I thought that it was the turning point because we were 16-6 up and highly likely to score in the next one or two plays as they were broken and retreating. After that we didn't touch the ball for 5 or 6 sets and they scored 3 tries - poor defending for sure but we should have been 22-6 up and in possession. That constitutes a turning point for me and it would still do so had it been Whiting/Crooks/Heremaia/Miller/DJ etc. etc. who had thrown the suicide ball.

I regularly pick up Whiting for below standard play and have done tonight. I believe your perception about Whiting being untouchable could equally be applied to some posters about Westerman - at least one other poster (Mrs B I think it was) would appear to think the same.

I've said elsewhere it's not a Whiting/Westerman competition for me and I wont be commenting on it any more.

What a funny thread.
Has there been a more divisive player than westy? or a more protected player than whiting?
Also seems a constant thing that when yeaman doesn't play we don't seem as solid or sure of our selves defensively.
Also, while not knocking him in generally, I actually like him, crookes was poor tonight, but even at his best he can't truly replace Briscoe, n over a fair few yrs now Briscoe has seldom had as poor a game. Think people have been premature in writing Briscoe off n thinking he won't be missed.

I agree totally - I thought Lynch did well early in the game with and without the ball but faded which backs your theory. I think Watts needs to up his concentration a bit again doing well early but getting lazy in defence. Maybe Ogre is getting on now and needs the shorter time but Green certainly should be on longer. Ellis was a miss in defence tonight although he's wider out.

I was more meaning that if we had been in front I don't think we'd have contested the ball, we'd have just waited and made the tackle. Just that lack of scoring is affecting the way we play the game as we are chasing points when we should be more in control.

I've called for Crookes to be given time and stick by it. However he was poor and running the ball out fairly strongly isn't the only thing he needs to do. Didn't even get off the ground for their first try and his handling appears suspect. Have to say I didn't think Arundel did much wrong tonight I don't think they ran past him ? Could be wrong.

I'm wondering if he's just tiring more now that he's giving away more weight to the opposition and playing for longer. His offloading also seems to have suffered. Put a stone back on and I think it would do him the world of good.

We do have a relatively small bunch of props IMO, and they've been getting beaten up recently. It's noticeable that our best prop in recent weeks has been O'Meley and he's the only one with a bit of beef.

I'd agree with that, Cas seemed to want to attack the Miller/Crooks/Lineham edge with the ball, but kick to the opposite side.

I'm pretty pro-Yeamo, but he wasn't particularly missed, Arundel didn't have any real ball and what he did get I don't think Yeamo would have done any better with.

Glad you've said that as I thought the same and have seen a few posts picking him out so thought maybe it was just me. Gave away a daft penalty near the end, but overall I thought he did ok up against a good centre in Shenton.

Oh, I think he should probably have dabbed a kick through when he made that break on the last tackle.

Wasn't knocking Joe, like the kid think he's got good potential n been out 2 months. Yeaman's defence is just more authoritative, not about missing tackles as such. Makes the whole side look more secure. Ellis missing hasn't help that though either

Thats been happening all season the lack of ball to the left side,
McDonnel needs to pass earlier and who ever plays that side second row has to pass or be a decoy runner so our centres and wingers can have some quality ball

They spotted Shannon a few times coming out the back and hammered him. Faster ptb would help.

I reckon if Briscoe played tonight we'd have won, some of Crookes play was really, really poor.

Whiting had another one of his 'once a season' bad games, and we really missed Houghton's intensity in the middle before half time when he went off. Thinking out loud, could he play loose man for 70/75 minutes, letting Heremaia do the work around the ruck and Houghton do the defending?

Don't think we'd have won if Briscoe played but crookes wasn't great.
Thought hooker was one area that went well. Aaron brought something when he come on and Danny same when he came back on.
Can't agree bout whiting. That's about 3/4poor games this yr for me. Think whiting n Pitts for all their good form recently have given Gentle an easy way to bring Ellis n tickle back in

Agree about Whiting having a few poor games this season, don't agree about him and Pitts giving Gentle an easy way to bring Ellis back in. None of the backrowers really impressed tonight, so it's still a tough choice of which one to drop!

For me Briscoe easily deals with their first try (the kick to the corner). Crookes doesn't make a move for it, even though it's a weakness for Briscoe I think he'd have let the man take it then tackle him.

I was being ironic with the Whiting thing, whenever he plays poorly people say they can count his bad games on one hand, though I reckon you'd struggle to do it on one this season!

I think in attack it worked well, but we struggled a lot in defence when Houghton went off I thought, although it obviously isn't all down to him going off.

The other thing I've just though of is that O'Meley was really, really struggling a few minutes before he went off for his first spell, and that was only after 15 minutes, so would we be better starting Watts instead for the first 25/30, Ogre coming on for 10 before and after half time and then another 10/15 minute spell in the second half?

Attitude all wrong for me just seemed to think we don't have to defend because we will outscore them

All 15 Castleford lads played well last night including Westy and Arundel.

You can have them both back.

That's the way I saw it also. Not bad for his first run out in months.

Crookes, OTOH, was a serious disappointment.

We should have won the game, you can't blame DJ. The spell after halftime cost us dearly but our main issue was attitude. We scored early and then just expected it to be easy. Panicked with ball in hand too much.

Both players have hardly played in months so harsh to judge them. I'm confident with games they will both show improvement.

crookes needs to grow another foot or he will constantly get targeted with high kicks

Needs protection then.

Hopefully Ellis and Briscoe are back next week,

Needs replacing