Now its over, what do we think? Some messages on the T & A particularly seem to be of disappointment at the season just ended. My own feeling is that its probably been an O.K. Season ( no pun intended!) If I think back just over a year ago, delighted that we had a season to look forward to, along with a club to support. If I think back to say April disappointed we didn't make the eight. However with the wafer thin squad we had, we were always going to come up against it when injuries hit. So why should anyone be surprised?

Best/Worst memories
Leeds and Huddersfield away best memories
London away (Cup) London home league worst memories.
Most frustrating result - Wigan away, Catalan at home
Silver lining. - development of some juniors. Would they have got the chance with a stronger squad - probably not. The experience gained is now banked for them,
High Spot - watching Sammut when on top form Low spot frustrating watching Sammut when not on top form!
Wish for next twelve months - No financial crises

So for me, an O.K. season. Can't wait for a couple or more signings. Can't wait for the Dewsbury friendly in the depths of February, the onto the new season. Optimism once more, but always COYB

Summoned up very well I would agree with most of that

I predicted 10th pre-season then Cummins went and spoiled it all by taking us to 3rd and getting me all giddy.

More lows than highs for mine overall.

Some include the two defeats to London at home and in the Cup, taking only a point from a draw away and a loss at home to Widnes (exactly like Salford in 2012). Not learning quickly enough when it came to certain plays and pretty much any strong running left second row; Manu, Farrell, Taia, Hock to name four that really stood out. Some of the brainfarts the new board have brought to our attention.

Being surprised at Sidlow and Blythe is a highlight to me. The genuine electricity of anticipation of Sammut, the progress each player seems to have genuinely made. More to follow as they stream into my conciousness. Stay tuned kids.

All in all I’d say this season ended how I expected at that start given our weaker squad in comparison with 2012. I’ve mixed feelings about it. On the one hand we put in some good performances and played some very attractive rugby. On the other we lost or drew some very winnable games which cost us a play off place. Reasons to be cheerful? We have the makings of a good team that when it’s fit and in form can compete with anyone. Our young players look promising and we have some more ready to come through. Next season I hope we avoid any further financial problems and continue to build. It’ll be harder as I expect the likes of Salford and Cas to improve. We need to do the same.

You expect Cas to improve? Why?
They've just sold the heartbeat of their side who will very tough to replace. They've brought in Luke Dorn and are rumoured to be after Brett Seymour - hardly the same calibre as Mr Chase.
If those kind of recruits are the club's answer to Chase's departure then no, they will not improve one bit.
Their one saving grace might be Powell, but he can only do so much with the squad he currently has.

In my opinion

I agree with everything on here so far

Wonder who will be the first to start talking crap, my money's on Biffa

But yes,agreed 9th is a tad disappointing again but did we really expect any different

As long as there is no more financial dramas in next 12 month I expect us to move up a place or 2,some good signings for next season

So I thought I'd throw in a bucket full of stats to shock and amaze the RAB collective; the first are Bulls v SL, the second are Bulls v Bulls.

Points for - 11th
Points against - 8th
Tackles - 5th
Missed tackles - 2nd
Tackle busts - 8th
Metres - 7th
Gain - =12th
Clean breaks - 11th
Dummy half runs - 1st
Errors - 6th
Goals - 6th
Missed goals - 13th (or 2nd best)
Offloads - 1st
Penalties - 9th (big improvement since earlier in the season)

Now the other bit
Year . W . D . L . Fr . Ag . +/- . Pos
2009 . 12 . 1 . 14 . 653 . 668 . -15 . 9
2010 . 9 . 1 . 17 . 528 . 728 . -200 . 10
2011 . 9 . 2 . 16 . 570 . 826 . -256 . 10
2012 . 14 . 1 . 12 . 633 . 756 . -123 . 9
2013 . 10 . 2 . 15 . 640 . 658 . -18 . 9

So in short our best defensive display since 14 teams and missing the play offs, and our 2nd best attack since ... signs of improvement. It just so happens many other teams really racked up the points it pushes us down the rankings. So work to be done in attack and some better defence and we'll be reet.

Spiffing.

Surprised at us being top for offloads.

Actually I think you may be right. I reckon Powell having a full season with them has got to be beneficial. How much that will be cancelled out with the loss of Chase I’m not sure. He was the hub of their team. Not having Millward around is bound to help. I certainly don’t expect Cas to be any worse than this season is probably what I meant! They’re not unlike ourselves. Small squad, small number of quality players with a few promising youngsters and steady eddies, look good in attack but poor in defence.

nice stats hindle.

the bulls v bulls shows the successive improvement over the last two years in points difference, and that it was due to both points for improving and points against reducing in both years. We ended up pretty much at break even which in most years would mean a playoff spot. So if that trend continues we should be there or thereabouts next year.

In my opinion the fact that FC has been able to be a part of that improvement in points for and against shows he is a good coach. We have a core to the team that have played together for several years now, and with the additions for next season I expect the trend to continue, finances and injuries permitting. The year two squad is very much more his, and with an improved pack I expect to see some good rugby and some good wins. And that we will be 1st for offloads again.

Would like to see us with a slightly larger squad to withstand the inevitable injuries. As things stand the 2014 squad is on a par with this year’s in terms of numbers. I remember Whitcut saying a squad of 30 was what we needed so at least two further signings to come I hope.

We seem to have plenty of options at hooker, backrow and halfback. At prop we look better for 2014 but another wouldn’t go amiss. At centre we look extremely thin. Hopefully replacements for Lulia and Platt are lined up.

It will be hard to find a replacement for Lulia and I really hope Cummins doesn't see George or Gaskell as Lulia's successor. My current first choice 17 would be:

Kearney
Kear
Blythe
Purtell
Foster
Sammut
Gale/Gaskell
Scruton
L'Estrange
Carvell
Bateman
Ferguson
Addy

Donaldson / Olbison / Walker
Manuokafoa
Sidlow
Diskin

So far for next season we have a much stronger pack, but a much weaker back line.

A disappointing season tbh yes I know we have had injuries but you'd think with the likes Kearney, Sammut, Gale, Scruton, Le Strange, Bateman Lulia and Foster I thought we would have made at least 7th or 8th, the amount of times we let leads go against Wigan, Widnes (twice), London and Catalans were infuriating it was like Steve McNamara was coaching us again. Hopefully FC will sort the defence and we will be more creative in attack and also hope that George, Carvell and Ferguson will be add a lot to the squad next season, my expectation next season will be at least the play offs.

I tipped us for the bottom 4 mainly due to the pack, which I thought was thin. I expected Scrutes to play less than 10 games and Sidlow to be below average. Both have had good seasons and losing Sidlow was a significant blow. Danny Addy has had another excellent season. Didn't see the logic of losing Joseph and Pryce for Evans and Foster and probably still don't, although I expect a much better, fitter, stronger Evans next year.

Disappointments - Gale and Bateman for different reasons and obviously Whitehead.

Recruitment is early and good quality so far. A prop and a centre plus a little bit of luck and we'll push on with the young players we have.

Only disappointment was the fact that our our early third position gave false [and to be honest, unrealistic expectations, which with hindsight it shouldn't have done. though I confess to being on the optimistic side when looking forward, I think, given the pre season shenanigans, realistically we finished about where we should have done - mid table.

I'm now looking forward to kicking on, all be it on half money, and I hope not [itoo[/i optimistically, to making the bottom end of the play-offs next year - though to be perfectly frank, I'll be happy if we don't get into the relegation spots and remain in the top division and then back on full funding the following year.

Reading back through the last paragraph it sounds a bit downbeat, which to be fair I don't totally feel, but for me getting back on that same financial level as the other clubs and still here in SL is the main objective, with one season down and one to go..

Totally agree with your last paragraph. Avoiding the two relegation spots has to be the priority, anything else is a big bonus.

Just a little more to add to this post. Shows signs of improvement, which considering how late the squad was put together is amazing:

Points Scored: 640. Best since 2009

Points against: 658. Best since 2008

Points diff: -18. Best since 2009

Average for: 23 Best since 2009

Average against: 24 Best since 2008.

I think everybody probably feels a bit deflated after our good start. This was better than expected and at the back of your mind was the fact that we were doing it without a recognised scrum half. Unfortunately when we did get him back instead of kicking on we seemed to fall away. Not blaming anyone just stating a fact.

To be honest after we were effectively kept out of the transfer market last year, and given little time to assemble a squad we actually did better than I expected. We played some good football especially in the opening third of the season, and a with bit more composure closing games out we could have been in the eight.
It looks like there could still be some additions to the squad - so I would like to think we aim for playoffs next year. It would be wrong to just aim to avoid being relegated we need to be more positive. FC has a three year plan and I give him 8/10 for the first of those years.

Overall it was a respectable season given the loss of the telly money and the thinness of the squad.

I thought we benefited at the start of the season from a continuation of last season's backs to the wall spirit. Not surprisingly that ebbed away. Also not surprising that injuries eventually took their toll on the squad.

Have to admit I'm very pessimistic about next year. Losing the telly money for one season was bad enough, two could be terminal. And the way the season fizzled out will not have done much for season ticket renewals.

If we're playing SL in 2015 it will be a case of job done for next season.

Interesting stuff. I'd like to see the stat for metres made by opposing teams. At times our scramble was pretty good but in the second half of the season we routinely conceded huge amounts of ground. It's hard to score when you have to make 80 metres in a set.

:2coaxltx

When I was at school, I had a teacher who said, "[i:2coaxltxalways aim for the sky, if you aim to hit the sky you may just hit the roof, but if you only aim to hit the roof you'll probably just fall on your backside[/i few things I remember from school...