I haven't seen a worse display from a Halifax half back for many a year. What does he bring to the team? Everybody claims he is the onfield general organising everything; today we had absolutely no organisation! We cannot have a halfback who is scared of taking the line on. I feel for Thackery as he tries and tries but every other play has to go through Handforth and it is always slow and the defence can see it coming a mile away!

Nat - the forwards didn't do their job in the second half down the slope. Can't play behind a beaten pack.

I guess you didn't go last week?

He shows glimpses of his ability every so often like last week, but we need someone who'll play consistently, he just looks half d most of the time. Thackeray on the other hand has really stepped up and has really improved in his playmaking role. I would definitely start Thackeray and Bowman next week, least Bowman is a creative player...

Bowman isn't good enough and the worse player on the pitch foe us yet again was Callum Casey who ive seen nothing from him that justifies his place in the team.

Sick of excuses like that; we were in their 20 as many times as they were in ours in the 2nd half. They scored twice and got a penalty. We scored once. That is not the fault of the forwards.

What does last week have to do with today's performance?

The game was going to plan until Rettie saw red and it was as blatant a red card as you'll ever see.

We toughed it out in the first half and were taking advantage of the slope in the second. A few little things you can point to after that, but Rettie was the turning point that lost us the game.

Today's result has nothing to do with Handforth.

And I wouldn't have Bowman anywhere near the first team.

Handforth has not been good enough. We've just no one else as I don't think Bowman is good enough either, but I do think perhaps he deserves a chance. But Handforth is not creative at all and on their line his decision making is terrible and obvious! But Handforth wasn't to blame for todays defeat as the game was their for the taking and unfortunately we were clueless.

Just don't get this. It was a really tight game. Handforth put in some quality kicks and set up Mannings try. Didn't see him make any mistakes.

I thought he had a very solid game

.............

casey had to play the whole game filling in at centre when tyrer went off,granted the lad did not do great but what do you expect playing out of position.

Bowman is a 13, in time will be a pretty decent one as well.

Are you awake during the match? They weren't in the Batley 20 in the second half as much as Batley were in ours in the first. Get some better specs lad.

And my point about last week - Handforth destroyed them but I can't find your post acknowledging this. You negative miserable git.

Handforth has generally been a huge disappointment, as for Callum Casey i feel it is unfair on the lad to keep selecting him. It is apparent that he is not yet ready for the first team.

Rettie could easily have been sent off in the first half. He kicked an opponent after playing ball. Was missed by all the officials. Get wound up to play but control emotions , but he obviously couldnt take the pressure of returning to Mount Pleasant. Handforth not set world alight true and would have thought he would have kicked batley to death in the second half , like he did to us, but tries and did make Mannings try

One good game against featherstone doesn't excuse the fact he's been Sh*te for nearly every other game. He's so predictable, he gets the ball, he passes the ball. Don't think i've seen him take on the line once this year. Any chance we can send him back to Batley and swap him for Ben Black?!?!

Did you have your eyes shut last week too?

Jeez, what the fook are people watching sometimes?

Granted, he's no Ben Black but Ben Black's gone - move on. We lost today because our forwards failed to lay the platform in the second half. I don't remember Penky having the blinder that he normally does. Why is that? Because our pack was beaten and had the wrong attitude in the second half.

People please - stop being thick.

This.

I didn't go to the game last week so didn't see his performnace, I'm not questioning you when you say he had a good game last week, but the thing his he's become so predictable the opposition knows what hes gonna do, he never took on the defence today, he got the ball and either passed it or kicked it. You keep saying the pack was beaten and had the wrong attitude, so surely this would have been a perfect opportunity for Handforth to have tried something different and taken on the line but no he passed it to one of the forwards who was beaten and had the wrong attitude.

never has been a ben black type player and never will be, give the lad a chance he is doing his best, was very good last week but poor this, penky was quiet apart from his try but people are not coming on here and saying he is rubbish,pack did not get on top so halves and hooker could not do their stuff.

has gone get over it.

We have no given right to win every game, played poor today but could have still won.

Ref a disgrace lost control. If he had penalised holding down we would not have finished with 12 men but rettie was still stupid to do what he did.






still top of league, could be a lot worse could be a dulls or widnes fan

some one has tampered with my reply i put black

One day the knockers (phnaaar phnaaar) are going to get a rude awakening - when Fax aren't milling around at the top of the table.

Get yer statins in.

In an earlier post about how weare to increase fans i expressed that i have only been once this year due to my loss of desire for the game. One of the reasons i lost my desire was having to constantly listen to the same people moaning weeek after week about the players. Last year Ben Black was a waste of space and should not be in the team, now cos he scored against us people want to bring him back. I love to go to grounds where people sing for theire team no matter what and if a player is struggling for what ever reason...encourage him...shout his name ...praise him...guess what it may lift him up to have the desire to play rather than hear the c**p coming from the stands and think stuff that lot, they haven't just been hit by two 17st prop forwards. I am a Liverpool supporter as well as fax. At Anfield when players are struggling they sing their names to build up their confidence. Just think major final and getting absolutely stuffed...rather than boo and ridicule players..the fans sang their hearts out for "THEIR TEAM" the rest is history... If you can't spport then please stay off sites like this as players do read these forums

Funny quote on the Batley fans forum:-



Well we actually are quicker than we were today but thats usually because when the ref shouts at players to get off or take their hands out of the play the ball they do it because its normally a penalty, not today though. Also it much easier to keep Penky quiet if you simply stand a marker at either side of the play the ball.

Though when Thackery intercepted and got caught it was a blatent holding down as the player `turtled` him but obviously the ref couldnt give it as it would have meant binning the Batley player and he had obviously decided early doors he wouldnt be giving many penalties around the play the ball.

Don't post very often but some of the comments make me think people watch a very different game.

Ref allowed high shots, not square, offside and holding down go on all game so problems will always come from that.
We lost tyrer early (unable to return) and divorty went off unable to return, that effects how our forwards go as it restricts the rotation.
Casey did well out of position in defence, dealing with their best attacker (walton). He kicked the ball away 3 times when he would have been better running and keeping pressure on.
Our kicking game was poor near there line, again it was the bounce of the ball which will probably go for us on friday.
When we were getting on top Rettie got sent off (rightly), stupid thing was he would have been better punching Moore, no red maybe yellow and less ban!!!
How was Maun not sent off for running round ignoring officials and punching everyone. Why was barlow sin binned??? and why did they get the penalty if thats how the ref saw/didn't see it.
Ben Black will always score 10 metres out against tired forwards and 11 men.
Good game, lets stay positive and move onto Swinton Friday night!!!

Bit unfair on both cases I think. Firstly while I agree Casey probably shouldn't be in the first team yet, he has been playing out of position and apart from today he hasn't played that badly. And I completely disagree that Bowman isn't good enough, again while he has his faults and inexperience he does have a really creative touch to him in attack and that showed in the NRC game at Dewsbury. I expect you'll disagree with me but considering the lack of activity from Handforth at the moment I can't see anything wrong with playing Bowman at 6, give him a few games (not just the odd half) and I'm sure he'll start to find his feet. Karl and Matt must be able to see the potential if they both kept him on...