Think its time for a rant!!!
First and foremost, sincere congratulations to East Leeds for a fantastic winning performance today against the Allblacks. You took the game to us and really deserved to win...well done and good luck with the rest of your season.
However, as Crigg parents we were a disgrace. Whwn they called out the names of our young heroes did we clap and cheer?? No we never made a sound. East Leeds cheered the walls down and their kids knew they were supported.
Many of our players went into this game with their heads down and defeated before the ball was even kicked. Some showed a negative attitude I have never seen from them and quite frankly hope I never see again. But it wasn't their fault. Im not normally one for airing dirty laundry in public but I was ashamed of myself this morning for putting up with a lot of things lately.
We have a coach who would do anything for the lads and who cant have done a bad job winning just about everything with them for the last 2 years but for some reason lately and the week leading up to a cup final, people want to tear this club apart and start a political game for power. This isnt for the benefit of the kids, OUR KIDS, but for the benefit of certain adults. You, WE, sent our children, yes children into battle against a strong East Leeds team, with their heads low and confused. Not only that we did nothing to support them through it. Despite the differences we have with Leeds parents, they actually acted like parents this morning. Many of us just expected our lads to win. Theyre kids, not machines.
Personally i dont care if the moderator thinks I have gone too far today and kicks me off, but I am not willing to put up with what i allowed to happen this morning. Our own parents shouting and berating our own coach and each others kids. Some of the opposition staff were no better with the disgusting things we heard said about some of our lads but I wouldnt dream of spoiling their day. It was their day afterall.
My message is this, loud and clear, get behind your kids and the coach who has never let you down, let them enjoy their rugby and dont try to make it about us, itys JUNIOR rugby and not all about winning, or get lost because these kids deserve better. WE lost them that final today. taking nothing away from East Leeds but you dont go from hammering a team 3 weeks ago to getting an absolout tonking like we did today by the same team. We need to grow up and just enjoy watching our kids having fun.if you dont like what i say, i dont care. Well done again East Leeds.

oooooh gets worse the older you get, glad he's OK tho

We (Raiders U7's) have had 2 games since the mid season break - Elland and Cas Panthers, both away.

Elland last week was a bit of an eye opener, with one of our lads having a "try" disallowed because of a double movement and one because he put the ball down over the dead ball line after breaking through and being in the clear - ah well. Elland had a couple of good players and put on the customary offloads like just about all teams, with the usual mixed results - they were a bit over aggressive though and tried to bully there way through parts of the game. After being 4-0 down early doors, as seems the norm for our lads, we got it back and lost out by 1 score in the end. A much improved performance from our lads from earlier in the season, with them starting to run onto the ball with more speed and defending as more of a unit.

Today we went to Cas Panthers, a side who unlike most sides have almost a structured passing game rather than offloading the ball anywhere in the tackle. They had the odd dummy runner, put a couple of passes together and even a drop off/inside ball and really look the part - the fact they passed it seemed to confuse our lads who were a bit reluctant to move in as we have been working on - so it game them plenty of room. Anyway, big effort from 2 very different teams (our boys are coached not to offload this year) and refereed very well by a young lad - our lads really enjoyed it and it shows we are going in the right direction in our first season.

Dudley Hill next week, so we will play a team of our smaller/less experienced boys and let them all have a good run out.

I am absolutely staggered that somebody can come onto this forum and post this comment. The game was an entertaining local derby, played by two teams who put everything into producing a great advert for junior rugby. There was a handbags incident which lasted about 10 seconds, but what about the other 49 minutes and 50 seconds? Rather than posting anything positive, and there was plenty on show, you’ve come home from the game and spouted off about the only negative. Junior rugby is a great participation sport for youngsters and we should be spending time shouting the merits of the game from the rooftops and not trying to kick the game down at any opportunity

Just for the record sweetie – although you may have heard somebody shouting, it certainly didn’t come from our touch line manager

Thanks for bringing some sanity back to this thread with a well thought out and reasonable post about junior RL.

The same poster also tried a 'subtle' accusation towards me for allegedly not forwarding transfer papers, without being in view of any facts at all, waiting for an apology for that one.