Sat 25th Feb: SL: Catalans Dragons v Leigh Leopards KO 17:00 (UK Time)

[sweaty craiq]

Leigh soak up 15 mins of Catalan pressure then almost score twice via Charnley, one held up over line. First to crack wins?

[sweaty craiq]

30 mins no score

Edited February 25, 2023 by sweaty craiq

[Derwent]

4 minutes ago, sweaty craiq said:

30 mins no score

2-0 to Catalans

[LeytherRob]

8-0 ht. Johnstone with the only try so far. Sounds like we are keeping it tight defensively again but need to be more clinical with our chances. 

[sweaty craiq]

Missing Ipape causing chaos just hope that ankle isn’t as bad as it seems after the WC

[Andrewj]

Joe Wardle scores 8-4 ktc

[LeytherRob]

Leigh pull one back through Wardle, 8-6 game on

[LeytherRob]

14-6, cats get it back to an 8 point game

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

Is anyone watching this on TV anywhere? Is it on radio anywhere? 

Send links if so 

[LeytherRob]

Just now, Bedfordshire Bronco said:

Is anyone watching this on TV anywhere? Is it on radio anywhere? 

Send links if so 

On French radio only, so twitter updates only unless you speak french

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

3 minutes ago, LeytherRob said:

On French radio only, so twitter updates only unless you speak french

Outrageous.....who on earth speaks French those days? 

What's happened with the l'equipe link up?

[LeytherRob]

1 minute ago, Bedfordshire Bronco said:

Outrageous.....who on earth speaks French those days? 

What's happened with the l'equipe link up?

This one isn't televised. Full time now anyway 14-6

[Padge]

Leigh may have lost but going to Catalan and losing only 14-6 and being within touching distance at 8-6 until close to the final whistle is a decent moral victory.

[phiggins]

My worry is that our best 13 aren’t the worst team in the league, but our 17 / squad might be.

Both games have seen us do ok for the first 30 minutes, but then concede late in the first half 

[ColD]

12 minutes ago, phiggins said:

My worry is that our best 13 aren’t the worst team in the league, but our 17 / squad might be.

Both games have seen us do ok for the first 30 minutes, but then concede late in the first half 

Well we haven’t had our best 13/17 out yet and competed - gotta be relatively satisfied despite 2 losses 

and if you put Ipape on todays bench that’s not a bad interchange line up at all

[phiggins]

5 minutes ago, ColD said:

Well we haven’t had our best 13/17 out yet and competed - gotta be relatively satisfied despite 2 losses 

and if you put Ipape on todays bench that’s not a bad interchange line up at all

Didn’t see today’s game so can’t comment specifically, but last week I felt there was a marked drop off in the pack after Amone went off. And we conceded a penalty and a try in a similar time again today. 
 

Of course, teams will miss their half back and hooker, but being the only team without a reserves / academy to dip into, we have to play someone out of position at hooker as soon as the season begins

[Old Frightful]

46 minutes ago, Padge said:

Leigh may have lost but going to Catalan and losing only 14-6 and being within touching distance at 8-6 until close to the final whistle is a decent moral victory.

Thanks for that.

I've almost got hope for this coming Friday....but perhaps not.

[Damien]

52 minutes ago, Padge said:

Leigh may have lost but going to Catalan and losing only 14-6 and being within touching distance at 8-6 until close to the final whistle is a decent moral victory.

As we saw on several occasions last season with Toulouse decent moral victories don't get you the points you need to stay up.

[phiggins]

11 minutes ago, Damien said:

As we saw on several occasions last season with Toulouse decent moral victories don't get you the points you need to stay up.

Very true. In 2017, we were on the wrong end of too many close or close ish games, which ultimately cost us relegation. 

[LeytherRob]

51 minutes ago, phiggins said:

My worry is that our best 13 aren’t the worst team in the league, but our 17 / squad might be.

Both games have seen us do ok for the first 30 minutes, but then concede late in the first half 

Defensively we look fine, we've been outscored 3 tries to 2 and 2 tries to 1 against 2 playoff teams whilst looking very scratchy in attack. It's a tough start to the year but if the team can find even a bit of fluency in attack as the new players bed into the team and maintain the defensive efforts, our fortunes can easily change very quickly. I'm far more encouraged by the opening 2 games than in previous SL seasons where we were downright woeful in defence for the most part.

[audois]

3 hours ago, Wiltshire Warrior Dragon said:

Adam Keighran is a late withdrawal for Les Dracs.  Arthur Romano replaces him.  I think the home starting XIII has nine Frenchmen.

 

Missing -

Keighran

May

Pearce

Manu Ma'u

McMeeken

Taukeiaho

[RLX111]

55 minutes ago, audois said:

 

Missing -

Keighran

May

Pearce

Manu Ma'u

McMeeken

Taukeiaho

Also Matt Whitley withdrawn before start.

[phiggins]

1 hour ago, LeytherRob said:

Defensively we look fine, we've been outscored 3 tries to 2 and 2 tries to 1 against 2 playoff teams whilst looking very scratchy in attack. It's a tough start to the year but if the team can find even a bit of fluency in attack as the new players bed into the team and maintain the defensive efforts, our fortunes can easily change very quickly. I'm far more encouraged by the opening 2 games than in previous SL seasons where we were downright woeful in defence for the most part.

I think a well organised defence, but not as much guile as you’d want in attack is a bit of a trademark of Lam’s coaching. Seem to recall Leigh scoring as many points as Wigan in 2021. Only difference was Leigh couldn’t defend a single tackle, let alone a set. 

Lam wants to win games with defence, but at the moment it’s being undermined by unforced errors and poor endings to the first half. If the latter continues to be a theme, he might have to hold one of his starting middles back as a sub.

At the moment, can’t say I’m optimistic or pessimistic about our prospects, just a bit wary. 

[Padge]

2 hours ago, Damien said:

As we saw on several occasions last season with Toulouse decent moral victories don't get you the points you need to stay up.

Stick a e on the end of moral. After Wakefields woeful display last night running an SL front runner close at a difficult away game is putting a marker down.

[Snowys Backside]

Won’t have a better chance of beating Catalans. 
 

Such a tough start. Need to keep chins up but better attacking structures are required if 2 points are to come Leigh’s way.