Firestarter wrote: ↑Fri Apr 14, 2023 11:49 pm
Ok im gonna be very very honest here now……. Best team won easily and we shudda won by more…… our furst try was slightly forward and our second try was slightly offside and possibly a knock on…… cant fault our lads really who showed desire and made me prouder than proud tonight……. Always hard playing against the worst away crowd in the league…… lets sing when were winning, lets boo every decision against us and then after a few bad weeks lets stop attending( pp fans of the highest order)……. Now for the important stuff…… we are under the cosh at the moment with injuries, but, we are so well disciplined and keep our shape so well…… every player gave his all tonight…… we played to out strengths and every forward turned up( including mago) ….. ive never been a fan of ellis but he has proved me wrong recently with epic performances……. My momwas isa who ran like his life depended on it( albeit off good inside passes from shorroks , the most improved player in super league)…..Im not sure what it is but peety seems to have them challenging high balls and keeping onside which has both punished us in the past…… bevan is bevan and is one classy defender…… both wingers are workhorses with that x factor to boot…… the centres are what we have needed for years…….. smith is class( regardless of the doubters, he ran the show again and showed george what a long kicking game is)…….all the pack were just awesome and my only whinge was dufty…… he was butchering the ref for every decision, you cant get away with it in Aus so dont do it over here……. Well proud lads keep it up
I think Harry Smith was the deserved MOM but Willie Isa deserves a special mention. Whatever anyone thinks of him being in the 17 he never gives anything but 110%. The man is made of granite and had one of his best games last night.
I also think Jai might find it difficult to get back into the starting 13 if Joe carries on in the same vein.
I really don't know what we are going to do about Shorrocks. That is to big games that he has been the difference in defence and he needs to be in the big games. His time at leigh seems to have majority motivated him (maybe given him the confidence he needed) but who does he replace when we get players back.
These are two reasons not to trust people.
1. We don't know them.
2. We do know them.
Caboosegg wrote: ↑Sat Apr 15, 2023 8:56 am
I really don't know what we are going to do about Shorrocks. That is to big games that he has been the difference in defence and he needs to be in the big games. His time at leigh seems to have majority motivated him (maybe given him the confidence he needed) but who does he replace when we get players back.
For me for now at least I'd keep him in the halves the last thing Smith needs is yet another new partner in there it's worked so keep him there when Cust is fit well hooker time maybe for him?
That was another tremendous effort from the entire team. It's a tough ask to play 3 successful derbies, all built up to be a big occasion in front of packed crowds all with key players missing.
I've been critical of the strength of our pack this year and felt like the club weren't being ambitious enough with recruitment. I take some of that back. Admittedly I did add that to get to the next level we needed our two young props to really kick on and one of our senior props to emerge as the sort of 100m per game prop that most top teams have and that's actually what has happened. Credit to the coaching staff for having that faith in the players we've got. Havard has been immense recently, Byrne is now playing consistently well but Ellis deserves huge credit. At his best last year he was quietly effective and a grafter, then his form really dipped. He started this year fairly quiet and solid but in the last 3 games he's been incredible. You can tell he relished going toe-to-toe with Vaughan last night.
It's a shame for Singleton to pick up an injury as this was his chance to get back into the team and fight for his place. He's not a bad player, he's just been far too inconsistent in his time at the club. Another player who can't be faulted for effort and if he's missing for a few weeks it's reducing our numbers that bit more.
Mago, while not everyone's cup of tea put in a good effort for 10 minutes either side of half time. Using him around half time is sensible as it means we get more out of him thanks to the break in between. He didn't seem to do anything wrong and made some strong carries so no need to be critical. I hope he can build on this in the next few weeks as he's going to be fresher than our other props.
I've never been his biggest fan and I can be critical at times but what a performance from Isa. You can tell why the players and staff absolutely love him. He smashes himself to bits for the team again and again. He's given a job and just does it. He doesn't seem to get put out when he's been dropped, he just seems to put everything he's got into the next game. I thought Isa and Shorrocks made a very effective combination last night through keeping it simple. Wire were always up on our edges trying to pressure Shorrocks into a risky pass out wide but he just kept turning it back inside for Isa again and again and the umbrella defence gave Willie plenty of space to run into.
Harry Smith ran the game like a seasoned veteran. I still can't believe the criticism he was getting earlier in the year when our pack would struggle a bit. He's been outstanding, particularly when you consider he's had 3 different halfback partners this year and all have relied on him to take the lead.
Our backline has a tremendous work rate and it's great to see how much they relish taking carries. Miski might not be the best winger but in games like that the bulk of a wingers work is based on effort down the middle he's ideal. Toby King had another good performance. I thought it was ridiculous for Wire fans to be booing someone who is still contracted to their club and who was forced to go out on loan.
I've been saying for a year or two that we needed to play with an interchange hooker and I think that's proving to be effective for us. I thought both Powell and O'Neill were good and it's great for Brad to get his first try. I love the way he plays and how he doesn't overdo running from dummy half but makes huge gains when he does.
As for Shorrocks, I'm absolutely delighted for him to be getting a run in the team and to be catching the eye. I've been banging on about how much I rate him over the last few years but he hasn't always been able to make himself a regular. For me he's the most underrated player in Super League. A lot of praise for Morgan Knowles mentions how he does so many good things that go unnoticed. Shorrocks is the same for me, except he's now also making big plays that do get noticed. His defence is great to watch and that tackle on Ashton when he looked like he'd found some space was a thing of beauty.
One last word of caution though. Next week could be a really tough game and we definitely shouldn't dismiss these last 3 weeks if we get caught out by Wakefield. To have 3 big games where motivation comes easy and the crowd is huge and the occasion is exactly why you wanted to play rugby is great but it's makes it a big task to get those same players focused for a game against the winless bottom club that we battered in this fixture last time around. I think it might be wise to rotate the team a little, without going overboard. We don't win anything at this time of year so a drop in intensity might actually be a good thing for us as we don't want this month to be our peak.
Brilliant win, we never looked like losing it. Absolutely battered their forwards which was a delight to see. Over the last few games we seem to have raised the intensity. Hoping to see a couple of the big young lads get a run out against Wakefield. I also don’t understand the booing of former players, seems a bit childish and pointless to me.
Caboosegg wrote: ↑Sat Apr 15, 2023 8:56 am
I really don't know what we are going to do about Shorrocks. That is to big games that he has been the difference in defence and he needs to be in the big games. His time at leigh seems to have majority motivated him (maybe given him the confidence he needed) but who does he replace when we get players back.
Easy…… play him at 13…… his skill sets are perfect for that position and give us more options in attack
IF YOU STRIKE ME DOWN I WILL BECOME MORE POWERFUL THAN YOU CAN POSSIBLY IMAGINE
w.thomas wrote: ↑Sat Apr 15, 2023 9:24 am
Brilliant win, we never looked like losing it. Absolutely battered their forwards which was a delight to see. Over the last few games we seem to have raised the intensity. Hoping to see a couple of the big young lads get a run out against Wakefield. I also don’t understand the booing of former players, seems a bit childish and pointless to me.
ive always thought the same….. we did it to hanley at leeds years ago and ellery looked so dissapointed, especially after all the great memories he gave us
IF YOU STRIKE ME DOWN I WILL BECOME MORE POWERFUL THAN YOU CAN POSSIBLY IMAGINE
Hugely impressive performance - maybe even better than last week.
Don't really want to single players out but Miski, Ellis and Shorrocks were terrific. The yards that Miski made coming out of defence were crucial - also Faz, as ever, making yards after being initially tackled.
Special plaudits to Isa for playing with a couple of facial injuries that would have put football players out for the season and for Sam Powell for coming back in the forwards with what looked suspiciously like a broken nose.
Looks like Warrington (and Powell) may have been found out. No real tactics other than to lumber forward and assume that the oppo will weaken by the end of the match. What we knew about George was on show. His distance tactical kicking is terrible and what on earth was Ratchford doing being wasted at centre?
Some great comments here. I think we were dominant last night.
To me, Shorrocks' biggest plus is his 80 minute never-give-in attitude and enthusiasm, particularly in defence, and it seems to be catching. We must find a place for him even when everyone is fit.
Great to see us with 2 regular centres who who do some of the heavy lifting too.
I'm not one for criticising players, and this is by no means a negative comment, but I'm a bit concerned by Faz's performances since he's been captain. Am I wrong? He's clearly grafting and contributing to the team, but does he have the spark he once has, especially on attack?
I've felt from early on that the captaincy may be weighing heavily on him. I'm happy to be shot down in flames if I'm wrong, and there's nothing I want more than to see Faz at his best - the top 2nd rower in SL.
