Although we hit you hard early in the second half on Saturday the game hinged on Flynn's interception just before half time. You were pressing hard and if Flynn hadn't taken it you would have gone in at least 16 : 4 ahead. Not saying we wouldn't have given it a go in the second half, but you would have gone in happy enough with your lead and our heads would have been down!

As it turned out your heads dropped and we were elated to be only 2 points down! We came out all guns blazing with Mr Hock having a great game and you fell away (not sure if there is a fitness issue, or you just don't like coming to play us!). On the plus side you still have Holdsworth to come back, we were glad he didn't play and of course Ellis, so you have still got plenty to look forward to!

I want a win. A good performance would be a bonus but we need points.

Paper over the cracks.

Agree WV., Good assessment of the game.
Reading some of fc fans postings just do not get their blinkered views of we are only 5 games in to the season crap.
FC imploded same game last year at widnes.
The gap ! as Gentle calls it between our Worst and Best is still as Big as ever and we are now into the 2nd season !

Can anyone see any difference from our playing style to when under Agar`s. That same old inside pass

Not having a go, but I find it strange that somebody that sat through the Agar era would give up after five games, that's all.

To be fair its not just 5 games in though is it as Gentle has been in charge since the beginning of last season, admittedly with Agars signings but still had a season to change alot of what was wrong and bring in his own signings etc.

The game at Widnes was either just an unfortunate game where anything and everything that could go wrong did or just highlighted the problems the club still has re getting a decent product on to the pitch consistently.

Trouble at Mill re Twitter. Cannot have that it's wrong. Clearly dissent in the camp. Needs stamping out / players sacking.
Crowds will be down now. Needs a performance from the players, motivation from Gentle. Quick clarification on the Seymour situation. Either he stays and we get behind him, or he goes. Another Thorman esque situation will ruin the club for another 2/3 years IMO

Nowt like getting behind the team when thinks arnt going well

I think its a bit of both tbh.

We've had the makings of some decent performances this season and some horrors, but we still have problems. Losing Ellis before a ball was kicked in anger has had more of an impact than I thought it would, and not having a settled half back pairing hasn't helped (hands up who thought Seymour would have a good game on Sat?). Holdsworth and Horne looked decent together, but players will get injured and we have to have a back up plan. With respect to Seymour (who I liked the look of in his first year - in parts) he isn't the back up plan, unfortunately.

The inside ball to to the second row (that NEVER works) has returned with the return of Tickle (and don't get me wrong I think he's a great player), and needs to be stopped. Why do we not use it when he isn't in the side??????

I'm not doubting Gentle, although I was never really an "in Gentle we trust" disciple, but I still found it odd that Green and Crooks were left out on Sat. Did we think Widnes = easy?

I was in Leeds a lot at the weekend and on Sunday saw a car with a Rhinos sticker in the window, which, Pavlov's dog style, made me boo and mutter "we all hate Leeds". But then I thought "why?" Yes they beat us a lot and it was awesome to smash them last year, but [uthey are the club we should be aspiring to be.[/u We have a fantastic (with notable exceptions) fanbase. We have a decent coaching set up. We have a brilliant stadium. We have a decent set of players. We've got rid of what was holding us back (the last board and Agar imo). What is stopping us trying to be like Leeds? Solve that one and we could be up there challenging.

cant argue with that chris

Thats the BIG question and worry though I think Chris. Like you say we have changed everything, owner, coach, players, physio/conditioner, training facilities etc infact everything has changed except the kitchen sink but yet the same failings are still there and at times show themselves all at once.

Gentle has all the credentials and qualifications for the job, we have a decent squad of players that still needs some work on but still good enough to be returning better performances and an owner who wants the club to be a success so whats the issue?

Both were carrying knocks.


We are [itrying[/i to be like Leeds. We don't yet have the playing staff and we're years behind them on the development and investment side. Simple as that. These issues are not going to be fixed in a season or even two or three.

We haven't changed enough players IMO. The side that played Widnes had a familiar look to it and unsurprisingly played in a similar manner.

Green and Crooks were both injured according to Gentle after the game and Gentle said it would be anything but easy at Widnes last week in the press.

Hull's main problem is a lack of rugby intelligence in the players and leadership in the halves. It has been like that mostly since Cooke left. Holdsworth is an intelligent player but we need another one of that ilk. Ellis might well have steadied us on Saturday had he been playing but, despite all efforts in the close season to alleviate this known problem, the issue remains.

It's not a lot more complicated than that I don't think.

Some players are good enough and clever enough and possess the skills to go out and ensure that the coach's game plan is enacted. They're usually half backs who handle the ball and dictate how and where the play takes shape. Other players follow and if the job is being orchestrated well by the organisers then the performance of these other players often improves towards the top of their ability. The opposite is also true - a lack of leadership and direction causes good players to fall below their normal standard. Widnes away has been a classic example of this for the last two seasons with otherwise decent pros flapping about dropping the ball/letting it go over their heads etc.

Take our organiser signing Holdsworth out of the team and why would anyone really think that things would be massively different to last year and those before ? We need more brains, skill and flair in the key positions and a bit more strike. We have to do better with recruitment going forward but it aint easy with what's on offer out there.

I agree with you to an extent Kosh but still feel we have changed enough even if not a great change but at least a little something away from the old habits.

I do wonder though if losing Sam has had a bigger impact on the team then anyone realised it would with his go forward and ability to really punch holes through the opposition? This being compounded at the moment with the abscence of Watts.

We looked good in a lot of games last season without Moa.

Agreed but we still had Watts available thats why i wondered if this is compounded presently by the absence of Watts and once he is back and a game or two under his belt will it give us the punch and ability to play down the middle effectively like last season?

The forwards were not the problem against Widnes. And we played well last season in games where Moa was absent.

Our key signings in the closed season were Holdsworth and Ellis. Neither played. Instead we had a halfback combo we know wasn't good enough last season (Seymour and Horne) and no-one else with the ability to be an on pitch leader/organiser. As Staffs FC points out, our problem for years has been a lack of RL smarts and leadership. Holdsworth and Ellis were the solution. Take them out and we have a team with the same characteristics as the last few years so they're likely to play in the same manner.

Didn't realise about Crooks and Green - apologies.

It only came out in Gentle's post-match press conference.

If you have access to FC Live it's worth a watch. I've never seen him so visibly pi$$ed off. I reckon if he'd had the option to sack the entire side on the spot he'd have taken it with one or two exceptions.

Good post but just a point Chris spoke to Crooks' Dad he is injured probabaly won't make this week either thats why he is dropped Green carried a knock last week in training but I think he was fit to play.

If crooks doesn't play against cas, who plays centre?

Whiting, Crookes, arundel.

Personally I'd go with whiting.

I hope we do. Arundel looks like he needs 10-15 minimum games to build confidence in his body
and his play - York beckons for an extended period in my view unless we're desperate. It's not possible
to defend like he has done at SL level and get away with it.

Its the defensive system thats letting down our right / left hand side by not sliding and not getting up quick enough into the opposition faces, they seem to go up half way then stopping to set the line, might work when ellis and Tickle are fit / full fit

how far away is watts?