OK then, we will blame the RFL then. That is the first excuse of the season out of the way.

Tadulala's try looked like scoring to me



Sheriffe didn't do much but his try saving interception where he got in the way of a certain scoring pass was excellent. Other than that he did bugger all, he needs to start backing up in centre field a bit more IMO.

IMO Sykes looks better at fullback.

He got the first try for us.

Oddly enough, no place for Worrincy today. Maybe thaty is why af is quiet?

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well its time someone told em to play better on grass then.

So he did! But I would of scored that one! Morrison created once again.

Crikey that is a new one.

Agree with that. A good example of that would be the break in the first half where one of our forwards, I forget who (may have been Scruton) off loaded to send Jeffries through; great support play. Unfortunately whilst Newton was inside, he was covered by a defender so Jeffries ran towards the right wing but there was no one to be seen and he subsequently lost the ball.

Late on in the second half Jeffries made a pass to Nero who made a good break for the line but when he met the defender there was no one there to pass to, Jeffries had just stopped moving once he had made the pass.

There was one break in the second half where Koppy powered through and Deacon was right along side him and had the pass got away we'd have been in.

Players need to be looking to back up the man running with the ball so these sorts of chances can be created and finished off. Its this sort of play that catches defenders on the back foot and creates gaps.

On that showing Sykes will have to go to FB. From within your own 10m line only a FB who is supremely confident in his own abilities or an imbecile (or both) will try to go around the opposition winger in 1m of space.

Did Menzies cover the centre position after that then? The team just changed positions so much I was never really sure.

All part of the grand "utility player" plan then.

Strong feeling of deja vu from last season - did we lose 2 2nd rowers in the first game then as well?

Dissappointed with the scoreline but IMO the performance was relatively good. Nero had a good game, as did Deacon, Menzies and Burgess. If we play like we did in the second half all season, we just need to think about turning that into tries then we will be in for a good season.

And how long have we been saying that?

Totally agree. We made plenty of half breaks but there was no finish. A player like Michael Withers would've scored a hattrick today simply because he read the game so well and would be on the shoulder of a player who made a half break.

Still on the positive side most of the forwards looked fitter. It'll be a test for McNamara now to get rid of the rustiness and get the combinations clicking a bit better.

Good point, IMO we just need to find a way to turn possession into tries, i'm still gonna say the last season in terms of our lack of pace. Although it has improved with Worrincy and Sheriffe I still think we need some extra pace in our starting line-up.

Thought Jeffries was particularly poor today.

Too true. I think in Menzies and Jeffries we have two players who back up well. But we need to see more of the team doing it this year. It's an area we've been poor in for quite some time, it needs to improve this year if we want to beat any of the top sides.

There has not been any signs of it happening the past. I very much doubt it will happen in the future.

Beating the top sides or improving it?

Come on ME. You've been dancing around actually "say it" all afternoon. You must be positively bursting wanting to.

Stop dancing. Stop intimating. Stop choosing your words ever sooooo carefully.

You do know that you will NEVER make 10 game, don't you.

Just say it . . . . .

He hasn't made game 1 never mind game 10!

Looks like Langers and Solo [url=http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,12196_4926293,00.htmlwill be out for a while[/url

In fairness (even though I find that hard

) he's not actually said the "Mc" word yet . . . . although he has intimated it.

We're all "Doooooooooomed"

If we don't win our next 3 then i'm sure well hear something to do with it.

A blow but I think Cook can come in cover for Langley adequately.

As for Solo we'll miss his creativity despite his penchant for pies.

I was impressed today with Scruton and Menzies ability to offload the ball. If they evere get some support we'll look like scoring more often.

think its time to sit platt out in the reserves for a while, and give young kieren hyde a shot early on in the season where there is not as much pressure, after all he is an out and out full back with bags of pace

Don't these early games count towards the final reckoning then?

Both.