The Voodooguru

Go on then Mr passive aggressive I'll pick you up on your elitist post. On your totalitarian forum who is the arbiter on whether I, for example, have sufficient knowledge of rugby league to be able to comment on something? Perhaps you could set a benchmark quiz as you obviously feel you know more about rugby league than others. Can you give any examples of players and coaches being insulted on the forum? So, only if you have the luxury to attend a game can you comment on it?. Sports forums around the country from all sports are based around what was seen on telly. Ive had many discussions at work of what I've watched on match of the day, super league, world cup etc. Does this mean if you've had 5 pints on the bus down and in the bar, watched most of the match between going the toilet, the bar, and having a craic, not stood in the best viewing position because you are with the rest of the townies compared to the sober guy recording it for YouTube, it makes you more credible? Strange.

I have watched the game on YouTube, and Jontys post match summary was pretty fair. We gave some brainless penalties away which cost field position and conceded points. Individual errors again cost us, and some very poor defence, especially on the goal line. NWC played a decent game as you would expect from a team top of the league. They were very good at chasing their own long kicks to gain field position and restricting our ability to get up the pitch. Both halves were good and they had a few moves to exploit their own player strengths around the likes of Brookes & Ah Van, but we didn't half help them along the way with some awful defence and soft pens. The positives for us is that we played a decent 50 mins or so against a big confident side and did look dangerous in patches when we tried to move them around. Desperate to get our injured lads back as we are really missing them. Are any of them nearly ready? I like big Grant but he did himself no favours yesterday with pens conceded & soft defence. As far as the Ainley situation goes, I think i was expecting a superstar the way the Jambos were bigging him up and he had cleaned up at the end of season awards. So although he's not a bad player at all, he's definitely not the player I was expecting to see and maybe that's where folk are underwhelmed. Castle has played well though, and Beano while he doesn't set the world on fire he just does all the hard work stuff without any mistakes. A real coaches player, and his first season out if the NCL. If Cooper could just cut a few mistakes out he could be a real gem as he has something about him to make things happen. The big thing for me over the last few weeks is that the lads don't seem to be learning from their mistakes, let's hope they get them sorted for the next game as it is a big game. UTT

Wasn't at the game today so I can't comment on it. I would have been surprised if we had won given the situation we are in injury wise but I didn't expect us to concede so many points. How many of the conceded tries were just barge overs from close range? Forster was always a master of coming alive in the last 10m and running a nice line onto the ball. It's very hard to stop and they have a huge team to exploit the tactic. Listening to Jontys post match he alluded to individual errors again and we had to defend ten sets on the bounce which is bound to kill any team. Not sure what's gone on and what's been said but maybe some of the players need to know that they have to do better, things are often said in the heat of the moment and frustration. But these folk have spent a lot of money to travel. I suppose it depends what was said. The next 2 games are very big for us and if we grind out a couple of wins it could change our season around. UTT

A lot of those players had a lot of other good players playing with them in really good teams. The point of the post was players who were a league above the rest of the team and they carried the team.

I was having a discussion with some football mates about players in football teams that basically carried their teams and were head and shoulders above everyone else. So, which players have we had that were clearly the gem in the team that were a stand out in an otherwise ordinary team? Off the top of my head I'd say Sammut on his first stint, Shaun Lunt, possibly Mick Jenkins. Also the difference Darren Holt made seemed to lift the whole team. It's difficult because a lot of times there are more than one stand out player in the team eg Sione & Limmer were also a couple of gems. I can seemingly only remember hookers and half backs. Any others? If anyone mentions Richard Henare I'm calling the drug squad round to have you searched

I'd me amazed if SIS weren't the partners for the pitch. One of our players could hardly walk the day after an away game this season that was on an artificial pitch due to bad grazes on his knees. So not all pitches are created equally for Rugby League.

Bit of a mixed performance, but good to get back winning and nilling the opposition. Newcastle have improved from last year, I thought they competed throughout the game and were probably at least as good as us for the last 20 mins. Donaghy is a really good player ( and very fast) he gets them ticking along. For us I thought were slow and static in patches with the ball. But the referee allowed a lot of slow plays and messing in the ruck which didn't help. Our halves were good and I'd like to see more of Andy on the wing as he looks like he could catch pigeons. We are missing Caine & Jake, but I thought Cooper came on with a point to prove. Good to see Cole & Beano get a try each. But although not perfect we didn't drop quite as much ball as lately. Goole beating Midlands was a good result, and the Jambos gave Dewsbury a scare. Let's hope we get some lads back from injury for the next game and we can get a bit of form back. UTT

Well that little secret isn't on the website. Is that standing room only as doubling the capacity is Olympic standard rearranging if everyone is still seated as there doesn't seem that much spare room in the diagram? If that's correct then yes I think that would be exactly what is required and changes my opinion slightly again as it has to be a major source of the stadium income sustainability. Fair play.

I've settled myself down and tried to look again objectively. After doing this my main observations are. It still looks uninspiring, very grey and boxy. Our climate is grey enough and it looks very industrial warehouse imo. Presuming it because of costs, but a 3g pitch is not great for a rugby team because of the skin abrasion. A semi synthetic one would have been much more suitable. Surely a deal can be done when we have a world leader in semi synthetic pitches on our doorstep. I still think a 120 seat function room is too small. There is hardly any competition for a quality modern venue in West Cumbria. Whitehaven golf club has cornered the market for a larger venue. It speaks volumes that Netherhall school prom is at Wigton and Workingtons is at Whitehaven. If it was 25% more capacity it would be the premiere venue for the whole area. An opportunity that would pay for itself tenfold in my opinion especially if it doubled up as a conference facility ( which im sure it will). Having made all the negative comments it isn't just a new stand on BP which is good, the layout looks well thought out. It's good there are 3 covered areas with the option to expand. The east stand is very narrow but i realise the costs dictate this. It's also good the orientation of the pitch stays largely north to south but it is moving east to allow the west stand to have a bigger footprint. So my worst fears have not been realised and I understand that the club has to try and move forward. Did anyone from CSV explain the radio silence for over a year and the missed promises and deadlines? I am just deciding on how trustworthy they can be given their performance since this was first mooted in the carneigie, as let's face it they talked a real good game back then but its a completely different reality now. What will this look like in 12 months time? It looks like it will happen, so we just have to put our faith in them and see what the future brings UTT

The Cumberland sports village website has been updated. My first impression is that it is very underwhelming, boxy and basic. The main "west" stand looks tiny, with to me the most shocking part is that the function room only has room for 120 people. Surely to make money all year round the function room has to be rented out every weekend. Imo it is quite a small venue to accommodate live music, weddings, conferences etc. I know the sports bar looks like it will hold half as many again but they are on different levels. I am struggling to even comment on the South and East bus shelters. I know money is tight but there isn't much aesthetic design going on is there? No doubt the reds fans will be chuffed. I was very in favour of the shared stadium to begin with but I'm afraid I can't get excited about this

I think it's clear from the last few weeks that we desperately need some players back and a hooker that will allow Jamie to slot back in at half. I'm not calling Dom out, but imo you have to play your best two halves and that is Jake & Jamie. Callum will be out after his HIA so unless we sign someone Jamie & Cole could be at hooker next week. Can we go cap in hand to Matty as he's been doing iron man's so will still be fit? Our injuries are no doubt hurting us but that doesn't excuse how we have been playing lately. It's up to Jonty to fix it and he sounded as frustrated as anyone in his post match interview. I'm sure he'll sort them out. UTT

Wasn't there today so can't comment , but the radio commentary seemed to swing one way and then the other. Sounded like we defended a lot in our own half. Giving cheap yards away with turn overs and pens, and a pen for a late hit give them the try that put their noses in front didn't sound good at all. But it is one of them things where we are still 3rd and it is much more important that we hit our peak at the end of the season and we get into the play offs. Jonty obviously has got more work to do when we have the ball, one of todays tries was a turn over when they dropped the ball and we have struggled for a few weeks creating and ending sets well. No game for NWC next week, we have the ideal game to work on what we do with the ball and get some good points difference racked up. Keep the faith UTT.

Craic at work is that Jake B has gone for a scan as he's struggling, Levi not ready so the Cas lads are the cover I guess. On a positive note Jake C has a chance if those darn nasty Jambos are to believed. UTT

There must be a major change in the plans if it is only being presented to shareholders first that will need their buy in. I don't know why but I have a feeling of dread. Unfortunately I'm not a shareholder but let's hope plenty of challenges are given to the stadium team, as they haven't exactly been forthcoming in the last 18 months. I have a feeling the grand vision that was sold to us many moons ago is not going to be fulfilled. Let's hope its not a single stand on BP with hopes and dreams of something else.

They are carrying on because he is their best player IMO and will be a big miss for them. Watching the footage of it I'd be gutted if a Town player got a 7 game ban for that when Shaul got 6 for punching in the head. If the player was injured then yeah you can understand the big ban, but he got right up. I suppose it is the intent. I'd be doubtful that an SL star like French would get the same ban, but who can ever make sense of the good old RFL.