I went yesterday and it's clear that the fundamental issues that have dragged this team down are still there.

There is no professionalism. No discipline. They carry on like a pub team. There's no leadership and no enthusiasm. They go through the motions but at slow motion.

We needed a new coach from outside the organisation to shake things up as everyone is in a comfort zone. The problem is nobody seems to be very comfortable. The body language is awful. The team is soft all over the field and has no resilience at all.

I've seen some poor sides over the past 40 odd years but this is without doubt the absolute worst. The club is sleep walking into oblivion.

Absolute must for survival is for the Wood to get it right on the pitch first and foremost imo. It's been said so many times before but any decisions made now are key to our survival.Tong was reputed to be a catalyst for fitness programming and the players all hailed the facilities as among the best.A feasible plan with appropriate backing is becoming imperative and a major overall of direction imperative.Sadly the Wood appears not to have the funds which any business person would know is paramount in stopping the rot.After all the turmoil of the past few years this is not progress this is abject regress. Time to talk the talk and walk the walk for NW. We need investment.

It’s so frustrating because for me, that’s one of the better sides we have put out. Only thing I’d have changed is to keep Wallace at SR and obviously Scott (when fit). Yet we throw up that pile of rubbish.

As people have mentioned before, we need to get it right on field otherwise fans will stop coming which means less money coming into the club.

For me Flanagan Jr starts every game for the rest of the season (bar Fev maybe). And tbh I’d have a look at Jowitt/Lawford alongside Patton as I think Lilley has gone backwards this season. Maybe give Ho a few games from the bench.

I think this nails it. While I don't think there was a lack of effort as such, there was no desire or desperation to win that game apart from Flanagan Jr. As you say the lack of leadership is a major concern. I think Hallas performance probably summed it up. He tried hard but he bombed a certain try early on in first half and then in the second when we were chasing the game, we did a crash ball on the powerplay!! It's just individuals making it up. Infuriating. If Dunning is giving them a game plan, no one on the field is making sure we follow it. Twice in the same set Patton and Lilley were attacking the line but as not a single person was running a line or back on the inside, both had to stop and come back.

As you said we just went through the motions and at no point did I or anyone around me feel we were going to win that game.

Agree with the above. I said at the game as always we were so flat and easy to read. Often the only man moving in the line was the man who got the ball. You aren’t going to break a line that way and we didn’t.

Add to that soft defence allowing london to score under the posts on a few occasions tells you all you need to know.

Whether it’s Dunning or the players or both we need real change and sharpish because regardless of whether we can get another win or two, there will be no one there to see it which doesn’t end well for a team with no backer

Maybe so but there's no team spirit, there playing for themselves not each other and something is really wrong. They looked like a team when congratulating GFJr when he scored but it was quickly back to every man for himself.

This link to MD's post match interview. He talks about some improvemnt from last week, team were positive in training, and he seemed to put the London win down to "a couple of plays that won them the game" I was standing watching a completely different game, cos second half I thought London ran all over us. It was a little like watching an interview from a different coach - can't think who though https://www.facebook.com/officialbulls/ ... 5604470750

This link to MD's post match interview. He talks about some improvemnt from last week, team were positive in training, and he seemed to put the London win down to "a couple of plays that won them the game" I was standing watching a completely different game, cos second half I thought London ran all over us. It was a little like watching an interview from a different coach - can't think who though https://www.facebook.com/officialbulls/ ... 5604470750

I agree, I’m not saying the players take no responsibility for the situation but ultimately, the coach is responsible for making sure players are motivated, fit enough and giving the game plan to compete.

At the moment we’re doing none of the above - if some of the players are past being motivated for this club then drop them.

We sacked Kear based on the lacklustre performances, I’m assuming the club wanted / anticipated a change in performances as a result.

At the moment it’s looking like a complete failure.

I had an ominous feeling the moment the team was announced. The pitch was dry and the evening hot so we needed young, fit and fast players yet we had supertankers in Walker, Ben Evans, Crossley and Baldwinson and ageing players in Murphy and Flanagan Snr. Where were AJ Wallace, Scurr, Millar, Hall etc.? And so it proved: we were ponderously slow, with retreating players still having their back to the play the ball as London speeded things up. The London halves ran fast and attacked the line whereas Patton and Lilley were slow and predictable; at times Lilley disappeared completely. Thank heavens for George Flanagan Jnr, not perfect but the only one showing speed and enthusiasm and well worth Bull’s MotM. It was so bad at times I wonder if Dunning has already lost the dressing room. If so that is depressing indeed.

The forwards are too slow and unfit and can't defend their own line. Crossley and Walker may have one or two good carries in a game but these are negated by the glacial speed of the PTB they get.

The halfbacks run across the field and so give ball to the backs far too late for them to do anything with it. This is partly down to the slow PTB and lack of go forward but the kicking game is abysmal. Aimless kicks to Gill are just a turnover of possession. Putting a bomb up and then not bothering to chase your own kick and put your teammates on side is lazy and it caught us out twice when we could've re-gained possession.

The whole squad looks distinctly low on confidence, enthusiasm and belief. Flanagan Jnr offered all that - a 17 year old! We need to promote a few more kids I think to inject some vigour into this squad.

Dunning said in his post match interview that there were improvements on the Newcastle performance. That has to be the lowest bar ever. His body language showed that he knows he has a heck of a job on his hands. Feel sorry for the bloke. Where is the next win coming from?

Everyone around me at the game was saying that we'd be lucky to keep it under 60 versus Barrow and Halifax. The silence that greeted the final hooter said it all. By then only about 75 people remained on the pop side to see the team off the field.

I think after the last couple of weeks, the attendances are going to completely drop off for the rest of the year.

We’re not going to make the play offs and the players aren’t even playing for pride anymore ( Flanagan jr the exception).

Will ST renewal time make Wood and co to consider their decision on the head coach?

There’s 3 in my group and none of us are going to renew as things stand. It’s just not enjoyable anymore - I wonder how many of the crowd at the weekend went away thinking they’d had a good day out?

Last week Dunning said we have not suddenly become a bad team but unfortunately that is the case.

I heard him say that and he's right. We've become a bad team, not overnight, but over the last 18months. It wasn't what he meant though and a coach has to stand by his players publicly. What he says behind closed doors is a different matter.

The quote doesn't really do him any favours as it implies the Newcastle result was an aberration. Instead I think it's been on the cards for some time. With the attitude and fitness of the current side on the decline it was only a matter of time before we got spanked.

The performance vs London was poor. Dunning said we got into the arm wrestle which pleased him but it's a very low bar to clear. When we clawed our way back into the game we promptly conceded a try under the sticks. The coach and players can talk as much as they like but the evidence on the field shows they're not at the races at the moment.

As for attendances they announced approx 2700 for this game. I'm genuinely sceptical about that - they must be counting season ticket holders who weren't there as it looked like there was about 1k less than that. I actually quite enjoyed watching Flanagan Jnr make his debut. The rest left a lot to be desired but there was almost a perverse comedy about seeing our fatties getting smacked about. The hit on Ben Evans was a classic example of what happens when you play half hearted rugby. He took a ball at walking pace and got absolutely cleaned out by the London defender. We made Wellington Albert look like Gordon Tallis at times. After the next two games I can't see gates getting above 2k. Is that sustainable Nigel?

Looking at the academy highlights, Myles Lawford should be another one making his debut this weekend. As Dunning said against Newcastle, no one can complain if they're dropped this Week either.