I just hope that we slowly improve throughout the season, culminating in a peak grinding out wins when it matters in the GF. A la Wigan and Shaun Wane.

I'll only echo what has been said here really: we were poor overall with some good individual performances. We created way too many problems for ourselves with penalties and knock-ons all over the field but we did well to keep Catalan out under so much continued pressure. Again, we look very limp in attack.

Although we deserved the loss (by a bigger margin than Catalan managed) Child was poor. Some of our "high shots" never were, he allowed Catalan to lay on and niggle at the play the ball where he penalised us and we got penalised for putting one of them over the horizontal (by half a degree...) whereas they did worse to Rhys towards the end and we get nothing. No excuses for the loss, just made for a frustrating watch.

Surprised it was only us that got a team warning with the holding down that Cats were getting away with,no wonder Walsh was smiling before the penalty goal.
Not surprised we lost though with the amount of ground Cats were making on their sets & our poor handling at critical times putting us under pressure. Someone capable of breaking the line from close range would have come in handy too apart from a prop with a flick pass.

Westerman was immense

Agree with most of the posted comments. I thought Child was poor, but you can't use that as an excuse can you. Catalan have changed their style and are much less flamboyant but defensively far stronger than last year. Should we have had Johnson at FB with Russell on the wing ?

Overall I thought we were a game away from being ready for the season, but perhaps that is no bad thing with the WCS and two back-back games to come. And without Hill and Ratch we were lacking our two most influential players. Long, long way to go yet but a disappointing defeat regardless.

Struggled with a slow game. Battieri and Bird played the game well, stayed down when any chance of a call and relied on the crowd to convince Child to blow.

No excuse, we were too clean, too nice. Fell to bits without Sims and Cooper.

Plus points, Clark was handy, Sims was strong and Westerman looked to have developed into a leader.

Some people find the positives in that?? We were playing against a side that will really struggle to be top six this season and regardless of players missing and it being the first game of the season...that was a gimme. I fear for us this season...and this is not just based on tonight..even by todays woeful standards we have no creativity whatsoever. The game of rugby league in england is currently formulaic, devoid of skill and based on who, pumped full of the most legal growth hormone, can milk an arbitrary penalty and get the team closer to a touchdown....i believe we are one of the worst offenders but this season are not going to be very good at it. Ps. Rugby league is really currently very rubbish

Do we have half backs.

I only ask, as, as a rugby team, that tends to be required.

I only saw the first half, bored less.

Boy, we are dull. I'm fast losing faith with RL. Formulaic e. Hardly a decent move in 40 mins.

This

We have no attacking ideas at all. 0 - 12 in that Hudds pre season game proved this.

We are too reliant upon individual players having "moments of magic", which seems to happen all too infrequently.

The best I can hope for from the Brisbane game is no injuries (and a LOT less penalties!)

PS - I really don't want to see that bloody stupid "it's always our year" flag this season.

Three things we already knew last season. ..
1 Matty Russell is not a full back
2 Rhys Evans is not a winger
3 James Child is a pitiful referee

Other points worth noting are Catalan Dragons should never be allowed to turn rugby league info football. ....their behavior was nothing short of disgraceful tonight with the holding off heads in fake pain. .. the fake knocking back of heads as of they had been hit by a spade. ..and the ing putting up ten fingers to help the ref along ....

Awful ball control from wire and my scapegoat for the season will be Savelio. Whether he thought his work was done after his try but I think he'll be a small version of Trent Waterhouse. ...he was most ordinary and liked life on the wing far too much for a forward. .... but we'll see. ...Before I right him off

Hot weather preseason training.....

Is it the best preparation?

When much of the season is cold and wet at best, wouldn't two weeks training on Orford Park be more beneficial!?

Vs Catalan, a drizzle of rain and the handling from Warrington is puss paw. Under 9s have better handling skills than that performance.

Once again, I find myself blaming TS again. Lack of wet weather preparation. Playing Atkins inside our only class recognised winger. If it was Brian Bevan outside him...he'd have walked off the pitch sulking for never getting a pass.


Tony Smith what the feck are you doing?

I thought the game was for the taking, we were well in control in the first half but as stated many time on this thread and others our attacking threat was minimal.

Question : Do we practice scenarios whereby we are in the opposition 20 ...... it called a 'move' not really seen any.

Wouldn't mind if flamboyant movement with dummy runners all over the place and then somebody drops the ball over the line, at least we could moan about being unlucky but what a great move.

Thought there were a few plusses last night, Westerman was superb, Coops and Simms ran strongly, Clark tried hard, Lineham looked better, Livett continued his good showing from the diabolical Huddersfield shambles of a game. We need a session on composure, knowing how to spell it is one thing but how to show it is another.

Not forecasting a win next week, solid progress would do.

Gidley to full back. He really offers nothing in the halves.

Ratch to Linehams centre when fit.

Atkins inside Russell as he wont pass to him anyway.

Hope Patton can step up and Brown can stay fit.

Best we can hope for in repairing a lamentable back line.

Russell at full back! Please no more. He was scared to go anywhere near a high ball all day..and when he did...knock on every time!
We haven't got a half back in the club now capable of beating an average second rower for pace...not one.

It going to be a long season IMO.

Evans to Full back. He has played this position for Wales. Leave Russell on the wing.