A warning sign from pre season games. : Sun Jan 25, 2015 5:17 pm  

It has been very noticeable in all 3 games although we have played overall pretty well with good performances our goal kicking has been dire. Tickle is no spring chicken and may have to be rested more this season. We need another excellent kicker to take the kicks when he is not there otherwise we will lose games we should be winning. Owens is our next best kicker but does not appear to be in Betts plans. He must play on the wing in stead of Ah Van who is an inferior kicker. We also need to develop more kickers. Tickle surely could help in the coaching of kickers while he is around? Any comments?

Re: A warning sign from pre season games. : Sun Jan 25, 2015 5:37 pm  

Agreed geoff but im sure tickle is carrying an injury which restricts him not to be able to kick goals as if not he wouldnt be able to play full stop,if not then im slightly concerned but im sure we have it covered in the respect that the prospective back up kickers will be practising in case tickle wont be fit enough to kick when the season starts

Re: A warning sign from pre season games. : Sun Jan 25, 2015 5:53 pm  

Tickle had a couple of small ops on his knees in the off season apparently so i doubt he's done any kicking practice and given that Jack Owens has only played one friendly game thus far i wouldn't press any panic buttons. Cameron Phelps is a decent kicker (slotted a few over last season at Bradford) so he may throw his hat into the ring given 3rd choice Marshes 50p foot.

Re: A warning sign from pre season games. : Sun Jan 25, 2015 6:18 pm  

-VIKINGMAN- wrote:

Tickle had a couple of small ops on his knees in the off season apparently so i doubt he's done any kicking practice and given that Jack Owens has only played one friendly game thus far i wouldn't press any panic buttons. Cameron Phelps is a decent kicker (slotted a few over last season at Bradford) so he may throw his hat into the ring given 3rd choice Marshes 50p foot.

h
Hanbury PAV Phelps Marsh White can all kick goals what the panic ?

Re: A warning sign from pre season games. : Sun Jan 25, 2015 8:01 pm  

Bam Bam wrote:

h
Hanbury PAV Phelps Marsh White can all kick goals what the panic ?

I do not think it is a panic mate. But i think some of these are probably 60% on ratio to kicks, and we need a 80% plus ratio to win close games.

Re: A warning sign from pre season games. : Sun Jan 25, 2015 8:45 pm  

We lost games in season 1 because of our defence not missed goal kicks. the next two years our defence improved again hence the higher league finishes.
We also know know how to hold out to win games. Yes we need a good goal kicker which we have and plenty of back kickers just like most clubs who only have one expert goal kicker. With them facts I would call it panic by the OP

Re: A warning sign from pre season games. : Mon Jan 26, 2015 1:17 pm  

If Owens doesn't figure in Betts plans then he is making a mistake.One of the brightest prospects to come through the club for many a year.Never mind one for the future he is ready now and ought to figure regularly.If he doesn't then there will be no shortage of takers.

Re: A warning sign from pre season games. : Mon Jan 26, 2015 3:40 pm  

I'd imagine most agree regarding Owens, including Betts, he played him often enough last year. I think we're all hoping he gets good game time this year (albeit wing) to be our long term full back.

Re: A warning sign from pre season games. : Tue Jan 27, 2015 11:36 am  

I think Denis will have a real dilemma with Jack Owens this season. A string of injuries to AhVan and Paddy's demotion allowed the opportunity for Jack to get plenty of game time (and Paddy's number last season), but such opportunities may not be as readily available in 2015. Paddy came back very strongly and secured one wing spot and although his performances were a little more erratic PAV reclaimed the other spot and has been available from pre-season, which he wasn't last year. Jack certainly isn't going to displace Hanbury for a while yet, except when he is injured. Denis will feel obliged to field what he sees as his strongest available team this time around with P&R looming, so it might be that games are few and far between, for Jack. Mind you as we know its a tough old sport so gaps are created by injuries.

All of which ramps the pressure up on consistent kickers. Tickle is clearly a top quality place kicker when fit and on form, but if there is a doubt about his ability to kick regularly then we will have to think hard about getting decent cover (that of course might cause a rethink about Jack), or it may be we are just being cautious following Danny's surgery and he will still be the main man!

Re: A warning sign from pre season games. : Tue Jan 27, 2015 3:45 pm  

Tickle took first 2 kicks on Sunday and I believe both were wide out got one missed one, so that suggests he is OK to kick just maybe managing it during the friendlies because of the ops. Also gave chances to others to maybe stake a claim should Tickle not play not that others went to well in all three games.

Come Rd 1 I expect Tickle to be kicking with either Ah Van, Owens, Marsh or Phelps as back up.