Re: Tonight’s match v Toulouse : Fri Aug 12, 2022 7:50 am  

Well ...... I'm relieved, my team are now seemingly in SL next year, it's been a tough few weeks but I'm delighted we're there to fight another season and STILL never played out of the top flight.

If I'm honest, i still want blood. I wanted blood since Price was able to fart out of the play offs, walk away on his terms and get a new job. I want blood for whoever is responsible for the last few seasons but certainly this season. Psychological, i think we (or maybe just me?) need a fall guy.

I'm hoping that Darryl (and Gazwire) get to say "told ya" next year because it means it's all been worth it. I dont see it happening if I'm honest, but i genuinely hope we do

annus horribilis and even if we win the next 4 games, nothing can mask over that fact.

I've not liked the comments about the fans coming from the coach and club and I don't think there was a need to have a pop in thanking them last night from Powell, just be grateful the town showed up to drag you over the line.

I still want Toulouse in SL next year so will follow them closely now.

Re: Tonight’s match v Toulouse : Fri Aug 12, 2022 7:54 am  

Should Toulouse get the drop, we should sign Olly A-Bott. We are a spine half short. He’d be fantastic at 6,7 or 1.
I’ve been an admirer of him even before his injury at Huddersfield.

Imo his head injury attributed to the ending the Toulouse roll. He was much quieter in the second half because of it.
He and Dufty stood out head and shoulders more talented than anyone else on the field.

[Winslade's Offload]

Re: Tonight’s match v Toulouse : Fri Aug 12, 2022 7:57 am  

I think we will get a pasting from Leeds.

When you look at the speed and energy that Toulouse showed when attacking our defensive line it's very obvious how low in confidence the team are. When we were leading by 8 points in the second half it looked as if it was Toulouse who were the team with their tails up and that we were the beaten side. Add to that a static defensive line that waited for the Toulouse attack and a lightweight pack, and I can't really see us winning any more games.

Re: Tonight’s match v Toulouse : Fri Aug 12, 2022 8:03 am  

Winslade's Offload wrote:

I think we will get a pasting from Leeds.

When you look at the speed and energy that Toulouse showed when attacking our defensive line it's very obvious how low in confidence the team are. When we were leading by 8 points in the second half it looked as if it was Toulouse who were the team with their tails up and that we were the beaten side. Add to that a static defensive line that waited for the Toulouse attack and a lightweight pack, and I can't really see us winning any more games.

Fortunately Leeds will be down on players vs Wire. I think they get Siezer back after a successful appeal.
We might make more of a fist of it than getting a battering now the weight of relegation fear, the relaxing of fan anger, adding to a weaker Leeds, all add something in our favour…but I won’t hold my breath.
But yeah W/O, we are still pants in the prop depth department and the above might not be enough to avoid another 30+ dished out.

Re: Tonight’s match v Toulouse : Fri Aug 12, 2022 8:06 am  

My kids asked for Mikaele's shirt after the game, he tried to take it off but said he's broken his hand and couldn't get the shirt off, looked in a fair bit of pain.

Re: Tonight’s match v Toulouse : Fri Aug 12, 2022 8:10 am  

I'm with Winslade, I think the Leeds game could be VERY messy.

I can understand the reasoning with continuing with Powell next season (though don't agree with it) but I cannot see things getting drastically better. The pack will definitely improve but there are a LOT more deficiencies to contend with that a decent coach could've easily tightened up this season.

Re: Tonight’s match v Toulouse : Fri Aug 12, 2022 8:18 am  

Philth wrote:

Well ...... I'm relieved, my team are now seemingly in SL next year, it's been a tough few weeks but I'm delighted we're there to fight another season and STILL never played out of the top flight.

If I'm honest, i still want blood. I wanted blood since Price was able to fart out of the play offs, walk away on his terms and get a new job. I want blood for whoever is responsible for the last few seasons but certainly this season. Psychological, i think we (or maybe just me?) need a fall guy.

I'm hoping that Darryl (and Gazwire) get to say "told ya" next year because it means it's all been worth it. I dont see it happening if I'm honest, but i genuinely hope we do

annus horribilis and even if we win the next 4 games, nothing can mask over that fact.

I've not liked the comments about the fans coming from the coach and club and I don't think there was a need to have a pop in thanking them last night from Powell, just be grateful the town showed up to drag you over the line.

I still want Toulouse in SL next year so will follow them closely now.

It's obvious I've backed Powell, but I do agree with many of the comments against him - he's not been the easiest to back!

I think the blood letting has been taken by releasing the old guard - let's hope we won't have to do this again for at least a long while. Now the pressures off, I'm expecting us to show some signs of encouragement before the season ends, I'd be dissapointed if we didn't. One thing I will say is that our pack still lacks a bit of punch, though Holmes was much better last night and Bullock was excellent. With the arrival of Vaughan and Mcguire, it'll change things much for the better and I believe Philbin will be an asset once more with the help of an improved pack.

I agree also with your comment about Toulouse, would be a shame for them to go down. I can't really understand why we don't increase the size of SL so we could keep Toulouse, Leigh, Widnes and even Bradford who were a big loss imo - Leigh and Widnes have excellent facilities too.

Thank goodness we won, onwards and upwards.

Re: Tonight’s match v Toulouse : Fri Aug 12, 2022 8:28 am  

Pressure is a funny thing. We’ve nothing to play for and Leeds are desperate to get a result and stay in the 6.

Re: Tonight’s match v Toulouse : Fri Aug 12, 2022 8:53 am  

Gazwire wrote:

It's obvious I've backed Powell, but I do agree with many of the comments against him - he's not been the easiest to back!

I think the blood letting has been taken by releasing the old guard - let's hope we won't have to do this again for at least a long while. Now the pressures off, I'm expecting us to show some signs of encouragement before the season ends, I'd be dissapointed if we didn't. One thing I will say is that our pack still lacks a bit of punch, though Holmes was much better last night and Bullock was excellent. With the arrival of Vaughan and Mcguire, it'll change things much for the better and I believe Philbin will be an asset once more with the help of an improved pack.

I agree also with your comment about Toulouse, would be a shame for them to go down. I can't really understand why we don't increase the size of SL so we could keep Toulouse, Leigh, Widnes and even Bradford who were a big loss imo - Leigh and Widnes have excellent facilities too.

Thank goodness we won, onwards and upwards.

Few points there, I think Powell came in and tried to do too much too soon, that may well have its benefits for 2023, but we will have to wait and see, I think some of the decisions made have had a disastrous impact on 2022 - I just wonder if he had his time again, would he do anything differently?

On Philbin, next year we will have Philbin and presumably Bullock getting very little game time, I assume (form & injury permitting) Dudson, Vaughan, Mikaele & Kasiano will be the 4 props with McGuire at 13 and Harrison bench 13 (pressure from Nicholson hopefully) I just wonder where Philbin fits in, and whether having him and Bullock in the stands is a good use of salary cap.

I thought Holmes was good vs Wigan and was good again tonight, his ball and all tackle on Belmas I thinkin the second half was a try saver and at a critical time - they would have gone 10 up and we would have been right where we didn't want to be. Hopefully he can continue in the same form.

On Toulouse, I agree, I wanted them to stay up and have a similar impact as Catalan, Catalan were protected for the first 3 years, should Toulouse have got the same treatment I think it would have been a big shot in the arm for French RL. Leigh I'm sure would have done better with that grace period as well of course, the gap between SL and the championship is just too big. There is massive investment from the British game in to France, at some point that needs to be reciprocated with a French TV deal, IMG coming in i'm sure will shake things up structure wise. I just wonder rather than expanding SL to 14/16, whether 2x10's would be better, I'm not a massive fan of loop fixtures, but if it can be sold as SL1 & SL2 and we could get a bigger Sky deal, possibly increased C4 coverage and a French TV deal from a guaranteed 2 team French involvement (with more to come?) whether that will solve the issue of the promoted team yo yo'ing. Could also give a good base to growth for the likes of Newcastle, York, London & France 3 with also giving the likes of Leigh, Fev, Wakey better security.

Re: Tonight’s match v Toulouse : Fri Aug 12, 2022 9:15 am  

Alffi_7 wrote:

Few points there, I think Powell came in and tried to do too much too soon, that may well have its benefits for 2023, but we will have to wait and see, I think some of the decisions made have had a disastrous impact on 2022 - I just wonder if he had his time again, would he do anything differently?

On Philbin, next year we will have Philbin and presumably Bullock getting very little game time, I assume (form & injury permitting) Dudson, Vaughan, Mikaele & Kasiano will be the 4 props with McGuire at 13 and Harrison bench 13 (pressure from Nicholson hopefully) I just wonder where Philbin fits in, and whether having him and Bullock in the stands is a good use of salary cap.

I thought Holmes was good vs Wigan and was good again tonight, his ball and all tackle on Belmas I thinkin the second half was a try saver and at a critical time - they would have gone 10 up and we would have been right where we didn't want to be. Hopefully he can continue in the same form.

On Toulouse, I agree, I wanted them to stay up and have a similar impact as Catalan, Catalan were protected for the first 3 years, should Toulouse have got the same treatment I think it would have been a big shot in the arm for French RL. Leigh I'm sure would have done better with that grace period as well of course, the gap between SL and the championship is just too big. There is massive investment from the British game in to France, at some point that needs to be reciprocated with a French TV deal, IMG coming in i'm sure will shake things up structure wise. I just wonder rather than expanding SL to 14/16, whether 2x10's would be better, I'm not a massive fan of loop fixtures, but if it can be sold as SL1 & SL2 and we could get a bigger Sky deal, possibly increased C4 coverage and a French TV deal from a guaranteed 2 team French involvement (with more to come?) whether that will solve the issue of the promoted team yo yo'ing. Could also give a good base to growth for the likes of Newcastle, York, London & France 3 with also giving the likes of Leigh, Fev, Wakey better security.

Agree on the number of changes - too much too soon. I wonder though, with a number of players apparently not buying into Powell's plan, many of these were perhaps forced.

Prop situation will be very interesting next season, I was tempted to start a separate thread. Bullock impressed me enough that I'd start with him (above Dudson) and Vaughan to get us on the front foot next year. I'd be tempted to bring on Kasiano and Michaele so they overlap at some point against a tiring defence, the only caveat being our defence might be more exposed to nippier runners around the ruck. Where do Philbin and Harrison fit in? If Currie and Holmes are fit, will Matty Nicholson regret making the move from Wigan where he faced the same problem.

Philbin needs strong/sizable accompanying forwards to function well and he looks a very descent player then. We've probably got too many props now, or will have come next year. I'm going to start another thread on the forward situation as I think it warrants some separate discussion.

Really agree on Holmes and the points you've made re. SL/Championship clubs.