View From The 22

Just wondering what you folks think would make the forthcoming season a success for the Falcons.
1. Promotion- no brainer
2. Keeping the crowds at KP- would love us to have 5k + to all home matches is this realistic ?
3. A slow introduction of our younger talent - if they are good enough now is the time to test them but in a controlled fashion. I dont want wholesale changes but lets get them blooded.
4. An exciting style of play- can we entertain? do we have the coaches to give us the entertainment we all desire? I have my doubts here. I find our forward pack rather one dimensional and easy to work out. With the back row options we have we should be playing dynamic rugby. The 9-10-12 axis again do we have the creativity to be inventive? Hodgson may speed this up.
5. I would love to know the new 3/5 yr plan for the Falcons on and off the field. What is going to be developed ? where are we with stadium plans? what are the plans for Thunder ? will there be a ladies team?

Just a few thoughts going through my head. Please let me know your thoughts!

Although I favour being entertained above all else, clearly promotion is pretty much essential. If we don't manage that, we're doomed.

It'd be good to see some of the younger ones - I'm sure we will.

As importantly, we need to be prem ready which is difficult as, if we manage to bounce back up, I guess we'll need to bring players in for the following season, thereby unsettling this year's team. C'est la vie.

Crowds - what happened last time? C. 3-4,000? I'll be there, regardless.

I somehow have a feeling we wont lose as many fans as we did last time when there was a slow dwindle

This drop was a bit of a shock and there are plenty of season ticket holders with 3 year plans.

As for entertainment and blooding the younger guys to get them ready for top level rugby, I think that’s a given and we should be excited about the future. When Deano arrived he identified a lack of a good enough academy s being a problem and I hope that’s been rectified as its now time for that to pay off.

This will be a tough season but I hope it will be a rewarding season.

2-5 would be good, and we should have an eye on them, but ultimately they mean nothing without promotion.

Just looking forward to a bit of a new start for the Falcons to be honest.
Would like to see attendances at a decent level, but I guess that will come if and when the results/performances/style of play come.

For me, the big one, is introducing our much heralded talents from the academy into the first team set up and really developing some players ready for the next level of the premiership, building on the work started with the likes of Radwan, Connon, Williams, Brocklebank, Chick, Davison et al, bringing more into the fold, such as Blamire, Graham the younger, Collett, Uzokwe, Basham, Hodge, Marshall, Montgomery, Kelemeti, Passman, Wacokecoke and Stevenson, among others.

I am not saying include them all from the get go, but give them a fair crack to see what they can do.

With regards to point 4 and having a one dimensional pack, I’m hoping Van der Walt will bring about a change in our forward play. Having watched his all action style for the Sharks in Super rugby I hope he brings that to our game rather than him fitting into the way our pack played last season.