good morning from workington (cumbria)uk

[troutmaster]

Tonga were beaten last night by a Cumbrian select at Derwent Park in what was one of the wettest nights ever in Cumbria.It poured inccesantly all day but still produced some brilliant play from the Tongan boys,the Cumbrian select apart from one were all home grown players and they played to the conditions.A crowd of around 1700 braved the heavy rain and were treated to a very good game from both teams.The Tongan lads in the second half opened up the game by trying to play fast rugby but the conditions by then were even worse,it is the first time i have ever seen water lying on top of the pitch at Derwent park but the Tongan boys just seemed to love it.The fans just loved the big hits going in and the tonga lads did not disappoint as they were flying around every where.It was a treat to see some top line players from overseas again and the fans want them back again soon.The final score was 28-16 to the home boys.And it's a welcome home time for the Workington town boss Ged Stokes who has flown back to New Zealand with his family for a well deserved break from the English season,he has worked hard and this rest will hopefully get him fit and raring to start again at the end of November.

 

[Skinner]

Gidday Trouty and thanks for that.

Sounds like a pretty good crowd in those conditions. I know how it can rain
in that part of the world (;

Stokesy was copping a bit of crap this season from the fans - has that
settled down or is he likely to pull the pin ?

Cheers
Skinner

 

[Geordie]

It has settled down only because the season has finished but crowds dropped to around 600 by the end of the season and a lot of damage has been done to the club's image locally but Stokesy is sticking his contract out.

We have made only one signing for next year when all the other clubs in our league are bringing in new blood hand over fist. Maybe Stokesy is going to bring us a couple of Kiwis back with him?

His rotational selection policy might be alright with a big talented squad but for us it was nothing more than disastrous. Finishing 8th in a 12 team league, which is the bottom league of British professional RL, says it all really!!!

 

[Skinner]

Cheers for that Geordie.

I take it from your tone that you were not (understandably) a happy fan.

I'm far removed from it, but it always seemed that once you lost Lusi and
Jonny, then the cause was going to flounder a little.

I guess, when I see that Leigh have sacked Tony Benson, Stokesy is probably
lucky to still have a job......who knows who he may turn up with next season.

Cheers
Skinner

 

[NIGHTMARE-HITTER]

Terry Hermanson ?

 

[Skinner]

Terry Hermanson ?

:lol: :lol:

 

[troutmaster]

Good morning everyone from a wet and dismal Cumbria,you are correct Skinner when you make the point about Lusi and Johnny limmer.It is very hard to replace fellas with their respective talents like lusi and Johnnys without having to pay a lot of money, which unfortunately a club like Workington town just doe's not have. Being honest we did not have a bad squad of players but whether it was Geds rotating of the squad or not, we were very poor for the best part of the season.The lads would be on a roll and things were going great guns, and then suddenly for no apparent reason the intensity just dropped off and we were sinking faster than the Belgrano.My honest opinion was that some of the younger players just spit the dummy on being dropped and when they got the chance to have a go they had just lost the impetous and enthusiasm to play.But the biggest dissapointment to Town fans was the drop in form from the two overseas players in Tanne Lavulavu and John Tuimaluega,(sorry if i have spelt jt's name wrong)them two big boys were barnstorming the rest of the opposition earlier in the season, but then suddenly they both just went right off the boil so much so that they were both i believe threatened with being released.But to be honest when them two were firing, hell they were awesome and took some knocking down.A lot of Town fans were calling for Ged to be sacked, and to be fair to them if it had been an home grown coach he would have been fired.But the board at Workinton town know that they have a very good coach in Ged Stokes and they are very confident he will pull the rabbit from the hat.And so do i, he is a very good tactical and hands on coach but should maybe just be himself rather than trying to be one of the lads which his very hard to do when you have a strong bond between yourself and the players.He will come good and so will the Team,i just hope that the fans who are not let's say in tow with the party line all jump onboard and back Ged and his troops to win the league.Let's hope Ged can find a couple of big lads to bring back to Cumbria with him,they will be sure to receive a very warm welcome from the fans but a little bit colder welcome from the weather.Best to you skinner, and to all the fans in NZ.

 

[Skinner]

Thanks trouty and all the best for next season.

Skinner

 

[Geordie]

Skinner, you are quite right to believe that I was not a happy fan. This time last year the club announced a profit of £85,000 for the financial year ended 31st December 2004. Now we have no money apparently, a team that is fifth from bottom of all the British professional clubs and looking forward to next year with the same squad of players and the same coaching staff.

Ged Stokes may be a good assistant coach for a talented squad like the Kiwis or even coach with the NZ "A" team but he has not ripped up many trees with his efforts at Town and crowds are now down to around 600 per match.

We keep hearing about the situation we were in 3 years ago when Ged came to the club but apart from the success that Johnny Limmer and Lusi sione brought about (49 tries between them in 1 season) we are now no further forward than we were then. Without those two we have sunk further down the lowest league to a point that we look at a win over the bottom club as a major success!!!

You bet I'm not happy, but you've got to keep smiling though.

 

[robert stevenson]

did tuki jackson play with the leapords this season. how did he play?

 

[parra pete]

I remember Mike Jackson (winger) from Workington playing with Parramatta in 1963