Match thread: Championship Rd6. Batley v Featherstone Rovers. Sunday 20th March 2022.

[sentoffagain2]

  Of course i got one wrong again i meant Chizzy with the missed drop goal not Hall.I wouldn't make a good match reporter as i am not too great on stats and detail.But i do know if we have played well or not.

[distantdog]

50 minutes ago, Robin Evans said:

The ref says he didn't..... thats the opinion that counts 

Regardless of that conjecture, we had enough out there today to beat batley. We failed. An inept performance.

I thought your last tackle kicking game was poor, and you played to our strength, by playing a forward game. When you spread the ball, your pace looked really dangerous. Briscoe was outstanding.

[RobLambert]

1 hour ago, sentoffagain2 said:

  Of course i got one wrong again i meant Chizzy with the missed drop goal not Hall.I wouldn't make a good match reporter as i am not too great on stats and detail.But i do know if we have played well or not.

I knew what you meant though.  Chizzy was in a good position on tackle 2/3 but we chose to go for the drop goal when the batley players were waiting for it.  One of many bad decisions today.

[sentoffagain2]

1 hour ago, distantdog said:

I thought your last tackle kicking game was poor, and you played to our strength, by playing a forward game. When you spread the ball, your pace looked really dangerous. Briscoe was outstanding.

  I thought the only place we beat you was the centres.

[RobLambert]

So Mac says he doesnt want us to go unbeaten and losing a couple will do us good .... 

Based on that - was he gutted when Batley took the 2pts at the end ? and as supporters should we therefore not bother turning up until the play-offs ?

No disrespect to Batley but given their injuries and how strong our side looked on paper imo that was the worst result since Barrow at home nearly 3 years ago.

Defense, offense, desire, intensity, game management, fitness, tactical kicking, decision making, you name it we we looked second best.  In some areas by a mile.

Said after the Fax game that a defeat was on the cards.  Lets be honest we lost today in all but the score.

Vast improvement needed.

[Bat Lad]

Great entertaining game, yep Fev were off colour today, but with a depleted team we got a point.

Hope you go on and get promotion, still think the rfl are bent and will find a way to stop it.

[Cardypaul]

To be honest I don’t think we have played well since Leigh game. I think we need to get a settled half back combination stick with it, hopefully when Jesse and Koppy are back we may have a bit more threat in the forwards because apart from Moors we don’t look like we can break a tackle.

[lingaro]

6 hours ago, RobLambert said:

So Mac says he doesnt want us to go unbeaten and losing a couple will do us good .... 

Based on that - was he gutted when Batley took the 2pts at the end ? and as supporters should we therefore not bother turning up until the play-offs ?

No disrespect to Batley but given their injuries and how strong our side looked on paper imo that was the worst result since Barrow at home nearly 3 years ago.

Defense, offense, desire, intensity, game management, fitness, tactical kicking, decision making, you name it we we looked second best.  In some areas by a mile.

Said after the Fax game that a defeat was on the cards.  Lets be honest we lost today in all but the score.

Vast improvement needed.

But the week before we excelled in all the above.  Chill out it happens. 

[sentoffagain2]

2 hours ago, Cardypaul said:

To be honest I don’t think we have played well since Leigh game. I think we need to get a settled half back combination stick with it, hopefully when Jesse and Koppy are back we may have a bit more threat in the forwards because apart from Moors we don’t look like we can break a tackle.

  And Moors runs in the inside centre position which hardly tires defending forwards out.Agree about the half backs they are not creative enough so i would like to see a settled partnership.

[RobLambert]

2 hours ago, lingaro said:

But the week before we excelled in all the above.  Chill out it happens. 

That was the cup and Batley gave up once we were on top

[Bat Lad]

13 hours ago, sentoffagain2 said:

  I thought the only place we beat you was the centres.

I agree, thought Hardcastle was excellent, really strong.

[Fevrover]

10 hours ago, Bat Lad said:

Great entertaining game, yep Fev were off colour today, but with a depleted team we got a point.

Hope you go on and get promotion, still think the rfl are bent and will find a way to stop it.

We do lol.

[Fevrover]

16 hours ago, RobLambert said:

So Mac says he doesnt want us to go unbeaten and losing a couple will do us good .... 

Based on that - was he gutted when Batley took the 2pts at the end ? and as supporters should we therefore not bother turning up until the play-offs ?

No disrespect to Batley but given their injuries and how strong our side looked on paper imo that was the worst result since Barrow at home nearly 3 years ago.

Defense, offense, desire, intensity, game management, fitness, tactical kicking, decision making, you name it we we looked second best.  In some areas by a mile.

Said after the Fax game that a defeat was on the cards.  Lets be honest we lost today in all but the score.

Vast improvement needed.

Well i  for one want to go undefeated ( if we don't so be it) or what's the point in go to games?

[lingaro]

10 hours ago, Bat Lad said:

Great entertaining game, yep Fev were off colour today, but with a depleted team we got a point.

Hope you go on and get promotion, still think the rfl are bent and will find a way to stop it.

Apparently the RFL are introducing a bonus point system retrospectively;  1 point for each Premier Sports appearance. 

[gittinsfan]

Serious question.

Last season Chisolm was a real fans favourite and a regular pick.Does'nt seem the case this season.

Any theories why?

[Fevrover]

17 minutes ago, gittinsfan said:

Serious question.

Last season Chisolm was a real fans favourite and a regular pick.Does'nt seem the case this season.

Any theories why?

Still finding our best half backs pairing by look of it, got plenty to choose from.

[haskey]

I see Holmes is completely out of favour. on loan at Tubbys. WHY.

He had one bad game and is now persona non grata./

[Robin Evans]

3 minutes ago, haskey said:

I see Holmes is completely out of favour. on loan at Tubbys. WHY.

He had one bad game and is now persona non grata./

We've got chiz, wildie, Gill, jacks, Smith and Holmes. That's 6 halves.

If, as most of us suggest, a pair is settled upon, it means someone not getting a game. Who would you drop to play Holmes at the mo?

[lingaro]

Missed Wildie yesterday 

[distantdog]

2 hours ago, Robin Evans said:

We've got chiz, wildie, Gill, jacks, Smith and Holmes. That's 6 halves.

If, as most of us suggest, a pair is settled upon, it means someone not getting a game. Who would you drop to play Holmes at the mo?

Out of interest, which would be your preferred pairing Robin?

[Fevrover]

8 hours ago, lingaro said:

Missed Wildie yesterday 

And Davies.

[Robin Evans]

8 hours ago, distantdog said:

Out of interest, which would be your preferred pairing Robin?

I'm a bit indecisive.

Morgan Smith starts in the halves for me. Jones at 9 off the bench. Wildie starts...he's in good nick. I guess it's a choice of Jacks or chiz for the other half back. Probably chizzy at the mo.

[Michael Bates]

1 hour ago, Robin Evans said:

I'm a bit indecisive.

Morgan Smith starts in the halves for me. Jones at 9 off the bench. Wildie starts...he's in good nick. I guess it's a choice of Jacks or chiz for the other half back. Probably chizzy at the mo.

Smith has consistently been our best half all year. Wildie being unavailable meant he had to move to bench hooker which limited him to about 20 minutes. For me he needs to stay in the halves until someone shows they can do a better job.

[marklaspalmas]

Just for reference in 2022 so far....

Smith & Chisholm: 3

Smith & Jacks: 2

Smith & Holmes: 1

Chisholm & Jacks: 1

Smith & Gill: 1

Chisholm & Holmes: 0

Jacks & Holmes: 0

I count Wildie as AHB like Jones, although he could obviously do a job in the halves. Davies I definitely don't count as a half any more.

Best pair? Smith's done the best so far. I expect Chizz and Jacks will show more as the year progresses.

[sentoffagain2]

   It will be difficult to keep all our halves happy.Smith for me has not done much wrong and his kick through against Fax turned the game for us.Wildie is a hard worker and gets stuck into the tackling but i think he probably comes behind Chizzy and Jacks in attack.I say Jacks as i know he has not shown too much but he took the line on only a couple of times in each game against Batley and scored.I think he needs the game time.Our problem may be in our front row down the middle.Cuthbertson played ok Sunday following two very good displays,but what is he 37/38 Locky always tries but 36 and when he comes back Koppy is in his mid thirties.Field has not really stepped up and is no better than a squad player but we need better.Coops what can you say about him.Like Locky Fev through and through always tries and puts the effort in so he would be in or close to match day 17.Davies,Bussey and Moors well worth their places and Jones has been quiet so i think he needs to come off the bench.We need a couple of big forwards to tire the opposition out.Against Batley i thought their front rower Ward was the best front rower on the field always willing to take the baii up and dangerous close to the line.This season though we need a couple of fringe SL props to take us forward.Comments welcome.