In the Courier article, RM stated



so what would you do? Personally, I think the enthusiasm within the team/team spirit is there but sometimes the execution is poor; tired players players go missing or some just don't have the skill to deliver on their enthusiasm. We have options in some areas but not in the key areas. We need more options at hooker and across the backs. Rob, Johnno and a coup!e of others give their all but make mistakes which give away points.

In my opinion the game plan is there but the execution close to the line is terrible.

Normally our defence gets us out of trouble unfortunately today our goal line defence was missing at times.

We need to strengthen but who is available and, quite frankly, do we have the money?

Can't argue with any of that. At the end of the day it comes down to brass and We haven't got any. We went to Blackpool today and i thought the Fax support was tremendous. It game me my enthusiasm back. Up The Fax.

Great support, but London next Sunday is another challenge, need more speed around the ruck, We are too slow, cutting down our options to create try scoring chances. We have one of the best defences, but our points scored is not good.

We need a scrum half asap otherwise we won't make the top 4. Jonno just isn't good enough I'm afraid

Our defence is good and was yesterday - outstanding at times, although left edge and defending the line not so good.

We lack aggression in the forwards, making that opposition defensive line take a step back to give us a bit more time.

We seriously lack creativity when attacking. Slow out of acting half and with only predictable options - our only hope is to get close and try a kick. Toulouse had dummy runners running from all angles - we passed to players standing still!

For me, get someone in to coach attacking, get a half back/hooker to get us moving quicker and tell our forwards not to be so nice. Plus pace. Toulouse had bags of it. We have Rob, who likes to run off the pitch and drop it!

Briggs from Fev is out of favour and would make a difference. We need a hooker and halfback and a new winger

Couldn't agree more. Simples!

And for once I agree with Barry Mac. EVERY team should have Reserves and an Academy.

[uOn The Field[/u
Team ethic great. Defence great (most of the time)
Core skills leave a lot to be desired -catching/passing/ball retention.
Discipline needs improving.
Class across the whole team lacking.
Game management needs improving.
That's what needs to improve rather than just picking out individual players.
Nobody goes out on the pitch to play badly. Just revolves around skill level.
Unfortunately attracting better payers needs money and we haven't got that.

[uOff The Field[/u
Only other key thing we might want to revisit is our ambition as a club. Can we do anything different at the top level to reinvigurate the club? New message to the fans? New strategy? New vision? New revenue streams?

In perspective it is our first league loss in ages against a good side!

Good post. I totally agree with the point about ambition. If you haven't got that you might as well pack up. Off the field and on it we need someone to take the bull by the horns

and really shake things up. If only I could win the lottery. Sportsman, shudds. Alechemy EH 54 5.7 %. Mmm!

I didnt think Fax were too bad and as others have identified, you just need a bit more creativity both with the hands and kicking. There also seemed to be too much reliance on Worrincy to come up with something which can become a bit obvious for the opposition.

Rob was both good and bad, thing is a couple of seasons ago he'd have had a couple of tries with the breaks he made, just lacking a yard or two of pace these days.

If we cut out the brain farts we are up there and pushing the top sides even though they mainly tend to be full time. London is now, and probably always was, a massive game, it will be tough be if we play smart rugby we can pull off a win.

Good luck to the lads.

London looked pretty slick on Saturday, it's a bit of a worry. I think our distribution lets us down at times, it's so pedestrian and rarely is it a well-timed pass on to a player running at speed. No one can afford to have an off-day on Sunday, too many did against Toulouse.

I'm surprised the coach didn't try to attack more down the right. Most movement was left side or central with Minga having to help out therefore leaving the TO left side exposed. The slow ptb helped Toulouse as they struggle more when the pace is faster.

I've just seen the Fax fixture list for the remainder of the season. They seem to have the most difficult run-in of the main contenders. I wonder how they will be able to make up the points difference ?

Always stuck up for Rob when he divided opinions but his race is now run.Being caught from behind by Miles Greenwood last week was final straw.Miles has had 2 serious leg injuries and getting on himself.

My understanding is that the club are in the middle of big reorganisation under Mark Moore as the place is a complete mess.

Lottery staff have been moved to be part of another lottery structure (I think its Rhinos) and we get a fixed sum from the lottery each week. All the money management has gone from the back office as it was a complete mess (again) and Ramsey is looking after it.

Player contracts (without win bonuses) added up to more than budget, and all past prize money has been spent and any future prize money this year will go to players via bonuses, so we have no money, again, and may well have a big debt.

Looks to me as if we are stuck with what we have for next couple of seasons no matter where we finish and our BOD have let us down badly.

Looking at remaining fixtures it is going to be between us and fev we need to turn over London this week to have a chance

Yep, on the positive side at least it's in our own hands and we still have a chance and the ability if we can get it right, on the negative side recent form and results against the better sides don't look that promising though and with each loss the pressure mounts.
The worry is that having missed out on a lucrative pay day from the CC by losing to Fev we could miss out again by not being in the top 4.
Going on last season ending up in the "losers" comp saw a lot lose interest with the gates going down even more and I can see that being worse this time round all resulting in a big hole in the pocket.

Yep another Half Back and a Winger - I agreed with Phil Clarke when he said that Fax are a good side but they don't have that 'X-Factor' for the top 4 - we are a good side and the players give 100% - (I also think Worrincy gets way too much abuse from the stands , other players knock on like Salty knock on no-one says a word Worrincy does it and some of the vitriol from the stands is disgusting).

May be we need to use our DR with Salford more - money doesn't grow on trees ........

Top 4s gone now,Sunday was must win.To be fair to RM 5th is a good effort with what happened in the close season.

I agree, if the split wasn't with the top 4 and was 8 then we would take fifth and a tilt at the playoffs, as it is it's all changed and anything below fourth now means diddly.

In reality, with finances as they are, our only options during the run in are either loan or (may I say without upsetting Hudd-Shay too much) DR. Salford as obviously flying high, do they have an upcoming hooker/half-back to spare that could get some consistent game time at Halifax? If not, we need to explore the loan market; is there another AoB out there that we could keep hold of until the end of the season?

Dbvada, you seem to be aware of some things going on back room, would you care to enlighten those of us in the dark ?

Perhaps some loans coming in this week?

He was caught from behind by John Davies in the CC a couple of weeks ago. Back in the day he'd have been under the posts.

Yes it's not happened in isolation.Managing to position himself off the island when taking a pass from centre was a brainfart of epic proportions even by his standards.