By East Stand Shark
#20936
I think there may be one or two tweaks for the team v Falcons on Friday given the nature of their plastic pitch and some opportunities for some squad rotation. I'd go;

15. Luke James
14. Denny Solomona
13. Sam James
12. Sam Hill
11. Simon Hammersley
10. AJ MacGinty
9. Faf De Klerk
8. Dan du Preez
7. Ben Curry
6. Jono Ross
5. JL Du Preez
4. Cobus Wiese
3. Jake Cooper Woolley
2. Curtis Langdon
1. Ross Harrison (If fit)

Bench

16 Akker Van De Merve
17. Valerie Morozov
18. Connie Oosthuizen
19. James Phillips
20. Matt Posselthwaite
21. Will Cliff
22. Rob Du Preez
23. Marland Yarde
By Surbiton_Shark
#20943
Like the side

Would like to see perhaps one less second row and have Neild on the bench to come on for one of the backrow

Will be a hard game - hope our habit of underestimating sides and thinking we're better than we are (as Dimes often says) is one of our learnings during the short pre-season
User avatar
By Major Bloodnok
#20945
I wouldn't risk Marland's knee on that pitch, and I think it's going to be difficult getting the 2 shirt out of Akker's big mitts, but otherwise looks good.
By Surbiton_Shark
#20957
One of more Akker's more longer term injuries was Sarries away last season so not having him on a plastic surface would prob be prudent - same point you made about Yarde really
Major Bloodnok liked this
By ale shark
#20961
If we're seriously considering not using 2 or 3 of our better players because of the pitch material then there's something fundamentally wrong with their use.

Whilst on the subject of pitches I didn't think ours was quite up to it's usual standards for the Saints game. Have Salford used it a lot recently?

Out of interest, who are the ground staff at AJB? Are they employed by AJB or one/both of the clubs or the stadium?
By JohnJ of HM
#20963
Out of interest, who are the ground staff at AJB? Are they employed by AJB or one/both of the clubs or the stadium?
[/quote]

The AJ Bell is one of the grounds that has been use for Superleague matches. As such, it has sometimes had 2 games played on it om one evening. Each round has usually been concentrated on one stadium.
By JohnJ of HM
#20964
ale shark wrote:
Wed Nov 25, 2020 9:57 am
If we're seriously considering not using 2 or 3 of our better players because of the pitch material then there's something fundamentally wrong with their use.

Last year's RFU survey on injuries on artificial pitches found that injuries were not more likely but were likely to taker a longer recovery period.
By Olyy
#20965
ale shark wrote:
Wed Nov 25, 2020 9:57 am
If we're seriously considering not using 2 or 3 of our better players because of the pitch material then there's something fundamentally wrong with their use.
There is, and I doubt you'll find any players (bar ones toeing their club's line) who would say otherwise
By ale shark
#20967
JohnJ of HM wrote:
Wed Nov 25, 2020 10:05 am
The AJ Bell is one of the grounds that has been use for Superleague matches. As such, it has sometimes had 2 games played on it om one evening. Each round has usually been concentrated on one stadium.
Thanks JohnJ, I did not know that. Hopefully it'll get the chance to recover in the coming weeks.
By Olyy
#21023
Image

Surprised we're risking Akker and Rohan on the plastic pitch,
I'm guessing Ben proving himself at captain, last season, means we can rotate Jono now and don't need to flog him so much

A whole lot of beef in that second row!
By Centrethreequarter
#21025
I'm guessing Ben proving himself at captain, last season, means we can rotate Jono now and don't need to flog him so much

According to the Offy:

Steve Diamond’s makes just one change to his starting fifteen with Jono Ross a late omission due to illness
By Surbiton_Shark
#21026
Hope Ross is OK - if he's injured then it must be bad for him to miss a match

Only concern is that the others in the front row replace the HUGE amount of work Ross does with ball carrying and tackles.

Should be a great game! - really good to have Newcastle back in the Prem
User avatar
By Lord Elpus
#21027
Steve Diamond’s makes just one change to his starting fifteen with Jono Ross a late omission due to illness
Laryngitis?

I bet WB is pleased he won't need the ear defenders and reinforced whistle.
By chris1850
#21028
Where's WGJ?

On a separate note, anyone know what channel this is on

Edit - just noticed its on BT Sport 1
User avatar
By Lord Elpus
#21029
chris1850 wrote:
Thu Nov 26, 2020 2:21 pm
Where's WGJ?
Good question. Covid or some other illness?
Iirc he was in the stand for the Stains game.
User avatar
By poyntonshark
#21040
Like the look of that. I suppose whatever injuries RJV and Akker had that were deemed vulnerable on plastic have now recovered sufficiently to be no longer considered such a risk.

@Surbiton_Shark Ross mentioned on injury update with a foot injury, due back in 2 weeks.

There is no mention of WGJ on there though.
Surbiton_Shark liked this
User avatar
By Lord Elpus
#21044
StalyShark wrote:
Thu Nov 26, 2020 8:29 pm
Seems like Dugdale has been re-signed. Never mentioned.
I thought he was dual Fylde/SS
By Thekeg
#21059
Lord Elpus wrote:
Fri Nov 27, 2020 9:26 am
StalyShark wrote:
Thu Nov 26, 2020 8:29 pm
Seems like Dugdale has been re-signed. Never mentioned.
I thought he was dual Fylde/SS
He was at one point but was announced among the leavers in June. Did seem to leave us light in back row cover though
By Olyy
#21063
What's with the kicking - it's a plastic pitch ffs
If you can't run on this where can you?
By Olyy
#21064
No card for that tackle in the air is weird - it's the most blatant tackle in the air I've seen in ages,
Was never watching the ball, watched Faf jump and then dropped his shoulder and tackled him
By Olyy
#21067
Being marched 10, and having penalties reversed, should be insanely rare - for us it's just a normal day at the office these days
LondonShark liked this
By Olyy
#21072
Difference in intensity levels is huge,
Falcons want this way more than we appear to
By Surbiton_Shark
#21075
Trying to be way too clever by half with the moves

Just give to Van Rensburg on the crash ball and go from there.

Utterly brainless
User avatar
By IrishShark
#21076
Surbiton_Shark wrote:
Fri Nov 27, 2020 8:39 pm
Trying to be way too clever by half with the moves

Just give to Van Rensburg on the crash ball and go from there.

Utterly brainless
We gave it to him at one point and he looked like he was going to pass it to Sam but then doesn't so we get pinged for crossing.
By DavenportSharky
#21078
Surprised we have not had scrum dominance. Falcons could have had 2 yellows. Faf poor. Sam James awful. Lineout shaky at best. Discipline dreadful. Both teams poor but we are worse and decisions not going for us.
By Olyy
#21081
"This is a Sale side at full whack"

Other than Tom...and Jono...and Manu...and Lood...and Beaumont...and Harrison...and Byron missing from a first choice 23
By Olyy
#21082
Alex wrote:
Fri Nov 27, 2020 8:53 pm
The high tackle in our 22?
On AJ?
That was never a yellow, he'd already been tackled and was dropping rapidly before the seatbelt tackle on him (which would've been 50/50 a card even if at full height)
By Olyy
#21083
Just because there's no fans doesn't mean you can play with the attitude
"Well at least no one's going to ask for a refund"


Why are we changing the props but not Akker?
Lineout is....wobbly at best. Langdon deserves more than a 2min cameo
By Olyy
#21085
Good try,

That's what happens when you pass the ball

Edit: Bloody hell, TMO check



The AJ/RdP 10/12 looks good,
Wouldn't mind seeing Rohan shifted to 13 next week
Last edited by Olyy on Fri Nov 27, 2020 9:28 pm, edited 1 time in total.
By Stet
#21087
This is so bad, it’s embarrassing. A line out on their line and we throw long.
Why isn’t Diamond giving them a bollicking - they certainly deserve one.
What is it with this aimless kicking???
By Olyy
#21090
Absolutely pathetic defence


Where's the team from last season gone?
We didn't want that at all.



Hats off to Newcastle - more aggression, more passion, better side.
They'll be top half of the table at this rate - fantastic start to the season for them.
Last edited by Olyy on Fri Nov 27, 2020 9:43 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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