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(@farnworth-viking)
Noble Member

It’s not surprising we are poor in second half of a lot of matches this season. Apart from having forwards injured and having to put 2 young backs on the bench. Finnegan said tonight that Grady had finished work at 10am on Sunday went home and had 2 hours sleep , then got on the coach for York.

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Topic starter Posted : 09/08/2021 9:21 pm
(@blue-viking)
Estimable Member

Most pleasing thing said tonight was that they recognise the mistakes in recruitment last season, also said that they recognise there is an imbalance in the squad with backs and forwards they will address, recruitment, retention and resignings they have already agreed with the players they want behind the scenes already more or less. Also worth note they are focussing on more current championship players rather than ex super league players transitioning they would much rather look for players who already understand the demands of the championship.

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Posted : 09/08/2021 9:25 pm
(@blue-viking)
Estimable Member

Also one other thing sam Wilde is a good signing to go along with Lawton, Grady and josh Wilde this is surely an example of the depth we are missing let’s now hope for some more props.

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Posted : 09/08/2021 9:26 pm
 ma
(@ma)
Trusted Member

What were the main points from tonight?

Any questions asked about positive plans for the club in terms of pushing forward or are we caught between a rick and a hard place with where we can go without knowing the structure of divisions?

Or was the evening a case of what we already know - not much?

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Posted : 09/08/2021 9:50 pm
(@frankg)
Noble Member

Doesn't seem to have been a particularly informative evening. I can only glean the following points from comments on here.

  • Wilde signed for 2022 - I think people on here already knew that anyway
  • Playing squad totally part-time in 2022, but Owens and Craven given "jobs" to effectively make them full-time contracts. Are there any other current players on full-time contracts this season, who presumably will be leaving? Jewitt part-time player/coach!!!
  • Recruitment and retention for 2022 proceeding with several deals tied up - why not announce them then? Looking at players with Championship experience.
  • Recognise that mistakes were made on the recruitment side this year and that there is an imbalance between forwards and backs in the squad. That must have come as a surprise to everyone.
  • It's hard being a part-time rugby league player - Grady finishing work at 10:30 am on the day of the match. At least we have not gone back to previous eras when players finished work and met up for a drink before the match and would be seen having a smoke as they came on the pitch!!! Have we?
  • No comment about the in and out form this season - guess see above for excuses - and what our ambitions are for next year; or whether there are any plans to bolster the squad this year with further loans. I guess we are just looking to play the season out and fingers crossed that Grady and Co do not have many night shifts before games.

To be honest, I am not sure what else they could say and there may have been other comments and asides that have not yet been mentioned here. I think that this season is already a write-off and the plan is to bring together a more balanced squad for 2022. I can only presume that the ambition is to finish in the top 6 next year.

It is good that events like this are held where fans can meet and ask questions of the Directors, Chief Executive and Coach. Perhaps the club should recognise that there is a perception that the club is less than open with fans on occasions.  Events like this can only be positive in answering that criticism,

There will be a chance in the last home game against Bradford to make announcements about signings and ambitions for 2022 and generally promote that game to try and get in a decent crowd. I suspect that there are many long-term fans (like me) who have not gone to games this year due to covid restrictions and continuing concerns, but who will return next year,  particularly if there is a positive feel about the place.

Onwards and upwards. Come on the Chemics.

 

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Posted : 10/08/2021 7:19 am
 ma
(@ma)
Trusted Member

Doesn’t seem to have been a particularly informative evening. I can only glean the following points from comments on here.

  • Wilde signed for 2022 – I think people on here already knew that anyway
  • Playing squad totally part-time in 2022, but Owens and Craven given “jobs” to effectively make them full-time contracts. Are there any other current players on full-time contracts this season, who presumably will be leaving? Jewitt part-time player/coach!!!
  • Recruitment and retention for 2022 proceeding with several deals tied up – why not announce them then? Looking at players with Championship experience.
  • Recognise that mistakes were made on the recruitment side this year and that there is an imbalance between forwards and backs in the squad. That must have come as a surprise to everyone.
  • It’s hard being a part-time rugby league player – Grady finishing work at 10:30 am on the day of the match. At least we have not gone back to previous eras when players finished work and met up for a drink before the match and would be seen having a smoke as they came on the pitch!!! Have we?
  • No comment about the in and out form this season – guess see above for excuses – and what our ambitions are for next year; or whether there are any plans to bolster the squad this year with further loans. I guess we are just looking to play the season out and fingers crossed that Grady and Co do not have many night shifts before games.

To be honest, I am not sure what else they could say and there may have been other comments and asides that have not yet been mentioned here. I think that this season is already a write-off and the plan is to bring together a more balanced squad for 2022. I can only presume that the ambition is to finish in the top 6 next year. It is good that events like this are held where fans can meet and ask questions of the Directors, Chief Executive and Coach. Perhaps the club should recognise that there is a perception that the club is less than open with fans on occasions. Events like this can only be positive in answering that criticism, There will be a chance in the last home game against Bradford to make announcements about signings and ambitions for 2022 and generally promote that game to try and get in a decent crowd. I suspect that there are many long-term fans (like me) who have not gone to games this year due to covid restrictions and continuing concerns, but who will return next year, particularly if there is a positive feel about the place. Onwards and upwards. Come on the Chemics.

Thanks for that Frank.

 

It is a bit frustrating not having signings released, but thinking about it, the club need to have things to announce during the off season to get people buying season tickets and to keep people interested.

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Posted : 10/08/2021 8:22 am
(@mick-george)
Prominent Member

Doesn’t seem to have been a particularly informative evening. I can only glean the following points from comments on here.

  • Wilde signed for 2022 – I think people on here already knew that anyway
  • Playing squad totally part-time in 2022, but Owens and Craven given “jobs” to effectively make them full-time contracts. Are there any other current players on full-time contracts this season, who presumably will be leaving? Jewitt part-time player/coach!!!
  • Recruitment and retention for 2022 proceeding with several deals tied up – why not announce them then? Looking at players with Championship experience.
  • Recognise that mistakes were made on the recruitment side this year and that there is an imbalance between forwards and backs in the squad. That must have come as a surprise to everyone.
  • It’s hard being a part-time rugby league player – Grady finishing work at 10:30 am on the day of the match. At least we have not gone back to previous eras when players finished work and met up for a drink before the match and would be seen having a smoke as they came on the pitch!!! Have we?
  • No comment about the in and out form this season – guess see above for excuses – and what our ambitions are for next year; or whether there are any plans to bolster the squad this year with further loans. I guess we are just looking to play the season out and fingers crossed that Grady and Co do not have many night shifts before games.

To be honest, I am not sure what else they could say and there may have been other comments and asides that have not yet been mentioned here. I think that this season is already a write-off and the plan is to bring together a more balanced squad for 2022. I can only presume that the ambition is to finish in the top 6 next year. It is good that events like this are held where fans can meet and ask questions of the Directors, Chief Executive and Coach. Perhaps the club should recognise that there is a perception that the club is less than open with fans on occasions. Events like this can only be positive in answering that criticism, There will be a chance in the last home game against Bradford to make announcements about signings and ambitions for 2022 and generally promote that game to try and get in a decent crowd. I suspect that there are many long-term fans (like me) who have not gone to games this year due to covid restrictions and continuing concerns, but who will return next year, particularly if there is a positive feel about the place. Onwards and upwards. Come on the Chemics.

Did you go Frank

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Posted : 10/08/2021 9:00 am
(@sandgroper)
Famed Member

t is a bit frustrating not having signings released, but thinking about it, the club need to have things to announce during the off season to get people buying season tickets and to keep people interested.

Agreed ma but with the system as it is, player approaches available early in the season, others like Salford, Wakey etc are announcing signings to start rebuilding confidence amongst their fans. Cross for instance has been widely mentioned and does justify the TS logic of looking at ex-SL academy players who have slipped through the SL net.

Wilde is a good signing, though it is pretty plain that it fits for him rather than us being 'tempting', whatever he is a good start. The early signing of the six or so props that we need would make a massive difference to our fan base and maybe to the existing team. The plan of bolstering our squad with SL loans has failed dismally and left us at the mercy of the SL clubs.

As the season ends we may find other SL clubs following Hull KR and calling loans back ready for the end of season fixtures. Again SL using lower grades rather than supporting them.

I just hope that the Championship clubs stand up and press the RFL/SL to get next seasons format and funding clarified before this season ends!

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Posted : 10/08/2021 9:06 am
(@jdgsport)
Prominent Member Admin

Phil Finney eluded to the fact Warrington "pulled the rug from under our feet" over Doro and Robson, and suggested that they are more likely to make sure they can look after themselves next season player wise.

That doesn't rule out using loan players - he said Wigan were shocked when Widnes approached them for O'Neill, who was someone Widnes had known about for a few years.

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Posted : 10/08/2021 9:08 am
(@sandgroper)
Famed Member

Phil Finney eluded to the fact Warrington “pulled the rug from under our feet” over Doro and Robson, and suggested that they are more likely to make sure they can look after themselves next season player wise. That doesn’t rule out using loan players – he said Wigan were shocked when Widnes approached them for O’Neill, who was someone Widnes had known about for a few years.

Good to know, thanks! As a bystander it looks as if Wigan are a more reliable partner to deal with.

I do wonder if we have any ex-players or knowledgeable supporters who get around the amateur game looking out for prospective signings?

Btw really enjoyed the commentary on Sunday - good info on where sides were etc - not easy I guess!

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Posted : 10/08/2021 9:25 am
(@frankg)
Noble Member

Did you go Frank

No Mick - it is a two hour journey for me back to Widnes. Just pulled together comments on this post.

Hope your questions were answered Mick.

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Posted : 10/08/2021 9:31 am
 CJ91
(@cj91)
Noble Member

Wilde is good defensively and evidently defending has been an issue for many a game this year.

Would not be sad to see the end of the partnership with Warrington to be honest: we have got good players from Wigan in the past anyway (Farrell, Ainscough, Mellor, Crosby, Tomkins', O'Neill etc) so one or two loan players from them next year would suit us fine.

Encouraging to hear that they have admitted the recruitment has backfired, interested to see how many new faces come in, presumably quite a few?

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Posted : 10/08/2021 10:22 am
(@mick-george)
Prominent Member

Who is in charge of recruitment ?

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Posted : 10/08/2021 10:31 am
(@blue-viking)
Estimable Member

Also said a top 4 finish next season with the league structure more than likely changing to what we expect is an absolute must no excuses.

the impression I got about the recruitment is that they both work on it together there was mention of signing the odd player from league one who are more than capable making the step up you would think Simon would have an idea who are the players with most potential at that level to step up given he coached in it.

 

for me not a bad tactic for the odd player cross and spedding both coming from barrow and baker from crusaders all been better signings than cook and Jewitt with multiple super league games behind them throw Tomkins into that too.

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Posted : 10/08/2021 10:52 am
(@sandgroper)
Famed Member

The publicity that Cross has gained has served him well and presumably given him a real chance now. He could come back at a later date !

Hopefully Spedding is staying, his pace is  what every team needs tbh, a team that can only score from within ten of the line isn't that attractive to watch. We seem to have the talent to make good openings and you need speed to profit from them.

We seem to have second rows with reasonable pace who are just not solid enough in defence to replace a purpose made prop!

Leigh gave a clue as to what we would be up against next year.

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Posted : 10/08/2021 11:45 am
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