Re: Thats Why We Are Champions... : Mon Oct 09, 2017 8:58 pm  

They may detest us, their coach and players may detest ours, their ground may be falling to bits, Gale and Hardaker may be plain annoying and you may feel about as welcome in Cas as herpes but I'd have still preferred them to win.

It was a weird feeling when the play offs kicked off with four teams and one of those was St Helens yet I could name at least two other clubs I actually wanted to win it less then them! Sadly my fourth choice got the win but then they usually do if they make the play offs, so at least it's not alien.

[DaveO]

Re: Thats Why We Are Champions... : Mon Oct 09, 2017 11:02 pm  

I don't think you can underestimate the impact Hardaker's suspension and the reason for it will have had on the Cas's performance. It's not like an injury to a key player. In that circumstance a good coach can still motivate his side but God knows how Powell faced up to that.

Hardaker''a team mates will have felt let down if not betrayed.
Lost the game before kick off for me.

Re: Thats Why We Are Champions... : Mon Oct 09, 2017 11:52 pm  

NickyKiss wrote:

They may detest us, their coach and players may detest ours, their ground may be falling to bits, Gale and Hardaker may be plain annoying and you may feel about as welcome in Cas as herpes but I'd have still preferred them to win.

It was a weird feeling when the play offs kicked off with four teams and one of those was St Helens yet I could name at least two other clubs I actually wanted to win it less then them! Sadly my fourth choice got the win but then they usually do if they make the play offs, so at least it's not alien.

That's exactly how I felt. Except perhaps just one team less than Saints!

Re: Thats Why We Are Champions... : Tue Oct 10, 2017 6:30 am  

Most neutrals before the game were looking for a Cas win , but the arrogance of their fans (considering they've won nowt) turned a lot of neutrals against them. The majority sat around us were pleased that Leeds pulled it off and the only down side was Cas were not niled

Regards. EW

Re: Thats Why We Are Champions... : Tue Oct 10, 2017 7:10 am  

Edinburgh Warrior wrote:

Most neutrals before the game were looking for a Cas win , but the arrogance of their fans (considering they've won nowt) turned a lot of neutrals against them. The majority sat around us were pleased that Leeds pulled it off and the only down side was Cas were not niled

Regards. EW

We sat in the Cas end of the ground and you could just see the shock in their eyes. The season has basically just been a walk in the park up until the play offs but they'd clearly been convinced that they really were that much better then everyone else (rather then the fact that teams like Leeds, Saints and Wigan have been playing the system for years).

We take some flak from fans of clubs like Cas for a lack of atmosphere, leaving early or for glory hunters turning up when we're doing well. I think they set new records in all areas on Saturday night.

Re: Thats Why We Are Champions... : Tue Oct 10, 2017 8:48 am  

NickyKiss wrote:

We sat in the Cas end of the ground and you could just see the shock in their eyes. The season has basically just been a walk in the park up until the play offs but they'd clearly been convinced that they really were that much better then everyone else (rather then the fact that teams like Leeds, Saints and Wigan have been playing the system for years).

We take some flak from fans of clubs like Cas for a lack of atmosphere, leaving early or for glory hunters turning up when we're doing well. I think they set new records in all areas on Saturday night.

Their so-called 'reinvention of the game' was what stuck in my craw.

They've played superbly all season, and I'm in awe of that, and jealous.

But they haven't reinvented anything. They've just played very well, and been lucky on the absentee front - though last weekend was a firm lesson in how your luck can suddenly change (and look at the impact that one missing player had - puts our massive injury toll into a bit of perspective).

Re: Thats Why We Are Champions... : Tue Oct 10, 2017 9:11 am  

Cruncher wrote:

Their so-called 'reinvention of the game' was what stuck in my craw.

They've played superbly all season, and I'm in awe of that, and jealous.

But they haven't reinvented anything. They've just played very well, and been lucky on the absentee front - though last weekend was a firm lesson in how your luck can suddenly change (and look at the impact that one missing player had - puts our massive injury toll into a bit of perspective).

The way they keep the ball alive and encourage open play is a joy to watch. Keeping defences guessing and on their toes with strong second phase play off their offloads always looks threatening. On the other hand, our mechanical structured play is both predictable and at times boring to watch.

I miss the days of two halves who could play more off the cuff, creating and playing what it's front of them etc. FWIW I don't blame our players for that..

Re: Thats Why We Are Champions... : Tue Oct 10, 2017 12:19 pm  

Last Son of Wigan wrote: The way they keep the ball alive and encourage open play is a joy to watch. Keeping defences guessing and on their toes with strong second phase play off their offloads always looks threatening. On the other hand, our mechanical structured play is both predictable and at times boring to watch. I miss the days of two halves who could play more off the cuff, creating and playing what it's front of them etc. FWIW I don't blame our players for that.. I have a problem in accepting the 'story' that has been propagated by the Sky commentary team and blindly accepted. Cas do indeed pass the ball more but would it surprise you to learn that Wigan offload the ball more than Cas do? In fact a check of the Super League Stats site revealed that over the season Wigan offloaded 348 times and Cas 320 times. Wigan are second only to Leeds. Facts eh, they can get in the way of a good argument. But this particular 'fact' might suggest that the coach isn't telling the players not to offload at all. That the players haven't then been able to capitalise is hardly the fault of the coach. http://www.rugby-league.com/superleague ... club_stats

Last Son of Wigan wrote: The way they keep the ball alive and encourage open play is a joy to watch. Keeping defences guessing and on their toes with strong second phase play off their offloads always looks threatening. On the other hand, our mechanical structured play is both predictable and at times boring to watch. I miss the days of two halves who could play more off the cuff, creating and playing what it's front of them etc. FWIW I don't blame our players for that.. I have a problem in accepting the 'story' that has been propagated by the Sky commentary team and blindly accepted. Cas do indeed pass the ball more but would it surprise you to learn that Wigan offload the ball more than Cas do? In fact a check of the Super League Stats site revealed that over the season Wigan offloaded 348 times and Cas 320 times. Wigan are second only to Leeds. Facts eh, they can get in the way of a good argument. But this particular 'fact' might suggest that the coach isn't telling the players not to offload at all. That the players haven't then been able to capitalise is hardly the fault of the coach. http://www.rugby-league.com/superleague ... club_stats

Re: Thats Why We Are Champions... : Tue Oct 10, 2017 12:39 pm  

Aboveusonlypie wrote: I have a problem in accepting the 'story' that has been propagated by the Sky commentary team and blindly accepted. Cas do indeed pass the ball more but would it surprise you to learn that Wigan offload the ball more than Cas do? In fact a check of the Super League Stats site revealed that over the season Wigan offloaded 348 times and Cas 320 times. Wigan are second only to Leeds. Facts eh, they can get in the way of a good argument. But this particular 'fact' might suggest that the coach isn't telling the players not to offload at all. That the players haven't then been able to capitalise is hardly the fault of the coach. http://www.rugby-league.com/superleague ... club_stats offloading the ball didnt stop cas from stuffing you 3 times this season, combined score of 119 - 34?

Aboveusonlypie wrote: I have a problem in accepting the 'story' that has been propagated by the Sky commentary team and blindly accepted. Cas do indeed pass the ball more but would it surprise you to learn that Wigan offload the ball more than Cas do? In fact a check of the Super League Stats site revealed that over the season Wigan offloaded 348 times and Cas 320 times. Wigan are second only to Leeds. Facts eh, they can get in the way of a good argument. But this particular 'fact' might suggest that the coach isn't telling the players not to offload at all. That the players haven't then been able to capitalise is hardly the fault of the coach. http://www.rugby-league.com/superleague ... club_stats offloading the ball didnt stop cas from stuffing you 3 times this season, combined score of 119 - 34?

Re: Thats Why We Are Champions... : Tue Oct 10, 2017 1:03 pm  

fbstackafelt wrote:

offloading the ball didnt stop cas from stuffing you 3 times this season, combined score of 119 - 34?

I know, they also stuffed Leeds four times!