Quote: TrinFanX "For me, the most concerning thing is the tackling.
Here is a link to the highlightshttp://www.skysports.com/watch/video/sports/rugby-league/10167673/castleford-40-6-wakefieldrl
If you watch at the one minute mark, this is just plain embarrassing!
It seemed bad enough at the ground yesterday but, watching it like this is just horrifying.
At the video session (which I'm assuming they have but, with this shower, it doesn't pay to assume anything) hopefully there will be some very embarrassed players who feel the need to put things right.
Already at this stage of the season, is fitness rearing it's ugly head? It's hard to generate line speed and maintain structure and discipline when you're blowing like a billy goat.
People (including our coach) are mentioning the penalties. Hand on heart, does anybody really think that was much of a factor? Penalties go for and against all teams but, good teams play what's on the pitch in front of them. If you don't like penalties, be fitter and more disciplined so you don't have to be as reliant on slowing the ruck down as much.
We are falling into the same patterns as last year. Blaming outside factors that we can't influence. Take ownership of your problems, deal with them and move on.
Yes you need luck in this this game. But more often than not, the harder you work, the luckier you get.'"
As sad/hard as it is to say it; you've got it spot on with regards to penalties. I don't think I've heard a post match interview with Smith yet where he hasn't criticised the ref.
I understood it last year as it took some of the pressure of of the players, but continually blaming the ref and the interpretation in the UK just gives the players a cop out and they start to believe they're beaten as soon as a string of penalties go against them. That's how fans think, not coaches and players!
I have to say that, at present, your standard of fitness would concern me too. This could be down to your preseason being conducted exclusively indoors. Heavy pitches require different conditioning and you can see that the players haven't done much on them and are blowing far too early. I'm sure they'll look better on a summer pitch, but can you afford to wait till those pitches come, if they even do?!
I'm sure I'm not telling anyone anything they don't already know, but Halfback is a key area for you too and to go into the season with your hopes pinned on Finn & Miller was a massive gamble. It was all the more baffling when Godinet was allowed to leave, but it is what it is and I'm sure that what you have will be enough to stay up. The question is how much longer can you go on like this?