Not one I'll lose any sleep over. We were poor, but we were playing only 2 'recognised' props. Jones and Haley were particularly impressive. Worrincy had a poor game but still scored twice, at full strength we'll beat them quite handily in the league.

All that said I'll be more than annoyed if we don't win in midweek.

From what I have read on this thread I think everyone is disappointed in the first half display today. What I would add is it is obvious from today and at Swinton that we cannot go into games with only two recognised props. Players such as Clayton, Chandler, Fairbank and Josh Barlow are not yet front row size. This does not mean that I do not rate them because I do but with the squad I feel we are trying to accomodate players out of position. ie square pegs into round holes at certain positions. Also apart from Penky on the bench we seem to lack that creative spark to come on and get us going.

They hadn't......they had been on the for 5 days solid, it was calland's 'Team Bonding' trip, straight out of the Gary Scofield Rugby Manual !!!

Really? Were you there?

might as well get the bad performances out of our system now though in these pointless nrc games

remember last year

If the week away was just a week on the beer for team bonding then we have to remember that if the Whitehaven game had gone ahead the chances are (without being disrespectful to Whitehaven) we would have already qualified, the fact the game was called off and some of the other results today (Swinton) we have created a bit of pressure for ourselves midweek - but I am sure we will come good. One good thing today was the Beswick attempted drop and the Black drop goal as at least it demonstrates the players are taking the competition seriously. (this does not however make up for a shocking first 40) !!

I wondered when the weakened team excuse would raise its head.......we have had the referee and cheat tactics already.
To be honest Im sure there may be a few more players still to come in......Nash, Patterson, any more worth mentioning Big Frank..... ?? Batley also without Campbell, Walton, Toothill, Robinson, And Flanagan so they were not exactly at full strength either.
FWIW i think Penkywicz is the best hooker in the league and looks dangerous whenever he has the ball and something Batley have been missing for a while now as Lythes is nowhere near as effective, chalk and cheese springs to mind, and once Flanagan is able to resume his career, he will offer a new dimension and threat to Batley and I believe that this will make batley a top four side this year.
I think it is safe to say that this league this season is going to be very competitive and any team can beat any other on any given day and that is what will make this a very exciting, and possibly up and down season for most teams.

Halifax shoule be putting 40 past batley we got far too mush for therm but the players yesterday looked fatigued ill disciplined and showed no pridde

Lets solve this with winning in cumbria wednesday night

I am surprised anyone expected any different from yesterday. A week in the sun isnt great preperation for a cold and wet Sunday afternoon and it was always going to happen. That said the first half performance was pathetic. Thats all that can really be said about it. Wrong options and bad mistakes meant Batley didnt have to work to breach our line, however they did put some good moves on our line. The second half we were like a different team and we would blow any team in the league away playing like we did. Again though if we put even a quarter of that same intensity in to the first half we would have walked the game at a canter. The players have to realise that every team is going to up their games against us because we are the champions and we can tcome out half assed like we did yesterday. For me the officials made a lot of questionable decisions but we really shouldnt have been in a position to have to worry about the ref. As for dropping a goal im not sure why all of a sudden we were panicking going for drop goals. Batley were shot and we had at least another try in us.

As has been mentioned we cant go in to games with only one go forward prop. Also showed yesterday we are lacking if we pick injuries up in the centre. Bannister is the best back rower at the club and shouldnt be played in the centre. We have seen Black start the season on fire and i say stick him back with holroyd as soon as possible and we will see a bit of an upturn in our attack. Sadly some of the other guys, if we have ambitions to retain the league, are just not good enough and we will have to hope we dont pick up a lot of injuries because we look to be lacking strength in depth. Either that or they step up their game sooner rather than later.

The players themselves substantiated this 'claim' in the first 40! I expressed my concerns over this game prior to it after hearing about the 'warm weather training camp'. A forum is a place to express opinions etc, mine being that the club has acted unprofessionally in the week leading up to this game, a fairly important game. Being a paying supporter of the club I'd quite like 100% on and off the field, when I see this I'd be the first to express my happiness and pride but Im not gunna sit in silence when I don't like something! I don't need to name names, or point the finger of blame to any individual, I was right to be worried about this game (although I did still expect us to pull through with a victory!). Im not being unloyal to the club or any individuals either, just disappointed cus I want to see them succeed.