Leeds v York Valkyrie

[BroncoFan]

I haven’t seen the teams yet but I’m tipping Leeds for a big win this weekend.

Also have a feeling The Giants will put up a good fight v Wigan.

[RBKnight]

2 hours ago, BroncoFan said:

I haven’t seen the teams yet but I’m tipping Leeds for a big win this weekend.

Also have a feeling The Giants will put up a good fight v Wigan.

Big win as in a big result, rather than big score? Valkyrie haven't lost at home in the league for two years. York-Leeds games of recent vintage have been feisty (read: niggly) affairs with not much between the teams, and I don't expect this to be much different. 

Hoping that Huddersfield improve is on the wish-list of most supporters of women's RL I know - no evidence so far that it's actually happening this year.

[RigbyLuger]

2 hours ago, BroncoFan said:

I haven’t seen the teams yet but I’m tipping Leeds for a big win this weekend.

Also have a feeling The Giants will put up a good fight v Wigan.

I'd rathe back Wigan -36. Fancy Barrow to win at Warrington.

[RigbyLuger]

18-0 Wigan already...

https://wigantv.mixlr.com/events/3397865

[The Blues Ox]

On 10/05/2024 at 11:46, RigbyLuger said:

I'd rathe back Wigan -36. Fancy Barrow to win at Warrington.

That was the HT handicap right?

[RigbyLuger]

When you make a big thing about being "professional" you really do need to back it up, and that's a knock on the Huddersfield club, not the players they have.

[The Blues Ox]

Didnt think they would bridge the gap this year but the gap looks bigger than ever at this point. They made some decent signings but they are way off the pace.

[BroncoFan]

Wow, I didn’t think Huddersfield could get any worse.

That is so disappointing and obviously credit to Wigan, they have some great young players and Betts seems to be getting the best out of the squad.

[The Blues Ox]

On the sportsman this game in 15 minutes for anyone wanting to watch.

[RigbyLuger]

Good game so far.

[The Blues Ox]

Really good game. A few too many errors and Leeds probably just done enough to edge it at the moment but a really good battle. Think the ref is having a really good game too, letting just enough go and done well to pick these poor play the balls up.

[BroncoFan]

York seemed a bit flat and lacked spark and TJS looked injured.

Next week, after seeing how impressive Saints were yesterday I’ll be shocked if they don’t beat Valkyrie.

[RBKnight]

3 hours ago, BroncoFan said:

York seemed a bit flat and lacked spark and TJS looked injured.

Next week, after seeing how impressive Saints were yesterday I’ll be shocked if they don’t beat Valkyrie.

No complaints with the result here - a bit of D&V in the York camp before the match apparently, which wouldn't have helped them up their game in the 2nd half in hot weather.

Tara Jane Stanley really needs to take 2/3 weeks off to sort out her knee (not that she will)

[unapologetic pedant]

6 hours ago, The Blues Ox said:

Think the ref is having a really good game too, letting just enough go and done well to pick these poor play the balls up.

Lucy Murray has carried on rollballing like it's 2023. AFAIK, been allowed to get away with it. Until today. Turned the ball over twice in succession. The second offence was very revealing. Proves that players (and coaches) don't take refs seriously first time round. Thereafter, every Lucy Murray PTB was picture-perfect.

Props to @Dunbar who always insisted this could be easily fixed. I thought the rot had set so far in, through the amateur and junior sectors, that we were stuck with it. UK RL looks so much better this year.

I agree the ref was good. All the nuanced ruck calls were reasonable.

The Emma Kershaw double movement disallowed try was a tricky one. Question is whether she was held. For pedants and connoisseurs, this is the pertinent clause in the rulebook -

Broken Tackle: "Where the player in possession is brought to the ground, a tackle is not effective if the hold on the player in possession is broken before he is grounded. Before allowing play to proceed, referees should be sure in their own minds that the tackle was indeed broken otherwise the tackler who, playing in the true spirit of the game, releases the tackled player immediately as they are brought to ground, may be unfairly penalised"

On that basis, I reckon there was enough contact as the ball-carrying arm touched the ground to give the defender the benefit of the doubt. 

[Dunbar]

4 minutes ago, unapologetic pedant said:

I thought the rot had set so far in, through the amateur and junior sectors, that we were stuck with it. UK RL looks so much better this year.

I agree.  Across the UK game the play the ball is a lot better this year, in fact I think it looks better than the Aussie game now.

[BroncoFan]

42 minutes ago, unapologetic pedant said:

 

The Emma Kershaw double movement disallowed try was a tricky one. Question is whether she was held. For pedants and connoisseurs, this is the pertinent clause in the rulebook -

Broken Tackle: "Where the player in possession is brought to the ground, a tackle is not effective if the hold on the player in possession is broken before he is grounded. Before allowing play to proceed, referees should be sure in their own minds that the tackle was indeed broken otherwise the tackler who, playing in the true spirit of the game, releases the tackled player immediately as they are brought to ground, may be unfairly penalised"

On that basis, I reckon there was enough contact as the ball-carrying arm touched the ground to give the defender the benefit of the doubt. 

That was a definite try, the defender fell off so she wasn’t held.

Poor decision imo.

[unapologetic pedant]

2 hours ago, BroncoFan said:

That was a definite try, the defender fell off so she wasn’t held.

Poor decision imo.

Depends how "Held" is defined. If you freeze the action at the point the ball-carrying arm touches the ground, it looks to be a completed tackle. The judgement is unaffected by the defender subsequently slipping off, however quickly.

Bear in mind that one of the ways a tackle is deemed complete is when the ball-carrier -

"is lying on the ground and an opponent places a hand on him"

i.e. once the ball or ball-carrying arm is down, completion only requires contact, no need for a secure grip.

I stand by my earlier opinion. Fair call. On balance.

[The Blues Ox]

Yeah thought it was a fair call here too. I think with a video ref it would not have been allowed either.

Out of interest how much was it to watch the 2 games at York yesterday? Presuming this was actually a double header?

[RBKnight]

49 minutes ago, The Blues Ox said:

Yeah thought it was a fair call here too. I think with a video ref it would not have been allowed either.

Out of interest how much was it to watch the 2 games at York yesterday? Presuming this was actually a double header?

£ 15.00 (Men's game was a cup game, so price was reduced as it wasn't on the season ticket)

Entry for double headers is usually priced the same as stand-alone men's matches - £20.00

Valkyrie stand-alone league matches matches are on the season ticket (they were priced at £6.00 last year)

[RBKnight]

9 hours ago, unapologetic pedant said:

Depends how "Held" is defined. If you freeze the action at the point the ball-carrying arm touches the ground, it looks to be a completed tackle. The judgement is unaffected by the defender subsequently slipping off, however quickly.

Bear in mind that one of the ways a tackle is deemed complete is when the ball-carrier -

"is lying on the ground and an opponent places a hand on him"

i.e. once the ball or ball-carrying arm is down, completion only requires contact, no need for a secure grip.

I stand by my earlier opinion. Fair call. On balance.

I agree. Incidentally, Emma Kershaw is becoming a very decent all-round player - rock solid under the high ball, robust in defence and an aggressive (and very willing) ball-carrier out of yardage.

She might not be fastest winger, but her and Carrie Roberts together pack a fair bit of grunt on York's right flank.

[The Blues Ox]

1 hour ago, RBKnight said:

£ 15.00 (Men's game was a cup game, so price was reduced as it wasn't on the season ticket)

Entry for double headers is usually priced the same as stand-alone men's matches - £20.00

Valkyrie stand-alone league matches matches are on the season ticket (they were priced at £6.00 last year)

Wow that is a bargain really. That is the correct way to push inclusivity.

[Double Knock On]

I was in the stand behind the posts for the Kershaw try, Kershaw appeared to be tripped by Beevers before she scored. having watched the replay this is difficult to see, but the try should have been given as Casey never completes the tackle as she is not in contact at the time the right arm touches the ground.

The Andrade penalty was harsh, her hand is on the shoulder of Casey, no contact to head or neck. The other penalty the ball was lost in the tackle.

Leeds got the 50:50 calls, there were a number of 6 agains which seem not to have been noted on video except by tackle count suddenly changing

Eagles to Wembley!!! Pity it wasn't last year for the 25th anniversary.

Great win for Tubby Beans and the Bald one 

[unapologetic pedant]

2 hours ago, RBKnight said:

I agree. Incidentally, Emma Kershaw is becoming a very decent all-round player - rock solid under the high ball, robust in defence and an aggressive (and very willing) ball-carrier out of yardage.

A large percentage of high balls are spilt in the women's game. I'm not complaining. Sounds like a back-handed compliment, but it's an extra point of interest. Same with goal-kicking. Means different calibrations from the men's game. Sorts the wheat from the chaff. 

From memory, only two kick spills in York v Leeds. TJS and Hanna Butcher from a kick-off.

2 hours ago, RBKnight said:

I agree. Incidentally, Emma Kershaw is becoming a very decent all-round player - rock solid under the high ball, 

Good moment when she had to reach back to take a high kick, then a one-handed offload to TJS on the return. We need more adventurous plays like that in WSL.

2 hours ago, RBKnight said:

She might not be fastest winger, but her and Carrie Roberts together pack a fair bit of grunt on York's right flank.

Couple of Carrie Roberts flick passes out of the tackle to get the winger away yesterday. One in the disallowed try.

Re skill levels and risk-taking in tight games - Obviously personal confidence is instrumental. For the bigger picture, worth listening to Allana Ferguson's argument that women's RL should use a smaller ball.

[unapologetic pedant]

1 hour ago, Double Knock On said:

 as she is not in contact at the time the right arm touches the ground.

Factually incorrect.

 

1 hour ago, Double Knock On said:

Kershaw appeared to be tripped by Beevers 

Accidental.

[WRLFan]

Thoroughly enjoyed yesterdays game and the reault

Leeds got a great squad this year. Recruited well and some quality youngsters in the team.