With our first choice players fit we always have a chance, with key players missing we will usually lose. The hard fact is players get injured and we seem to be cursed with the flaming things. The simple fact is we need more quality and a switched on, win whichever way it takes mentality. Too many times we make dumb stupid errors which invariably lose the game. Solution??? wish I knew, but for what it,s worth and stating the bleeding obvious (1) we need our leaders back(2)we need more quality, not run of the mill replacements, get championship players and that is where you end up.(3)stop making stupid mistakes and gifting possession time after time after time..some are penalty machines and some are just ineffective, that,s were you start. Example: 100% completion first half against Huddersfield..result a win. There is no guarantee players will be fit come the play offs, this is getting serious and needs cool heads to rectify it.
Last year we'd had a relatively easy ride to the eights and cause for optimism after winning most of our games. This year we're likely to have been battered in almost every game and go into the eights used to losing. The team might be a bit better but the situation almost certainly won't be. Anyway the Easter games are on HKR tv so there's a treat for me eh? I've hidden all the sharp instruments and got the phone number for the Samaritans to hand, just in case.
After the pathetic performance v wigan,all the optomism from the huddersfield win has gone and my original tip of the bottom 2 looks back on.We are unlucky in the fact our 4 best players are all missing,maguire,heffernan,mulhearn and lunt are all absent,blair,masoe and dagger, would be our best yesterday.Shaw may be a good kicker,but defensively hopeless,wigan must have looked at the wakey video and all you need to score is attack the shaw wing,matty marsh is championship at best and isnt moss wasted at york.? Apart from blair and in short bursts masoe and the steady clarkson, the rest are are bog standard,greenwood has become a penalty machine,as I said pre season the bottom 2 beckons unless maguire,mulhearn,heffernan and lunt,can stay fit and give us some hope.
I actually disagree with this, Maguire is exactly the sort of player you needed to sign, but you need him on the pitch. For me the reason you lost the derby was because he and Lunt weren't available, your direction out of the ruck was awful, Lee just isn't up to standard. You do have some real quality in your side, Mulhern, Maguire, Lunt, Oakes, Kavanagh, Addy, but you just cant get them on the pitch at the same time.
Rovers will be fine this season, there are poorer sides in this league. Safety surely is the only target this year, anything else is a bonus. With so many young players it'll take time but have faith.
After the pathetic performance v wigan,all the optomism from the huddersfield win has gone and my original tip of the bottom 2 looks back on.We are unlucky in the fact our 4 best players are all missing,maguire,heffernan,mulhearn and lunt are all absent,blair,masoe and dagger, would be our best yesterday.Shaw may be a good kicker,but defensively hopeless,wigan must have looked at the wakey video and all you need to score is attack the shaw wing,matty marsh is championship at best and isnt moss wasted at york.? Apart from blair and in short bursts masoe and the steady clarkson, the rest are are bog standard,greenwood has become a penalty machine,as I said pre season the bottom 2 beckons unless maguire,mulhearn,heffernan and lunt,can stay fit and give us some hope.
Marsh has played 3 games. We've conceded 30,30 and 40 with his right side a shambles. He defends too far in and doesn't talk. Had a massive chance in the derby and never turned up. Feel sorry for him but chances running out
I have been bumping on about it for a while. We are playing old fashioned Rugby at its worst at the moment. Sheens needs to move his tactics and play in accordance with the modern era. The rugby we saw in the championship was underwhelming, the games were dull and we didn't even set that league on fire.
We have a winger in Shaw who is good at finishing but is THE WORST defensive back in SL (and was poor defensively in the championship). Our Centres are unproven at SL level. Minns has been average, Heffernan when fit has had 1 decent game. Salter was atrocious against FC. Our other winger looks uninterested, although proven at this level, one hopes that he is not here just for a pay day. We have a young winger Oakes who is professed to be one of the brightest talents in the game, every time he turns out he plays well & seemingly can defend but it appears that TS is scared of picking inexperienced players, surely you'd give him a nod over the dross we have seen in the last 2 games. Connor Williams is going under the radar at moment due to injury I believe. Joe Wardill again a bright prospect within the game has real potential and hopefully his injury problems will clear, really like this player.
Halfs, Maguire speaks for himself, done everything in the game but inevitably at his age will pick up injuries. Chris Atkin shows signs that he is capable but only flashes, Matty Marsh is a little way off but the way he is slated by fans suggests his tenure at KR may be short lived. Franck is a million miles off at moment.
Quinlan is a really good FB if he's in a team that plays the right brand of rugby, Dagger has been OK, although the media appear to big him up for carrying out the basics to an OK standard he has just done enough but has loads of time to shine, made some errors but at 19 that's aloud. Bring Moss back as the back up full back until dagger gets up to speed to play a run of games should AQ pick up injury
Forwards......... Where do we start Masoe - Unable to do the big minutes Nick Scruton - Quality player but like maguire he will inevitably pick up injuries Shaun Lunt - We need him fit Maurice Blair - Steady at best now with age James Greenwood - Pretty Awful Discipline Ben Kavanagh - Decent Player when fit Lee Jewitt - Another that struggles with discipline Donno - Glad he's getting back to fitness, bring some stability up front Addy - Massive miss with his utility Clarkson - Reliable Lawler - Bad injury, a real big miss, this kid has serious potential, another rising start Rob Mulhern - Another like Lawler, led from the front all year Josh Johnson - Another that gives away way too many penalties Jordan Walne - May be ready for some game time, what with some of our frontline misfiring Joe Cator - Potential to be Class but is physically a few years off to play every game but certainly worth drip feeding in. Brad Clavering - Who Knows, never seems to get game time - even in freindlies. Danny Tickle - A below average signing WHY???
I would switch it up a little. Freshen the team up because at the moment it looks laclustre and beaten before the whistle has gone to start the game.
We need to stop picking people on name and start picking them on form and at present we don't have too many that are playing well so change things. Castleford did well last year without over spending because they played an expansive style. we seem to enjoy playing down the middle but we aren't powerful enough and it certainly isn't working so try playing the game a different way. Move away from the rigid structure like Cas did. Believe that if you make a mistake you can make up for it in the next set.
Not all doom and gloom though. If in a few years we can build a team around the young talent that we have been signing we will have a team to behold, I think we need to tie the below young lads down on long term deals and bring in decent experienced players to help progress them. And if they are ready give them some game time, you only gain experience by playing.
Rob Mulhern Georgie Lawler Will Oakes Joe Wardill Will Dagger Chris Atkin (will learn off Mags) Joe Cator Heffernan when he's up to speed
and the award for the longest most pointless post goes to...