Yet again, we lose a game we should have won. Plenty of times last year, we lost games we should have won (did we win many that we shouldn't have - I can't remember ?). We say we have to learn from it, but do we ?

Do we just dwell on our mis-fortune and forget the good bits of fortune ?

In my opinion 10, 11, 12 sides in SL are much of a muchness and can all beat each other. These blokes have played rugby all their lives and what seems to let us down each week are the basics. If the team spend the next 5 days passing, catching, tackling - will it make us any better in our next game ? No. Why should it, they have passed, caught and practised tackling all their lives.

We are NEARLY a decent team. So what are we lacking ?

Leadership ? Yes
Character ? Yes
Mental strength ? Yes

Can these things be taught on the practise field in training ?

We lack a killer instinct
Leadership.
Flair
A coach who can get the best out of his team.

I'd also add strength in depth. Your first 17 is a match for almost any side, why didn't TM play Thompson??? Waste of a bench place if he hasn't got the confidence to play him, for me Thompsons ready for a few more tastes of the big time, he's never looked out of place and I think he'll have a good future in the game.

I think we lack a natural leader. Someone who controls whats said behind the posts, determines what we do and is the "general."

Im no fan of Sherwin, and I dont think Hudson should be captain as he isnt on the field enough.

A scrum half is the key.

We have some wonderful, exciting players. But it 20-18 when we needed to complete sets and control the game, we were still offloading and going wide left right and centre. Great to watch and part of the clubs heritage, but to go to the next stage thats what we need.

Could you see Sean Long, Lee Briers, Shaun Edwards, even Paul Deacon doing anything but going for a 40-20 or a deep kick for a good chase to pin the opponents back? No, neither can I.

We cannot be attack attack, attack all the time if we want to break the top 4-6.

One word i'm afraid, Fitness, Fitness and Fitness!!! Its been said on many a thread, fitness levels are not good enough. Any of you out there that have taken part in physically demanding activities/sports will know that when tiredness sets in, the basics, the mental strength, the leadership all become so much more difficult.

This is why for the current, and past superleague seasons under TM's set up we have lost so many games that we should have won. How many times have we been 10 points up and lost? I'd even go back to the Steadman relegation year, so many times we were in the lead that year only to lose.

There needs to be a massive change in the way we prepare our players, otherwise this will keep happening time and time again

We lack strength in depth but this is something that's always been the case at Cas so we probably shouldn't be surprised by it.

Leadership is a problem. When Sherwin isn't around it's non-existent, when he is around it's not a strong as it should be. That's because the leadership should be coming from Hudson, yet he's being made to sit on the bench for half the game.

The killer instinct we lacked on Saturday was borne out of a lack of composure. We put the ball down 5 times in their 10m area in the first half and could've easily been well out of sight before their first try was incorrectly awarded, visibly deflating the team.

You're getting boring.

But for info:

I'm not a mod on this forum: I'm a site admin - with modding responsibilities on the VT and sin bin, but here I'm first and foremost a Cas fan.

I'm 50 - it's one reason I don't behave like an hyper aggressive 13 year old.

I remember watching Hardisty and Hepworth et all win the Cup in 69 and 70 - albeit on the TV in our front room in Ferry Fryston.

Despite living in London, I'm a season ticket holder.

Not that I have to justify myself to anybody on this forum or elsewhere on the site.

"ra ra newbie" ???



anyway …

yes: the problems are strength in depth, on-field leadership and composure: and the latter comes in part from leadership: whether Hudson is on the field or not, there should be three or four senior players (in age or position) excercising leadership on the pitch and making sure we make the right decisions


Oh … a better defence against grubbers would be nice, too.

I don't think there's a lack of leadership. Watching on Saturday you could see at one point Ryan Hudson, James Evans and Paul Jackson all having a say behind the posts. Add in the likes of Steve Snitch, Stuart Jones and Brent Sherwin and there's a fairly experienced and influential bunch.

I think the inability to close out tight games is mainly down to fitness and probably the mental aspect of the game. Leading 20-12 we were quite comfortable but then when it becomes 20-18 how many of the side begin to think "here we go again..."?

I have stated before the squad need to be fitter,as a previous poster has said you struggle to do the basics right when you are,frankly.... knackered.

I would have thought the club,knowing we have limited resources for players would get a good fitness conditioner in,and get the current squad as fit as possible,and the academy players bulked up abit ready to make the step up,as the talent is there.