Re: Cas home : Mon Feb 20, 2023 2:08 pm  

Ellam wrote:

Yeah we tired missed Brown off the bench, nearly cost us but first 60 excellent, I'm going to be controversial but it's my opinion, I don't see what Lovudua brings to the side, he never really plays hooker and to have an overseas quota on a player without a set position is a waste, I know the Houghton haters won't like that but Lover should have been 18th man or Cator, Dwyer showed what we've been missing his pace out of dummy half was different class.

Agree. If Lovodua doesn't play hooker it's wasting a valuable quota spot. To be fair to him he's never been given a fair run at his best position due to injuries.

Re: Cas home : Mon Feb 20, 2023 3:04 pm  

davey41 wrote:

Said that about Macintosh at the time and having seen the highlights even more convinced he would have scored had it not been for similar kits. I’m sure he thought the FC players on his left were Cas players and he even handed off Cator. Thought he was also unlucky with the penalty for a high tackle. Looked like a good solid hit for mine but would need to see it from the opposite side.

Disagree about McNamara. Didn’t he get a couple of assists? Thought he did okay and it was our defence that started to let us down. Personally think Jordan Lane needs to up his game otherwise he is the one I would be dropping. Griffin was way ahead of him in performance.

Still very encouraging start with some good rugby played and plenty to work on which Tony has already spoken about.

Agree about Griffin imo was our best player apart from Clifford

Hopefully get back to his best and make 2nd row his own

And smith deffo needs to get his subs right leaving taylor dwyer and satae off most of 2nd half until last 10 minutes was just ridiculous and having both lovodua and Houghton on bench is pointless

Cas will definitely struggle hope we don't but I'm not sure if we're much better

Re: Cas home : Mon Feb 20, 2023 3:05 pm  

Marcus's Bicycle wrote:

If the first half had gone on 5 minutes longer the game would have been put to bed but it didn't. Neither did the second half.

If the second half had gone on 5 minutes longer we would have lost the match

Re: Cas home : Mon Feb 20, 2023 3:14 pm  

Just had a look on the SL site and the stats from the game. Fonua made 17 metres off 4 carries, he's turned into a right pudding.

Looked like he was running in treacle when he was on

Re: Cas home : Mon Feb 20, 2023 3:16 pm  

Dave K. wrote:

Was McNamara involved, he passed to Houghton and threw a awful pass to Mcintosh which he had to control with his foot?

Unfortuneatly McNamara is a real weak link but i dont think it helps having Lane,Scott and McIntosh on your outside.
Feel he will be more confident with Tuimavave on his edge so ill defer overall judgement on him until he has a couple of games with Carlos under his belt.
Certainly needs more confidence as evidenced when has passed to Houghton for his try as i felt he could have angled his run and scored himself.

Re: Cas home : Mon Feb 20, 2023 3:23 pm  

bonaire wrote:

If the second half had gone on 5 minutes longer we would have lost the match

But it didn't. You miss my point. The match is played over 80 minutes not 85. If there was an extra 5 minutes at the end of the first half we were so much on top we would have gone on to score more points to seal the game.

Re: Cas home : Mon Feb 20, 2023 3:29 pm  

Ellam wrote:

Yeah we tired missed Brown off the bench, nearly cost us but first 60 excellent, I'm going to be controversial but it's my opinion, I don't see what Lovudua brings to the side, he never really plays hooker and to have an overseas quota on a player without a set position is a waste, I know the Houghton haters won't like that but Lover should have been 18th man or Cator, Dwyer showed what we've been missing his pace out of dummy half was different class.

You have a point but it looks like Tony Smith is going to use Houghton regularly off the bench using him at nine,and then moving him to 13 so we can expect to see Houghton on the field for 50/60 minutes per match.
This is what Hodgson did only he flogged him for 80 minutes
Until we see Lovodua given a run at nine we dont know how he will go but in reality having Houghton on the pitch does not enhance our attack at all and i wonder if playing him is more to do with respect for the player

[Chris71]

Re: Cas home : Mon Feb 20, 2023 4:03 pm  

bonaire wrote:

Ellam wrote:

Yeah we tired missed Brown off the bench, nearly cost us but first 60 excellent, I'm going to be controversial but it's my opinion, I don't see what Lovudua brings to the side, he never really plays hooker and to have an overseas quota on a player without a set position is a waste, I know the Houghton haters won't like that but Lover should have been 18th man or Cator, Dwyer showed what we've been missing his pace out of dummy half was different class.

You have a point but it looks like Tony Smith is going to use Houghton regularly off the bench using him at nine,and then moving him to 13 so we can expect to see Houghton on the field for 50/60 minutes per match.
This is what Hodgson did only he flogged him for 80 minutes
Until we see Lovodua given a run at nine we dont know how he will go but in reality having Houghton on the pitch does not enhance our attack at all and i wonder if playing him is more to do with respect for the player

Agree with you bonaire regarding Smith use of Houghton, hopefully it's just a stop gap with us not having any of Ligi, Dre or Carlos. With just Ligi or Dre back I don't see a place in the 17 for Houghton and quite honestly not sure what he offers anymore. It was disappointing seeing Smith play him for 60 minutes too as unfortunately he just isn't able to do those minutes anymore and be effective and we still have a hangover in regarsd to that. For me he's behind Dwyer and Lovodua and in all fairness I think Cator would bring more than Danny Houghton if he's going to use someone at 9 then move them to LF.

Re: Cas home : Mon Feb 20, 2023 4:18 pm  

I'm not saying Lover shouldn't play over Houghton I agree with a lot of you, but it has to be one or the other for me of Mint or Lover, I'd play Dwyer for 35 first and last 25 so whoever backs him up will get 20 but like you say the can stint 6/13 if needed.

Re: Cas home : Mon Feb 20, 2023 4:20 pm  

It's nice to have options for a change, we need to be playing Brown too for me.