Quote: The Lucky Black Cat "The problem was for me was Karl didnt really know how to put his gameplan across to the players last season and then made massive changes again including 6,7 and 9 which was always going to see problems this year. He couldnt see or help improve players and they were just drifting along. He never really trusted the U20s to make the step up and they probably felt they would have little chance to show what they can do. You cant just build a team and get success it takes time to gel properly. The spine of the team was too slow and changed from week to week. Why drop Johnson for Brown who hadnt played for weeks? Scott Murrell is too slow for Stand Off and is best at 13.
The players seemed to lose faith in Karl and Karl in them and in the end nobody had a clue what was supposed to happen. The players and Karl were not honest with each other or us. Excuses kept coming and things got worse. It was the excuses and lack of honesty which caused me to lose interest. The Club was not being honest about certain things and the buying of The Shay drama was just the icing on the cake. Mentally the players season finished weeks ago. They needed lifting and needed help to sort themselves out as players and as a team- but Karl and the coaching staff for whatever reason couldnt deliver.
I think we need to have a mass clearout. Get somebody in who has a record of working with quality players and improving them. Richard Marshalls name has come up and having worked at Warrington with Tony Smith might be a good option or a young assistant from an NRL club- I understand there are a couple that have been interviewed. I dont want somebody like Kear, Noble etc. Honesty and telling things as they are needs to start coming from the Club as well as the new Coaching Staff and Players. I dont mind losing if people put in their best and are honest. The club needs to start respecting the fans a bit more IMHO and the Fans need to have a bit more appreciation for the things the board and others do. Without the Board and Volunteers we have a weaker club. Without more fans we have a weaker club. Halifax RLFC needs to grow and it needs all to pull in the same direction and be honest but respectful with everybody.
I expect us to be rebuilding next year and not really challenging. You cant expect the new coach to turn things around quickly after what has happened. Also the new coach needs to be given time to show what he can and not people calling for his head after the first couple of defeats.'"
Top post and I agree, honesty is the word plus professionalism in ALL departments at the club, I keep saying it but I want Halifax RLFC to be known for being both of these and sadly they are not renowned for the latter one especially.
I did not enjoy most games last season as for me I never saw one where we did a full 80 minutes, we only won two games with comfort the Donny and Whitehaven home games, all the rest we toiled and whilst we lost a few we should have won like Batley and Dewsbury away we also could have lost a couple as well like Workington and Crusaders away.
We saw players in and out of the team to the point I struggled to recognise some of them, nobody really stood out over the whole season Luke Ambler apart and nobody seemed to get better in most cases only worse.
So lets put a line under last year and look forward to better things next season, I am sure it will be I have forgotten this season already!
