[Bulliac]

Re: Hunslet away : Fri Jul 03, 2015 3:48 pm  

Bull Mania wrote:

It wasn't a case of us under performing that has everyone concerned, it's how knackard we looked against a PART TIME team. We'll probably beat Hunslet. But that doesn't mean we'll be OK for the middle 8's. It's not whether we have the players to get promotion (As i believe we do) it's what state the teams in when they kick off.

I think comparisons between pro and semi-pro sort of underplays the dynamics of a game a little.

I'm the first to say we ought to have used the squad more and given the hardest workers a bit of respite, but we looked knackered because we were making mistakes, and for once the opposition really made us pay and mentally, that is what killed us. Being tired is 75% in the mind - they were getting the best of it so were energised on the back of that - tiredness and energy levels are directly related to mental attitude and much as being pro gives a definite advantage if you feel everything is going wrong then that's how you'll play and mentally you'll lose energy.

The worst part was that it impacted on our skill levels too, which turned into even more mistakes and the cycle deepened. For sure the buck stops with Jimmy and it's up to him to get the team back up for Hunslet and the rest of the season.

Have to say that, with much lower spending levels, I don't think I have as much confidence as you, that any side in our division will actually get out through the play-offs, but we certainly have to do the best we can and then hope for the best.

Re: Hunslet away : Fri Jul 03, 2015 3:53 pm  

Bulliac wrote:

Have to say that, with much lower spending levels, I don't think I have as much confidence as you, that any side in our division will actually get out through the play-offs, but we certainly have to do the best we can and then hope for the best.

I think you're obsessing slightly on the spending levels. How much of our wage bill has played more than 5 games? We've got a big squad and Ferres has spent wisely. If we don't go up it's how Jimmys managed the squad throughout the year, not because of money.

Re: Bradford vs. Featherstone : Fri Jul 03, 2015 4:17 pm  

DrFeelgood wrote:

I'm being punctilious, perhaps, but Lauaki hasn't made the 19.

You're right

So the phrase 'Mullaney taking Henry’s place is the only change to the 19-man squad' doesn't actually mean 'only'

Looks like its also Uaisele back in for Lauaki

Re: Hunslet away : Fri Jul 03, 2015 4:35 pm  

It seems there is no competition for places just stick with a team that are clearly not performing well at the moment, this is a good match to bring in a fews fresh legs. Why have a big squad if you are not going to play them if you keep them sitting around without a chance at the first team they will soon get P$%^&d off.
I would hate to imagine what this board will be like if we lose this one.

[Bulliac]

Re: Hunslet away : Fri Jul 03, 2015 4:38 pm  

Bull Mania wrote:

I think you're obsessing slightly on the spending levels. How much of our wage bill has played more than 5 games? We've got a big squad and Ferres has spent wisely. If we don't go up it's how Jimmys managed the squad throughout the year, not because of money.

Just imagine how good our squad might have been if we'd taken the risk and spent the lot on just 24 players. If Ferres has really "spent wisely", how come Jimmy won't play around half a dozen of those players, no matter how may injuries we get or how much others lose form?

I admit, I was very much like everyone else early on and thought we had big strong squad, but the fact that the coach won't even give a game to quite few suggests, nay more than suggests, that he pretty clearly doesn't rate some of them. I still feel we have a decent squad for this division, but if [may the gods be willing..] we were to be promoted I'm certain much more would need to be spent to make us competitive in SL.

Re: Hunslet away : Fri Jul 03, 2015 4:58 pm  

Bulliac wrote:

Just imagine how good our squad might have been if we'd taken the risk and spent the lot on just 24 players. If Ferres has really "spent wisely", how come Jimmy won't play around half a dozen of those players, no matter how may injuries we get or how much others lose form?

I admit, I was very much like everyone else early on and thought we had big strong squad, but the fact that the coach won't even give a game to quite few suggests, nay more than suggests, that he pretty clearly doesn't rate some of them. I still feel we have a decent squad for this division, but if [may the gods be willing..] we were to be promoted I'm certain much more would need to be spent to make us competitive in SL.

Some haven't been given a chance. Two have been sent out on loan despite doing pretty well when they playes. Yet Chev Walker comes straight into the team after injury.

It doesn't matter if he rates them, it's about keeping key men fresh and fit. Did O'brien and Gaskell really need to play against Doncaster who haven't won a game all year?

If it was all about money then Salford wouldn't be second bottom.

Re: Hunslet away : Fri Jul 03, 2015 5:12 pm  

Didn't we go with a 24ish man squad last yr and were crippled all yr with injuries and depending on loaners?.
Our problem this yr has been we've got the cover in for areas we sufferered last year but by and large we haven't had the injuries in the forwards. Instead we've had injuries to key positions where we don't have the depth. With both sjelka and mullaney ( who most consider our third half) injured for big part of season we've been hamstrung a little. This to my mind is where our recruitment went wrong mid season. Instead of bringing in crosssley and mendeika we should have kept the space free and gone for a half when one became available.

Re: Hunslet away : Fri Jul 03, 2015 6:06 pm  

Well the 19 man squad for this week: Adam O' Brien, Adrian Purtell, Adam Sidlow, Chev Walker, Dale Ferguson, Dan Fleming, Danny Addy, Danny Williams, Etu Uaisele, Harry Siejka, Jake Mullaney, James Mendeika, Jay Pitts, Matty Blythe, Paul Clough, Ryan Shaw, Steve Crossley, Tom Olbison, Vila Halafihi.

So, it seems only Henry gets dropped following the midweek fail-a-thon. No talk of recalls for any of our players on dual reg or loan, even though this is our 3rd game in 7 days and there were plenty of players on Wednesday who looked like they could use a rest so why not do a bit of rotation if just to freshen up the line up some what and maybe light a few fires under players who might not be pulling their weight and make them pull up their socks.

Re: Hunslet away : Fri Jul 03, 2015 6:11 pm  

Close win then everything will be alright with the world until we play Leigh with a bunch of knackered players and get lumped

Re: Hunslet away : Fri Jul 03, 2015 7:33 pm  

This lack of rotation has moved from being an irritation to a concern now.