10 Mar: SL: Catalans Dragons v Hull Kingston Rovers KO 5pm (UK Time) (TV)

[fairfolly]

David M, Cheating has become prevalent in the game this season.As you say the cheats are being allowed to prosper.Get rid of the Video Ref. and let the refs use their own initiative and just maybe they will stamp cheating out without having to answer to Sky.They are petrified in making a decision to stop cheats.If I was a Ref I would have nothing to do with it and walk away from reffing.

[DavidM]

2 minutes ago, meast said:

It's like listening to old football commentaries from '78 and '82 world cups or European cup ties from deepest, darkest Soviet Union!

I was thinking that . I’m having flashbacks to Keegan missing an open goal against Spain 

[Gerrumonside ref]

18-16 FT

Catalans win a very ugly game.

Thought Chris Atkin looked decent again for Hull KR.

[Mattrhino]

4 minutes ago, DavidM said:

A lot of players are but what about all the occasions the dummy half passes around him .. and it’s play on . It’s onky a penalty if the dummy half forced the issue deliberately , but the situation is the same? You’re rewarded for doing it the poor way 

That was diffrent. He was in the way of the pass and needed to move. 

The refs started to call against the attacker last year if he thought the defender was passed into. But  in this instance he knew what he was doing.

[meast]

160 minutes of absolute quality between these 2 teams

[DavidM]

Ultimately that penalty won the game 

[The Daddy]

Win for Cats but I don't have much hope for them if they continue to play like that 

[Mattrhino]

Two weeks off and that is what Catalan came up with.

McNamara needs to go ASAP

[stevereed100]

That was a good game to watch despite the doubters on here...very tense and few mistakes.

Meade had cramp....what a fool he looks when he hasn't even got the sense to stay down.

Drops the mike...

[fairfolly]

So once again cheating has prospered.Glad I turned off the second half,.Time to stand up and be counted somebody at the R.F.L. I will not be holding my breath though.

[JohnM]

Both teams deserved to lose. At least Hull KR had some sort of idea and on-field leadership. Cats would have walzed home if they'd had a proper leader, running things on thd pitch. 

[stevereed100]

13 minutes ago, Mattrhino said:

I agree normally, but he was in the way of the ptb

But McIl passed to the floor,he wasn't in the way of the next pass. It was deliberately throwing the ball away...and he got his reward,the game.

[Padge]

The best team was the sound team, that I think sums it up.

[Hvy wg]

McNamara needs to go. There is no game plan. 

We only got the win, at home, against one of the weakest sides in the League because the ref gave us a discutable penalty. 

[GeordieSaint]

A win is a win...

[Wiltshire Warrior Dragon]

38 minutes ago, GeordieSaint said:

A win is a win...

Sorry, GS, but I could not disagree more.

Professional sport is about entertaining.  As a Dragons' fan, I was not entertained.  On a cold(ish) wet(tish) evening in Lancashire, Warrington and Saint Helens showed us what a thrilling and entertaining sport rugby league can be.  Hours later in what (we were led to believe) was the dryness and comparative warmth of the south of France, the Dragons played with an absolute fear of dropping the ball.  The consequence?  Brain numbing, one pass rugby. 

It was quite depressing to see the frequency with which the Dragons side, while in possession were all crammed in the middle, with fully twenty five metres on the flank with nobody in it.  I don't claim to be a master tactical genius of TGG, but surely if you all cram into the centre of the pitch like that, defending for the other side becomes much easier; there are fewer gaps and half-gaps to exploit.

I do not like speaking ill of those who seek to make their livelihood from professional sport, but reluctantly must conclude that Macnamara is simply not up to the job.  His style of play is a cruel pastiche not only of rugby league at its best, but also - and more specifically - of the Dragons at their best a few years ago.   If this is not his style of play, then what has he been doing for the last number of months, and why are the team not following his instructions?  Ironically, it is always harder to sack a sports coach after his team has just won!

 

[MZH]

Unless things change dramatically (including the league structure) then both of these sides will be playing in the Championship next year.

[metallithrax]

6 minutes ago, Wiltshire Warrior Dragon said:

Professional sport is about entertaining. 

Sorry, but I have to disagree with you.  Professional sport is about winning.  Hell, I would even say that amateur sport is about winning.  Who wants to be in, or support, a team that entertains but doesn't win.

[Evil Homer]

Reminded me of the match against London in the qualifiers last year. This is the peak of success for Catalans under McNamara, grinding out a narrow win in a dreadful match against Championship-standard opposition. At least he has now broken his streak of 21 consecutive losses against current SL teams, although very debatable whether you could count this current KR outfit as a SL team.

[BroncoFan]

Apart from Bousquet and Simon the Dragons have no size whatsoever and they struggle to make inroads into opposition defences, their problems stem from having no go forward. 

 I know Baitieri is highly thought of on here but he brings absolutely nothing and not sure he ever has.

 

[GeordieSaint]

9 hours ago, metallithrax said:

Sorry, but I have to disagree with you.  Professional sport is about winning.

Agreed - right now, winning games is all that matters for Catalan...

[Guest]

Catalan dragons are the equivalent of former premier league football side Sunderland. They are in rapid decline and are hanging on by their finger tips avoiding the inevitable. It’s like watching a slow motion car crash.

[Southerner80]

12 hours ago, MZH said:

Unless things change dramatically (including the league structure) then both of these sides will be playing in the Championship next year.

I would say both of these would handle all the championship sides with a possible exception for London on a good day.

Tbh Cats did not play well however at least there was the sense to grind out the win and kick the goals. Albert is improving as a player to some degree too. Bird had a good game and maybe this pairing can improve. 

A new coach is needed to give direction and attacking ideas. Also strength and conditioning seems lacking in how players of opposition seem to fly swat Dragons,  think Fifita against Wakey or yesterday some runs in the wide right channel, 4 guys to take down a player.

Further Da Costa surely deserves picking ahead of Aiton. Aiton makes alot of errors and Da Costa is ripping up tress in his last few games, give him a chance.

Lastly Mead made a huge tackle. I agree he may have saved the season there.

Another 2 point win v Wire next week! 

[HKR AWAY DAYS]

17 hours ago, eclecticsheep said:

Anathema to your average Hull KR fan...a Hull FC player on the BBC game link...Evidence of the shabbiness of our (very well resourced) national Broadcaster.

Pathetic. It has happened the other way around a few times in the past.

[Scubby]

4 hours ago, walter sobchak said:

Catalan dragons are the equivalent of former premier league football side Sunderland. They are in rapid decline and are hanging on by their finger tips avoiding the inevitable. It’s like watching a slow motion car crash.

Are they though? Because I think they are a decent coach away from being in the top 6. It is painful to watch at the moment. This is a club spending the full salary cap and probably a marquee payment.