Match thread. Championship Round 25. Newcastle v Featherstone Rovers. Friday 8th September 2023

[RobLambert]

I'm struggling to name our best 17.  Tough decisions for Ford is everyone's fit.  The big question for me is still half back.  It looks at this stage that Aekins is a certain starter - despite the fact that he's not had a particularly good game in that position.  Could be our undoing.  

[lingaro]

Ford and Chizzy.  Aikens in for Briscoe. 

[Monkeymagic22]

9 hours ago, RobLambert said:

I'm struggling to name our best 17.  Tough decisions for Ford is everyone's fit.  The big question for me is still half back.  It looks at this stage that Aekins is a certain starter - despite the fact that he's not had a particularly good game in that position.  Could be our undoing.  

Aekins isn’t a natural halfback, but to be fair he’s never let us down, and for me would be fine playing alongside Ford. 

[Michael Bates]

I want to see us lay down a marker in this game, I want to see some flowing rugby and good handling. Anything less than 50 points would be a disappointment.

[sentoffagain2]

1 hour ago, Monkeymagic22 said:

Aekins isn’t a natural halfback, but to be fair he’s never let us down, and for me would be fine playing alongside Ford. 

   Ford is more of a 6 than 7 closer to the centres for that quicker ball.A good 7 should be able to mix things up,get forwards running off him besides linking with the backs.Last season Jacks provided a better link up and could score from inside the twenty.Although he did lack a bit of pace.He may have been the answer for this season to gell the team plays together but that ship sailed long ago.Only certainty for me is Ford at 6 in the play offs .

[Monkeymagic22]

1 minute ago, Michael Bates said:

I want to see us lay down a marker in this game, I want to see some flowing rugby and good handling. Anything less than 50 points would be a disappointment.

A relatively strong Toulouse team didn’t find it that easy, and Newcastle put in a decent effort at Fev. Personally 50 seems a little optimistic to me.

[POR]

1 hour ago, Monkeymagic22 said:

Aekins isn’t a natural halfback, but to be fair he’s never let us down, and for me would be fine playing alongside Ford. 

Totally agree M bottom line you can't keep a lad out who's scored 15 in 23 games personally I would play him at fullback and play killer along side Jonno in the halves

Apparently they have grown an understanding over the years  and allegedly know what each other is going to do before they do it 

[The Phantom Horseman]

43 minutes ago, sentoffagain2 said:

   Ford is more of a 6 than 7 closer to the centres for that quicker ball.A good 7 should be able to mix things up,get forwards running off him besides linking with the backs.Last season Jacks provided a better link up and could score from inside the twenty.Although he did lack a bit of pace.He may have been the answer for this season to gell the team plays together but that ship sailed long ago.Only certainty for me is Ford at 6 in the play offs .

This terminology is about 40 years out of date though isn't it? No such thing as 6 and 7 (or stand off/scrum half) any more, there is the left-hand-side half back and the right-hand-side half back. In terms of style and stature, though, Ford is more like an old-fashioned 6/stand off, whereas say Lacans is more like an old-fashioned 7, but they are essentially asked to play the same role, just on different sides of the field.

As regards Aekins/Chisholm/Lacans, there really isn't that much between them in my view. It's probably true to say that Aekins isn't a "natural" half back but I don't think he has been any more or less effective than Chisholm or Lacans.

As for playing Kheirallah "alongside" Ford in the halves, I'm sure he'd do okay but again half backs don't play "alongside" each other in the modern game, in most games the half backs barely pass the ball to each other at all because they're too far apart most of the time. Kheirallah's understanding with Ford is much more likely to come into play from full back in my opinion.

[sentoffagain2]

     Kheirallah's nailed on to be full back he has improved steadily since his very bad injury and i was impressed against Keighley that he defended deeper saving a couple of possible tries from breaks.I don't think Ford fancies Lacans for the play offs or he would have played more.I would rest Ford at Newcastle and go with two from the other three at half backs.If most are fit it will be a very difficult decision who to play and leave out in the forwards.I am glad i don't have to do it,you could play numerous combinations with not much difference in ability.In the modern game many half backs can play both positions but in attack and linking with the forwards there is a distinct difference trouble is most natural ability and  flair is coached out of players long before they turn pro hence the lack of proper scrum halves in the game.

[Michael Bates]

2 hours ago, Monkeymagic22 said:

A relatively strong Toulouse team didn’t find it that easy, and Newcastle put in a decent effort at Fev. Personally 50 seems a little optimistic to me.

We beat them 56-6 at home as a benchmark. We should be better now than we were then?

[Monkeymagic22]

3 minutes ago, Michael Bates said:

We beat them 56-6 at home as a benchmark. We should be better now than we were then?

It’s a big difference playing away, plus it’s a match we don’t have to win. Personally I think that the match is pretty meaningless, although obviously I want us to win. 

[POR]

48 minutes ago, Michael Bates said:

We beat them 56-6 at home as a benchmark. We should be better now than we were then?

True M but the funny thing in that game we had ryley  and jonno in the halves

ryley kicked 8 goals and in the 10 tries we had 2 from josh 2 from jack and 1 apiece from mckenzie and luke so that's 40 points from lads who won't be playing 

[The Phantom Horseman]

1 hour ago, Michael Bates said:

We beat them 56-6 at home as a benchmark. We should be better now than we were then?

It doesn't work like that in my opinion. We've seen quite a few teams whose performances in different games against us have had massive variance - Sheffield, Halifax, Keighley and Barrow come to mind.

Newcastle can't avoid relegation now so who knows whether they will be up for this or not. But for me over the last two or three years, when we've put up a huge score it's usually been because the opposition have not put up much of a fight rather than us being brilliant.

[Adam B]

On 06/09/2023 at 22:22, RobLambert said:

I'm struggling to name our best 17.  Tough decisions for Ford is everyone's fit.  The big question for me is still half back.  It looks at this stage that Aekins is a certain starter - despite the fact that he's not had a particularly good game in that position.  Could be our undoing.  

Think it's a case of will not could, and I'm amazed that with fit halves available, and so close to the crunch, we're continuing to play Aekins there, as he's so obviously ineffectual/playing out of position.

Can't stress enough that that's not intended to be any slight on Aekins either, he's a superb full back and needs to be playing, he's just not a half-back. I feel for him.

[Michael Bates]

9 hours ago, Adam B said:

Think it's a case of will not could, and I'm amazed that with fit halves available, and so close to the crunch, we're continuing to play Aekins there, as he's so obviously ineffectual/playing out of position.

Can't stress enough that that's not intended to be any slight on Aekins either, he's a superb full back and needs to be playing, he's just not a half-back. I feel for him.

I think Aekins suffers from being a bit of a jack of all trades and in the position he's closest to being a master of, we have the only player in the league better than him at that position in Kheirallah. For me, while Briscoe is out, Aekins should play on the wing. Ford and Chisholm should get as much time together as possible before the playoffs.

[Monkeymagic22]

36 minutes ago, Michael Bates said:

I think Aekins suffers from being a bit of a jack of all trades and in the position he's closest to being a master of, we have the only player in the league better than him at that position in Kheirallah. For me, while Briscoe is out, Aekins should play on the wing. Ford and Chisholm should get as much time together as possible before the playoffs.

I kind of agree, Chiss just edges it for me due to his superior kicking game. There’s no way Aekins can be left out through. It’s a tricky situation, but one where we are lucky to have options. 

[philcow]

Its simple really horses for courses better so called players wont be as effective as positional players that have learned their skills playing in the same position i feel sorry for lacans in all of this.

[bigbaldnmad]

I agree, I don't think Lacans has played a bad game all season.

[Daft old hooker]

5 hours ago, bigbaldnmad said:

I agree, I don't think Lacans has played a bad game all season.

Well he’s playing tonight with Chizzy! Strange lineup Jones and Longstaff at centre and Aekins at Fullback.

[bigbaldnmad]

[bigbaldnmad]

Interesting side...

Don't have a problem as it looks like we are resting a few with bigger games ahead.

[Michael Bates]

Are we just hoping that come the playoffs Ford and Chisholm can play together and it'll all be fine?

[bigbaldnmad]

From Ford's interview after the Bradford game, I expect we will see Jonno Ford next week.

They will get 2 games prior to the playoff's, if that is Ford's preferred combination.

Edited September 8, 2023 by bigbaldnmad

[haskey]

Is Longstaff a centre???

[bigbaldnmad]

Apparently so,

Featherstone Rovers have signed England Knights international Ellis Longstaff from Super League side Warrington Wolves with immediate effect.

The 21-year-old back-rower or centre has been plying his trade on loan at Salford Red Devils this season, making six appearances for Paul Rowley’s side.

Played twice at centre for Hull in 2022 and once for Salford this season.

Edited September 8, 2023 by bigbaldnmad
Added centre appearences.