Barrow on Sunday.

[town4me]

On 12/06/2022 at 17:34, Johnny Ringo said:

What is it with you  and Barrow spending money? 10 of those players have played for a number of seasons now and most are locals or Cumbrians. Yes  they signed Sammut and Woods  and Langtree and Iaria but isn't that what teams are meant to do in order to challenge and stay up? It hasn't broke the bank and Barrows connections with loan players have been impressive when called to do so. How much has moving your coach to live up there and on full time terms cost? I'd say close to 2 class Championship signings at least. Then those Welsh lads won't be cheap and are no better than you already had. 

Wishing barrow well and hope they have a good season as fans deserve it. But if you think that squads come cheap then thats upto you fella. Sports all about money nowadays.  Nobody goes from a yoyo club to right up there in this league without spending.  Just my opinion. 

[The Voodooguru]

4 hours ago, DavidM said:

On the subject of kicks are last tackle plays are very average . They can make a poor set a good one but often we  either exert no pressure ( aimless kick ) or it unravels to nothing .

Agree with that and we seem to do more than our fair share of power plays.

[Johnny Ringo]

12 hours ago, town4me said:

Wishing barrow well and hope they have a good season as fans deserve it. But if you think that squads come cheap then thats upto you fella. Sports all about money nowadays.  Nobody goes from a yoyo club to right up there in this league without spending.  Just my opinion. 

I honestly have  no idea what on earth you are on about. Who said squads come cheap? Of course you have to spend to survive in higher tougher leagues. What I said was that the majority of Borrows squad has been built over the recent previous seasons, most are locals or Cumbrians, they won the league with that preparation and then again added a mix of quality in positions it was needed in able to challenge. Its payed off, it hasn't broke their bank, they planned for it and built the finances to achieve it. So what is your point? What have they done that you don't like and hasn't it paid dividends? 

Edited June 14, 2022 by Johnny Ringo
Spelling

[Death to the Rah Rah's]

I think Barrow have done tremendously well in a short space of time.

They seem to have formulated a plan and stuck to it rigidly. But there are fundamental differences between our clubs, the main one for me is that Barrow is a bigger place for a start, its population is more than Workington and Whitehaven combined and they have roughly the same number of amateur clubs to pull players from, but no competition within a 90 minute drive.

That's a huge advantage when attracting players to a club!

I know I'm going to get shot down for it, but I honestly don't think there's room for 2 professional clubs in West Cumbria and if this area wants a team which can compete at the top half of the Championship then the answer is to have one club.

 

[town4me]

10 hours ago, Johnny Ringo said:

I honestly have  no idea what on earth you are on about. Who said squads come cheap? Of course you have to spend to survive in higher tougher leagues. What I said was that the majority of Borrows squad has been built over the recent previous seasons, most are locals or Cumbrians, they won the league with that preparation and then again added a mix of quality in positions it was needed in able to challenge. Its payed off, it hasn't broke their bank, they planned for it and built the finances to achieve it. So what is your point? What have they done that you don't like and hasn't it paid dividends? 

My point was that barrow have invested in quality for this league and town haven't/couldn't so hence the scoreline. 

[Town67]

13 minutes ago, town4me said:

My point was that barrow have invested in quality for this league and town haven't/couldn't so hence the scoreline.

Edited June 14, 2022 by Town67

[Town67]

We competed with them last year and drawn at there spot, someone has to take responsibility for this year as we have gone backwards

[town4me]

1 hour ago, Town67 said:

We competed with them last year and drawn at there spot, someone has to take responsibility for this year as we have gone backwards

Just a personal opinion but I suspect the funds just weren't available to add the neccessary strength to compete in this league. We are all disappointed but at the end of the day the clubs ran by volunteers who give up their time and they have to work with the budget thats available. 

[Neutralfan7]

24 minutes ago, Death to the Rah Rah's said:

 

I know I'm going to get shot down for it, but I honestly don't think there's room for 2 professional clubs in West Cumbria and if this area wants a team which can compete at the top half of the Championship then the answer is to have one club.

 

I think you're bang on with this comment mate, I've thought it for a while but I wouldn't be surprised with this new re-structure supposedly taking place, if the rfl said to Town and Haven, if you become one club you'll have a place, if not, both clubs will be stuck in the lowest league and will eventually fold.

[town4me]

1 hour ago, Neutralfan7 said:

I think you're bang on with this comment mate, I've thought it for a while but I wouldn't be surprised with this new re-structure supposedly taking place, if the rfl said to Town and Haven, if you become one club you'll have a place, if not, both clubs will be stuck in the lowest league and will eventually fold.

Yeah the bigger picture  of RL is changing and it's probably time to look at it seriously. Two clubs scrapping for signings from a small pool of local amateur products isn't  good. There will be fans on both sides dead against it but they possibly aren't looking at the bigger picture. 

[Johnny Ringo]

46 minutes ago, Death to the Rah Rah's said:

I think Barrow have done tremendously well in a short space of time.

They seem to have formulated a plan and stuck to it rigidly. But there are fundamental differences between our clubs, the main one for me is that Barrow is a bigger place for a start, its population is more than Workington and Whitehaven combined and they have roughly the same number of amateur clubs to pull players from, but no competition within a 90 minute drive.

That's a huge advantage when attracting players to a club!

I know I'm going to get shot down for it, but I honestly don't think there's room for 2 professional clubs in West Cumbria and if this area wants a team which can compete at the top half of the Championship then the answer is to have one club.

 

A  merger has always been the answer for 2 or3 decades now. Population wise. Barrow in Furness is a huge area it includes the smaller surrounding Furness towns and villages. A quick  look on the map and population, from Distington to Cockermouth and on to Wigton and everything in between is around 50,000? That's no a bad catchment area. But you are right, a merger is the only way forward. 

[dkw]

I dont think a merger will ever happen, its more likely that a new Pro club is created with Town and haven becoming semi pro feeder clubs. Thats the only way we will ever have fully professional RL in this area.

[DocH]

21 hours ago, homeandawayer said:

So you obviously think we're going to come good or he's a good coach who is in the unfortunate position of not having  the squad to do the job ? How do you get out of a hole?

stick together and ride it out - not the solution as there's a lack of size and quality.

or sack the coach - not a solution as there's a lack of size and quality.

or do nothing and get relegated.

or find some players from somewhere with size and quality.

Looks like plan D then.

Ha, I'm a Town supporter and have been for donkeys years so I'm perpetually being disappointed yet (Donkey-like) keep coming back for more and hoping we'll come good. Its Thormans first experience of semi-pro which has its own very difficult demands. I think he's (& the bod) made a complete mess of this year but I do think he is potentially an excellent coach and will learn from this and we are unlikely to get anyone better. Sadly I think this season is done as we are not now miraculously going to discover half a dozen top players from somewhere.

[Neutralfan7]

1 hour ago, dkw said:

I dont think a merger will ever happen, its more likely that a new Pro club is created with Town and haven becoming semi pro feeder clubs. Thats the only way we will ever have fully professional RL in this area.

Do you not think that in itself would cause more problems mate? Where would the players come from for this new club? And then would still cause the issue of Town/Haven fighting for the same local players if they weren't good enough to sign for the new club straight away? 

[homeandawayer]

20 minutes ago, DocH said:

Ha, I'm a Town supporter and have been for donkeys years so I'm perpetually being disappointed yet (Donkey-like) keep coming back for more and hoping we'll come good. Its Thormans first experience of semi-pro which has its own very difficult demands. I think he's (& the bod) made a complete mess of this year but I do think he is potentially an excellent coach and will learn from this and we are unlikely to get anyone better. Sadly I think this season is done as we are not now miraculously going to discover half a dozen top players from somewhere.

Hi Doc, so that's a vote for plan C due to necessity. I think they're all great coaches ..until they're not! The trouble is, however good they maybe when things start to go wrong with no sign of them getting better they lose the fanbase and the players. I'm not suggesting we do replace our coach and totally agree that on the one hand we were last to promotion which presented difficulties but he knows the squad isn't good enough, he said it and we had to find a way of improving it which we and he haven't. Unless we do,  or some miraculous upturn in form happens this season is gone, in my opinion it's a watershed for the club and going down would just start a new cycle of trying to attract a homegrown squad after we've just alienated so many. 

[townie88]

We have Haven to play twice, London (A) & Dewsbury (H) to play. That's potentially 8 points. Taking us to 10 points in total. Our form and play hasn't suggested we are capable of winning all these. Meaning London would just need 5 more points form their remaining games to stay up (they have a significantly better PD than us)

Writing is on the wall I'm afraid. Should be starting to plan for next season already. The discussion of a merger should be on a different thread but for what my opinions worth, it only works if there is no town or haven. There aren't enough people with an interest in the game to sustain ANOTHER pro/semi-pro club on top of keeping town/haven going. Nor is there the volunteers or players. I fear that the young folk of west cumbria will still be watching league 1 or low end champ rugby in the same aging facilities for years to come. 

[bobg]

1 hour ago, townie88 said:

We have Haven to play twice, London (A) & Dewsbury (H) to play. That's potentially 8 points. Taking us to 10 points in total. Our form and play hasn't suggested we are capable of winning all these. Meaning London would just need 5 more points form their remaining games to stay up (they have a significantly better PD than us)

Writing is on the wall I'm afraid. Should be starting to plan for next season already. The discussion of a merger should be on a different thread but for what my opinions worth, it only works if there is no town or haven. There aren't enough people with an interest in the game to sustain ANOTHER pro/semi-pro club on top of keeping town/haven going. Nor is there the volunteers or players. I fear that the young folk of west cumbria will still be watching league 1 or low end champ rugby in the same aging facilities for years to come. 

I concur with your points here, no way could West Cumbria sustain 3 clubs at semi or pro level, if a merger is the answer, and I am not sure it is, then both Town and Haven would have to be consigned to the history books, would the communities of Workington,  Whitehaven and surrounding areas  get behind a hybrid team? If this where to happen the current teenage generation needs to be attracted at both player and supporter level .
 

[Dave W]

6 hours ago, Town67 said:

We competed with them last year and drawn at there spot, someone has to take responsibility for this year as we have gone backwards

In fairness, none of the three previous games we played this season were comfortable victories. Workington were on top for large portions of those games, without a shadow of a doubt.

I don't think anyone believed Sunday would be an easy ride. The reversal seems to have happened since the televised cup match. I'm used to seeing Workington teams in your face for 80 minutes, not dropping their heads and giving up.

[Bearman]

6 hours ago, Johnny Ringo said:

A  merger has always been the answer for 2 or3 decades now. Population wise. Barrow in Furness is a huge area it includes the smaller surrounding Furness towns and villages. A quick  look on the map and population, from Distington to Cockermouth and on to Wigton and everything in between is around 50,000? That's no a bad catchment area. But you are right, a merger is the only way forward. 

I really do not understand why everyone is so anti merger.

Both sets of supporters boo the others players when they are wearing the wrong set of colours.

Then when one of players swaps clubs they boo or cheer that very player depending on which shirt they are now wearing.

Everyone understands that the player's are basically following the money and as professionals are entitled to do so.

So surely a new club Workhaven, West Cumbria or whatever they are called would give both sets of supporters the best of 34 player's to cheer on. They would have the opportunity to leave the baggage behind and have more chance of cheering a winning team.

That is surely better than seeing two proud clubs haemorraging away?

 

 

 

[DavidM]

If we had a good side in a nice ground and were competing in the top half of the championship , gathering the best local talent , with the potential one day to push on further I’d back a merged team . I never thought so but in recent times I’ve changed my mind . We’re just treading water really with very little money . If the fincances were there with the will to make it happen they yeh go for it . I still think it’s a big big if in reality 

[Billy Bob]

12 minutes ago, Bearman said:

I really do not understand why everyone is so anti merger.

Both sets of supporters boo the others players when they are wearing the wrong set of colours.

Then when one of players swaps clubs they boo or cheer that very player depending on which shirt they are now wearing.

Everyone understands that the player's are basically following the money and as professionals are entitled to do so.

So surely a new club Workhaven, West Cumbria or whatever they are called would give both sets of supporters the best of 34 player's to cheer on. They would have the opportunity to leave the baggage behind and have more chance of cheering a winning team.

That is surely better than seeing two proud clubs haemorraging away?

 

 

 

Luke Broadbent is reported to have signed on loan to Haven, I thought he was supposed to be on loan to Town for the rest of this season, can anyone confirm if Town released him ?

[Onreport]

23 hours ago, chromedome said:

Must admit I was puzzled why the ref let play go on much to Barras advantage.

Should have been Town penalty,  no question 

[HP Beans]

8 hours ago, Death to the Rah Rah's said:

I think Barrow have done tremendously well in a short space of time.

They seem to have formulated a plan and stuck to it rigidly. But there are fundamental differences between our clubs, the main one for me is that Barrow is a bigger place for a start, its population is more than Workington and Whitehaven combined and they have roughly the same number of amateur clubs to pull players from, but no competition within a 90 minute drive.

That's a huge advantage when attracting players to a club!

I know I'm going to get shot down for it, but I honestly don't think there's room for 2 professional clubs in West Cumbria and if this area wants a team which can compete at the top half of the Championship then the answer is to have one club.

 

I’m a bit out of touch so apologies if this has been mentioned before.

What are your thoughts on Newcastle Thunder and Hull FC dipping their toes into West Cumbria?

[Town blue white]

1 hour ago, Billy Bob said:

Luke Broadbent is reported to have signed on loan to Haven, I thought he was supposed to be on loan to Town for the rest of this season, can anyone confirm if Town released him ?

It's on the jam forum. If true it's  nice to be told he has left us!

[morty]

1 hour ago, Onreport said:

Should have been Town penalty,  no question 

So the ref was instrumental in Town losing 58-0 hmmm