Well you didn`t go for the weekend did you. We had an enjoyable weekend passing the time talking to various club supporters, as well as taking in 4 full games over the weekend. I will be sorry to see the Weekend move personaly. If it moved back to Manchester I would only go on the day Huddersfield were playing as I woudn`t bother stopping in Manchester for a weekend.

Can`t believe what some supporters are saying, example :- boring / poor game. I have a totally different view. It was one of the closest games apart from Wigan v Warrington. It was a very good defensive display from both sides, and when the scores are so close the team can`t take the expansive option for fear of mistakes. People should be able to appreciate good defence as well as length of the field try`s.

The length of field tries isn't the issue- the lack of good linespeed was. Our game was played at a pedestrian pace compared to all the other games that weekend. We looked sluggish- and we'd just had a week off! Yes partly that was down to the way the ruck was policed (badly) but we weren't fighting to get up,or moving up quickly in defence. Against a side willing to ptb quickly we would have been crucified.

So you failed to notice the times we visibly upped our tempo in attack, forcing quick PTB and getting good profit from it?

It was a poor game yes, but that's down to both teams failing to complete sets and a very poor referee slowing both sides to lay on and lurk offside all game

Be critical by all means but get the criticism right

Yes we did go for the weekend- we always have. We saw all 6 games.
From a family perspective Newcastle is poor. shockingly poor fanzone and poor entertainment at the stadium between games in the opinion of my kids. Etihad made it more of a party atmosphere with lots going on.

You can't just up the tempo for 10 minutes. It needs to be played at pace throughout the 80 minutes. Look at the speed the saints/hull game was played at, or the cas/Leeds,, or even the Leigh Salford game!

hey ho we got the 2 points on offer

I will agree with you regarding poor entertainment, but that is down to the RFL not Newcastle. Big rubberised figures doing races, also the big plastic see-through globes with supporters from different teams competing. It`s knockout type games would keep the kids interested. They could still have young kids playing rugby at one end of the field up to the 22 metre line, leaving plenty of space for fun games.

Then I take it that (Me and Jools excepted?) we are all happy with how things panned out !
It was exciting riveting fayre and of astandard that will see see us comfortably achieve a comfortable season end result

We showed that we can upthe ante for 10-15mins and establish a platform to see games out at any point in the match as suits


Its a majority decision that I`ll accept as the status quo in September now I can relax and sleep more easily

Thanks gang !! Why was I ever concerned!

SO once again when we`re crying out for some stability and continuity in the team youre advocating the old musical chairs syndrome that (IMO) hasnt served us too well -yet we are moving once again towards "crunch"time
I was under the impression that Ridyard was temp replacement half for Brough? Y/N?In which case if he gets a couple of games with Broughy before his month long period expires -what does it serve us to mess about with Murph and a (hopefully) longer term pairing at h/b
Weve had little or no "understanding " in the side and when weve introduced promising youngsters into the permutations we then mess with the combinations yet again so that its constantly being disrupted
Know some of this has been because of Dannys perceived on field petulance but lets not continue this now that weve got a chance to settle the team coming towards the middle eights which Im afraid seems the inevitable position were in We arent party to behind the scenes decisions but we ought by now to have an idea of our best combination and be aiming towards it -not faffing around continually
Cant see even our more established players getting any understanding by that logic never mind the youngsters we (have to?) introduce

Then keep Gaskell at 6 and Sam Wood at centre

Playing someone because they are solid and dependable won't win us points

Murphy is a centre always was utterly wasted on the wing - anybody who knows RL can see that surely.

I've always been a big fan of smurf ... always gives 100% ... rarely misses tackles or makes errors. Carries the ball well and can play anywhere in the outside backs. So to say he is 'utterly wasted' is a bit harsh.

scores a fair few tries as a winger too does murphy!

You may have thought that but we have tacticians who know better. He plays a good game get's MOM and it's only because he was playing against a poor side. We also have a International who missed a tackle my Grandaughter could have made, that resulted in a try,Playing against the same poor side , but there will be a myriad of reasons for that.

The argument is that he is OK but will not win us games, that makes him in good company then, Apart from a couple on their day, we have a team full like him.