been won in the first half. We were on the TV so had an important audience to perform to. A lot of newbie coming for the first time and a chance for the team to show that we were the real deal this season and ensure a few good crowds in the next few home games. It felt like the Saints game on our return to the Stoop.

On the positive side I felt we were good at driving the ball forward and getting into the opposing half with our 6 tackles which means we get to a position to score tries, and we did create opportunities.
Robinson in the side makes us stronger and with Williamson playing as well we will be difficult to beat if we can cut down on the moments of madness. Randall is still one of the best hookers around and leads the team well. Orr looks better without Hill in the team and is more clear about his role IMO.
Any new visitors would have found it exciting and a close game is good for speccies though not for our own fans if we lose it.
A huge opportunity lost imo interms of getting the team on a roll getting some momentum at the start of the season and getting the crowds in. All is not lost but it is clear that the loss of a few key players will have an impact on this tea.

: Sun Mar 01, 2009 2:43 pm  

Bloody good game that was.
Good reffing game, shame about one or two decisions but can get over that.
Good forward battle, pretty even game.

Great advert for SL.

: Sun Mar 01, 2009 3:10 pm  

Disappointing. We should have been 12+ ahead by the time Randall threw that silly pass. Wigan look a poor and unbalanced side, especially with Riddell on the field - which is a worry for me as I have a season-long bet on them to finish 5th or better.

Never mind. It was always going to be tough with only 15 men available for so long. Plus points: excellent kick returns from the back 3, good yards from LMS, Clubb and Heckenberg. Robinson looked quality until injury. Worries: Dorn, Orr and Randall look like they are still getting used to each other. Purdham playing through pain again.

Overall outlook remains encouraging IMO.

: Sun Mar 01, 2009 3:21 pm  

I dont want to harp on about the size of the crowd but less than 4000 for a game against wigan is very bad this should have been marketed better last year you got 8000 for this fixture which is 4000 down, you cant blame the other code and iv just checked some stats and its the 3 lowest crowd against wigan in SL.

: Sun Mar 01, 2009 4:01 pm  

those were the days wrote:

I dont want to harp on about the size of the crowd but less than 4000 for a game against wigan is very bad this should have been marketed better last year you got 8000 for this fixture which is 4000 down, you cant blame the other code and iv just checked some stats and its the 3 lowest crowd against wigan in SL.

agreed. thanx for pointing thi out....I might have missedit.

: Sun Mar 01, 2009 4:29 pm  

Moving to only one stand was a big mistake and will impact on those who have attended the Stoop last year. How many season ticket holders did not renew due to moving to the east stand, or for that matter, how many did not renew at all?

I know that many a debate has been had with regard closure of the Lexus which I believe was to do with TV. But last night on the big screen there was a number of shots of the empty lexus stand and the two ends. Result, empty looking ground.

The view in the East stand from the lower rows is poor, and worse, sitting in AH section and the Jesters there is the awful smell of fat frying and diesel fumes. Not good for your health over the duration of a game. Would I go again if I had to sit in that area? No, not if it was my first game last night and deciding whether to return for a latter game. I would be looking for other more suitable areas to sit but what is the choice for the walk up last minute punter?

Set against this is last week, when there both lexus and East stands were open and more choice to sit. I would go further and suggest last week was was a free for all and you could sit anywhere you liked regardless of which ticket had been bought. I had a ticket for the East stand took one look and moved to the Lexus (along with dozens of others). Result more choice, could sit with mates, enjoyed the game, come back next week.

Over the two weeks the match experience, with regards to seating for the walk up punter was poor, next week watch the telly.

: Sun Mar 01, 2009 5:17 pm  

Snoopy wrote:

OK i have waited until the red mist has cleared and had a good? nights sleep to get my head clear and while I think a more thoughtful response is now more likely with less expletitives I am still fuming at our 'naivity'.

BM highlighted our poor decision making at key moments as the major reason for missing the playoffs last season get a 10% improvement and we would have made it he said. Well if he's been working on it with them, it certainly hasn't sunk in. First half what the .... was Howell doing trying to pass that ball on Wigans right 20 metre touchline when he was surrounded by Wigan players and not having good control of the ball. Chances of losing it 90% imo and if a Quins player got it he had no where to go! NO NEED TO PASS

Second half we are attacking down their right side Gafa (i think) runs towards the right touchline which is well covered by Wigan defenders and a nothing play in no space and gets dragged into touch????? posession lost!

Randall's moment of madness. Its already been said. Stevo said he will just have to learn from his mistake. FFS he is one of our most experienced players and it was Chad who did the same thing at MM when we threw it away with one of his unnecessary long and again sadly inaccurate passes in front of the Catalans defense which resulted in a runaway try when holding on to the ball and keeping them pinned on their 25 would win it!

Our decision making at key moments by players in posession was poor and this game should have been won in the first half. We were on the TV so had an important audience to perform to. A lot of newbie coming for the first time and a chance for the team to show that we were the real deal this season and ensure a few good crowds in the next few home games. It felt like the Saints game on our return to the Stoop.

On the positive side I felt we were good at driving the ball forward and getting into the opposing half with our 6 tackles which means we get to a position to score tries, and we did create opportunities.
Robinson in the side makes us stronger and with Williamson playing as well we will be difficult to beat if we can cut down on the moments of madness. Randall is still one of the best hookers around and leads the team well. Orr looks better without Hill in the team and is more clear about his role IMO.
Any new visitors would have found it exciting and a close game is good for speccies though not for our own fans if we lose it.
A huge opportunity lost imo interms of getting the team on a roll getting some momentum at the start of the season and getting the crowds in. All is not lost but it is clear that the loss of a few key players will have an impact on this tea.

Got it in a nutshell, only thing I can add is how important having a reliable goal kicker is - 3 misses that proved crucial. All the way home just kept thinking 'Catalans in Cardiff all over again'! No change and nil points!

: Sun Mar 01, 2009 5:49 pm  

will write to the people involved in marketing this week and Mr Hughes and I am going to ask what they plan to do about the lack of suporters. Don't expect an answer and fully expect to be further ostracised, but if ANYONE WITH A BRAIN THINKS 3,800 IS ACCEPTABLE, they need removing from the club now!
Losses happen, but a 50% drop in gate year on year is unacceptable and heads must now roll.
Too angry to post facts and figures etc.....but his is the last wake up call.
Something must be done.

: Sun Mar 01, 2009 6:12 pm  

gutterfax wrote:

will write to the people involved in marketing this week and Mr Hughes and I am going to ask what they plan to do about the lack of suporters. Don't expect an answer and fully expect to be further ostracised, but if ANYONE WITH A BRAIN THINKS 3,800 IS ACCEPTABLE, they need removing from the club now!
Losses happen, but a 50% drop in gate year on year is unacceptable and heads must now roll.
Too angry to post facts and figures etc.....but his is the last wake up call.
Something must be done.

Saturday RL up against London football watched by 131,000 people. Everyone of them is excluded from the potential of watching RL.

It was without doubt the No 1 concern that needed addressing and 0/10 for the efforts the club have made in addressing it

Pathetic !!