Sad as it is after last season but we fight like mad to avoid relegation. Realistically the league is over for us and we will have to fight to stay up but we have a big Semi Final over at Fev to look forawrd to and maybe just maybe the players can produce another big performance and we can make it to another showcase event. Thats what we have to cling to for the minute.

Oh and our kicks to touch - whats that all about. Might be something worth working on. On second thoughts with our defence maybe put that on the back burner for the time being.

That pretty much sums it up for me.

In terms of Beswick I think where he fits in is fairly simple.

Penky plays 80 as hooker. Bob plays loosed forward and Barlow props. Nobody seems to actually know what their job is in the team at the moment.
When Beswick was injured at the end of last season Penky had to put in 80 minute games and we won a lot more than we lost. Not hard is it?

We can all see our best games are with penky doing 80 mins, how the chuff Calland can't see it beats me?

There are less and less of us seeing it every week now. Crowds will drop below 1500 soon and then we will be in total freefall.

I agree with a fair bits that's been said. What I found disappointing about today was for the first hour or so we wernt all that bad. We built a useful 18-6 lead , saw barrow come back to level things up and then regain the lead. Ok we gave away a couple of soft try's and threw some loose passes but I thought our commitment and attitude was good. It was just the last quarter that annoyed me. We seem to be masters of imploding in the latter stages of games. Whether it's down to our fitness that isnt good enough or a mental thing but when was the last time we played well in the last quarter ? On a playing front cherryholme and White were our best players today

Lacklustre ????
You couldn't have chosen a more inappropriate word if you'd have tried !

Just 16 men available for the match, 18-6 down at one point and unable to make any interchanges for a lot of the 2nd half due to no fit players on the bench ....

I think 'remarkable' would be a better choice.

It's ok saying all their tries were scored down Haleys side..but bringing him off didn't make a blind bit of difference. Both Holly and Jones were shifted out there and guess what...they both let in tries down that side. Any team could score anywhere on the line at the moment cos none of them can defend. There are somer serious problems that need addressing at the club. And it ness to start with finding out why the players don't seem to want to play.

It just showed more tactical ineptness by our coach. Fair enough bring Haley off he was having a stinker but at least re-arrange so we have someone who can defend out where Barrow were constantly attacking us.

Is there anyone at the club you like??

In the cold light of Monday morning yesterday was a disgrace, a Team that cannot play 80 mins - too many oldies, poor recruitment, poor tactics, poor defence need I go on. Never seen the Shay empty as quick even in the dark days of 2003, and it will get worse unless the Board gets tough with the coach and the Team. Forget SL, who wants to see a Team thrashed every week, we've been there and got the T-Shirt.
Why does Penky only play 40mins when Holroyd plays 80 (he came as backup,has been a super player especially end of last season, but not to play every game). Div 1 is staring us in the face, how many will be at the Shay then? Get a grip before it's too late, the only consolation is the Bulls got thrashed yesterday too. Ok we have some injuries but that is no excuse.

Staff or players? Staff - a couple. Players - yes but i can see we are carrying far too many. I just try and be honest.

Because our coach has a rigid game plan that dosnt lend to adapting to a players form.

The thing is if we get into Super League we will build a completely different team its just we will not get there now so we will have to carry on being gash in the Championship unless we make changes. Thanks to certain players in our squad for ruining what little chance we had of getting into super League

It's time he got a new game plan before it's too late, Plan A (the only one ) isn't working. Wish I hadn't bought a Ticket for next week, we will get another thrashing irespective of how bad Bulls were yesterday. For Calland not to turn up in the Sponsors Lounge or on radio Leeds says it all. I'm waiting for the excuses. If we do get into SL(God forbid) all the best players will have been snapped up, Widnes are already recruting.

Let me first say this is not sour grapes just an observation. The last good final quater you had was the GF where your impact forwards Frank, Makali got a an extra 45 minutes rest, and you had more interchanges to use in the second half due to not having to use as many in the first. I would say fitness has a lot to do with it or balance of squad. Its like the tortoise and the Hair, you start like a house on fire and then seem to grind to a halt, except the Grand final, where you got to start the race twice. Please believe me when I say Im not knocking your success its their in the history books. I do think however it may have papered over some of you problems.

I would say Royston is the biggest loss for you, as when your creative players made space, broke the line, threw caution to the wind etc in Royston you had a player who always busted a gut to back up and make himself available to either finish or take plays on to second phase.

Obviously a player of Royston's quality is a huge loss but from what I've seen there doesn't seem to be anywhere near the same threat from a Black-Holroyd partnership at half back as there was Branighan-Black, and arguably that's a much more vital cog in a side.

I can see what your saying, however my observation is based on the fact that a lot of what was "good" at fax came from off the cuff stuff and and Royston made a lot of that pay due to his backing up. Also in the GF Brannigan was in the centre.

As a team Fax lack the structure of a Leigh or Fev and have relied on the off the cuff stuff for a while, which is fair enough as their fans will tell you its very entertaining and has won them a GF so fair play, but without sombody to capitalise or make themselves available to take plays on to second phase its a risky way of playing.

Think what 'Fax are missing is that you have to earn the right to play off the cuff and do the hardwork beforehand to build a platform to create space in the backs.

If some of them have any sense they will already have a plan and idea about the future, who could blame them.
As for Matt not turning up to post match activities, if he was running the riot act, i'd chuckle, its him thats playing old men with nothing to offer and its him that allows Frank to be on the pitch week in week out less than the kick tee lad or physio.

I've bit my tongue for a while. The way I see it is this. We have a squad of players here at fax most of whom would walk into any other side in the league. Any of those other sides that are currently above us. They are not performing as they for, in my opinion one of two reasons:

1. They are badly coached and motivated and not in a professional environment
2. There is no incentive for them to perform, they pick up a pay cheque regardless.

If its number 1, then we need to get rid, quickly, before the rot truly sets in. If number 2, I guess we'll never find out why there may be no incentive to perform. I doubt the blindly obvious excuse of not being able to be promoted is enough. I don't buy into the theory we are super league bound and none of the players will be staying. We are the RFLs fall guys here to get other clubs to pull their socks up. If we are super league bound then god help us if reason 1 is the case and is not rectified!

Thats what Im saying Matt their is a difference between building a platform in the forwards, pulling defences in then spreading it wide to the centres and wings and the off the cuff rugby that Fax play where it is often sparked by a half break from a Black or Worrincey, which the likes of shad used to convert. What I am saying is what used to work for them does not now partly due to the lack of some body like Royston busting a gut to support. I am with you that they perhaps a more structured approach to laying a platform would work better now. I would suggest it is the case that over 80mins they may not have the personnel able to get results with a more structured approach, born out by the poor defending and some players only being able to do 10 min stints.

No it was always going to be a tight game and it should have put us in a winning position, but it didn't because we cannot keep the ball when we need to.

Too true, the arguments dont wash, if we were fall guys the players should busting a gut to progress their careers, and if we are SL bound they should be busting a gut to be part of it. Either way they should be giving it everything. It is easy blame MC, but this is where he is supposed to earn his corn.

Agree with that, I think we have signed badly this year, okay we know that our budget has been cut as no more Halifax Home Insurance money but said it before we have got it badly wrong in 'bringing back' Halifax former players like Paul Smith, Jim Gannon, Ryan Clayton all past their best by a season at least plus now relying on Holly, he too is past his best although he does very well for his age.
We just don't have the squad this year that we had the last 2, we have done our usual boom and bust which shows to me yet again that this club is not run well and is unprofessional!
The coach is now being exposed for what he is, one of the lads and is given an easy life by our nice bunch of blokes Board but not hard enough. He does need to go soon as there is a gloom over the Shay at the moment, so sad as we were on the verge of something after last years GF win and in 3 months it s all gone.
Also got to say how lazy was Beswick? Just did those short offloads all game and hardly went at their defence just gave it to others to hit their line. Oh dear Danny boy, its not happening

Not to worry Lady's and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls our form will surely pick up in the next 2 games at home to Bradford Bulls and away to Featherstone Rovers we will be shooting up the league table and on our way to Wembley