We've had a rough bunch of games, but it's not that long ago that we went to the south of France and gave Catalans a good spanking. We've got a good week of rest now so should be able to take our best into the game. Let's hope that we start to right a few wrongs from the past few games and get back to winning ways. We really need to win the next 4 games to push for a top 8 spot

Agreed.
Could be tough as they will be looking for revenge but better to play them before Bird returns.

That's my thinking, they're giving Wigan a good run out today by the looks of it could still be a hard push. Let's hope that the team have managed to iron out those little creases which are stopping them closing out and winning games

Catalans ended up getting hammered, they're missing some key players which isn't helping them. Hopefully we can push them hard and get a win at home

Indeed.
We ran out of steam yesterday but, Catalan capitulated in the second half against Wigan today.
They have one day less to prepare for next week and we have home "advantage".
We have to win our home games against lower half of the table clubs and if Chester can get our best team onto the field, we can certainly win this one.
In Perpignan, they (Catalan) offered very little and lets hope they are just as one dimensional next weekend.

Despite losing our last 3 games, we are still in decent form and we can beat Catalan.

Lets get behind the boys, be just as partisan as Les Cats are in France and cheer the boys on to victory.

Looking at the match highlights Wigan scored most of their tries with long range breaks using the full width of the pitch No doubt we'll be driving the balll up the middle all day!

While being disappointed about yesterdays loss, I would rather be playing as we have been over the last few weeks as we are not far away. We could be playing like Hudds and losing which would be more of a concern.

I suppose we're not used to regular tight games, either win or lose. Maybe it's a sign of some sort of progression?

I'm not sure why you would say that - we've been doing a much better job of getting it wide lately, and I reckon MCB and Gibson are our two most effective centres in terms of making metres out wide, or getting the ball to the wing. MCB has surprised me, in that he seems stronger and more robust when carrying the ball than I remember, and Gibson has picked up where he left off.

We have more chance now of spinning the ball out and creating breaks than I can recall in quite some time; a few errors and a lack of composure on Saturday cost us the points, but we outplayed Wire for the bulk of that game. Frustrating not to pick up any points over Easter, but plenty to feel upbeat about - and Catalans is very winnable.

This game will likely be a bit of an arm wrestle for the first 30min, it's all going to depend on how fit our forwards are. We're great when we're getting the ball out wide, but when the backs are still carrying the ball up on the third/fourth carry we're not going to get anywhere. If our forwards can start getting the ball from the second carry on most plays (similar to how Cas and Leeds do) then our backs will be in a better position to play the ball out wide and create something. Catalans aren't looking anything special, if anything, they're looking weaker than when we went against them a few weeks ago. I'm hopeful that we're able to convert this run of good play into some points on the board. If we can win this one, then it will set us up nicely for the next few games

Don't forget Gibson has been out a !Omg time and can only get better more he plays.

Just watched the match back and both Gibson and MCB are good at speedy runs from acting half they are both very poor defensively.they are both wingers hopefully Reese is back this week and Arundel

Because the Wigan game will remain fresh in mind for a long time. Drive after drive up the middle including using TJ as a battering ram throughout.

I think they call that an "exit set" (when the backs are used to make quick ground from our own 20) ?

Agreed. Not sure what game some people are actually watching. We played some great rugby at times on Saturday, just unlucky not to get the two points. Nothing to be too disheartened about, it's the next four games that are the big ones. I'd be very disappointed if we didn't win at least 3 of them.

What do they call the other 5 drives then?

You have to earn the right to play the ball wide, that means playing up the middle, getting the defense on the back foot then you can play wide.

You're never going to earn that right when your putting 14 stone wingers up against 2x 20 stone forwards. It's great when they can break the line, but the most likely thing which happens is the backs get turned or pushed back which slows the PTB. It's great to watch the backs scoot out quickly from dummy half, but the props need to become battering rams up the middle after the first couple of drives which will allow the backs to set a line for a quick break should it come out wide

I know and understand the usual tactic but against Wigan we were ridiculously one dimensional throughout the full set for the majority of the game.

Tactics



Tbf, we've seen some superb tries this season and some very entertaining rugby.
The one thing we are not doing is, building pressure in the opposition 20.
We have forced very few repeat sets and our last tackle plays have been generally poor but,
I'm not seeing 5 drives and a kick this season, not at all and I think that you are being grossly unfair to suggest that we are.
As I say, with possession in the opposition 20, we are struggling to put a decent move together, apart from Grix making the extra man, mind you it worked a treat against Widnes.

Disappointing as they were, we have to keep the last 3 games in context.
2 very tight losses against last seasons top 2 clubs and a loss to Cas, who were running red hot at the time, although we seem to have put them in reverse now

Only specified the Wigan game.