Re: Tony Smith : Mon Sep 19, 2016 3:26 pm  

The All New Chester Wire wrote:

Sport is sport (copyright, adapted from Theresa May) and it doesn't always go the way you want or expect. I'm not giving up until we have not won the Grand Final.

Whilst I agree to a point, as in, sometimes it just comes down to luck 'on the day' or the bounce of the ball, what worries me is I've yet to see us convincingly close down a game this year. We seem skilled at throwing them away. See Cas in Newcastle, last week's debacle, the effing CC Final, and many others. You can't rely totally on luck, and when it comes down to it we're just not ruthless enough. When Flower walked on Friday and a few minutes later Tomkins had his hissy fit, we should've smelled blood and put them to the sword.

I still think we're missing the winning mentality of Morley, Hodgson et al. Yeah, even a few years down the line. There's fewer and fewer players in our squad who are used to winning big games, IE finals.

Re: Tony Smith : Mon Sep 19, 2016 3:28 pm  

The last i read was that Wheeler was joining the Canadians for next season along with Laithewaite.

[Fantastic Mr Catpiss]

Re: Tony Smith : Mon Sep 19, 2016 3:42 pm  

ninearches wrote:

The last i read was that Wheeler was joining the Canadians for next season along with Laithewaite.

thats correct, which is a big bloody gamble by the canadians, eh.

Re: Tony Smith : Mon Sep 19, 2016 3:46 pm  

For me, Friday was worse than a 80-0 hammering.

I've never asked for the sacking of TS but I did on Friday.

I'm also not a huge fan of Kevin Penny but it's clear to see that Russell and Evans on the wings are not effective as Lineham and Penny were early on.

Ratchford is as brilliant as he is awful, in equal measure. I actually think he has cost us the LLS and Cup with his abysmal handling.

I'm finding it very hard to pluck up the enthusiasm to travel to Hull.

Re: Tony Smith : Mon Sep 19, 2016 3:49 pm  

I believe free coach travel is being offered to Hull.

Re: Tony Smith : Mon Sep 19, 2016 3:51 pm  

matt_wire wrote:

.... what worries me is I've yet to see us convincingly close down a game this year .... when it comes down to it we're just not ruthless enough ..... we should've smelled blood and put them to the sword.

I still think we're missing the winning mentality .... There's fewer and fewer players in our squad who are used to winning big games, IE finals.

Yeah, I know, but I can't help my optimistic disposition. It's the losses against the big teams that do worry me though. What we did to Wigan when Mossop ended up throwing the ball forward at one point and Atkins scored the try through his legs (same match, I think) is how we need to put them to the sword. We haven't done it in a game that matters though...

[Fantastic Mr Catpiss]

Re: Tony Smith : Mon Sep 19, 2016 4:05 pm  

Wirefan wrote:

For me, Friday was worse than a 80-0 hammering.

I've never asked for the sacking of TS but I did on Friday.

I'm also not a huge fan of Kevin Penny but it's clear to see that Russell and Evans on the wings are not effective as Lineham and Penny were early on.

Ratchford is as brilliant as he is awful, in equal measure. I actually think he has cost us the LLS and Cup with his abysmal handling.

I'm finding it very hard to pluck up the enthusiasm to travel to Hull.

I agree, that was worse than the 80 nil, it felt like being kicked repeatedly in the nuts with stupidity.

We all knew that despite that one cock up against Catalan, he had an 8/10 performance but he wouldn't make next weeks team.

It makes you wonder why he's been reluctant to go back to what was working so well at the purple patch, start Of The year, julien in the team, revans at centre shutting stuff down really REALLY well, penny playing brilliantly out on the wing with his best mate sandow being super creative(i still think this may be why Sandow isn't playing as well, he's vexed off at Penny's daft exclusion)

I'm not going this week, I was going to, at ten pm on Friday I'd already got the day off for an early start, the more I've thought about this over the week end, I've the repeated kicks the balls have took effect, I've seen us slide to the end of the season before and it will take a monumental effort by what players we have left to change things around, And I'm not convinced it's at all possible.

Roger if you're reading this, we've done our bit for the #hardwired family this year, the set of players and coaching staff have failed.

PS what happened to the hardwired fluff from the start Of The year, no dj, no lights, no selfie section, no interviews pre match, there's no saxophonist, I've not been any Of The walking beer pourers again. Has it all gone away? Or am I missing it?

Re: Tony Smith : Mon Sep 19, 2016 4:13 pm  

Sorry if my post came across all wrong. I am not proposing we jettison an player the moment he picks up a big injury simply saying that if we know we have a couple of forwards that are likely to be out for the best part of 12 months then why take additional gambles.
When it comes to the pack we went into the season with Laithwaite and Harrison unlikely to be available until at least July. Dodds was recovering from surgery after the NRL grand final and B Evans was struggling. All forwards with question marks against them. We then pick up Bailey and Cox who even the most optimistic would say there was a gamble there.
There was no spare capacity in the pack. Currie and Hill have played a big number of games.
Lets get it right. jullien only played a few games earlier in the year because Hughes had broke his arm. Philbin is only in the 17 because Westwood is out. They are not given a chance on merit and / or to give somebody a rest, they are thrown in as a last resort.
Like I say though. Easy with hindsight. I just feel like the transition from the cup winning team has not been the best and when you have the likes of Leeds and Saints that are also in a similar transition we have missed an opportunity to have a period of relative dominance. Saints and Leeds will not be below us for long.
Sorry. Just having a whinge. I hate losing to Wigan like that.

[Fantastic Mr Catpiss]

Re: Tony Smith : Mon Sep 19, 2016 4:42 pm  

Deus Dat Incrementum wrote:

Sorry if my post came across all wrong. I am not proposing we jettison an player the moment he picks up a big injury simply saying that if we know we have a couple of forwards that are likely to be out for the best part of 12 months then why take additional gambles.
When it comes to the pack we went into the season with Laithwaite and Harrison unlikely to be available until at least July. Dodds was recovering from surgery after the NRL grand final and B Evans was struggling. All forwards with question marks against them. We then pick up Bailey and Cox who even the most optimistic would say there was a gamble there.
There was no spare capacity in the pack. Currie and Hill have played a big number of games.
Lets get it right. jullien only played a few games earlier in the year because Hughes had broke his arm. Philbin is only in the 17 because Westwood is out. They are not given a chance on merit and / or to give somebody a rest, they are thrown in as a last resort.
Like I say though. Easy with hindsight. I just feel like the transition from the cup winning team has not been the best and when you have the likes of Leeds and Saints that are also in a similar transition we have missed an opportunity to have a period of relative dominance. Saints and Leeds will not be below us for long.
Sorry. Just having a whinge. I hate losing to Wigan like that.

Julien was playing off the bench from the start of the year,

Re: Tony Smith : Mon Sep 19, 2016 4:45 pm  

Fantastic Mr Catpiss wrote:

I agree, that was worse than the 80 nil, it felt like being kicked repeatedly in the nuts with stupidity.

We all knew that despite that one cock up against Catalan, he had an 8/10 performance but he wouldn't make next weeks team.

It makes you wonder why he's been reluctant to go back to what was working so well at the purple patch, start Of The year, julien in the team, revans at centre shutting stuff down really REALLY well, penny playing brilliantly out on the wing with his best mate sandow being super creative(i still think this may be why Sandow isn't playing as well, he's vexed off at Penny's daft exclusion)

I'm not going this week, I was going to, at ten pm on Friday I'd already got the day off for an early start, the more I've thought about this over the week end, I've the repeated kicks the balls have took effect, I've seen us slide to the end of the season before and it will take a monumental effort by what players we have left to change things around, And I'm not convinced it's at all possible.

Roger if you're reading this, we've done our bit for the #hardwired family this year, the set of players and coaching staff have failed.

PS what happened to the hardwired fluff from the start Of The year, no dj, no lights, no selfie section, no interviews pre match, there's no saxophonist, I've not been any Of The walking beer pourers again. Has it all gone away? Or am I missing it?

Great post I rekon that's how most feel, I had a good think over the weekend but I've deceided not to bother going to Hull I honestly see this game following a similar pattern as the challenge cup final and also the other occasions we have played Hull this season.
Very close for long periods and also we will be the better side at certain points but we will ultimately lose due to poor game management and square pegs in round holes coming back to bite us again.. So that's another kick in the balls I can do without so it's the TV on mute for me Friday night. (According to the Facebook Barmy Army page that's me not a true fan )
Funny you should mention the pre match #Hardwired razzmatazz stuff ,you're right that seems to have disappeared as quickly as our game management ... Not only that but I don't remember hearing a peep out of Rodger Draper since before the cup final..