I did miss the rivalry associated with the Cas game though, especially watching the biff during the Hull derby.

Pointing out a player is not playing well is not detracting it's telling the truth. I don't hold with scapegoating but that's a different issue. BJB was not playing well, now he is.

Tom Johnstone got a wake up call yesterday. I'm one of his biggest fans but he was blown away on occasions yesterday - he needs to learn from it and correct things, not a huge issue he's only 20 but it still needs pointing out. Am I detracting from Tom or am I just pointing out the obvious. He's still a great young prospect and he's one of our own.

Thought things picked up for Tom defensively When Tupou replaced Hall.

I thought that too - both he and Jowitt seemed uncharacteristically hesitant; big occasion for a young lad at the start of his career, and I guess that Les Cats are an intimidating prospect with their size and strike power and willingness to get grubby. They'll learn a lot from it though - and that's the point.

Exactly, compared to BJB they are novices and this is why we expected a little more from him - it's starting to come which is good.

Thought that yesterday we did not play as well as we have played recent....but we still won!!

First objective secure the top 8 place. Possibly just one more win, but worry that Shudds might be on a charge. Once secured, lets kick on. Apart from possibly FC there is no stand out team and we maybe have a once in a lifetime chance of securing a top 4 place. Said last week top 4 could be FC, Wire , Catalans & us and based on whats happened at the weekend - apart from Cas - that is not impossible.

Case in point - BJB, having played in plenty of big games, had enough confidence to tiptoe down the touchline and score the try that got us back in it; Johnstone was less keen, and seemed to come inside more readily.

Definitely not a criticism - just an observation; I'm actually ok with a young player choosing a less risky play for the sake of keeping an attacking set intact - with time and experience, comes the ability to choose correctly between the two options, more often than not.

I agree with the points on Johnsone and Jowitt and BJB too.

BJB on the right wing gets slightly less chances than Johnstone so he needs to be more defensively sound. He hasn't been terrible before now but he has improved and now added a bit of strike too.
Arundal's pass was excellent for BJB second try. If Jamie Lyon had done that everyone would be raving but it hardly gets a mention.

Jowitt should have made sure on the kick through that led to a Catalan try but it's just one mistake in the middle of a lot of near perfect performances. As said above he'll learn from that and will be even better for it.
It'll give them good preparation for Wembley and Old Trafford



It's worth saying we have a very young back line.
We all know about Jowitt and Johnstone but with Miller at 23 and Arundal at 24 we have quite a young back line
Even Tupou is only 25.

Finn and BJB are the real elder statesmen of that group and will need to be the settled, sound minded players in the group.


Also, I'd keep Tupou over Hall for now.

Thought Bill Toupou played very well considering the time he has been out. He was strong defensively and in his carries and even slipped a pass out of the tackle to his winger, which was something he didn't do last year

If that's the case then you'll be issuing quite a few apologies to some of the posters on here, the problem here is that it seems you have a plaster for every sore.
Once again you have taken somebody's post and dissected it for your own agenda.

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Not really, just saying it as I see it, think you're giving me far to much credit, I'm not that smart - also could say the same about you with your broad swipe at everyone who has had a bad word for BJB - you're no better than me for that.

You know who the real culprits are for bagging players and it's not me - whenever I comment I do try to make it clear that it's a FWIW statement as like most of us I'm only guessing.

I thought his response was pretty much spot on and relevant to your post.
You are being a bit tetchy here ... enjoy - there's lot's to be happy about at the moment

I'm quite capable of deciding what is criticism and what is down right insulting, although I don't criticise players myself I haven't got a problem with those that do, my post was aimed at posters who at every opportunity insult certain individual players, both you and I know who they are and that is who my post was aimed at.
Like most of us on here vasty is of average intelligence and knows full well who the gist of my post was aimed at, as he himself is involved on a regular basis with these said people, so pardon me for taking exception to somebody who has deliberately taken my post out of context.

I'd like to think a smidgen above that

The thing is as I'm sure you know, to achieve an average you have to take the high's with the low's, like the rest of us mere mortals' sometimes we allow our intelligence to slip ever so slightly which unfortunately does not take into account your usually high standards

Watched the game live and at the risk of being accused of being patronising a belated "well done"
I've watched the game back now in detail and without going all the way through this thread I do agree about Arundels pass even though I didn't know who it was on the day and also agree TJ made mistakes but you could see on the kids face he knew it was his fault and I'm sure he will work hard to address it.
Who knows we could both still meet at Old Trafford or Wembley. Or dare to dream even both.

I'm trying to ignore those lot, far too much good stuff going on to worry about them.
A few losses and they will be back no doubt but for the time being ...