[Mild Rover]

Is consistency the key? : Tue Nov 03, 2015 12:20 pm  

Mantellato is the latest to suggest this, but are we really any less consistent than Leeds and Wigan in terms of performance? Isn't just that that their standard of play varies around a higher average, leading to more consistent results?
Maybe it is just a semantic argument and we'd certainly benefit from more intensity and concentration - but that is part of being better, rather than just consistent. I think it one of those bits of received wisdom, propagated in a well-meaning way by the likes of Phil Clarke, that we really shouldn't be taking too much notice of. See also 'the route to success is through having a strong academy set up'. Half truths can be more dangerous than lies.

Bit melodramatic at the end there - but do you think we're especially inconsistent compared to the teams around us in the table?

Re: Is consistency the key? : Tue Nov 03, 2015 1:23 pm  

Mild Rover wrote:

Mantellato is the latest to suggest this, but are we really any less consistent than Leeds and Wigan in terms of performance? Isn't just that that their standard of play varies around a higher average, leading to more consistent results?
Maybe it is just a semantic argument and we'd certainly benefit from more intensity and concentration - but that is part of being better, rather than just consistent. I think it one of those bits of received wisdom, propagated in a well-meaning way by the likes of Phil Clarke, that we really shouldn't be taking too much notice of. See also 'the route to success is through having a strong academy set up'. Half truths can be more dangerous than lies.

Bit melodramatic at the end there - but do you think we're especially inconsistent compared to the teams around us in the table?

We are inconsistent we can't match Wigan saints or leeds at this time and I don't compare us to them but I look at castleford of the last couple of seasons and if we had been more consistent we could easily have matched them as our squads are definitely on par

[Mild Rover]

Re: Is consistency the key? : Tue Nov 03, 2015 1:42 pm  

Cas is a good example, because it shows what can be achieved with good management of limited resources. I think you could say something similar about rovers around 09-10. I would say then that we were more consistent (although there were still occasional drubbings), but also we had a few more very good players. Consistently good - I admit splitting them is a bit of a false distinction!
We had a lot of talented but erratic players under Sandercock, and that really was tear your hair out stuff at times. I thought this year, given that it was almost an entirely new team and we had quite a few injuries our form, in terms of performances was relatively steady. A consistent lack of go-forward was why results were hard to come by.
Fair enough, we could be battered by Wigan in the League and then beat them soon afterwards in the Cup - but that reflects on them as much as us, and they're held up as an example of unrelenting brutish consistency.
Apologies for typos - ipad, innit?

Re: Is consistency the key? : Tue Nov 03, 2015 2:11 pm  

Mild Rover wrote:

Cas is a good example, because it shows what can be achieved with good management of limited resources. I think you could say something similar about rovers around 09-10. I would say then that we were more consistent (although there were still occasional drubbings), but also we had a few more very good players. Consistently good - I admit splitting them is a bit of a false distinction!
We had a lot of talented but erratic players under Sandercock, and that really was tear your hair out stuff at times. I thought this year, given that it was almost an entirely new team and we had quite a few injuries our form, in terms of performances was relatively steady. A consistent lack of go-forward was why results were hard to come by.
Fair enough, we could be battered by Wigan in the League and then beat them soon afterwards in the Cup - but that reflects on them as much as us, and they're held up as an example of unrelenting brutish consistency.
Apologies for typos - ipad, innit?

We lost the Wigan league match before it started we should be more consistent this season as the team should be settled not many new faces last seasons new players settled in etc I'll be very disappointed if we don't make the 8 and should be classed as a failure if we don't

[Mild Rover]

Re: Is consistency the key? : Tue Nov 03, 2015 2:29 pm  

fun time frankie wrote:

We lost the Wigan league match before it started we should be more consistent this season as the team should be settled not many new faces last seasons new players settled in etc I'll be very disappointed if we don't make the 8 and should be classed as a failure if we don't

I agree, top 8 has to be a target. And, as always, at this point I'm optimistic. We've got the settled team, as you say, a good spine and while the pack isn't exactly going to frighten opponents, the number of props we lost last year was an unfunny joke. The new back room team might make a difference too.

That said, thornley has had a lot of injuries and if he gets another bad one we'd need both Salter and Minns to have breakthrough seasons. Plus Salford/koucash might actually get their poop together, Hull have lost a few, but have done a decent job of replacing them and Widnes will also see no reason they can't finish at least one spot higher after 23 rounds. It's no gimme.

I think we could really do to add some quality, in the pack especially, as well as targeting more consistency. Comes back to resource though - I doubt we have the cash.
Again Cas are a good example - their pack doesn't look much on paper but it sets a platform. Maybe we can 'strength and conditioning' our way to more consistency.

Re: Is consistency the key? : Tue Nov 03, 2015 6:36 pm  

Mild Rover wrote:

I agree, top 8 has to be a target. And, as always, at this point I'm optimistic. We've got the settled team, as you say, a good spine and while the pack isn't exactly going to frighten opponents, the number of props we lost last year was an unfunny joke. The new back room team might make a difference too.

That said, thornley has had a lot of injuries and if he gets another bad one we'd need both Salter and Minns to have breakthrough seasons. Plus Salford/koucash might actually get their poop together, Hull have lost a few, but have done a decent job of replacing them and Widnes will also see no reason they can't finish at least one spot higher after 23 rounds. It's no gimme.

I think we could really do to add some quality, in the pack especially, as well as targeting more consistency. Comes back to resource though - I doubt we have the cash.
Again Cas are a good example - their pack doesn't look much on paper but it sets a platform. Maybe we can 'strength and conditioning' our way to more consistency.

Am I right in thinking there's changes to the interchange rule this year if so the days of 15 minute props will be gone and it might suit our more mobile if smaller pack

Re: Is consistency the key? : Tue Nov 03, 2015 6:40 pm  

fun time frankie wrote:

Am I right in thinking there's changes to the interchange rule this year if so the days of 15 minute props will be gone and it might suit our more mobile if smaller pack

2017 in SL

Re: Is consistency the key? : Wed Nov 04, 2015 6:37 am  

Arguably Wakefield were the most consistent team last year. We need to be better in more games next year.

Re: Is consistency the key? : Wed Nov 04, 2015 7:09 pm  

barham red wrote:

Arguably Wakefield were the most consistent team last year. We need to be better in more games next year.

Yes indeed they were. However, even Wakey's consistency deserted them when they played us at Belle Vue.

Re: Is consistency the key? : Sat Nov 07, 2015 11:12 am  

Mild Rover wrote:

Mantellato is the latest to suggest this, but are we really any less consistent than Leeds and Wigan in terms of performance? Isn't just that that their standard of play varies around a higher average, leading to more consistent results?
Maybe it is just a semantic argument and we'd certainly benefit from more intensity and concentration - but that is part of being better, rather than just consistent. I think it one of those bits of received wisdom, propagated in a well-meaning way by the likes of Phil Clarke, that we really shouldn't be taking too much notice of. See also 'the route to success is through having a strong academy set up'. Half truths can be more dangerous than lies.

Bit melodramatic at the end there - but do you think we're especially inconsistent compared to the teams around us in the table?

"Are we really any less consistent than Leeds or Wigan".....that has to be the funniest thing I have ever read....do you fancy a game of Cluedo?