23 replies to this topic

[Andy Knight]

Well first look at this Knights side and a long way to go judging by today's effort. Fitness side we looked good and there was no lack of effort, the fact that we made massive amount of subs and had players playing in many different positions also made it hard for the Knights to find any sort of flow.
Saying that Cas were excellent and a number of their squad players could do a decent job for us on a duel registration deal.
Defence wise we were terrible, the centre/ wing area paper thin and Cas seemed to score at will when they moved the ball wide with one of our wingers having a poor game defensively been caught out of position time and time again.
Some good efforts from our 19 who was our best player for mine, Haynes went well at full back and Nathan Freer and Jones both put in good performances.
Can't really read too much into the game but if the Knight drop off tackles and drop easy ball and throw wild off loads like they did today then it's gonna be a very very long season.
A couple of quality experienced old hands wouldn't go amiss and we seem to lack a bit of size in the forwards and that's a place I'd look to strengthen along with a good centre.
A way to go but I've got faith in the lads and Dave in getting it right.

Edited by Andy Knight, 09 January 2011 - 05:37 PM.

[st@yck]

Very very difficult to read muich into todays game with it been first game and against a very good opposition. Yes we did give a lot of soft try's away but in fairness with all the interchanges going on it must of been really difficult to get any rythm or shape into the line. A lot of work to do but plenty of time and 3 more games to get it about right.

[andyacko]

Number 19 was Matt Garside, Andy and I agree with you, I thought he looked very impressive and that was despite a Rangi Chase tackle that almost broke him in half after about 25 minutes.
Matt was on the books at Huddersfield Giants and had the chance to sign a contract for 2010 but chose instead to continue his studies at Northumbria University and so signed with the Thunder. He is an England Student international.
It was the Rangi Chase Show, I hope that Terry Matterson leaves him at home watching the telly next week, his running and passing were far, far too telling for our lads to cope with.
Ben Jones was the other new boy who stood out, he looked very fit and runs onto the ball at pace.
As soon as the ball was flung wide we were in trouble and the defence there will need a deal of work.
Knights first try came after a CT grubber kick was mishandled by Greg Eden, who replaced Richie Mathers at full back after about 15 minutes. Instead of diving onto the ball, he tried to pick it up and a combination of attention from Garside and Straugheir ended with the latter touching down.
Similarly the Knights late try was from a Pressley grubber which was dived over by a Cas defender leaving three Knights players to get there, Stevie Lewis touching down.
There were a number of Cas players who look like they would be worth a dual-reg enquiry but, as we saw last season, it not a facility that is easy to employ - Jordan Thompson was Cas's MOM ( Chase must have turned it down !!) and was on dual reg with us in 2010 but never played a game due to being required at Cas.
It's far too early to make much in the way of judgements, most of the lads looked fit, a team can't play starved of possession and it was a first run out.

[Andy Knight]

Matty Garside well impressd with him, ran really strong in his time on the pitch and also made a couple of breaks and defended well, our most impressive player today.
Matty was a big positive and should prove to be a good signing on this showing as will Ben Jones.

[KNIGHTS2009]

How did Orange do for Cas?

[Andy Knight]

How did Orange do for Cas?

Scored a try and looked good in his short run out.

Edited by Andy Knight, 09 January 2011 - 05:54 PM.

[barlby knight]

think your all being a bit hasty with your judgements , lets be honest its the first time the squad have played on grass as yet , also not had the chance to work on any plays , so wasnt expecting too much today , the run out will have done then the world of good , dont agree with the lack of size in the forwards comment , nowadays forwards are ment to be fit not overweight lardarses

[andyacko]

think your all being a bit hasty with your judgements , lets be honest its the first time the squad have played on grass as yet , also not had the chance to work on any plays , so wasnt expecting too much today , the run out will have done then the world of good , dont agree with the lack of size in the forwards comment , nowadays forwards are ment to be fit not overweight lardarses

Sorry BK, didnt think I was - got to put something as there will have been a deal of Knights fans who didnt go today

[ANDYPK]

My overall impression was a very good 'Classy Cas' side that simply had far too much pace and energy on us all over the park and especially line speed in defence and attack. Our tackling was woeful and almost powderpuff thin at times yet we have to remember what's been said already; first run out, many combinations and interchanges was always going to disrupt a side that hadn't even been on a pitch together.

Thought Ben Jones and Garside looked good as did Jack Lee when he ran at them from dummy, noticable the difference when CT went off, shape went to pieces. Thought Presley gives us options at half if he gets some runners going, Sutton looks a good size for a winger but needs to remember to stay on his wing, that's only experience, Haynesy at full-back will be fine in CC, Bush perhaps on the small side for CC, we'll see.

As I said in previous post score didn't matter just a very good chance to give the lads a run, get some physical contact going. That said I was dissappointed in the 2nd half showing as the last 25mins off the 1st half I thought we did well and held them out for 20mins at one point. Came out 2nd half and looked tired and lacklustre in defence. Think all their squad looked like they were playing for a 1st team place and came to do a job on us which they did.

As for that No.4 for them, no wonder we never saw him at HS ast seaosn he had a very good game, very quick and strong for his size.

Overall enjoyed seeing some rugby again and at least got to learn a few new names, long way to go but we all know and understand that and happy with where we are going.

[TwoBlues]

interested,

It seems the message that is sent out is that the signing,Matt Garside,from a team which finished bottom of a lower league,by a country mile,is more than capable of looking a good signing by that bloke David Woods !


That stated Matt has been playing recently for the University and featured for Great Britain Students against Australia,apart from some time in the sin-bin,so did have a slight advantage over his teammates.


It must only be me that was not impressed by allowing the ball to bounce near to our in-goal area on 3 occasions in the first half.I stopped being brave enough to look after that.

Fitness levels looked good against the full-time professionals.Just requires a little more cohesion and organisation.No worries on my part.

The new home kit,that I had my doubts about,looked very good on The Champions.

Nice to see Scott Woods back on a field,after the assault at South Wales,and playing with the confidence he showed.

Edited by TwoBlues, 09 January 2011 - 08:15 PM.

[huntington26]

First hit out for the lads, and the squad did look fit with some big hits been put in. We did show some innovative on the few times we had the ball in hand which was good to see, we will need to take more risks in attack at CC level at it will probably come off more in league games than it did today, its was good to see the guys trying some new plays.

However, defence was poor in certain areas particularly on the wings, too early to say much with the first hit out but hope we are not going to miss the good cover tackling of Ross and Hardbottle this season. Would like to see us recruit another experience back and second row/loose forward.

Haynes was solid at Full-back, Thorman was good at directing the team and tactical kicking was spot on, Lewis was solid and ran strong. Benson, and Freer good as always and some powerful runs from Jack when he came on.

Will be interesting to see what squads are selected for next weeks game

[st@yck]

What does everyone think? Academy and fringe players next week and somewhere close to the 1st choice line up for Saints the week after?

[andyacko]

interested,

It seems the message that is sent out is that the signing,Matt Garside,from a team which finished bottom of a lower league,by a country mile,is more than capable of looking a good signing by that bloke David Woods !

HAD A FEELING THAT MATT WOULD MAKE US SIT AND TAKE NOTICE, PAUL AND A LITTLE SURPRISED THAT HE DIDNT WARRANT ONE OF THE 1 TO 13 SHIRT NUMBERS.


That stated Matt has been playing recently for the University and featured for Great Britain Students against Australia,apart from some time in the sin-bin,so did have a slight advantage over his teammates.


It must only be me that was not impressed by allowing the ball to bounce near to our in-goal area on 3 occasions in the first half.I stopped being brave enough to look after that.

TRUE, PAUL BUT THE COMBINATION OF CLASS KICKERS IN RANGI CHASE AND DANNY ORR AND A SWIRLING WIND MEANT THAT IT WAS NEVER GONNA BE EASY AND I FELT THAT HAYNES, PARTICULARLY, ACQUITTED HIMSELF WELL ON THE DAY.

[andyacko]

By all accounts..yes.

[shades2]

Not too worried after what I saw yesterday, but did show you really
get punished at the higher level when giving away daft penalties
& how important it is to have a really good kicking game.

Sounds like Clarke is out injured until the NR Cup starts, but big
Brett ahead of schedule & could be back in April.

[TwoBlues]

THE COMBINATION OF CLASS KICKERS IN RANGI CHASE AND DANNY ORR AND A SWIRLING WIND MEANT THAT IT WAS NEVER GONNA BE EASY

Once the first kick was allowed to boumce it encouraged the repeat action,my worry is that other sides will try it,particularly as the wind will be worse in March and it will probably be wetter in the months either side.

Still,with YCK losing at home to York Select in last seasons warm-up games and then going on to the quarter-final in the NRC.Losing at home to Crusaders in the Challenge Cup and not only reaching the play-offs but winning the Grand Final I remain as optimistic as ever.

I am a little concerned if the reported hand injury sustained by Rhys Clarke has any connection with THIS

[offyergo]

good run out for the lads ,cas were awsome there half backs do show you how to bring lads on how many different angles ,we conseded 3 tries by having a winger in the centre with cas 2 men outside him once ok 3 times not good enough not going to be to critical but what exactly did our scrum half do he used to destroy us at keighley but on the plus side i think haynes and jack lee have super league written all over them

[ANDYPK]

good run out for the lads ,cas were awsome there half backs do show you how to bring lads on how many different angles ,we conseded 3 tries by having a winger in the centre with cas 2 men outside him once ok 3 times not good enough not going to be to critical but what exactly did our scrum half do he used to destroy us at keighley but on the plus side i think haynes and jack lee have super league written all over them

Offyergo,

Presley and Thorman up against Rangi Chase and Danny Orr, once Thorman left the field only one winning combination there, I thought presley looked pacey and can throw out a decent pass he jsut didn't have the same numbers of runners or angles as his opposites. Agree about Haynesy and Jack.

Andy

[shades2]

Offyergo,

Presley and Thorman up against Rangi Chase and Danny Orr, once Thorman left the field only one winning combination there, I thought presley looked pacey and can throw out a decent pass he jsut didn't have the same numbers of runners or angles as his opposites. Agree about Haynesy and Jack.

Andy

Agree completely Andy, no worries whatsoever about John Presley,
takes the ball at pace & just needs his runners to do the business.

Said before we are a different team with Jack Lee on the pitch, but
also think Stampy is getting better all the time & won't let us down
when Jack gets spelled.

[TwoBlues]

offyergo,
All the best for this year.Saw you at the Burger van before the game but got dragged away so couldn't speak.
Rangi Chase has been there for 2 years so his teammates will know exactly how to operate and apart from that I don't want Jonny to peak to early,there is a long successful season ahead !
Although the winger did get sucked in the problem is easily rectified.

It's a pity we don't have a player we could use as a scapegoat and blame him for everything,safe in the knowledge he won't have his confidence shot.We could have a thread on the website as a permanent 'sticky'.
If this Hemmings fella puts in a below par performance for the Select,then I reckon it could be him.
The idea came about from the following link,which was directed at the experienced Ben Jeffries,at Wakefield.
Some Interesting/Some Humorous Opinions ?