I think you are wrong about that. He's very much a CC player in that he can play many positions moderately well which means Chester will never play him where he plays best.

Chester is destroying the lad but not because he doesn't like him but because he sees him as a band-aid player.

I have to agree. Battye is a shadow of the player he was last season, the perfect example of a player who initially looked good when first signed now looking nothing more than an average plodder. Green is the same. When he signed on loan in 2019 he looked good and helped keep us up. Since then, a lot of not much. What is causing this situation? Arona is probably on the decline but Chester is still trying to use him as a big minutes prop, when the new rules make that pretty difficult for most ‘middles’. He also played his best rugby for us at loose forward where the workload is a little less intense. He’s got a year left on his deal and he isn’t going to walk away for nothing thats for sure. Fifita is still decent but those lung busting bursts are no more. He is still difficult to get to ground due to his sheer strength and can offload well but the speed of the game is catching him up as he gets older. He’s good enough to see out the last year of his contract but that should be it. Even Tanginoa (one handoff against the smallest player on the park yesterday apart) doesn’t have the same impact these days. Batchelor is the one that annoys me the most. He looked a rare talent when he came onto the scene, ended up getting picked for England Knights and was seen as one of the hottest prospects around. Then he stalled. Other players were constantly preferred and his confidence was eroded. Now we have Chesters go to move ‘we’ll make him a middle’. Sorry but no, how about you COACH him in his best position and develop him. You wouldn’t think he played most of his career in the second row would you! So yes a couple of our players are past their best but you signed them on long contracts Chris, you pick them and set the game plan including the game time. Take some ownership of your actions.

Well Vasty, I disagree about fitness. We have a head of conditioning who is pinching money. However that's another discussion completely.

You are right many are dumb, they do dumb things and make mistakes. A smart coach should look at who he signs and pick up on these traits. But even dumb players can be improved to make them better . That's where the skill of comes in. But when players come to us they seem to get worse and go down hill. Eddie B a good example. Another is tanginoa, terrific when he arrived but slow deterioration ever since.
Then there are players a good coach would never ever consider bringing in or giving contracts to ashurst and arona both fine examples.

My final point I dont follow the juniors as much as I used to . But any aspiring back who is knocking on the door of the first team must be down hearted when he sees the likes of Innes Senior being brought in a played infront of him.

Fitness of body is fine apart from those players who have obviously gone over the hill.

I agree on the rest, but for me it’s fitness of mind that’s gone to pot.

Fit

Ok let me expand my point. Conditioning is the term I should have used. That also includes the mental and attitude side of the game.
We will have to have the discussion between ourselves as we could talk more openly but not on here. I will leave it at that

You don't need to I know exactly what you mean. I was answering a post that stated purely 'fitness', what you are on about is the whole thing, all forms of match preparedness, which is a huge issue.

As for our conditioner, I think you're correct, he has never inspired me. But how do you get rid?

I assume he's an employee rather than on a contract? In which case it would be hard to find the justifiable cause as far as employment law goes to get rid, as we both know these days being crap is not always enough. Then we'd have to pay him off because you can't make someone redundant without making the position redundant, he's the safest man at the club!.

It's funny but for years people wanted clubs run like businesses, now they are it's just opened up a whole new can of worms. The club management has far less room for maneuver than it once did.

At one point yesterday jowitt senior and rocky drove the ball in and all got clattered they will always get clattered cause they are not them kinds of players, now take a look at Ryan’s try a pass to jowitt a lovely break a ball to rocky and he did the rest a quality score, that is what you have got. These forwards are simply too old and too slow and this is a major problem in defence they just suck us in. Without the back to 6 we would make no ground at all and add behind this Miller taken over the kicking and finding the man every kick dear god I give in. That pack yesterday blew out of their backsides got beat up by kids

Lots of Posters on here, for one reason or another, now agree it's time for a change of coach.
I thinks CC is a good bloke and obviously has Trinity at heart, but the players aren't doing it for him so I feel a change is better for all concerned
BUT it's not going to happen is it?
I've followed this club a long time and had ups and downs, but I just can't see how the players will turn this round.
I think it's a case of change of coach but by heck some of the players should walk also.
I agree with CC on that, that some of them are simply not good enough (perhaps because some are past their sell by date)

It's his team and he's just re-signed a 'past it' player to a 3 year deal!
If the rumours are correct about who's coming in for next season, it's not helping our 'middles'.
It'll be just more excuses.

Whatever the problem with players , conditioners n the likes ,the buck stops with the coach. He tells the conditioner how he wants his players prepared and his assistants how he wants them drilled . His job is the set the moves out in both attack and defence and get them motivated and up for the fight , the rest do as they are told by him either directly or indirectly. There is a serious flaw in the chain of command as to what is expected of players and staff both on and off the field . Change the coach , get rid of the pally pally goings on , and whip all and sundry into a battle hardened unit capable of more that this ridiculous situation we find ourselves in, where we continually roll over and get out enthused and played by all n sundry

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I’d add to that the the forwards aren’t up for the fight , they should lay the platform for the back , which isn’t happening and hasn’t done for a while now .

The more I read his after match comments the more depressed I get. The club might just as well announce his new contract because even if not signed it will be. If I remember correctly he has done the quality over quantity before which obviously did not work that time because he favours the older players who unfortunately are injured more frequently and that’s when the thin squad is exposed.
The supporters are stuck between a rock (MC who does not want to replace him) and a hard place (Chester who knows he would not find another opportunity). We are just irrelevant our only purpose is to provide finances by paying for season tickets, overpriced drinks and merchandise. When they wanted us to forego our season ticket money they were so grateful but now nothing.
If they insist on giving him a new contract make it minimum wage with a generous win bonus.

Thats' the point, that isn't fitness that's being past it. Ashurst, Arona, Green, and a few others are spent as It's not always an age thing. Some players last forever but some have a short window of effectiveness and we have far too many of those players, especially in the forwards, So limited in ability our conditioner maybe some of our players are so far past their sell-by date nobody could bring them back to the level we require.

vastly you only have to sit in the stand and watch it, why can’t the top brass see it. We will be in the same boat for ages until he realises we simply can’t compete up front for more than a couple of games.

That's the thing vasty, correct again. But correct me if I am wrong a good and knowledgeable conditioner who works hard could help solve this. He should follow the players closely and start to spot these signs. He should have a close working relationship with the coach and between them they should pick up the early warning signals. When contracts end they should be fully aware of a players ability to carry on delivering or if they are spent. How on gods earth they had not spotted that certain players were well past their best shows their ineptitude.