Blooming eck that was a shock I never expected that.
We were totally outplayed in just about all departments especially up front not much go forward and not much in attack either, our kicking game was okay Handforth did his best but he does not vary it enough for me how about a couple of bombs every now and again?
We seemed to wait for them to come to us when we defended yet Leigh came up quickly at us and stopped us gaining any yardage.
WE NEED ANOTHER BIG PROP AND NOW!

Now its was a frienldy do what do we read into it?
A bit of a knock to my confidence as Leigh looked a good 60 or 70% better than us, plus when will Penky ever learn about taking his time to kick to touch when we get a penalty???
Should he kick it anyway?
Only plus was a good effort from Josh Barlow punched above his wait and Rettie did well, plus despite a few niggles our discipline was good considering we got a tonking!
Honeymoon already over for Karl, time to reassess who his first 17 are methinks?

I wouldn't worry too much tbh.

I think your backs are pretty good especially at wing and centres. You are lacking props.

Your team has pace but today Fax's handling was shocking.

I would like to know what have you done to Worrincy in the closed season. Thats not the same bloke. Where have his galloping runs gone. He looked like a man demoralised. Surely a few dropped balls has not got to him. There will be nothing wrong with the Fax team this year and as everyone says it really was just a pre season game where no one really wants to get injured. But you need the big wing man bouncing again and you really do need some grunt up front. All the best Fax. Oh and one more thing. Thanks for Bob, he's going to be a star this season.

Not a lot that Handforth could do when playing behind a dominated pack, I think it was just a case of getting the kicks away and any field position gained was a bit of a bonus, especially as you had quite a poor completion rate throughout (as did we at times, in fairness).

Think you're definitely short of a forward or two, I really don't see Aizue having the same impact this season given the reduction in interchanges, particularly as last season he seemed to be having shorter and shorter stints on the field.

Fax 'bombed' a few tries today. Not too many 'great tries' today, it's not like we were awesome, but still scored 44 points - a comfortable win for Leigh.....but it was only a friendly.

Thackray the one trick pony has no kicking game and is not very creative, as we noticed when played for Widnes. Too many dropped balls and no forward power to make hard yards.

Interestingly enough, Fax did get " Are you Widnes in disguise? " today

I'm endeavouring not to show any bias here, but from what I've seen in previous seasons and on his last few performances as a Batley player, I reckon Fax would have been better keeping hold of Black as opposed to signing Thackeray. Black seems to have retained a fair bit of his pace in what are now advancing years, and is pretty good as a creative force - something that Thackeray has never shown. In our friendlies against Keighley and Huddersfield its been interesting to see him getting extremely vocally involved in organising our attack - and to good effect - an area in which I feared we might lack something given Handforth's departure.

So, we're concluding the success/failure of players already and we've not kicked off yet.

Your assessment of Black needs to come at the end of the season (give a chance for his injuries to bed in) not after a couple of meaningless friendlies. There's some right tuppence 'appeny pundits on here.

wouldnt read too much into that effort yesterday. Karl will not stand for that, and they will get flogged in training this week. back to basics me thinks, catching and tackling!

they need to improve by 500% or else Hudds will be a cricket score. early days though.

Could n't make it yesterday but just read the little report in Courier, does n't sound good but it is still pre-season and we have a number of players out injured so hopefully things will improve. Does sound like our defence out wide is struggling though and last week it was sieve like when Salford moved the ball through hands.

No.

See how well you did here blip.tv/fred-parkinson/leigh-cen ... ax-5903778

See how well you did here blip.tv/fred-parkinson/leigh-cen ... ax-5903778

New teams take time to gel; however I haven't seen that much in pre season that make me think we can go all the way this year. Leigh for me are one of the benchmarks... and they pounded us...

haven't you just contradicted yourself

No, not at all. I said I know teams take time to gel, what I went on to say is that I haven't seen anything showing me that we are starting to gel in way that will put us in the mix.

Fax will finish above Leigh. it was a friendly game where everything that could go wrong went wrong!
lets see how we fair against shuddersfield at the weekend.

will have to do it without Ross Divorty though, hes put on twitter hes out for 2 months!!!

Was it a broken back his injury? If so what a speedy recovery

You are going to be without Nanyn also. I was talking to him and he is having a scan on his knee but thinks it needs surgery.

Yes it was, but he said it wasn't as bad as thought, but still out for 2 months. Think we need to start looking for loanees or D/R sooner rather than later.

Just watching the video and straight away ive seen a positive we can take out of yesterday............we looked pretty organised running on to the field.

I have been at all Fax's friendlies you seem to be as Fax daft as I am Leyth daft

.

We will see.

Pretty bold statement that mate, maybe you will maybe you won't time will tell i suppose.

Good luck for the season.

WELL FAX,VERY DISSAPOINTED IN YOUR PERFORMANCE. I KNOW IT WAS ONLY A FRIENDLY BUT I WAS EXPECTING STERNER STUFF. LOOK FORWARD TO THE LEAGUE MEETINGS .

Glad to hear Divorty's injury isn't as bad as it sounded here's wishing him a speedy recovery & all the best for the coming season guys