Sun 11 Jul: SL: Castleford Tigers v Salford Red Devils KO 15:00

[Rupert Prince]

5 minutes ago, Red Willow said:

Really, I wonder sometimes.

Cas didn't hav a full team but neither did Salford, with loanees making their debut.3 players serving bans and others isolating/or covid positive. Under any circumstances conceding that many points is a poor show, I know Salford have shipped those on many occasions.

Will anyone other than Salford fans actually say well done to Salford for playing what was in front of them. First game in a few we ended with 13 too

You play what's in front of you and Cas irrespective of their player availability were far more interested in next week.

Are next weeks fixtures all rearanged ones (I see Catalan and leeds play again)?  Because once again we have other games being played (which takes away interest in the final) but those teams who do not play the finalists have to squeeze in an extra revised fixture.

[johnh1]

1 hour ago, Red Willow said:

Really, I wonder sometimes.

Cas didn't hav a full team but neither did Salford, with loanees making their debut.3 players serving bans and others isolating/or covid positive. Under any circumstances conceding that many points is a poor show, I know Salford have shipped those on many occasions.

Will anyone other than Salford fans actually say well done to Salford for playing what was in front of them. First game in a few we ended with 13 too

Well said Red Willow. Salford also have several internationals long term injured. But, because it is Salford, it doesn’t count. Hopefully, this win will keep Salford safe from relegation and we can build again for next season.

[Leeds Wire]

1 hour ago, ELBOWSEYE said:

Didn't know you are fully upto date with the educational standards of all Salford players. 

Do not feed the trolls.

[Saint Toppy]

13 hours ago, Bleep1673 said:

Before the Saints fans start wetting themselves at the prospect of a record Wembley score, I would like to remind them, this was a very deminished Tigers squad, full of Juniors, and senior players being rested, and isolated. Most Salford players can't count up to 70, so this should be expunged from the records.

I don't think any Saints fan expects a blow out game at Wembley. We'll see next weekend which coach selected the right tactics, Woolf in playing a strong team the week before to get players match fit, or Powell in resting most of the team despite many of them not having played for a month.

[Bleep1673]

47 minutes ago, Saint Toppy said:

I don't think any Saints fan expects a blow out game at Wembley. We'll see next weekend which coach selected the right tactics, Woolf in playing a strong team the week before to get players match fit, or Powell in resting most of the team despite many of them not having played for a month.

Personally, I would do like many coaches have done in the past, rest key players, bench key forwards, unless championships, or relegation was in the mix, give fringe players an opportunity, then take a less significant hit.

Unfortunately, this season is not reflective of normality, Cas are lower-mid-table, & out of the play-off spots, so this is their only chance of silverware.

Saints have a bigger squad, so can afford to rest players after the final, because they are in a play-off place, and can afford to lose a game or two post-Wembley.

That's how I see it.

[Saint Toppy]

7 minutes ago, Bleep1673 said:

Personally, I would do like many coaches have done in the past, rest key players, bench key forwards, unless championships, or relegation was in the mix, give fringe players an opportunity, then take a less significant hit.

Unfortunately, this season is not reflective of normality, Cas are lower-mid-table, & out of the play-off spots, so this is their only chance of silverware.

Saints have a bigger squad, so can afford to rest players after the final, because they are in a play-off place, and can afford to lose a game or two post-Wembley.

That's how I see it.

And thats what Saints have done in the past, but given both Saints & Cas have had plenty of weeks off already over the last few months its a big gamble IMO to rest them all again. Normally i'd say rest key players the week before, but under these circumstances i'm not so sure this was the best option. While their players should be fresh in terms of being free from niggling injuries due to the rest, I do think they may struggle with their match fitness at crucial times in the game, and their structure will take time to settle in again, having hardly played together as a team for quite a while.

As I said previously, time will tell which was the better option to take.

[Oxford]

Salford won, you know!

[Oxford]

 

 

[Rupert Prince]

3 hours ago, Oxford said:

Salford won, you know!

I see that Powell said, 'there were a lot of positives, and Marshal said, 'It was a real professional performance'.

Fortunately no one in the country was listening.

[Oxford]

52 minutes ago, Rupert Prince said:

Fortunately no one in the country was listening.

I don't care Rupes SRD won and I'm not bothered if it's by one point or if the country is deaf, sadly that's their problem.

2 hours ago, Oxford said:

 

 

[Dunbar]

Powell says "We've a pretty big game on Saturday and there is no way I was going to put most of our players into a game six days beforehand - it doesn't make any sense.  This game should never have been on the Sunday before a big game."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/57781068

Am I missing something here.  Since when was playing on a Sunday before a game the following Saturday deemed to be a huge disadvantage? 

It follows on from what I was saying in another thread today.  As a sport we are deciding that some games aren't worth bothering with.  It is happening more and more and we cannot let this attitude prevail as it will just erode the fan base in this country. 

[Moove]

7 minutes ago, Dunbar said:

Powell says "We've a pretty big game on Saturday and there is no way I was going to put most of our players into a game six days beforehand - it doesn't make any sense.  This game should never have been on the Sunday before a big game."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/57781068

Am I missing something here.  Since when was playing on a Sunday before a game the following Saturday deemed to be a huge disadvantage? 

It follows on from what I was saying in another thread today.  As a sport we are deciding that some games aren't worth bothering with.  It is happening more and more and we cannot let this attitude prevail as it will just erode the fan base in this country. 

Failed HIAs resulting in a week off is the only reason I can think of. Fail on a Friday and you can play the following Saturday. Fail on the Sunday and you miss the cup final.

[meast]

This game appeared to sum up the 2021 season to a T

2 patched up/makeshift sides, one seemingly not bothering with the league this season, the other's only concern is where, if anywhere, they'll play in 2 years time!

[meast]

22 hours ago, Red Willow said:

Really, I wonder sometimes.

Cas didn't hav a full team but neither did Salford, with loanees making their debut.3 players serving bans and others isolating/or covid positive. Under any circumstances conceding that many points is a poor show, I know Salford have shipped those on many occasions.

Will anyone other than Salford fans actually say well done to Salford for playing what was in front of them. First game in a few we ended with 13 too

I will, even though it's pushed the Giants down a place and looking like relegation candidates, if Leigh manage a couple of wins!

You can only beat what's in front of you, and even with a weakened squad, and despite Castleford's weakened team, to put 70 on a fellow professional side is a top effort.

[meast]

30 minutes ago, Dunbar said:

Powell says "We've a pretty big game on Saturday and there is no way I was going to put most of our players into a game six days beforehand - it doesn't make any sense.  This game should never have been on the Sunday before a big game."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/57781068

Am I missing something here.  Since when was playing on a Sunday before a game the following Saturday deemed to be a huge disadvantage? 

It follows on from what I was saying in another thread today.  As a sport we are deciding that some games aren't worth bothering with.  It is happening more and more and we cannot let this attitude prevail as it will just erode the fan base in this country. 

It's already eroded some of them, myself included.

I just get the impression that if the clubs/RFL/SL can't be arsed, why should I?

[WSRD]

2 hours ago, meast said:

I will, even though it's pushed the Giants down a place and looking like relegation candidates, if Leigh manage a couple of wins!

You can only beat what's in front of you, and even with a weakened squad, and despite Castleford's weakened team, to put 70 on a fellow professional side is a top effort.

Thanks for that Meast.

 

[meast]

On 12/07/2021 at 20:15, WSRD said:

Thanks for that Meast.

 

No problems, now, please stop beating us :)

[Oxford]

19 hours ago, meast said:

No problems, now, please stop beating us

Promise nowt of the sort WSRD! Times is hard.

[To Be Confirmed]

On 08/07/2021 at 08:49, Oxford said:

TBC, was humour not being given out when you were in the queue? A bit like Amazon only six left in stock when you were number eight?

apologies, i thought humour was supposed to be funny.......