Quote: Tez the Saint "I honestly can't believe people are blaiming Saturday's antics on the half backs.
In order for a 6 and 7 to function, they need to be playing on the front foot, and that is determined by the pack. If the forwards at not getting over the advantage, and at bing physically dominated by the opposition six, then you have no chance. Take on Sat Danny Brough for example, he was on the front foot from the first minute to the last, and the speed and aggression that his forwards were taking the ball up with gave them a quick ptb, which allowed him the time and space to control the game, and he did just that.
Put it this way, Andrew Johns couldn't have done any better playing behind that set of forwards on Saturday.'"
I agree that the lack of pack success limited the half-backs' options, but it's too simple to suggest they're blameless. In one key area, they were woeful, and it had nothing to do with the pack. Once again, our kicking game was terrible. Not only did it have no direction, but it had no length either. If the pack is being knocked back, and we're struggling to make progress, then the kicking game becomes vital, and the half-backs need to get us out of there with the boot. Yet time and again, the Huddersfield back three were fielding the ball on the full, on their 40m line. That's just rubbish.