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.

We know where the problems are, KH knows and the board knows.

In reality though, where are these quality, game breaking hookers and half backs that play for championship wages and fit under the championship salary cap? I suspect that is the biggest problem……....

For a start theres one playing at Leigh that didnt want to leave............

To be honest, after 2 tough games, a trip to Cumbria was always going to be a Banana skin, and I expected we might be turned over.
Theres not much the coaching staff can do this year with our current combinations either. We might as well throw in an unknown quantity and start preparing for the future, give Freddie some game time, get Nanyn back and start making the harsh decisions with the players who either cannot or do not perform at this level anymore, one of them brought his Rochdale reputation for a few months but has gone backwards and the other one has lost his roar and is playing more like Bagpuss than a tiger. These are key positions, it must be demoralising for the forwards smashing the ball up continually and having it wasted, and the same for the backs, not getting any decent space or ball to work with and having to drive it up like forwards to keep their places.
If we persist with this system and these players and get knocked out in the first round of play offs we will have missed golden opportunity, we've nothing to lose now. Freddie and Rob will at least give us a chance of returning the ball with interest and getting us on the front foot, Mick scores tries at any level and in any team, and if key ball players are not clicking, its dumb to think things will change. We look spent and short of ideas at the business end of the season again....
Its time for Karl and Lee to step up and make the big calls.

I'll echo a few of our players look like they are carrying a few too many pounds, its a professional sport, you should want to be the best you can be at any level, like Tyrer admitting he was a stone overweight earlier, surely the coach would ensure they keep in shape. An extra stone is the difference between getting to a position to make that tackle or not. We look very unfit.

In this game theres no room for sentiment and its time to say farewell to a few I think, Patto has been great for us but for a team challenging or who wants to challenge the top we need fresh players, young driven hungry players, like that Freddie guy in the reserves, get him in, players with something to prove not journey men.

I said at the start of the season I don't mind playing reserved rugby as long as it gets results and is effective against the top teams, well its not, any team worth their salt we struggle against. Our record against any team around is shocking and we don't look anywhere near as organised, fit or clinical as them.

I don't have a season ticket this year, wont buy one next year unless I see things change, so the comment rhino stated after the fev at home thrashing seems a bit untrue now, that its not about now its at the end of the season, detest comments like that, professional sports is about now, the moment etc, all this 3 year to build plan too, what does that say to the fans. Its about now, the results now. You don't see fev or Sheffield saying the same.

For a team like us with the resources we have and structure off the pitch we are way short of performing and behind the other teams. Its not acceptable, as for the players, if you not prepared to be a fully professional sportsman and keep yourself in shape or be the best you can be then move on, its not a hobby its professional sport, even at this level.

Is that the same one that is coming to the end of his career and was getting smashed on here by some last season for his decision making and the hospital passes he threw?

Face it. The stand out game breakers in the championship play have contracts with other clubs and we can't afford a transfer fee. So, where will these players come from?

Contracts mean didly squat nowadays. Other clubs find these players. Also how about promoting from the ranks, few players in the juniors at fax worth a shot. Rhino seems to have his faves and its a closed team for anyone else.

We have one of the best amateur clubs walking distance from the Shay and we don't seem to have many players playing for fax first team who came from that club. I presume super league clubs get a lot but other clubs in our division have local players who if they turn out to be a good un then go up to super league, why cant we do that.

Fev can attract players, we cant, wonder why?

Really? Barlow signed for fev then, or is he on loan cos none of the three parties can break his contract ?

Maybe we don't promote from within or pick up local amateurs cos these players aren't deemed good enough? Our under 21s get a battering most weeks

Fev attract players cos they are currently the team winning things