Re: challenge cup - workington game : Sun Mar 22, 2015 6:21 pm  

Not surprised Ferguson rested. He has played a solid game and a half this year.

Re: challenge cup - workington game : Sun Mar 22, 2015 6:41 pm  

We stood i silence for someone at the start of the game. No announcement that I heard. Anyone any idea who it was for?

Re: challenge cup - workington game : Sun Mar 22, 2015 7:11 pm  

rugbyreddog wrote:

Not surprised Ferguson rested. He has played a solid game and a half this year.

I'm guessing you didn't attend, or even bother to read a match report, because Ferguson played today. About 60 mins in total.

Re: challenge cup - workington game : Sun Mar 22, 2015 7:14 pm  

rugbyreddog wrote:

Not surprised Ferguson rested. He has played a solid game and a half this year.

Ferguson on played today!? What's yor problem with him. He's a quality player who we're being careful with bringing him back. We rushed him back last year and look what happened.

This is why we've such a big squad so we can build players fitness up and not rush them back from injury.

On the game, very poor first quarter. We looked a little sluggish. Mullaney needs to start taking kicks on the full. He's losing 20m by allowing it to bounce all the time.

We did look clinical when we got some momentum and played some good attractive rugby. Should take a lot of confidence from those tries we scored. But got to do better than the opening quarter though as we could have been 24-0 down against a better side.

Also having an outside back on the bench is completely pointless.

Re: challenge cup - workington game : Sun Mar 22, 2015 9:03 pm  

Well done to the Bulls on their comprehensive victory. As a Town fan the result doesn't really bother me as it was just a game we needed to get out of the way just as next week is too. Games against the Bulls and Leigh aren't going to define our season, just as you thrashing us won't define yours.

There's no doubt fatigue played a part with you racking up 4 tries in the last ten mins of the first half and then 5 more in the last 15 mins of the game, but you'd still have been easy winners anyway. It's not fair asking any part time team to play 3 times in 7 days especially when the 3rd game is against a strong full time team, but that's the hand we were dealt and so just had to get on with it.

It doesn't get any easier for us either - away to you again next Sunday, then the West Cumbrian Derby on Friday followed by a trip to Leigh on the Monday. Hey ho, such is life.

Good luck in the next round, hope you get a chance to give a SL team a bloody nose.

Re: challenge cup - workington game : Sun Mar 22, 2015 9:53 pm  

I thought Workington really showed up well in that first half hour before tiredness set in, why couldn't workingtons midweek catch up game have been played later in the season during a free challenge cup weekend? Seems highly unfair.

We did what we needed to do, and scored some lovely try's, but full time vs part time was the biggest factor today, clough sidlow Gaskell were superb and it was seijkas best game yet. I think Jimmy needs to look at our other number 9 options in games like this as the season goes on, even if just off the bench in the second half to give aob some time off and make sure he's fresh enough for the Middle 8's as I think he'll be key to our chances.

Re: challenge cup - workington game : Mon Mar 23, 2015 10:38 am  

Considering what the Workington players had been through during the last couple of weeks I thought they started very well and could have posted more scores with a little more luck or composure. It's a fair trek down to Bradford on a coach and it will seem even longer next week. I suspect we will see a closer game next week. This league reminds me of pre Super League with a couple of 'elite' full time clubs and then the rest part time. I don't take much satisfaction from watching these blowouts and it's already clear to me that the RFL need to be addressing the unequal funding issue.
As for our performance I thought it started sloppy but improved .... it's difficult to get too enthusiastic. I'm realising that I need a fresh yardstick in the Championship for judging performance.

[Bulliac]

Re: challenge cup - workington game : Mon Mar 23, 2015 11:54 am  

Don't they have some Wigan players on DR, who I guess didn't play yesterday?

Pretty sure Worky will want to prove a point after after the cup game, so I expect it will be a sterner test next week - and I hope Jimmy has marked the cards of any player who thinks otherwise, particularly when you think of how scratchy we were early doors. A little bit of patience wouldn't come amiss from our guys.

Re: challenge cup - workington game : Mon Mar 23, 2015 12:47 pm  

Worky's coach, our old boy Mr Veivers, reportedly said (correctly) that their results against Bradford and Leigh won't define their season, so I don't think they'll be busting a gut, they have far more important games than that. They are part-timers but will do better next week for the simple reason that they won't be being killed by 3 games in 7 days. Also they may have some dual-reg Wigan "youngsters" available. I felt sorry for them in the end, you could see they were trying to keep going but the legs no longer worked. Also I can now conclude that the speed of the PTB in the Championship as policed by these refs is pedestrian compared to what we're used to, Workington (very fairly) came to spoil and delay every PTB and were rarely pinged, whereas in SL they'd have been on a team warning after 10 mins. Bearing in mind what the Championship officials tolerate by way of holding down, posting such a high score is actually more impressive than it sounds. I'm not having a go at Mr. Leatherbarrow btw - it is clear that here is consistency in the application of the rules and hopefully we will learn the tricks too., for harder days.

From our POV, it wasn't a game you could draw that many conclusions from though it was good to see us not ease up, we haven't had that ruthless streak in recent times. There was no sympathy on the pitch.

There were still some positives to be taken. For one, Siejka did better and showed up much more. He showed some good passing, his early break (which he spoiled by delaying his pass too long) was very good, and he did OK. My main man Purtell just gets better, early contender for player of the year.

Shaw put in another good spell. And yes I know he kicked 50 goals or something but let's hope he has got all his dodgy kicks, slices and hooks out of the way! Tahraoui was good, Ferguson when he ran hard looked good, and basically their pack was monstered by ours.

Gaskell was not very prominent but his kicks for touch are amazing and when he does run at sides, he has that balance and change of direction that is good to watch but we didn't rely on him. Henry actually looked OK and his early run (which he also spoiled by choosing the wrong pass) actually looked half decent. He seems to be the next Platt for targeting, but it was to me a much better display from him. His try-saver on Ritson was top effort.

All in all a decent afternoon's entertainment, and a very respectable crowd for that fixture too.

Re: challenge cup - workington game : Mon Mar 23, 2015 5:34 pm  

Derwent wrote:

Well done to the Bulls on their comprehensive victory. As a Town fan the result doesn't really bother me as it was just a game we needed to get out of the way just as next week is too. Games against the Bulls and Leigh aren't going to define our season, just as you thrashing us won't define yours.

There's no doubt fatigue played a part with you racking up 4 tries in the last ten mins of the first half and then 5 more in the last 15 mins of the game, but you'd still have been easy winners anyway. It's not fair asking any part time team to play 3 times in 7 days especially when the 3rd game is against a strong full time team, but that's the hand we were dealt and so just had to get on with it.

It doesn't get any easier for us either - away to you again next Sunday, then the West Cumbrian Derby on Friday followed by a trip to Leigh on the Monday. Hey ho, such is life.

Good luck in the next round, hope you get a chance to give a SL team a bloody nose.

We totally agree with your point of view, we also thought it was wrong for your team to have to play 3 times in 7 days. We used to enjoy visiting your Club in years past and are looking forward to our visit in June. Good luck for the remainder of the season.