Fri 1 Mar: SL: Leeds Rhinos v Wakefield Trinity KO 7.45pm (TV)

[M j M]

Well that was, pretty poor from Leeds.

Hetherington and Furner were engaged in a very long, frowny-faced conversation in the Long Bar afterwards (excuse my blurry papparazzi efforts) - this went on long past 11pm; the only bit I overheard was Furner saying something (or someone) was "just not good enough".

 

Ash Golding was there at the game, fully dressed in Leeds suit and looking utterly despondent. The mind games Leeds are playing with a young player who never gave less than 100% and who less than two years ago they gave the number 1 shirt and a five year contract to are appalling and give the lie to Sinfield's repeated bulls**t about Leeds always "doing the right thing" and "treating people right". Shifting Cam Smith to halfback to enable someone other than our reserve full back to play full back is an absolute joke.

[MZH]

3 hours ago, Kirmonds pouch said:

What a load of rubbish. Johnstone, Hampshire, Topou, Lyne, Ashurst, Fifita, Arona, Kopszak, Miller, and the evergreen Brough just to name a few. How big a star roster do you chuffing need. 

Everyone of the Wakefield 17 with the possible exception of Hirst who still played well would get into most SL teams.

A few like Fifita, Johnstone and Tupou would get in any team - Wakefield have more depth than most SL team so give it a  rest, please.

Depends what your definition of a star player is. I think the 3 mentioned in your last sentence certainly qualify as stars. The others are good players that most teams would be happy to have, but they are hardly household names, or names that you see on the team sheet as an opposing fan and think, "we're going to struggle today."

In fact there are lots of players in the Wakefield squad who have struggled to make their mark elsewhere and have found a home at Wakefield are now playing the best rugby of their lives.

I consider Wakefield's strengths to be the team spirit, the brand of rugby they play, and the coaching. Not the individual ability of the players.

[mickhornet]

Well played Wakefield!!!

[BroncoFan]

I have serious doubts about Furner and if he is up to the task, his team selections so far have been terrible. His head coaching record isn’t  great so he has a lot to prove.

i feel a bit for Ash Golding, when Walker pulled out Golding should’ve been in, a back rower played in the halves and a half played in the back row.

Hopefully Harry Newman gets a chance next week too, anyone can see Watkins needs time to get stronger physically & mentally.

[ELBOWSEYE]

Enjoyed wakeys performance, leeds have a soft belly in defence but last night Watkins an international centre was awful, a decent defensive centre and there would have been nothing in that game.

[silverback]

wakefield played some great rugby for sure,dont see how leeds can build a team round myler at all, good ref too who made the right calls at the right times rather than go with the crowd,stick hicksy in and its a different game for leeds. broughys having a blast and sure turned the clocks back, am sure goulding would have made a better effort for leeds but hes off to fev rhinstone rovers by looks a things for  a DR day.

[Wildcat]

It was almost a muted pre match atmosphere last night, it certainly didn't feel intimidating as it usually does at Headingley.

Even when we conceded right at the start we didn't feel worried and pretty much new we would go on to win.

Leeds were very nervy, as were a lot of the Rhino's supporters around us. Superb night for us Trinity lot, really enjoyed that. 

[weloveyouwakefield2]

12 hours ago, Gerrumonside ref said:

No mention of Sir Tom yet in two pages of preview?  V. disappointing.

Look forward to seeing the Yorkshire Prince who has the best finish since Macho Man Randy Savage’s flying elbow in American wrestling.

My prediction is Leeds 24-16 Wakefield 

Just the three tries tonight but a couple of mistakes 5/10 for Tom... 

[Eleftherios]

On 28 February 2019 at 9:38 AM, Eleftherios said:

Leeds first home game of the season, hope I'm wrong but think they'll win by 8.

More than happy to be wrong! Cracking night visiting some of my student haunts, then the ground where I first watched TGG. New stand looks great.

[Old Frightful]

9 hours ago, Kirmonds pouch said:

What a load of rubbish.

 

9 hours ago, Kirmonds pouch said:

what a load of tosh.

 

9 hours ago, Kirmonds pouch said:

are you a bit dim?

Jeez, what would you post if Wakey had got beat?

Actually, probably nuffink.

 

[Old Frightful]

14 minutes ago, Eleftherios said:

More than happy to be wrong! Cracking night visiting some of my student haunts, then the ground where I first watched TGG. New stand looks great.

I had a better night.

I took my dab radio and earphones into the Whalebone with me.

[Cheshire Setter]

13 minutes ago, Eleftherios said:

Cracking night visiting some of my student haunts, then the ground where I first watched TGG. New stand looks great.

Nothing comes close to Headingly when we’re talking about location.   Amazing spot, except for parking maybe.

I sometimes get put up in the Weetwood hotel up the road, so I always talk my colleagues into strolling down to my favourite little Greek place (the olive is it?) and a few beers at that pub by the fisherman’s wife chippy.

[Old Frightful]

Great performance from the Trin, off the pitch Bill Toupou looks so unassuming but on it he's an absolute beast.

Shame Kallum Watkins didn't play, might have been some contest...

 

[bobbruce]

11 hours ago, graveyard johnny said:

ferres myler - go NOW

Was it their day off

[Cheshire Setter]

3 minutes ago, Old Frightful said:

Shame Kallum Watkins didn't play

I think he did, he was playing with his Nintendo Switch in the corner of the field when everyone else was tackling.

Seriously though, what has happened with him this season.   He doesn’t look to be carrying an injury but he looks like he’s mentally detached.   Maybe he shouldn’t have been given the pressure of handling the captaincy while the team is not performing that well.   Who else is a candidate? 

[Mr Plow]

8 hours ago, M j M said:

Well that was, pretty poor from Leeds.

Hetherington and Furner were engaged in a very long, frowny-faced conversation in the Long Bar afterwards (excuse my blurry papparazzi efforts) - this went on long past 11pm; the only bit I overheard was Furner saying something (or someone) was "just not good enough".

 

Ash Golding was there at the game, fully dressed in Leeds suit and looking utterly despondent. The mind games Leeds are playing with a young player who never gave less than 100% and who less than two years ago they gave the number 1 shirt and a five year contract to are appalling and give the lie to Sinfield's repeated bulls**t about Leeds always "doing the right thing" and "treating people right". Shifting Cam Smith to halfback to enable someone other than our reserve full back to play full back is an absolute joke.

I’d have rather seen Golding at FB last night but I think he’s going to end up like Jordan Lilley though. Team selection was wrong, it was like the Wigan game, started well but didn’t turn up in the second half

[Kirmonds pouch]

14 minutes ago, Old Frightful said:

 

 

Jeez, what would you post if Wakey had got beat?

Actually, probably nuffink.

 

It’s killing you isn’t it - sorry mate don’t play your silly games I say it as I see it.

Why would I post if we got beaten, what would I get out of that? I’m here to support my team so when we do lose which like all other teams I prefer not to wail in public.

Still to be fair to you at least you spared us your lame sir Tom gag so kudos for that.

[Cheshire Setter]

8 hours ago, M j M said:

to enable someone other than our reserve full back to play full back is an absolute joke.

Is this definitely known to be the case though?   Walker signed a 5 year contract so they don’t need to keep him happy in fear of him going elsewhere.   He’s a talent but he’s not the finished article and when you’re not in form you’re not in the team.

I’d be surprised if Sinfield had more power over team selection than Furner, who I highly doubt would be over here to play second fiddle to the Director of Rugby on match day.   It’s the coach who ultimately selects the team and the game plan, or it should be.

[M j M]

6 minutes ago, Cheshire Setter said:

Is this definitely known to be the case though?   Walker signed a 5 year contract so they don’t need to keep him happy in fear of him going elsewhere.   He’s a talent but he’s not the finished article and when you’re not in form you’re not in the team. 

I’d be surprised if Sinfield had more power over team selection than Furner, who I highly doubt would be over here to play second fiddle to the Director of Rugby on match day.   It’s the coach who ultimately selects the team and the game plan, or it should be. 



Walker was injured. I'm talking about Ash Golding who it looks like will never be selected again despite being only a year or so into a 5 year contract. Leeds clearly want to force him out (this bit is Sinfield's job) by not selecting him but he's being paid, is in the salary cap and has a squad number. I don't think he is as good as Walker but he'd certainly have been effective out there compared to shuffling players all over the place and making Cam Smith play stand off.

[Cheshire Setter]

3 minutes ago, M j M said:

Walker was injured. I'm talking about Ash Golding who it looks like will never be selected again despite being only a year or so into a 5 year contract. Leeds clearly want to force him out (this bit is Sinfield's job) by not selecting him but he's being paid, is in the salary cap and has a squad number. I don't think he is as good as Walker but he'd certainly have been effective out there compared to shuffling players all over the place and making Cam Smith play stand off.

Thought you were referring to Walker keeping Golding out in previous matches, sorry.

Furner probably is sticking with what he knows from the NRL, rightly or wrongly.

[ghost crayfish]

Commiserations Leeds fans. Looks like David Furner hasn't developed his coaching much since he was absolutely terrible for the Canberra Raiders.

[rhinos78]

 

1 hour ago, Emosi Koloto said:

I have serious doubts about Furner and if he is up to the task, his team selections so far have been terrible. His head coaching record isn’t  great so he has a lot to prove.

i feel a bit for Ash Golding, when Walker pulled out Golding should’ve been in, a back rower played in the halves and a half played in the back row.

Hopefully Harry Newman gets a chance next week too, anyone can see Watkins needs time to get stronger physically & mentally.

I agree, im loving the structure he's put into our attack, when we get in the opposition half we look dangerous.

But...His team selections have been rubbish, until last night the backs had picked themselves, but he continues to get the pack wrong, last night when the backs didnt pack themselves, he got that wrong aswel.

Suttcliffe and Ferres are, by a country mile, the worst pair of second rows in the league. They seem to be getting a free pass on selection, it has to stop. Cam Smith got hung out to dry last night, he's a backrow all day long, you just know he's goin to suffer ,unfairly,for his performance yday while the other 2 continue to stink it up in his natural position.

On Wakey, Fifita, Johnstone and tupou are deffinatly star players and would get in any team in SL imo

[Eleftherios]

1 hour ago, Old Frightful said:

I had a better night.

I took my dab radio and earphones into the Whalebone with me.

Cheers  

[JohnM]

Thoroughly enjoyed what  I saw of the game. Wakefield looked solid and unlikely to fold under pressure.

I do like the long-term thinking of some of the Leeds fans on here, though. 

Just 5 games,right? Four of them away, is that right, too? Instant turnround or rebuilding the foundation?

[weloveyouwakefield2]

Bill Toupou outstanding