We like to start hard and finish hard. It seems a deliberate strategy by the coaches so our starting team and our bench are structured to deliver that. If we are to also have a barnstorming middle period then we'd need to either sacrifice some impact at other times or sign a player or two. I'm not hearing any names so it seems we'd have to change our approach. I think that Ellis could start on the bench and then come on and shake things up when we need him. It would also help keep him healthy over a long season.

Losing Watts for 10 of the last 15 minutes was never going to help our cause.

That's exactly it. Spoke with a coach before and bench was discussed and he saiD exactly that.
I'd personally have Mini on bench. Has that up tempo style to add some energy and give us a boost if needed. Maybe find some tired D with his fresh legs

When fit would start Hadley and have one of Ellis or mini or manu on bench. Hadley is strong and reliable . Will allow us to spell the others

Maybe Radford should think about using his first choice front row ie Taylor and Watts on the bench for selected games and introducing them as the impact after 20 mins or so.
Add Ellis also coming off the bench with those two and we would have impact.
Its a tactic used occasionally by Daryl Powell to good effect.
It would also put pressure and more responsibility on Bowden and Green and may help their game having to start and play longer minutes than normal.

Exactly - you could see that Cats were running out of steam but being a man down makes it difficult to exploit the situation. It was a daft sin binning to get.

It certainly was and I hope Radders tells him in no uncertain terms that he cost us the game.

It was daft. I'd say the Houghton/Mini missed bread and butter tackle was more influential in terms of losing the game but it didn't help us.

I disagree we managed to get back into the game and looked in control until Connors kick into touch and the poor discipline. Poor game from Watts, gave the ball away in a good position, gave away two crucial pens, got sin binned and why didn't he just drop on that ball late in the 2nd half instead of kicking it

Discipline is hurting us, made Kelly miss the game, main reason we lost last Thursday and could mean we are without Taylor and Watts for this weeks game

If we are without Taylor and Watts on Thursday we will lose probably. Ellis as well wouldn't be worth thinking about. Ikaihifo and Taii are currently the best prop combo in the league. Only saving grace is hudds have nothing after them. But they do big minutes

hopefully they have egp if charged

It's a shame we missed that tackle though otherwise we'd have won anyway.

Hard to say as only 4 points up with 39 mins left, anything could have happened,very very unusual for Houghton to miss this kind of tackle,maybe shows how strong Bird is.

It was the only tackle out of 67 that Houghton missed, don't think we can be too harsh on him.

no good if they get two matches like Kelly did