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Match thread - Sheffield round 3


Keep The Faith

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Now this is embarrassing, leaderless, pack rolled over from minute 1, unforced mistakes. Nothing to take away from this at all. Totally dis-spirited on the field. Every kick, placed or from hand has been predictable, we've kicked off once and after 6 tries and Thackeray has fielded every one, there's been no variation. This wasn't just a bad day at the office....

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There has been a lot of criticism by dogs fans over our recruitment compared to other clubs. It's OK saying we don't become a poor team overnight . Well maybe we haven't but we are certainly struggling to live with the pace and inventiveness of swinton and the eagles. Lose against the cougars, and I will be worried about our season. 

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I said before ball was kicked on seeing age of our squad hoped father time wouldn't catch up to them . At moment it looks like it I saw Greg Johnson on Sunday thought why are we playing him he no were near the player he once was . Looked well off the pace I understand we had to give the squad another season after last season efforts . I really do hope this isn't a year too far for the players and can find the spirit we had last year. I critised the recruitment as to me was very poor keegan nearly 35 not played in over 2 years . Elliot kear 34 young lad from Huddersfield a foward released by Bradford and another foward looking for a chance woods I thought was the best of the bunch yet to find his feet . 

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8 hours ago, toffeedog said:

I said before ball was kicked on seeing age of our squad hoped father time wouldn't catch up to them . At moment it looks like it I saw Greg Johnson on Sunday thought why are we playing him he no were near the player he once was . Looked well off the pace I understand we had to give the squad another season after last season efforts . I really do hope this isn't a year too far for the players and can find the spirit we had last year. I critised the recruitment as to me was very poor keegan nearly 35 not played in over 2 years . Elliot kear 34 young lad from Huddersfield a foward released by Bradford and another foward looking for a chance woods I thought was the best of the bunch yet to find his feet . 

Did you go to Sheffield we looked poor yes but we need someone to step up instead of everyone playing the blame game 

Edited by Keep The Faith
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11 hours ago, phildog said:

Now this is embarrassing, leaderless, pack rolled over from minute 1, unforced mistakes. Nothing to take away from this at all. Totally dis-spirited on the field. Every kick, placed or from hand has been predictable, we've kicked off once and after 6 tries and Thackeray has fielded every one, there's been no variation. This wasn't just a bad day at the office....

Wasn't there last night but did watch both the London and Swinton games and this point about kickoffs is spot on. Not only are they predictable, no variation, they are neither one thing or the other. Not short kick offs but not long enough either. Every kick off in the first two games was being caught on the oppositions 20 yard line. The kicks need to put pressure on the opposition and be landing on the goal line. It's simply a matter of practice. We are gifting the opposition 20 yards start on every kick off.

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The guy who might have stepped up and put some pep in, Flynny, wasn't picked, maybe a niggle. Browny obviously not back to Linners' level. Woods was innocuous, still waiting for him to appear out of the clouds, however neither White or Meadows shone either, hard to when your pack isn't providing, in fact those 2 probably tried too hard, out of their natural contribution. Nothing disguises the fact that we're not short on pace, we have none. We have a young lad who has pace twiddling his thumbs....Time now to bed in the likes of Milthorpe, Burton and Kibula for the future, if they don't play we'll never know will we. Just because we have all those players who made a final doesn't mean they're owed a spot. Might sound mean and ungrateful at our family club but change gas to come at any level.

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3 hours ago, bromleybulldog said:

Wasn't there last night but did watch both the London and Swinton games and this point about kickoffs is spot on. Not only are they predictable, no variation, they are neither one thing or the other. Not short kick offs but not long enough either. Every kick off in the first two games was being caught on the oppositions 20 yard line. The kicks need to put pressure on the opposition and be landing on the goal line. It's simply a matter of practice. We are gifting the opposition 20 yards start on every kick off.

I have also said this about out ko.  It's the same player we kick to who has not fumbled all match. We see other teams doing it and it's frustrating for us supporters when we don't.

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Short kick-off, one flat on the ground, one aimed at the posts, all sorts of variations to keep them guessing, is the dropkick start still allowed?  Field kicking was poor as well, not many of the Oulton bombs from Woods that he's used to good effect so far, at one point he and someone else got in a tangle on tackle six and he barely got a toe poke in. Having said that we can't pin that show on 1 man; even Cropper and Wardy couldn't disturb the defence, Leaky was wrapped up, even Manu was a step, even 2 down. White, Meadows and Hirst had odd moments of decency but not enough and I can't remember either winger having a run nor Elliot Kear actually touching the ball. That form is low table form, we've all said it but there are so many players in arguably their  last season (they may disagree just now)  and we don't gave strength in depth to replace them. 2 of the 5 we've signed are amongst that list; if we've struggled to sign a couple of long-term prospects, what chance is there of replacing 7 or 8 next year as RFL revenue drops year on year and Kev has taken a massive gamble on the season's gate income? (He has to be applauded on the one hand but if people ie sponsors) were ready to back the club to a £30k mark then I'd have been happy to keep paying and the sponsors put that money in for 3 more players). I  know Kev, damned if you do, damned if you don't, sorry). Next season could need to be the one where Kev needs to go nearer to the bank red line as he has ever been in a complete rebuild. 

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I get the impression that Sheffield's performance had nothing to do with the result, then. It was just Batley playing poorly?

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Sport, amongst other things, is a dream-world offering escape from harsh reality and the disturbing prospect of change.

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No BSJ, we just put in the 3rd and 4th halves of the Swinton game and got poorer. Sheffield played well in that they ran strongly and had energy with the ball but nothing that Batley would normally cope with but which turned out more than enough  against these imposters who turned up! After we stopped them scoring again after the first 10 minutes or so we held our own and did have a chance of our own. Same in the 2nd half, we held them out for 15 or so, put a but of pressure on and thought 12-0 might put a better light on it than it actually was. Alas....

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2 hours ago, Blind side johnny said:

I get the impression that Sheffield's performance had nothing to do with the result, then. It was just Batley playing poorly?

They obviously played well, but it's the nilling combined with the performance against Swinton that is worrying. Also the recruitment didn't feel sufficient. 

Fortunately everyone on the main board have suddenly become St Helens fans after their win in the "biggest game ever" so our nilling has gone under the radar.🙂

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Well see what keighley brings on we don't start well we could lose 3 of our first 4 games and then we're in trouble could be second bottom or even bottom . A positive is only way is up but think we need to have some players getting levels upto were they were last 3 seasons .

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On 18/02/2023 at 09:24, phildog said:

The guy who might have stepped up and put some pep in, Flynny, wasn't picked, maybe a niggle. Browny obviously not back to Linners' level. Woods was innocuous, still waiting for him to appear out of the clouds, however neither White or Meadows shone either, hard to when your pack isn't providing, in fact those 2 probably tried too hard, out of their natural contribution. Nothing disguises the fact that we're not short on pace, we have none. We have a young lad who has pace twiddling his thumbs....Time now to bed in the likes of Milthorpe, Burton and Kibula for the future, if they don't play we'll never know will we. Just because we have all those players who made a final doesn't mean they're owed a spot. Might sound mean and ungrateful at our family club but change gas to come at any level.

I would just like to ask in genuine curiosity Phil, what team line up would you like to see tried against Keighley?

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5 hours ago, Bill H said:

I would just like to ask in genuine curiosity Phil, what team line up would you like to see tried against Keighley?

I’d go McGowan Morton kear Buchanan JC 

white Meadows 

gledhill Kaye Reilly 

Walshaw Manning 
 

Brown 

leak Hirst Ward Flynn/lillycrop 

 

woods came off on Friday with ankle again 

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