Quote: dpbnov "Good to see the lads respond with some effort which was so lacking last week.
However, despite the improved effort, which most weeks you can’t fault, you cannot get away from the fact that it was another frustratingly dull spectacle of rugby league from a Wakey perspective with the BBC commentary team struggling to find anything remotely half decent to say about our play.
So, it’s another post mortem…
In defence we didn’t get outstripped on the outside like we did last week but instead of getting off the line to get into the Catalans faces and hit runners as soon as possible, we reverted to the same old move up and then hesitate momentarily allowing opposition runners to gain momentum. We also played with a defensive line like a dog’s hind leg when our wingers and centres should be pushing up creating an umbrella to close down plays and force traffic down the middle of the park.
With ball in hand we were better than last week but that is not saying much because still too many basic handling errors and coughing up possession in areas of the field off the back of which Catalans scored tries. The cluelessness in attack which has been characteristic of performances over the last couple of years was on display yet again today. Of the 15 or so sets we had in the first half, many turned out to be one pass from the dummy half for 3-4 tackles in a set with no decoy runners so real easy reads for the Catalans defence. No footwork from our forwards just before they hit the defensive line. Most times we were taking the ball static and not running onto the ball and I can’t recall us bringing any men back on the inside. On the few occasions when we did look to shift the ball, we looked threatening but we seem unable to string together more than one of those wide passing plays in a set of six. The kicking was better this week with Hampshire putting in a couple of deft kicks leading to tries but still too many poor ends to sets. There was more of the same on show in the second half and Catalans did what Wigan did against us a few weeks back – made errors, took the foot off the gas when the game was already over as a contest and gave us some consolation scores.
I don’t buy into comments after the last Catalans game that the forwards aren’t up to it or that there are a number of journeymen or the team is not good enough. The squad of players which has been assembled has got the ability to perform. We have retained the nucleus of the squad which achieved 2 top 5 finishes and the players brought in over the last couple of years have been upgrades on the outgoings. What I am struggling to understand is why the attacking players we have brought in seem to lose the ability to play. The strong running Tanginoa who busted tackles at will when he first joined us has disappeared. The ball handling loose Westerman no longer seems to have a pass in him. The young dynamic attacking Alex Walker who was a regular at London no longer gets picked and when he does he is a shadow of his former self. I could go on.
The attacking structures need sorting out fast. Chester waxes lyrical about the performances of Gutherson at the Eels so how about looking at how not just Parramatta but all the other NRL teams set up, particularly in attack. If our attacking play does not change over this extended pre-season then knock on Danny Ward’s door. He had London playing attacking rugby on limited resources with a far less star studded roster than we had when playing in super league so with that experience he would be best placed to turn things around but would he want to come and what would a Chester pay off look like.
In the offseason, or when the NRL season finishes, the priority for recruitment has to be to get in an organising half. Brough was a gamble/experiment which was a disaster and has set us back considerably after our top 5 finishes. Maloney with Drinkwater ran the show for Catalans today and showed us exactly what is missing within our ranks. Although Miller was much improved on last week, he showed again that he is a running half and not the organising half who we desperately need. If Fifita is joining Catalans as is rumoured then use the money to pick up an organiser asap to structure our play when we have ball in hand.'"
To be fair I don’t think the conditions were the best for footwork from big forwards with a wet, greasy surface that saw plenty slipping and thought we controlled the ball pretty well in the conditions...threw it about at times and were in single figures for handling errors, so not bad I thought?
Most of all it was a reaction...you could see that from start to finish...again we were chasing the game from early on but hard to criticise anyone for the way we fell behind because we started well...first try came from an excellent defensive effort from Catalans with at least 4 or 5 players pushing arguably our strongest ball carrier Bill Tupou back over the try line...hard to find fault with someone as we got plenty of bodies there with effort, just they got the momentum and forced him back...they then caught us out with a kick through early in the tackle count...again hard to criticise that right edge with two young out of position players.
Second try was an unforced error...a combination of a poor pass from Wood and young Croft not being able to take it in, but again they punished us again exposing that right edge...from then on we were chasing the game...
Thought we came out with intent 2nd half and but for a few harsh calls against could have got right back at them but it wasn’t to be..
For all the talk of the forwards not standing up Fifita took more carries in than any other forward on the pitch and was one of only two forwards in the game to run over 100 metres...24 tackles with no misses too...thought Arona went ok too and we’re always a better side with him in it and Kopczak seemed to do ok ...the two who seemed to struggle were Navarette and Tanginoa who’ve both shown good signs at times but made no impact today...
The pack just don’t seem to be functioning as a unit together though at the minute...whether lockdown has been hard to come back from for some who knows...Dave, although still trying does seem to have lost that spark but he missed a lot of last season through injury and may just be taking a bit of time to get back...I know players could have been keeping fit through lockdown but that’s not match fitness, plus the new changes will also be tougher for the big lads...same can be said for Westerman too I reckon who looked real good before lockdown but doesn’t look anywhere near the same player...Ashurst and Arona, others who missed a lot of last season. I’m still prepared to give the pack the benefit of doubt...it’s a real mystery on Chris Green though who I reckon could be a vital player for us...
Just a shame the games will come thick and fast against some tough teams but hopefully we’ll get there because when the forwards do get us on the front foot I think Miller and Hampshire showed glimpses today of what they can do!
