Playoffs '13

[Harrigan]

Seems to be little talk about anything on here these days.

Hudds played Wigan last night and learnt that the playoffs are a totally different beast to the regular fixtures. Defences were on top for both teams throughout before Wigan pulled away in the last 10. Personally, I think it boils down to Hiddersfoeld going in undercooked from the week before and Wigan having to play a playoff intensity game against Leeds. It seemed to give them the edge.

Tonight is Hull/ Catalan but the match of the round should be Warrington/Leeds. Both teams go into it after playing tough games last week so should be pushing their full potential. If you look on both teams boards too both sets of fans seem to rate the other as the most likely to win the comp this year.
Personally I can't wait.

 

[JonNgog]

Huddersfield were disappointing last night, seems they can't handle pressure well.

 

[WireMan]

Seems to be little talk about anything on here these days.

Hudds played Wigan last night and learnt that the playoffs are a totally different beast to the regular fixtures. Defences were on top for both teams throughout before Wigan pulled away in the last 10. Personally, I think it boils down to Hiddersfoeld going in undercooked from the week before and Wigan having to play a playoff intensity game against Leeds. It seemed to give them the edge.

Tonight is Hull/ Catalan but the match of the round should be Warrington/Leeds. Both teams go into it after playing tough games last week so should be pushing their full potential. If you look on both teams boards too both sets of fans seem to rate the other as the most likely to win the comp this year.
Personally I can't wait.

Shame so few Hull fans have bought into the Sky cup.


With Hudds losing it will be interesting to see who the winner of the Wire-Leeds match will chose in the clubcall.

Assuming the top 4 all make it, would they go for a rematch or send the losers off to pie land...

 

[Springs]

Hoping Huddersfield can recover.

 

[Evil Homer]

Hoping Huddersfield can recover.

They should beat Hull, who are a really average side.

 

[deluded pom?]

Average enough to beat Warrington a couple of times and Catalans away in the height of summer.

 

[roughyedspud]

how come only 4,970 turned up??

 

[CC_Roosters]

Leeds v saints should be interesting. Not sure which way that will go.

Wire would likely pick huddersfield if they beat hull that is

 

[LeedsStorm]

Recall Tony Smith, in criticism of the clubcall system, stating he'd always pick the lowest ranked team...

 

[WireMan]

Smith has said he will leave it to others as he is totally against the system.
I'm sure he will have a bit of a say though...


The Leeds meltdown because for the first time in a while Leeds didn't get everything their own way was amusing.


Should be a good game on Friday. Saints are playing well, whilst Leeds just got beat up.


As for who Warrington will pick, i would not want to play Saints. Other than that, bring it.

 

[roughyed8]

Leeds v saints should be interesting. Not sure which way that will go.

Wire would likely pick huddersfield if they beat hull that is

Finished 76-18 for huddersfield, the perfect example of why we should go back to a top five or six.

 

[Evil Homer]

Finished 76-18 for huddersfield, the perfect example of why we should go back to a top five or six.

Yeah, that way they might have only lost 71-0 like in 2005.

 

[Springs]

Finished 76-18 for huddersfield, the perfect example of why we should go back to a top five or six.

Hull finished sixth.

Good to see Huddersfield in the final four.

 

[Patorick]

Top 5, for me.

Only lasted 10 minutes, game was over really even then.

Really feel bad for Gareth Ellis.

 

[Evil Homer]

Top 5, for me.

Only lasted 10 minutes, game was over really even then.

Really feel bad for Gareth Ellis.

Why? He's been anonymous all year.

 

[deluded pom?]

Yeah, that way they might have only lost 71-0 like in 2005.

At least the 2005 team had the excuse of an early sending off but last night was a total embarrassment. Very few players came away with their reputations intact. They have dragged the name of the club through the mud. They were an insult to the Hull fans who paid hard earned money to travel to Huddersfield. Gentle's future must be in doubt.

 

[LeedsStorm]

Smith has said he will leave it to others as he is totally against the system.

I'm a fan of smith, he's otherwise a good coach but I'm not sure his repeated dummy spats are the best for his team. If you are a club with minimal GF experience, I think I'd rather see the head coach show a bit more leadership than simply complaining about the system and freeing all responsibility of the clubcall. From memory wire abstained from the vote to keep or bin club call and the top 8, instead of voting against, so if that's the case, surely you'd just get on with it? Will be an interesting choice - and there's plenty of talk about it, which can only be a good thing.

Looking forward to Leeds saints. Fingers crossed for a polished Eurosport presentation instead of the amateurish efforts we've become accustomed to.

 

[Evil Homer]

At least the 2005 team had the excuse of an early sending off but last night was a total embarrassment. Very few players came away with their reputations intact. They have dragged the name of the club through the mud. They were an insult to the Hull fans who paid hard earned money to travel to Huddersfield. Gentle's future must be in doubt.

It surely has to be, especially looking at the recruitment for next year, I can see FC in the bottom 4.

 

[WireMan]

I'm a fan of smith, he's otherwise a good coach but I'm not sure his repeated dummy spats are the best for his team. If you are a club with minimal GF experience, I think I'd rather see the head coach show a bit more leadership than simply complaining about the system and freeing all responsibility of the clubcall. From memory wire abstained from the vote to keep or bin club call and the top 8, instead of voting against, so if that's the case, surely you'd just get on with it? Will be an interesting choice - and there's plenty of talk about it, which can only be a good thing.

It is not a dummy spit, he dislikes the system. He has consistently hated it, when we get it or not. It really is a horrible idea.
The vote was not for clubcall but for the whole system. There was no other options on the table.
We made the final last year so we know exactly what it takes to get there. Smith will get a big say who we pick. I would not be surprised if we have not already decided. He just wants nothing to do with the announcement.

If you saw Warrington pre Smith compared to now you will see just how much leadership he has brought to the club. The notion he needs to bring more is daft. But i understand you don't follow the club as much as me, so please just trust me on this one. ;-)

Looking forward to Leeds saints. Fingers crossed for a polished Eurosport presentation instead of the amateurish efforts we've become accustomed to.

Hopefully it will be a better game than last night, but if Eddie and Stevo are their they will ruin it.

Fingers crossed the contest lasts longer than 10 mins.

 

[WireMan]

At least the 2005 team had the excuse of an early sending off but last night was a total embarrassment. Very few players came away with their reputations intact. They have dragged the name of the club through the mud. They were an insult to the Hull fans who paid hard earned money to travel to Huddersfield. Gentle's future must be in doubt.

The over reaction by Hull fans has been laughable.

He has taken a team and made them much more solid, finished as high as they were going to finish this year, gone to Wembley and made it to week two of the playoffs.

The players froze in a challenge cup final, and been turned over in ONE playoff game.

These things happen.

The players will learn from this. You cannot praise a team for playing a good crop of young players then complain if it all goes wrong once in a while.
He could just drop Crooks, Liniham, Shaul etc. and pick some average Aussies like Hull KR, but then he would of got battered a week earlier, and not gone Wembley.

Yes the score was ridiculous, but this is RL and if a team starts thinking of the beach with 60 mins to go, this is what you get. Everyone has seen it happen to their team. It sucks, but if you are going to change your head coach and a few players every time it happens, you will never be successful.