Re: Biggest league threats? : Wed Mar 09, 2011 9:06 pm  

Eye of the viking wrote:

i played against hunslet the other day in the challenge cup and no offence to them teams like fev, fax, widnes etc should put 40 points on them they just look an average side.

Re: Biggest league threats? : Thu Mar 10, 2011 8:25 am  

Fax look a bit weaker i would say but then again i dont think any team looks stand out either. I think we lost 3 key players from last season, Maloney, Royston, and Branighan. Obviously we can replace Royston with Fieldhouse and Greenwood, not forgetting that Greenwood was the best full back in the Championship before he got injured and kept Royston out of his prefered position. It will take a bit of time for him to get back to his best though. Maloney is a massive loss, probably the best prop in the league and in Gannon i dont think we have come close to replacing him but on the plus side we have a full season with Sam Barlow this time. Branighan im pretty meh about as Holroyd was prefered to him at the end of last season but on the other hand Jones isnt half the player Branighan is and the sooner MC sees that and has Holly and Black at halfs the better. Ive no doubt we have the best set of backs in the league but feel our forwards may let us down but maybe they will prove me wrong. As for the other teams Fev will be up there and still look pretty strong. Leigh talk the talk every season but will they ever walk the walk. Barrow and Schofield is a match made in ......erm.......hell. Widnes didnt impress me against Siddal and i wouldnt be happy with the amout of times Siddals hookers broke your line. But it was a nothing game so its hard to tell. I think Widnes will be in the top 6 but dont look as good as the main teams but you never can tell.

Re: Biggest league threats? : Thu Mar 10, 2011 8:32 am  

Siddal hooker never broke the line. He made a few good darts but was always tackled so half break at best, considering no Thackeray and a few others rested you can't really judge against a very strong and well organised Siddal unit we still beat by 50!

I saw Mr Fax comparing our score and yours what divisions are they in? You only had to look at players physique to tell the difference. Also heard a lot of 'this is our reserve side' Hmmm... Seemed a similar mix to ours tbh.

Widnes are MUCH stronger than last year. Signed Tyrer & Ropati to cover weak centre area. I'Anson for 7 and at prop have brought Sculthorpe in plus have Puckersgill fully fit. You maybe in for a shock I feel!

Re: Biggest league threats? : Thu Mar 10, 2011 8:43 am  

J20 wrote:

Siddal hooker never broke the line. He made a few good darts but was always tackled so half break at best, considering no Thackeray and a few others rested you can't really judge against a very strong and well organised Siddal unit we still beat by 50!

I saw Mr Fax comparing our score and yours what divisions are they in? You only had to look at players physique to tell the difference. Also heard a lot of 'this is our reserve side' Hmmm... Seemed a similar mix to ours tbh.

Widnes are MUCH stronger than last year. Signed Tyrer & Ropati to cover weak centre area. I'Anson for 7 and at prop have brought Sculthorpe in plus have Puckersgill fully fit. You maybe in for a shock I feel!

Both hookers made a couple of good breaks where all it needed was someone on their inside when they went to pass. But like i said it was a nothing game anyway. Yes we had a lot of players out as did Widnes but i wouldnt go as far to say it was our reserve side and say it was a lot closer to our starting line up than i wished.

I know you mention those players but have you signed anyone good? You mention weak centre area and i cant help but feel sad for Varks what the move to Widnes has done to him.

Re: Biggest league threats? : Thu Mar 10, 2011 10:06 am  

Greg Florimos Boots wrote:

Both hookers made a couple of good breaks where all it needed was someone on their inside when they went to pass. But like i said it was a nothing game anyway. Yes we had a lot of players out as did Widnes but i wouldnt go as far to say it was our reserve side and say it was a lot closer to our starting line up than i wished.

I know you mention those players but have you signed anyone good? You mention weak centre area and i cant help but feel sad for Varks what the move to Widnes has done to him.

Varkulis has come a better player under Betts and is doing very well at prop.Widnes have improved in all postions with Centres a big one with Ropati and Tyrer.Fullback we dont have Ford and Yates anymore as choices, as Ford is more accomplished at centre.Jack Owens is only 16 and is a revelation, and we have Danny Craven and Flynn.Props we still have Scully and Gaz Haggerty to come back.I,Anson at halfback and Gore.Nobody has a postion guaranteed under Betts,and he is even looking at Dual from Wigan so watch out Fax.If Fax get major injuries to Black,Barlow, White or Greenwood again i think Fax will struggle. Widnes have more depth this year .

Re: Biggest league threats? : Thu Mar 10, 2011 12:05 pm  

Why does everybody keep saying I'anson at 7?

He isnt a scrum half.

Re: Biggest league threats? : Thu Mar 10, 2011 12:10 pm  

-VIKINGMAN- wrote:

Why does everybody keep saying I'anson at 7?

He isnt a scrum half.

He has the number 7 shirt? Cullen & both Betts have talked about him as the 7!

Remember he played 6 @ KR but they do have Michael Dobson, dream team 7 2010! He can play either or FB.

Re: Biggest league threats? : Thu Mar 10, 2011 12:37 pm  

J20 wrote:

He has the number 7 shirt? Cullen & both Betts have talked about him as the 7!

Remember he played 6 @ KR but they do have Michael Dobson, dream team 7 2010! He can play either or FB.

He's a natural type of 6 though rather than a scrum half, Thackeray played all his junior career at 7 so it makes sense IMO for them to swap. I'm sure in his brief 20 minute loan spell that he played 6.

Re: Biggest league threats? : Thu Mar 10, 2011 12:42 pm  

-VIKINGMAN- wrote:

He's a natural type of 6 though rather than a scrum half, Thackeray played all his junior career at 7 so it makes sense IMO for them to swap. I'm sure in his brief 20 minute loan spell that he played 6.

Played 7 to Thacks giving us a bit more depth I'm attack and the same with Craven on Sunday. IMO he suits that more. Thacks best attributes are hitting the game line with space out wide, whereas I'Anson seems to have a good quick long pass on him so from centre field he could get us on the move quicker, a few darts in the centre allowing Thacks to run the show on the edges. That's certainly how he seemed to play it on Sunday as well.

Re: Biggest league threats? : Thu Mar 10, 2011 12:57 pm  

J20 wrote:

Played 7 to Thacks giving us a bit more depth I'm attack and the same with Craven on Sunday. IMO he suits that more. Thacks best attributes are hitting the game line with space out wide, whereas I'Anson seems to have a good quick long pass on him so from centre field he could get us on the move quicker, a few darts in the centre allowing Thacks to run the show on the edges. That's certainly how he seemed to play it on Sunday as well.

If you would have included elbows and knees in that comment i could have swore that was Cullen at his peak.