For me as I have said elsewhere Karl has to show he knows what he is doing and he has to get both individuals and the team back to being able to challenge the top 2. Right now we have no idea, no confidence and as others have said chopping and changing for no real reason. I expect Karl to do something and the team to show signs of wanting to improve. If he cant do that before the seasons end then the club should start looking both in Europe and Australia for the next coach. Right now where we finish doesnt matter that much as the big pay days are gone. The play offs wont bring much money in. Next year though could be very different and we cant afford to play boring rugby and miss out on a few pay days. Its over to you Karl to show us what you can do.

Some good points made . Didn't go today so can't comment about the barrow game but was surprised to see yet again different combinations used. It can't help keep chopping and changing especially at half back and centre although it was good to see Bowman back who I rate very highly- he is I think tremendously gifted. That aside it was his first game for a few months , he's never played with Murrell which can't help . I presume it was Craig Ashall at hooker and not his brother who is the only specialist hooker we have , who has quick hands and goes from dummy half etc . In mitigation perhaps the Leigh game took more out of us than expected . I was chatting to someone at work a couple of days ago who is close to a player at another club - I won't mention out of respect to him and he questions the fitness of some of our players - a few of them are carrying a bit of extra weight . I've no idea how true this is so don't shoot the messenger but interesting nonetheless . I also think with reference to the Leigh game perhaps a couple of drop goals in the first half could just have giving fax a bit of confidence and got the scoreboard ticking over.

To me Bowman is seriously over rated, has never shone at Wigan, the Championship,or the second team. As you say, how many times will the same players underperform, without getting dropped or sent packing?

we are so predictable and any half decent team have us worked out. if u are going to play a basic forward game then you need to have forwards that can bust the line, i dont thnk we have. And u need a good hooker to set up the next phase or scoot when the chance arises. and we certainly dont have one of them. it woud also be nice to have some decent centres and play your fullback. the other week i think all our back 5 were wingers, pathetic!

Karl is one of my alltime favourite players, but i never fancied him as a coach and was warned to expect some dreary games, well we've certainly had them!

Yes next year will be a big year with a lot of pressure on the coaching staff to improve the team if we are to be in with a shout with the proposed new structure.They will have to either step up to the mark or step away.

3 games in 7 days with a long trip up to Barrow was the perfect recipe for another loss after the big effort mid week against Leigh.
I'm sure KH will say that the lads are busted and just ran out of steam.

There is never a good time to have a dip in form but the run in to the buisness end of the season is one of the worst.
Another big test of character for the boys.
No doubt they will be as dissapointed as us if not more so lets stick with them.

I'm a little surprised at the doom & gloom on here. Sure, Leigh have gone third, but we are at Sheffield on Friday, and still have to travel to Batley - where we never find it 'easy'. On the face of it, your run-in looks easier than ours.

Mind you, it looks like 3rd and 4th will have to travel to Sheffield or Featherstone in the play-offs - which position would you rather finish in?

Oh my god that was dire.

Not too much more can be said that hasnt already been said.

Only things I must add are that it is ok KH chopping and changing the team and picking people on form but when some players seem to be exempt from those rules then it does no good for team morale. How many times have the backline paid the price for the odd mistake yet we seem to have players not playing well consistantly who are in the team week in week out.

Obviously at least one of the changes were forced today with Thackery been injured but once again Bowman is given a chance and you really didnt notice him playing but to be fair theres a lot of games you dont notice our half backs. Karl Ashall came in for his brother, one player who looked almost untouchable, and at times looks lively but it is clear he simply isnt good enough for this standard of rugby. I have no idea who did the scouting for his signing but questions need to be asked.

KH`s favorites for the chop every other week seem to be Worrincy, Tyrer, and Fieldhouse who seem to pay the price for every little error that they make. Funny thing is that our backline looks badly out of sorts which is to be expected given all the changes made every week to try and keep people happy. Those 3 though are 3 out of our 4 top try scorers in the league and in games where we need trys they are the sort of players that can step up and make it happen but in our last 2 games these are the players that have been dropped.

What is annoying though is that it was clear to every one at the back end of the last season where most of the problems were but nothing was done about it, in fact things were made worse because we stuck with the same HB partnership and then didnt replace Penky. maybe I am deluded though because although it was obvious to everyone who I thought were a good judge it didnt seem obvious to our coach.

I thought our attack on Wednesday was one of the worse I have seen but today was up there. Five hours traveling out of a day to watch an attacking performance that I could probably have seen bettered down at Siddal. Maybe the next game we should just bight the bullet and go with 17 forwards, its not like the backs get that much of the ball anyway at the moment. Our play is boring to watch and if it is turning fans off who have watched for years and years then it is going to be very difficult to get it to attract new fans.

Credit to Barrow and they really should have beaten us by more. They looked really well organised in attack and we so much quicker than us with their hooker and scrum half having field days and they ripped us apart on numerous occasions. Next season is massive for KH as we now seem to have people off the field pushing the club forward but like has been said our actual play on the field seems to be going backwards.

I agree I couldn't go today and didn't miss it one bit, glad I didn't go by the sound of it.
I have already written this season off after the dire effort gainst Fev and especially after the York game which we could have lost remember it was luck that the goal kicks that were split by the TJs were given by the Ref for us and not them.
You know what, I just want the season to end now as it is damage limitation now and I fear we will lose a couple more games with all the injuries and loss of form plus I don't want to have to stomach a tonking by Fev or Sheffield in the play offs.
There is no way we will get to the GF and even if we did by some miracle do you really think we are good enough to beat Fev or Sheffield???
Next year is huge and the Board have to be strong, if Karl does not move us forward then he will have to go, sorry but the club have to be ready for 2015 when we will either grab our chance or fall back woefully short.

.

Halifax suffered a second defeat in five days after they went down 26-12 against Barrow on the Cumbrian coast.


Karl Harrison’s side were never anywhere near their best, especially in an awful second half, and looked to be struggling to deal with the emotional and physical aftermath of the tumultuous midweek loss at Leigh.

Harrison made a swathe of changes to the side that competed so strongly at the LSV without managing to back up their territorial dominance with points, some enforced, some not.

Threequarters Rob Worrincy and Steve Tyrer both returned, with full back Ryan Fieldhouse dropping out to be replaced by Lee Paterson.

But the more significant reshuffle came in the playmaking positions, with Anthony Bowman, last seen on loan at Championship One side Oldham, being recalled to play alongside captain Scott Murrell at half back in the absence of the injured Anthony Thackeray.

Young hooker Karl Ashall replaced his older brother Craig, who was limping heavily after the clash at the LSV, with veteran Paul Handforth dropping to the bench, where he joined debutant prop Ben Davies.

Ashall’s initial involvement barely outlasted the opening exchanges, the former Swinton player leaving the field with a dislocated finger.

Nevertheless, the visitors took the lead when Ross Divorty ran a clever line on the left and Murrell picked him out with a short ball, the back rower rounding Raiders full back Ben Hellewell to score.

Tyrer kicked the conversion, but the Raiders were in themselves five minutes later, the winger Dean McGilvrey scrambling over in the corner.

Kurt Haggerty missed the conversion and Fax went further ahead just before the half hour when Murrell strolled over.

Tyrer put Fax 12-4 ahead, but even then their performance lacked a bit of zip, perhaps understandably after their exertions at the LSV in midweek.

And when Hellewell crowned a flowing move down the right just before half time, Haggerty again putting the kick wide, the Raiders trailed 12-8 at the break.

The home side dominated the opening minutes of the second half, with the half back Liam Campbell and veteran back rower Liam Harrison causing havoc down their right.

Fax held on, with Ashall’s return giving them some invention in attack that almost brought a try for Ben Heaton, the centre just seeing the ball slip from his grasp as he stretched out in a three man tackle.

Harrison then scored from Campbell’s kick through, Kurt
Haggerty kicking the Raiders into a 14-12 lead, leaving the visitors firmly on the back foot.

And when Halliwell touched down after a textbook midfield break from hooker Nathan Mossop, Haggerty again on the mark, Fax trailed 20-12 with 18 minutes to go.

After that, the result sadly never looked in doubt. Fax showed plenty of effort, but lacked the nous to break down the home defence.
And their fate was sealed when Campbell scored three minutes from time, robbing them of a bonus point and dropping them to fourth in the Championship table.

BarrowThat sums it up really, too much tinkering and no cutting edge. I accept we have been hit by injuries and the lads have tried hard but this hits the nail on the head.
Lets get it sorted for next year eh?

It's a big ask for either of us.