Re: 2015, Trepidation or anticipation? : Tue Dec 16, 2014 8:32 am  

I think it'll be a struggle this year, expecting them to gel immediately is a big ask. Hopefully we will show fight and desire and hopefully some flair with our new back line. One of the biggest worries is the injury front, a lot of this is down to luck but in a way you make your own luck and I don't mind relying on luck but there is a difference between hoping against bad luck as apposed to hoping for good luck, in the signings of Kelly, Campese and Dixon the die is set that they wont feature in every game if past seasons are anything to go by so we are hoping for good luck which is a dangerous game.

On the Chester front I think its harsh to judge him on last season, he picked up a bad hand, the team looked a disparate set of players that had internal issues and were already happy to finish outside the 8 and move on. All he could do was address the issues when he had chance and he's done that in some style. He will be judged on the full season but the gelling of the team will add pressure. The one crticism I would have is he should have dropped Burns once it was clear he was on his way, he looked an unsettling influence to me and needed ousting, still easy to say in hindsight and he'd no doubt have been slaughtered for doing so.

I'm just hoping next year is at least interesting because the Sandercock years have had me plain bored, in some ways a gutsy battle would be far preferable to the so what of the last few years.

Re: 2015, Trepidation or anticipation? : Tue Dec 16, 2014 11:13 am  

Mild Rover wrote:

Rookie coach and 13 new players, so it is harder than usual to know what to expect. But at this point it has to be anticipation. It'll be tough, but hopefully more good than bad.
Be interesting to see if clubs game the new system. If you're 10th after 18 games, do you go flat out for the 8 or hold something back to minimise the risk of relegation?

9th & 10th get 4 home games in the middle 8 series whereas 11th & 12th only get 3 home games. So there is still an incentive not to hold back even if the top 8 gets out of reach.

Every minute counts as they keep telling us.

Quietly confident we will avoid all that.

Re: 2015, Trepidation or anticipation? : Tue Dec 16, 2014 1:22 pm  

I think it will be hard to make the 8 this year with all the new signings, especially when your up against so many settled squads.
it's definitely going to be an interesting season though.

Re: 2015, Trepidation or anticipation? : Tue Dec 16, 2014 1:32 pm  

bishops finger wrote:

I think it will be hard to make the 8 this year with all the new signings, especially when your up against so many settled squads.
it's definitely going to be an interesting season though.

yep and I for one can not wait bring it on

Re: 2015, Trepidation or anticipation? : Tue Dec 16, 2014 4:34 pm  

I'm normally on the pessimistic side, but for some reason next year can't come quick enough. Speed in the backs (for a change), grunt in the forwards, and good playmakers. There's more positives than negatives for me.

Re: 2015, Trepidation or anticipation? : Tue Dec 16, 2014 5:42 pm  

For me it is the first time since finishing 4th we have had a real balance in the squad with the quality across the squad. We always seem to have good pack, no halfbacks/ good halfbacks, no back line etc and I feel the quality is high throughout every position this year bar hooker.
However, this is the entertainment business after all and we will definitely be entertained! The challenge this year is there are no gimmes, so you have to be on your game every week mentally and physically which we as a club struggle to do. If we can stay clear of injuries I expect us to surprise a few though.
Looking forward to it, a cup run would be fantastic starting with a cheeky visit to a Whitehaven/keighly/Batley etc and 4 days in sunny Spain for the Catalans trip. If we can get CP back into a difficult place and make it intimidating for opposing teams instead of moaning about the ref as our main source of noise that would be fantastic n all! The board have backed chessy to the hilt and deserve our backing even more. Roll on 2015 rrtr!

Re: 2015, Trepidation or anticipation? : Wed Dec 17, 2014 7:26 am  

The team on paper looks very good, but as pretty much everyone has mentioned, getting that many players to gel is going to be a difficult task. Our backs look exciting and our forwards look like they should be able to hold their own. I can't see us been as poor as the last few seasons, the clear out was certainly needed. I'm thinking 7/8 for us this year.

Re: 2015, Trepidation or anticipation? : Wed Dec 17, 2014 8:55 am  

Rupert Pupkin wrote:

The team on paper looks very good, but as pretty much everyone has mentioned, getting that many players to gel is going to be a difficult task. Our backs look exciting and our forwards look like they should be able to hold their own. I can't see us been as poor as the last few seasons, the clear out was certainly needed. I'm thinking 7/8 for us this year.

Cas. managed quite well with 10 new players.

Re: 2015, Trepidation or anticipation? : Wed Dec 17, 2014 12:43 pm  

Just renewed my season ticket & I did consider not having one this time, After a think & a look at the squad I am actualy quiet optomistic. I dont have much concern over Chris Chester as coach as he is the first coach we have had who has spent his whole career as a full time professional & has played under some very good coaches espescialy at Wigan. He should know how to organise & prepare a top team, but time will tell. As for the team, if all gells well they could go well I dont think top two but anywhere from third to last is possible (I think we will to make the top 8, 4th at best). What I am happy about is that the club are giving the two hookers we have a chance & that excites me, they wont have to cary the team on their own like Josh had to last year as we now have a lot more experianced options in the halfs (if they settle) lets hope a few of the fringe youngsters get a chance as well.

Re: 2015, Trepidation or anticipation? : Wed Dec 17, 2014 1:37 pm  

I'm not happy one bit with our options at hooker, really my only doubt about the squad. As for lack of experience at half back last season, I couldn't disagree more.