Firstly you have to realise that York's budget is nowhere near that of the mighty FAX, just to get rid of the if you have the money brigade. I will start with my assessment of YORK, very well coached,good quick half backs,plenty of pace, loads of attacking options, great defence,forwards that made yards in the tackle, enthusiastic,aggressive,well disciplined,virtually error free and they possibly still may finish out of the 5. Now FAX - NONE OF THE ABOVE. A pathetic performance with Murrell and White in particular anonymous, forwards running in glue and QLT sat in the stand watching things unravel on a perfect playing surface. No top 5 this year for definate, I know what needs to change and I know Murrell/Grix is not the answer, but will it.

I did wonder why QLT was not playing, yes his defence is suspect but the guy creates things from nothing which is what we are missing!!!! Think the time for younger fresh halfbacks is here.

Now don’t shoot the poster!!

Halifax are going through what Featherstone & Leigh, Sheffield & Bradford have been through. That is, fans & club owners expectations are massively higher than what actually happens in the Championship purely based on pounds spent.

Teams in this league turn each other over week in week out, it’s never going to change, that’s what makes the league so good, it’s good honest Rugby League. Fans believe that the more money you spend the bigger the win margin should be and that’s nonsense, and Halifax are going through that.

My team Leigh spent 1.6 million last year and you pumped us at your place, money doesn’t make you win games in this league, I’m used to seeing it, problem is you guys aren’t, and I’ve sat here reading your comments goading us in the past for spending and not achieveing and unfortunately now is your time being in the leagues “big boys”

Stick with it, enjoy your team, you have a track record of finishing strong and I’m sure you will.

Waddy, QLT was apparently saying it's too cold for him currently, which was why he was dropped last week.. today was ideal for him. However watching the play slow considerably every time Murrell or White touched the ball, I doubt he would have had any impact. This Fax team is a very poor team with too many has beens or journeymen now. Jonno is not the answer either.... The issue (and I've said for several years) lies with the coach. Frankly he's woeful and should have gone years ago. Zero development of the squad, very little development or pathway via the U23s despite in excess of 250k spent on it... Marshall is a very very poor coach. Stevie Wonder can see our halves are very poor, we lack a strike centre and generally pace in the backs full stop. We also need 2 aggressive forwards (with 1 a nasty offloading prop). It's clear where we lack and everyone but our coach (loosest sense of the word) can spot it after 5 years.... What squad development has there been? Very little! It's still the majority of Harrison's squad and many of his additions have been questionable at best...

Today I saw a team that lacked heart, ideas and aggression. Very poor discipline and incapable of breaking the line with slow halves incapable of stamping any authority on the game at all. Unless changes are made quickly, this could be a very very long season where crowds dwindle considerably. For me Marshall must be shown the door and quickly cos today was embarrassing and sadly not much different from any games Fax have played in so far this year....

We have had one decent performance against Dewsbury.
At Widnes, Fev and York today we have been out muscled, out enthused and out played by much better sides.
Poor performance in every respect, attack, defence discipline again.

I think the weather v Dewsbury flattered us.... We just managed the conditions better. Another day (weatherwise) I think would have seen something similar to other performances

Well that was poor but honestly not a shock to anyone who has seen our performances this season. In previous years we could get away with having the worst attack in the top 5 or 6 teams because our defence was so good but this season won't be the case as we look pretty soft up front and have no back up as our attack is as poor as it has been. Our attack is laboured and slow, again no real surprise to anyone who has watched most of the same players for the past few seasons, but now we seem to give more penalties away than most teams in the league which will test any defence.

Marshalls contract runs out this season and now after a few games it does not look like there is any talk about an extension so surely it would be in the clubs best interests to make the break now while the season can still be rescued and give a new coach a chance to be ready for next season rather than wait and do everything rushed at the last minute?

Were Leigh that bad ?

While I wasn't there today, it seems given what people are saying is that we are either lacking confidence on the field or we didn't have the right mindset to tackle York today. Either way, the discipline is alarming, I think it was 8-1 in the second half. However, I really can't empathise with the Marshall bashing. Yes, he has been found wanting tactically on occasions but to say that the youth system hasn't bore fruit is misguided. Take a look at Fev and their rent-a-squad. Last 2 games they have had 6 players playing who don't belong to them. Leigh, 5 players that don't belong to them. This isn't sustainable. We have a youth- set up that will provide a pipeline for seasons to come. It's no coincidence that the most successful teams of the last 2 decades also have the most successful youth set ups (Bradford, Wigan, Leeds).

Too cold for Q L T ? W T F it's not as though this is his first season in England. I bet it is not too cold for him to pick up his wage packet .
As for a penalty count of 8-1 against it shows :
players too slow/ out of condition to catch opponents therefore have to give penalties.
a disregard for the discipline required to be a professional sportsman.
lack of skills, basic rugby practices.
I am just disappointed it cannot be sorted out by the coaching staff, yes blame R M but once the players cross the whitewash he is powerless.
Fine players who give penalties away, hurt them where it counts, say 10% of the wage for every penalty given away needlessly on single players, or you could make it peer pressure and fine the whole team 5 % of their wages for every penalty given away needlessly.
The referees can t be wrong every week.
It has been suggested to change coach now:
Can Fax afford the payoff?
Who is there to step in ?, don t mention Murrell and Grix would be just the same, as for reasons stated by others,they are seasoned pros and should be able to change things on the field at the time.
Been said before, Keep doing the same thing over and over, you will get the same result and wonder why. Doh

What if both these players had gone to Marshall voicing concerns about recruitment but both were completely ignored? They are obviously very restricted in what they can do but both still do it on the field for us when given the chance, before we get the Murrell was anonymous brigade, Im afraid most half backs would be missing against our dominated pack, they both have the respect of all the players at the club not just a select few and both will make very good coaches.

The truth is that Marshall has had the plaudits but have we really improved in his time at the club? We have finished just about where we should do given spend and appeal to players, we are probably along with Fev the most attractive team for any part time player to play for, but fans will only stand for watching boring predictable rugby for so long. They accept it when it is winning games but as soon as that turns we have what we have now.

The Fax results come as no surprise to me, I said before a ball was kicked Fax would be fighting for 5th spot with Fev and Leigh, I stand by that.You beat a very poor Leigh team a few weeks ago,and had a decent result against Dews, but be honest,you hung on against Batley and Swinton,and have Toronto next.

We at Leigh are improving, but ,I’m honest enough to know without the Saints players we would be found lacking, the same seems to be of Fev.York are not a bad team, but nowt to write home about,and Sheff keep winning.The irony of all this is wins at Bradford and Barrow at the LSV and we could be 2nd in the League.A strange but exciting season is ahead of us all.

Leave RM where he is.

You' best get in touch with The RFL then, as you're only allowed a maximum of 5

What makes things worse is Marshalls comments after the game were that "York took us by surprise" How the f***??? Get rid and quick.

G F B you are closer to the action than I am, and from your posts have your ear to the ground of the information trail. Just where did Fax go wrong on recruiting?, people seemed quite happy with the squad, yes a few remarked about a light pack, on the upside of that should they be more mobile?, not relying on breaking tackles and beating people up, I have nothing against intimidation of the opposition it's part of the game. Is Marshal so pigheaded he cannot see where the weak areas are, as good as Murrell has been, every dog has its day and it seems his was over a couple of years ago, although he was nominated for player of year, so he can still do it even as a roly poly.
However my point still is, if it ain't working with plan a should not the senior players have a plan b, c, or even d to revert to without calls from the sideline? Fax have a lot of experience on the field so come on guys use your nous, you can and have done it, and not just on a dry track, England does not have 8 months of summer weather.
The lack of discipline will cost Fax points every week. How many penalties given away so far this year 4 games gone have they gone passed 50 yet?

I dont have the Stats for the Widnes Game but in the 6 Matches since we have conceded 55 Pens & have been awarded 38

All spot on.

Bentleyman thank you for the info fax have been awarded more than I imagined. However that is still a 30% negative figure. Not good for defensive play. Also where they are conceded.

How have we got ourselves in the position of being a team clueless in attack, capable of conceding points from any part of the field, conceding penalty after penalty.
This is when Murrell is playing and when ever he leaves the field the performance level drops to junior rugby level.

I can accept losing after putting in a performance.

What I can’t accept is looking like losers after putting in a performance like that, “ again .”

I was there as a neutral yesterday.

The biggest difference in my opinion was that York ran on to the ball at pace.

Halifax on the other hand were completely static when they received the ball. They certainly need to think and act quicker.

I would be concerned at the lack of pace yesterday and how easily the York forwards especially Teanby dominated the game.

Your half backs were totally outplayed by Robinson and Cockayne yesterday.

Just read Marshall's post match speil.Basically he's no idea why it went wrong and has no answers.Really is time for a change.

Exactly ricardo and if it’s obvious to us and a neutral spectator what’s wrong but not to the coach I really do start to worry and despair.
I’ve said it time and time again about our pack, the second row usually put in a good shift.
The front row make no impact and yesterday we had the 2 starting props and 3 more on the bench.
Against Swinton it was only when it became desperado time and Simon Grix started to run the ball in hard in the last 10 minutes as a prop / forward should do that Fax got anything from the game.

Things I noticed yesterday.

1. Our passing is still poor and so slow, player has to either stop, jump or twist backwards to catch it.
2. No player seems to catch the ball running onto it.
3. We let teams up at the play the ball too quick.
4. We have 2 halfbacks who don't run.
5. A former winger outplayed our halfbacks.
6. Forwards just no oomph at all.
7. We get out enthused at everything.
8. Doesn't seem to be players running at angles giving the ball carrier options. When York had the ball there was players everywhere running giving the ball carrier options.
9. We are so predictable in attack. One up rugby or scoot or at best ball passed down the line with no 2nd phase coming in or creating options and hesitation in the defence.
10. We still think a 5 minute one man run-around is a good tactic, last seen in the 90's in the Workshops competition.
11. Maybe the advantages of Murrell don't outweigh the disadvantages now.
12. The pies were decent!

.

I wasn’t there yesterday so cannot comment too much on the game although by the highlights some of the tries conceded looked woeful.

One massive thing that no one seems to be mentioning which is definitely contributing to our downfall - fitness.

We look unfit in all areas - cardvascular and muscular.

People talk of a high penalty count against us each game... why is that? Because we cannot get back onside, we’re losing the ruck, we’re tired and making mistakes.

We completed our sets well against Dewsbury which meant ultimately didn’t defend as much. Therefore masks the real problem.

The first season we had Andy Hollyhead (conditioner) we looked fit from the off.

Every season since that, we have got better as the season goes on... as we have got fitter.

Just a point, probably too late to start doing Shibden hills on a Tuesday evening now but I bet it would make a huge difference if we were fitter.