Absolutely not for the first time, I'm torn between wanting Widnes to just win and my hopes of seeing an exciting game of RL.
IMHO John Kear has significantly improved fitness, team spirit and our defence. No coach can prevent players making basic mistakes but what I long to see is our players using their personal skills and bringing supporters to their feet with some alternative attacking moves.
We have a couple of good talented forwards and two speedy wingers who are all easily capable of making a break.
However, I suppose that I really just want us to win, so I will have to wait a bit longer to see fulfil my dream of watching some new tactics and some thrilling rugby.
I think this is a fair post.
It is a fine balance between entertainment and winning. At the minute, I think the entertainment on offer is virtually non existent.
Yesterdays game was boring, the most bored I’ve been at a game in years. Last weeks win felt like a chore and wasn’t much to get excited about.
I think Kear should see out his contract until the end of this season and the club part ways then. We have to be identifying a coach now to take over next pre season.
Is this the first KEAR out posting of the year? Most knew that the style of rugby that that KEAR would bring to the club wasn't going to be exciting. Most knew that we the squad we have, with it's lack of quality and depth at halfback, meant that we are hardly going to be pushing for a playoff place this year, however with a bit of luck rather than quality, we can pinch sixth.
I did suggest prior to the season that I thought we needed another half back, someone to take the ball running and take the line on. CRAVEN is past it and should never have been given a fulltime two year contract, and GILMORE is an organiser who has a decent kicking game but hardly exciting.
But saying that I think that KEAR gives us a bit of that experience and stability that we need after a turbulent few years on and off the pitch.
While I understand the frustration after yesterday’s result to his credit John didn’t give excuses and was highly critical of the 2nd half display,We knew what we were getting when John Kear was appointed…A safe pair of hands to get us competitive again and from the back end of last season to this,He’s done that job if fans are critical of his style of play…Fair enough quite rightly they are entitled to their opinion but is the style any worse than what was served up by Paul Cullen Denis Betts and Francis Cummings and before that the likes of Bernard Long and Graeme West over the last 30 odd years? If we beat beat Halifax next Monday in my opinion it will have been a really positive start to the season.
Not exactly a Kear out posting from V25.I tend to agree,he has come in and steadied the ship or whatever cliché you want to use but he's getting no younger and it seems reasonable to be looking ahead already to next year and beyond.He may not even want it himself.Tough games looming ahead in Fax,Sheffield and Toulouse.
To be fair expansionist rugby isn't encouraged by the Odsal pitch and their side is picked with that in mind.
We have a squad now with a fair spread of experience at this level, provided that they are all available. Injuries have already broken that requirement.
I wasn't at the game but errors under pressure in the last quarter seem to have found weaknesses. That needs work which we should carry out asap. Our missing schemers might have given enough to secure the win but, that's the game.
What worries me more is the deafening silence regarding Farnworth. This usually means a serious injury or an exit to another club - I hope neither!
Danny Craven's form is not consistent, that's for sure, but on his game he can break opposition defences. He is still getting back up to speed so maybe we expect too much.
There aren't many brilliant half backs looking for a berth so unless JK can find one we will have to wait and see.
Makes me laugh the Bradford fans criticising Kear for dour rugby,they're not exactly flamboyant entertainers without him.
How Boring we are to watch is something i have commented on this season. We grind our way downfield, get within the 10 and then try to hit a Lawton or Grady on a short ball hoping to isolate a defender.
That is our game plan in a nutshell, We dont compete for our own kicks, we work territory. We wont score many long range tries, we dont attack using backs plays. we just march upfield. I missed the york game, but our matches against Keighley and Bradford have been poor games to watch. We certainly wont be expanding the fanbase with this style of rugby.
And if a team turns up with a Dominant pack, im not sure we have a plan B. I forgot Lyons was playing and i think craven only attacked the line once. Owens didnt link up in the attack. Just Boring NCL Quality Rugby.
Im more down about the game plan than i am about the result, against a very average Bradford side.
The last thing we want is for Kear to leave. He has as others have said got us fitter & much better defensively. I would like some set moves rather than just playing the same way as we do everywhere else on the pitch with just the addition of a nonsense shallow kick we cannot compete for. However I would rather us have a team that will win more than it loses at the expense of expansive rugby.
In the 1973 to 78 period when we started winning things we played an awful lot of grind them down rugby. It was only from then on that we moved to a more expansive approach culminating in the wonderful footballing side of 1987 to 1993.
Kear actually isn't a great rugby league coach, he's a great motivator. Our attack now suffers massively as Tom Gilmore was essentially running the attack for us this year. And now he's out for months. We've also lost JJ who may take a short side play or split the markers to put someone away from 80 metres.
We probably do now have to grind out results through hard work and crash balls as it can be effective. Craven isn't an organiser he prefers open play and whilst I actually think Lyons has been ok this year, he'll never be first choice.
In a nutshell, it's more of the same until our creative players are back.
Personally I don't see why we can't compete for 3rd to 6th spot. Featherstone and Tolouse will be the top 2, they are miles ahead.
Before the season started everyone was saying how Bradford had made some great signings, Bodene Thompson, Jack Walker etc. Its only since the season started they have been pretty poor. Same for Keighley with Luke Gale and Ben Crooks, the bookies had them top 6 and they have struggled.
Batley and Barrow, 2 members of last years play offs have fallen away as well without Gilmore, Miloudi and Tee Ritson. Fax seem steady yet unspectacular as usual and would probably be my pick for 3rd, but I don't really see them as much if any better than us.
I said on an earlier post, once the SL season is 4-6 weeks old and the squads settle, players will become available on 1 month loans. As Johnson has left at short notice we have room to bring a player in. Mellor wasn't in the Leigh squad. They had GOB and Lam at halfback and Reynolds as 18th man, would you take Mellor on a rolling deal until Gilmore is fit to return?
Also just had a look through the other local squads, Saints and Wire don't have much to offer. I would rather move one of Fozzard or Johnston when both fit to half back if we lose Craven or Lyons than play a young lad in such an important position.
If we can't loan Mellor or he's injured would Ryan Hampshire at Wigan be an option as I think Wigan would want to get him some game time? I don't think running with what we have is an option long term, at some point Craven or Lyons are going to miss games especially with the 12 day concussion protocol rules and Craven having picked up a fair few injuries in the last couple of seasons.
I’d say let’s wait until we get jj back and see what kear does, JJ will be our best player this season imo
Craven is passed his best and Lyons is just not good enough at this level. Gilmore is a big miss and Jordan Johnstone too. An half back is imperative and any news on Gilmore time out with his injury? I saw Gilmore on Sunday and looked okay walking with a spring in his step. 🥖🥖
Gilmore is definitely going to be missed.
However, it was Lyons' pass that Grady ran onto for his try. Lyons ran across taking the three makers to his left out and had Owens following Grady up, which got their centre committed. Meaning that Grady basically had one man to beat, which he did well. Yes, they were down to 12 men but there were five potential tacklers from Bradford who could have stopped Grady. Later on, and particularly when Grady left the field we just went forward in ones. It doesn't matter how good the half back was, it was obvious who was going to get the ball.
Likewise on Craven's side. he didn't have a great game, not by his standards, but on two occasions he took the tackle because there wasn't anyone running for him. Maybe Gilmore is a better organiser and more vocal, but I don't think it would have made a difference if he had played. We need the players to come forward to give the halfback options and keep defenders guessing, especially on such a small pitch with less room.
Just my opinion though.
Well done to everyone who braved a cold afternoon, to stand in a building site and watch a poor game.
I know we’re only 3 games into the season, but Lyons has been the best performer out of the half backs.
Must be strange playing as half back in this system. In one hand it must be quite easy, because you’re not expected to risk much and play simple. On the other hand, I would expect it to be quite frustrating. Can’t imagine you’re allowed to go to much off script and play what’s in front of you.
@pascal it's a pectoral injury not really going to affect the way he walks 🤣