Come on, some people are still blaming not getting Crocker!!!

Yep, he's not signing for you. He like to kiss the badge of Hull FC way too much

It might wearing thin for you but not for me because it is still affecting the team.

For example, look at the team listed above and tell me how many on the list have played for five consecutive games.

And how many of those injured players are going to come in and make a huge difference ??? Not many !!! Apart from a couple of missing players, we would be swapping like for like.

The squad that we have had on the pitch all season, with a coach who knows what he is doing, should be capable of a top 8 finish in the table but we a clearly a bottom four side, not only in results, but also in performance.

Injuries and visas haven't helped but all this blaming of injuries is not only wearing thin with me but it has become more than irritating to hear it.

Thank feck for that



I'm being serious though, any news?

Somewhere on another thread (I can't be bothered to go to the effort of researching it all again) I listed all of the players who were injured/retired etc this year. Since then R Horne, Thackray and now Yeaman are injured. It amounted to approximately (I can't remember exactly) 18 players injured and I think three or four of them (e.g. King) have been injured more than once. It has been impossible to consistently field a team made up of the same core ever (it would be interesting to see the 17 selected for each and every game). Very few of them (apart from Horne's injury against Leeds) kept them out for only one match. Add to that (yes you've guessed it) Crocker not being available (think no Morley for a full season - not necessarily a prop, but someone influential) and Lauaki (think no Carvell for every single game of the season to date) and yes it matters and yes it is still having an effect whether people choose to be bored by the fact or not. Finally, add Thorman to the list - he might as well be injured.

1 Tansey
2 Calderwood
3 Hall
4 Yeaman
5 Raynor
6 R. Horne
7 Berrigan

8 Radford
9 Lee
10 Cordoba
11 Burnett
12 Tickle
13 Whiting

14 Houghton
15 Manu
16 King
17 Moa


The ones in bold havent so that leaves 12 that have....your point now being?

I meant the last 5 consecutive games - you appear to have missed a few off.

Could be wrong but I think the only one he missed was Yeaman, and he only missed the last game

and Whiting - but what it means is that the whole backline have not played (probably all season) together. Just before those last five games we had Berrigan out, King with an eye injury, Dowes, Cusack, Thackray - you name 'em they've been injured. That means all of our first-string front row have been injured. We've had injuries to Manu, G Horne, Burnett (there goes the second row) and injuries to Washy and Whiting (no surprise that he keeps playing Radford at loose man - he's consistently available, even if that's his only ability in the 13 position. I would be surprised if players have completely regained full match fitness since their injuries. Don't foget from the backline you've lost Byrne for good, Briscoe for most of the season and Tony for most of the season (perhaps also for good). Need I go on? I think it's had, and is still having a siginificant effect. Oh - did I mention Lauaki not being available all season as well?

And of those 5, 4 were generally accepted amongst our best players last time out. In fact Calderwood is probably POTY so far (quite damning on the rest of the side when he's a winger not scoring prolifically).

TBH though, whilst your comments about the backline are correct, it's the pack that's been the biggest problem by far.

I normally agree with the point about being able to put out a settled side consistently, but in this case I think it falls down on 2 counts: Firstly, several of those who have been consistently available have also been consistently amongst our worst players. Secondly, it is quite apparent at our club that consistently picking these same players has resulted in no effort/performance being required/made for players to retain their place.

Although I think that the pack was consistently picked from the same players for the first five games (apart from King who I think was injured aginst Wigan or in training afterwards - can't remember) and that's when we did okay. Once Burnett and others started to get injured it really shook the team. I remember pundits talking about how big our pack was when all of us knew that they were not big - they were just bossing the opposition.

I thought Whiting had played in the last five, its just mainly from the bench?

I think the bigger problem was not injuries, more that the pack were playing too many minutes and it took it's toll once we were a few games into the season. We currently miss the Cusack and Dowes of the first few games, however we don't miss the Cusack and Dowes of the subsequent games they played prior to their injuries, as they were already looking jaded and ineffective. IMO, the damage was already done [ibefore[/i the injuries bit down in earnest, that just became a more convenient excuse.

I think you are correct.

Pretty sure he didn't play against Salford but, to be fair, it's not too important. I was trying to point out that as backlines score tries it would be good if we had one. Packs create the groundwork and we've been lucky to field a consistent pack as well.

I know I'm one of very few who still give the injury excuse any credibility but I'm a sucker for a sob-story.

Radfords pathetic "I can count the injuries they've had on one hand" comment in the HDM shows you a measure of the excuse culture.

But he is always fit....

Its just one pathetic excuse we like to adopt. Add that to the 'its not my squad' excuse and we look pi*s poor really.

He's rarely injured, but he's far from fit!

When I look at this side on paper it looks like a decent side and how anyone can say that a rovers win is a certainty is beyond me. I think it will be a really tight game and I wouldn't put money on either team. Yes FC have had a disappoiting season so far but the form book goes out of the window at every derby. I do think FC are light in the props though and this may be the difference. Radford and Cordoba will have to be on top of their game I think. Hope not though

Perhaps because we have been watching the team play week in week out since February and "the game isn't played on paper".


With our 4 first choice props unavailable, it's hardly rocket science to work that one out.

Yeah thanks for that. But I still think it will be a close game.

Can I just state this now, that Agar WILL NOT play Whiting at loose man. Never ever.

Has he ever not played a second rower there?