Unfortunatley it has taken our coach a full season to realise this and in doing so has made one of our best players look like a right twonk.

I think thats a little unfair on MC, things were going well at the start of the season so it didnt matter as much did it

Things were going well but it was still pretty clear to everyone we were lacking a Stand Off.

i don't agree bout the stand off talk, i think govin at 6 black 7 and beswick 13 is the best combo with glees and penky interchanging at 9. its not a lack of stand off which is losing the games, its defense and errors combined with some injuries.

Exactly!

There was a mention in the Courier about Ben Blacks mate bein linked....Plays Stand off for Gateshead?? Name is evading me at the mo!!

Key to it all - and this has been distinctly absent in the last few weeks - is getting the pack moving forward creating the space for Penky, Black, Gleeson and Beswick to work their magic.

The pack has, with odd exceptions, been battered for the last few weeks. If they get a roll on, and we get quick play the ball, we still look very good - as we saw in glimpses against Haven in the second half. The Cas game was a great example of this - bloody hell the Superleague team was lying all over our lads to slow the game down. Also, without the room to move behind a pack going forward, most off the passes are becoming forced, leading to more mistakes

What we are missing, now that teams have worked us out and slow us down, is a stand off with a kicking game to enable us to build pressure. Kicks to the corner, 40 - 20's, kicks into in goal forcing drop outs. Sounds boring but is very effective.


Also,what happened to all the players running angles? When we were playing well, and Blacky, Penky etc were running across the line, there were runners aplenty - now there are one or 2, but these are easily spotted by the defending team

Absolutley spot on IMO.

Matt James was a massive loss for us.

Spot on Mike....definately need the off half to take us into the corners and turn teams around. If you remember against Batley when young Bowman came on we tried the kick early in the tackle count and although it could have been a bit deeper it immediately turned them around and put them on the back foot. The key is obviously to tire the oppositions forwards, keep them on the back foot and therefore allow our pivots and ball players to make those breaks......whey hey....we actually agree on something

the stand off position is filled for next year,

wonder when it will be announce ?

have it from a good good source who never lets me down

Are you saying its Brannigan as mentioned in the League Express?

It is true, Sonny Bill can play 6.

a bit off thread but what is the score with Matt James?

Is that him out for the rest of season?

James is good .... but he's not THAT good!!