We've had far better boxing day fixtures in the past though.

[urlhttp://www.halifaxcourier.co.uk/sport/rugby/halifax-rlfc/grix-boxing-day-outing-a-reality-check-for-fax-s-young-players-1-8307478[/url

Well I guess thats Moore and Murrells positions in the first team safe once again. Darren Lockyer would have locked poor behind our pack in that 2nd half.

HXSparky↓
Re: Fax v Fev 26/12/16
Tue Dec 27, 2016 8:29 pm
I didn't go. As it happens, I couldn't, as I had other family commitments. Tbh though, I've pretty given up on these pre-season friendlies anyway. As has been said, a fiver is probably a fair price to charge if we don't treat it as a "proper" game, but with overheads, it really doesn't make sense for the club to do this.

From a fans perspective, friendlies should be fast-flowing affairs with teams trying out moves rather than any sort of "arm-wrestles". Both teams trying to show some real flair, ingenuity and showmanship to whet everyone's appetite for the coming season. Unfortunately, coaches see it more of an "enhanced" training session, and just an opportunity to try a few technical things out, blood some youngsters, or trial a couple of players in subtly different positions

Where clubs seem to wildly miss the mark, is that a few pre-season games that folk look forward to with anticipation and enjoy attending may just set them up for coming down to watch and support for the rest of the season.
Couple of points
You have two teams who despite it been a friendly want to win so it's still going to be competitive
If you don't give squad players time in pre season game when will they have time ? In the games that matter

Then you would properly moan about that

Blimey £15 for a glorified training session, rip off glad I didn't go!!!
Message to club we know you needed the money this time but don't repeat this again next year, stick to January games when it actually means something as players are playing for a place in the team!.

If anyone had been on Club website tickets were available for pre match purchase at half price. I paid £5 for a concession, fair price for a Friendly.

Do not be coming on here with such info! Lately it seems all people want to do is knock anything the club does and be negative. Anybody expecting much more than the team put out, needs to wake up. I am sure Marshall and Grix learned somethings about a few players. Punchard went well, but we have to be careful about pushing youngsters too fast too soon. He also has a lot to learn regarding managing the team and telling older more experienced players what he wants. Connor Robinson went well at Fullback. The youngsters in the second half got a wake up call. Likely only a couple will make it but good that we have the Dual Reg with South Wales as the Reserve System is a joke sadly. Grix was Coach for the day and probably learnt from some of his mistakes and allowed Marshall to take a look from a different viewpoint at a few things. Result means little at this stage. Maybe its our attitude and thinking that needs to be looked at not just the Clubs. I doubt we will finish in the top 5 to be honest. But we have a club and are certainly in a better position than a couple of other clubs in this League!!

I must admit before the game I questioned the logic of playing Conor at full back but I thought he went very well there before he had to move into the halves in the 2nd half. His timing into the line was good and better than we have had from our full backs recently. Plus he has good distribution so would expect him to be able to link up well with the other outside backs.

Looked good at full back. One definite positive.

Now that I've had time to reflect, I've changed my opinion on the game. £15 felt a bit much for what was produced on the pitch. But if they don't have the boxing day friendly next year, I'll have to attend family gatherings that day. And I am happy to pay £15 to dodge those.

Fullback seems to be the one big problem position we have as it seems RM is keen to give anyone and everyone a shot there as he tries to fill the position rather than actually sign a proven full back. Maybe that is down to the style of rugby he wants his full backs to play(one I think just inst possible from the quality of players available at this level) or maybe its just a case of it been a side problem of our halfs not been droppable but rather than give players a chance in their natural positions he needs to find somewhere for them to play.

he's also pretty good under the high ball

The issue of seemingly undroppable players was the cause of a lot of early season problems last year, he needs to look at who the best halves are and then work from there, but if they aren't performing they need to be dropped. The fullback position seems an issue but we had Salty there before he was pushed out to the wing in what looked like an effort to appease the fans calls for Jonno to get a run out. Let's hope we get it right early and see a settled side.

The thing is if he starts with say Moore and murrell and the drops say murrell for Johnson that's going to take time for the partnership to work in the mean time the loyal fax fans get on her calling the coaching staff clueless because they have change the team so they can't win

You miss my point, which was what fans want to see from these games is different to what coaches want to get out of them. It certainly wasn't a moan, and apologies if that's how it comes across. Personally, I don't like friendlies, and generally don't attend as I know I'm very likely to be disappointed. If you enjoyed it, then that's great, but to generate some anticipation for the coming season for the fans (imo) these games need to give a bit more. I wasn't there, but from what I've heard/read, it was competitive for 40 minutes, and then the tinkering started (just by one of the teams on the pitch), which resulted in a wholly one-sided second half.

I've supported Fax home and away for the last 40 years, and if I did want to have a bit of a moan now and again, I think I've probably earned that privilege!



We have a reserve team, and isn't that where the "squad" players should be developing/improving? Those that excel can then be brought into the 1st team when needed (albeit injuries can force a coach's hand sooner than he wants).

Murrell and Moore did not work last season, I can't think why it would be any different this season and to pick players regardless of form is going to get called out at some point.

You're only 5 posts in (and struggling to string them together as a coherent sentence) and aren't really making a lot of sense.

Did you perhaps get one of these for Christmas...

[urlhttps://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.webhallen.com%2Fproduct%2F133583%2Flarge&imgrefurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.webhallen.com%2Fse-sv%2Flek_och_gadgets%2F133583-my_first_pc_tutor-inlarningsdator&docid=Wk9cS3k5RAE6PM&tbnid=5asNsijhoWZgnM%3A&vet=1&w=354&h=354&bih=960&biw=1920[/url

Ooh, if only the team were as precise as your proof reading!
Give the guy a chance, it's only short of a couple of punctuation marks and a couple of letters from words.

Perhaps your perfection levels are why you're so analytical of the teams performances.

Nobody is 100% all the time, neither is the team.

Enjoy life and let others do their best.

For me - the game was about boosting the clubs coffers, getting some much needed fresh air over the Christmas period, and having a craic with my mates at the game. A win would have been nice, but didn't spoil my day at all!!

It was a friendly - surely we wouldn't want the coach to be putting all our first choice players on the pitch and revealing all to one of our main rivals?? Give the kids a chance I say!!

The spine of the team needs to be settled on much quicker this year than last. I would expect by the Salford friendly that RM has a clear idea of his 1,6,7,9 and 13. We can't be experimenting still half way through the season-too many good sides in the league this season and points will not be easy to come by.
My spine would be
1, Salty
6 Moore
7 Johnston
9 Kaye
13 Murrell.

First half we matched them and had the better chances until a single penalty and quick Fev score brought them back into the game.
Second half with mainly newcomers and younger lads against a strong Rovers side it was largely one way traffic.
Boyle, Nelmes, Kaye went reasonably well, Grady ran hard enough and Punchard showed some nice touches.
It was a chance to see how some of the unknowns would go and have a look at the opposition who will be up again soon enough.
We all had a chance to get a reduction in the admission by using the clubs web site but if we don't use it hard to complain about it really.
I am hearing Johnno has had a hip problem which originally didn't look good but better after treatment.

It's a friendly, it's to be expected. I enjoyed it and was good to get some live rugby. I am still worried about our lack of punch in the forwards, more so then last season as we now have no Moore or Manning and the centres, we have the 2 fastest wingers in the league but will they see the ball?
Top 8 would be a good season however I predict we are 1 silly loss (like Rochdale away etc) from a relegation battle. I rate Marshall but don't think he has the tools for the job.

Ya just never know, although were 5-6-7th realistically, there's plenty of scope for us to improve, and for others to nose dive, team sports and their dynamics often throw up surprises.

We'll have to get off to a flier, get our noses up there, and cling on for our dear life, almost literally, praying that we pull off a couple of surprises along the way.

It's the only way I can see us getting back on some sort of keel, even if that's not an even one.

We lost a pre season friendly, in the words of the anti nowhere league 'So what'

I'm not perfect, far from it, and apologies if I've offended anyone. It's true that I do prefer folk to use punctuation and grammar correctly so that we can easily read and understand the messages that are being put forward, but accept I was maybe (ok, not maybe) a tad OTT this time.

I hope Fax do well this year, and wish everyone who wears blue'n'white a very Happy New Year.

New Year's resolution for me - stop being a grumpy sod...

Best thing we could do this year is challenge Scott to try take his fitness up to a totally new level. Imagine if he could lose a stone and pack on lean muscle, he would tear this league up. He is a sportsman after all.

Its a fallacy that he is unfit. He just looks it because of his shape. He just lacks a yard of pace and thats not something he will ever gain. Unfortunatley though it is one of the reasons our attack is so predictable when you have 2 half backs who are very similar playing together, both Moore and Murrell would look very good playing with a quick running half back but thats not a way that RM wants to play so it will be next season before that is changed as IMO if he sticks with it he probably wont be here next season.