Guess what, this cliché just keeps on running ....

“Hopefully this is a wake-up call.''

That's post Hull and post Keighley ....

It is almost like the coach is waiting for some random reminder from above.

Will a light come on?
Will the phone ring?
Will an alarm go off?
Will the players just suddenly get it?
Will it sink in by osmosis?

Or will Mr T just go and tell them what to do and what to cut out while he's waiting?
Cos I am thinking 'what does he think is job is?'
Dressing up in track suits?

www.thestar.co.uk/sport/rugby-league Couple of points 1) He picked a side to play down the middle 6 props . 2) They scored 3 tries while Jordie was off but still discipline not a problem . At least he has accepted we had a problem at half back . COYD

www.thestar.co.uk/sport/rugby-league Couple of points 1) He picked a side to play down the middle 6 props . 2) They scored 3 tries while Jordie was off but still discipline not a problem . At least he has accepted we had a problem at half back . COYD

Well at any one time there is at least one bloke in the stands (or better in a dugout which is closer) that can alter the course of a game.
He can react to things going wrong, he can react to deficiencies in his side during the game, he can shuffle his side about to plug gaps, he can alter tactics, he can make substitutions.

Now it would be hard to believe that MR T waits until the end of the game before analysing what went wrong.
So he is actually doing all these things during games.
He was doing it with his team during the Keighley game.

But he then doesn't take any responsibility for all the things that went wrong.
Or can we assume that but for his interventions we would have lost by a lot more points?

Because it strikes me that if he is aware of what the problems are during a game (and any old ropey supporter like me can usually spot a few) he is either doing nothing about them, or ineffectively doing things that don't work, or the players don't listen.

I'd have a bit more respect if he said he tried this and he tried that, but it didn't come off ... but what was his role in the Keighley defeat, is it all the fault of the players?


In general the side is not well balanced and if we think our forwards are going to get us out of this league on their own, then think again.
I saw some lovely fast flowing moves against Sheffield, where did they go?
I saw some horrible defensive work with nothing corrective happening, left to chance.

I saw complete lack of invention against Hull.
I saw some horrible defensive work uncorrected again.

Couldn't get to see Leeds, didn't go to Keighley ..... but stats don't lie. We are shipping points and can only attack in fits and starts.

So now we have Myton instead of a proper test.
It won't be long until Toronto come, we ought to be sorted by then eh?

I'm not here to defend GT and I wasn't at the Keighley game but the single biggest issue in the match seems to have been the 2 yellow cards. Keighley scored most of their points when we were down to 12 men.

It's quite possible we could have been looking at a different outcome had it not been for the sin-binnings.

I know that doesn't cover up the other issues but in the context of the match the yellow cards appear to have been crucial. The players must take full responsibility for what they do with regards to discipline on the pitch.

I accept that we might have won without sin-binnings, but in that entire game we lost twenty minutes of one man. That equates to 13 men playing 12 and 3/4 men for the entire game.
Not really much difference is there with a bit of regrouping and reacting to where the threats are.

No, I see it as an easy excuse to explain defeat.

The buck stops with the boss.

In today's Star Thornton says he couldn't blame the Keighley defeat on bad discipline and then a couple of lines later he says Keighley scored three tries when Hedges was off the field. This is the latest in rubbish coming from Thornton following on from not picking the best team,playing players out of position and before we even started, signing players who he rated as good and who have turned out to be dead wood (could name them but not fair to do so).The man is an absolute waste of time but at least in the article in the Star he admits to there being no creativity at half back. Finally,Super League in five years but did the timetable start last season,this season or will it be next season.No it will be never whilst this joker remains at the club. I wonder how long it will be before Club Doncaster realise this is another season to be written off, cause as it is we ain't going up this year unless big changes are made.

I think the signings we have made this season are better than last, its up to the coaching staff to do their jobs & get the best out of them .

The no 7 problem has been on going for too long.

Jordie & Tali must take up a fair slice of our expenditure do not think we have seen the best of either .

The thing is unless things are worse than anyone realises, we are gonna compete in this division and as long as we are in the mix at the end, we could go up. But personally I think you have to be dominant in this division to go up, hoping for a nice little run at the end is really NOT a plan.

Look at last season, there were only three decent sides, dominant sides Toulouse, Rochdale and Barrow and two of them went up and the third was unlucky and will be a big threat again this year.

Whitehaven look shot, but Workington look good. Toronto is a shoe-in.

Then Keighley, Newcastle ... I'm discounting York, Hunslet, London and North Wales, who are all capable of beating the Dons.

So fourth or fifth again.
How can I possibly know this after one competitive game?
Good question ....but we aint dominant ....... have the bookies revised their odds yet?
I'm tipping that they may have revised their wild iPro Cup predictions at the very least.

Over to Gary ....

I think he was implying that he felt the yellow cards were harsh and the players weren't at fault. GT couldn't directly say the ref was at fault or else he be hauled before the RFL but I suspect that's what he's thinking. I didn't see the incidents so I don't know whether they players deserved to get 10 minutes or not.

If GT has accepted there is no creativity at half-back then it's up to him to do something about it sooner rather than later.

I remember a post from another club when GT was announced. He said " The mans a charlatan" he nearly ruined our club". I hoped that he was wrong, this season will enlighten us.

Well if he doesn't deliver this time, the game's up.
I hope he does of course ... but I think he is not very good.
We ballsed up at interview time ... think back.
We needed a man of experience and we hired a sacked coach.

Just like Crystal Palace hired that terrible Allardyce who had just been sacked by England.
And he's done nothing for them.

GT has experience of the lower leagues , at the time thought he was a good appointment to get us out of C1 . Time will tell of course .

Who won toss.John Sheridan said you kicked uphill first half giving you strength coming downhill if you won toss

Lets get behind Gary and the lads on Sunday make some noise. The amateur teams usually rise to the occasion and
very often give us a hard game, remember Queens.

Queens may have beaten us , if the crowd hadn't lost the plot .
A dark day for RL .

I for one will get behind GT & the players , lets hope they can make amends & go on & get promotion .

COYD