With Cook now likely added to the injury list along with others and Covid isolations, we really are going to struggle to put out a credible team and bench next week.
First league game of the season, with three last minute squad changes and a loan player to start with was never going to be plain sailing. Several of our forwards put in long stints today and fitness looked good. I though Danny and Jack were quiet on the ball, and maybe a bit too cautious of kicking into the wind in second half.
With all our first team available I’m sure we can play, but who knows when we might see them all fit and/or not isolating.
Looks like if this is true about the three who were out leaving the forwards and bench looking weak, proved to be the case. Not having BAKER, DWYER and FARNWORTH, JOWETT being injured and then the injury to COOK and the unnecessary sin-binning of Doro (when we needed him to stay on the pitch), we were busted at the end and so it proved. The game went away from us without Doro on the pitch and their big pack proved too much. CLOUGH was outstanding, and GRADY very industrious, but we needed a real contribution from more than what we had available. The pack needs bolstering I think, for certain......
...sorry, JEWITT!
Did Denis wander into OUR changing rooms at half time to deliver his (in)famous half time talks resulting in a scoreless half again????
What a let down. My £4.95 was only worth £2.50!!!
Speeding at fault for a few of their tries, Buckley shouldn’t be in the team now Roby (and hopefully Hatton) are back. We need more forwards if Kenny and Owen are gonna be missing/isolating and Cook being injured. Matty Smith needs to go on Slimfast, and Christ we need an urgent directive from the RFL about play the balls. EVERY ref in EVERY game for EVERY tackle interprets it differently.
Bizarre some of those decisions (for both sides but seemed like we had more pens against us for alleged PTB’s errors?).
Can we declare now for the Salfraud cup game? Not gonna do either team any good next weekend. Give ‘em the bye.
We had enough experienced players to manage the game out. Unfortunately they went missing when it mattered.
We need to improve on this performance in all departments. The second half performance was unacceptable. We did not control the ball when we had possession, we did not create any pressure on their line. This gave them the confidence to come at us in the last ten minutes.
Just watched Finnigan's post match interview, he might be a nice bloke but he doesn't fill me with confidence. To be honest he looked little shell shocked and I fear he is out of his depth. He mentions our pivots, stating that its not just down to them. They are our brains trust and our most experienced players, we expect better than that yesterday and being honest they have hardly inspired in all three games. We're going to pick up more injuries as we go and therefore we're going to get some hidings this year as our squad is not good enough or robust enough to go and battle with the packs at York, Batley and the like. COYV.
Woods and Shorrocks completely outplayed Craven and Smith, who have been quiet in all three games.
The hooker situation is a massive issue, and I think one of the reasons why Craven/Smith are perhaps frustrated/lacking in confidence.
Agree about some of the things said about the right-side defence. Some of the tries were far too easy, especially the very first one.
Unfortunately, we seem to look a lot weaker than last season - it's all well and good having added Clough, Cook and Jewitt, but if only one of them is ever on the pitch then not going to get very far.
The Chapelhows had a field day in that middle stint yesterday because Widnes just didn't have any rotation, and we were fortunate that Doro could do as long minutes as he did. Clough was excellent too.
I'm sure if we can get our best 17 on the pitch we will compete at the top end - the trouble is, that's not going to happen for at least three months due to the Tomkins situation, and the likelihood of us having eight fit forwards per match looks slim at the moment.
Everyone laughed when I predicted a 6th place finish, if you know the championships then you know that this is not a top championship side. Everyone getting excited about the forward pack, not fit enough to be playing on them 4G pitches, ok in the mud at Barrow in January, but not on ours or Newcastle’s pitch. One of our halves looks unfit and out of shape, the hooker is a good lad but him and the halves need to be dominating all game. Some lads to me just don’t look hungry enough and happy just to say they play for Widnes. Ill also say again, the back room staff ain’t experienced enough, what have they done? Times will get tough throughout the year and you need experienced staff to lean on and to use that experience. Squad need more numbers too. Rant over 😃😂
Though there are deficiencies in our play, they can improve, what must improve with time is the size of our squad. We will be forced to play lads who are simply not ready and that will result in more injuries.
Almost certainly that problem comes down to available finance.
Got to admit to a wry smile when I read on here about the Chaps out playing us when we have been told time and again how they lacked aggression etc!
With Cook now likely added to the injury list along with others and Covid isolations, we really are going to struggle .
Didnt Cook come back on yesterday ?
Though there are deficiencies in our play, they can improve, what must improve with time is the size of our squad. We will be forced to play lads who are simply not ready and that will result in more injuries. Almost certainly that problem comes down to available finance. Got to admit to a wry smile when I read on here about the Chaps out playing us when we have been told time and again how they lacked aggression etc!
I said on Twitter that all four of their ex-Widnes lads would get in to our starting 17.
But you can blame Ottawa and their monopoly money for that. I have no doubt we'd still have all four if it hadn't been for that ridiculous situation (not that I blame the players for going for it either).