Newcastle Falcons - Pre Season 2014 - USE SEASON THREAD NOW

[Geordie]

First topic message reminder :

Manager: Dean Richards
Head Coach: John Wells
Forwards Coach: John Wells
Defence Coach: Graham Steadman
Attack Coach: Dave Walder
 
Current Squad:
Forwards
Props: Keiron Brookes, Scott Wilson, Rob Vickers , Oliver Tomaszczyk  Eric Fry, James Hallam (On loan to London Scottish)
Hookers: Matt Thompson (On loan Darlington), Scott Lawson, George McGuigan, David Nelson, Rob Hawkins
Second Rows: Scott MacLeod, Dom Barrow, Callum Green, Kane Thompson, Josh Furno, Uili Kolo'ofai, Glen Youngs, Will Witty, Sean Robinson (On Loan to Rotherham)
Back Row: Ally Hogg, Will Welch, Richard Mayhew, Andy Saull, Mark Wilson, Chris York, Dan Temm, Ben Morris (On Loan to Rotherham)
 
Backs
SH's: Warren Fury, Mike Blair, Ruki Tipuna, Andy Davies (On Loan to Rotherham)
Fh's: Rory Clegg, Phil Godman, Craig Willis
Centres: Juan Pablo Socino, Jamie Helleur, Adam Powell, Danny Barnes, Gonzalo Tiesi, Andy Tuilagi, Chris Harris (On Loan to Rotherham)Wing: Alex Tuilagi, Noah Cato, Zac Kibirige, Sinoti Sinoti, Sean Brown, Tom Penny, Lee Smith
FB's: Tom Catterick, Alex Tait, Simon Hammersley

[Sgt_Pooly]

I think we might do ok catching them cold, Tigers normally get better throughout the season. Within 30pts?

[Geordie]

I would hope its within 30 but we shall see.

i think the key thing for me is how we deal with the breakdown and the rucks. I havent been remotely impressed with what ive seen so far...but they might surprise me.

But Tigers will be very drilled in that area.

[Sgt_Pooly]

We've never looked good which is shocking given the credentials of the coaching set up

[Jimpy]

You lot are fickle. A few weeks ago, you were full of pith and vinegar, and Tigers were there for the taking (them being slow starters and all ). Two seasons ago, Tigers had their worst start in decades, losing the first six on the bounce. They did eventually win a match, with an abject performance.... against Falcons at Kingston Park....

Tigers have looked imprssive pre-season, they could still improve a whole lot obviously, but they look fit and well drilled. They're scoring tries and they have been ripping into the breakdown like posessed men.

you never know in this game though do you? Or maybe you do with these two teams....

[Sgt_Pooly]

Why are Tigers fans so precious???

I backed up the slow starters comment by suggesting we'd only lose by 30....

How did Tigers get on against Edinburgh???

[Geordie]

Just ignore him Sgt...but your right Tigers fans think they are beyond anyone....

[Sgt_Pooly]

There's some good ones on here, I think Jimpy just enjoys being on his high horse

[Jimpy]

Why are Tigers fans so precious???

I backed up the slow starters comment by suggesting we'd only lose by 30....

How did Tigers get on against Edinburgh???

Tigers won, they've won all their pre season games. One against a very good Cardiff team.

And i was suggesting how fickle you were, precious doesn't come into it. Falcons are going to catch Leicester napping because they're slow starters (that was the original prediction a few weeks ago), or Falcons are going to lose by no more than 30 points....

Whch is it then.

[Jimpy]

Just ignore him Sgt...but your right Tigers fans think they are beyond anyone....

Really? Since the opening game of the season is between Leicester and Falcons, it seems reasonable to speculate .... and to point out the glaring change in heart some of you have had. Not a single one of the points i made is invalid, i tend to think it's you guys getting all precious...

[Sgt_Pooly]

Yawn...........

[Jimpy]

Yawn...........

Yeah, you said it. Precious.

[Sgt_Pooly]

And yawn.........

[Geordie]

Is it fickle to be positive about the raft of signings only to be disheartened and REALISTIC after watching first hand that the performances were no better than the dirge i watched last season....no its not fickle. Its called being realistic after being optimistic.

Oh and i never had any expectations of beating you guys this weekend...what i did hope was that we would give you a right good physical game...however judging preseason games that wont be the case.

[Sgt_Pooly]

Just watched the Edinburgh highlights.

As much as you can get from 10mins of highlights it looked like we played well and perhaps the better team???

Everything good Edinburgh seemed to do came down Cattericks channel, that lad is an awful defender and should never be allowed on the wing again.

Hammersley looks a real footballer, very Ben Smith like, could be special. Furno looked a real nuisance and Andy Tuilagi was a threat when he came on.

As you said GF, we're still getting bullied at the breakdown, especially in the opp half which is worrying.

Looked like we played some nice rugby in poor conditions which is heartening.

[Driver]

I'v heard that Hammersley is the reason they won't invest in another full back to replace Tait.

[Geordie]

Hammersley has looked great Driver...i have no problems with our full back position.

Tait was excellent last season but the Hammersley is looking he could make that spot his own this season.

Hammersley / Tait and Lee Smith can cover. We are fine there.

In fact some of the kids coming through look like genuine top quality.

[Jimpy]

Is it fickle to be positive about the raft of signings only to be disheartened and REALISTIC after watching first hand that the performances were no better than the dirge i watched last season....no its not fickle. Its called being realistic after being optimistic.

Oh and i never had any expectations of beating you guys this weekend...what i did hope was that we would give you a right good physical game...however judging preseason games that wont be the case.

Well, it could happen couldn't it. But comments about losing by no more than 30 poits are pessimistic even for those Falcons fans hardened to their team's performances of late.

[Sgt_Pooly]

Yawn.....

[Jimpy]

Yawn.....

Thanks precious.

[Sgt_Pooly]

Yawn......

[Driver]

Can we maintain this chat about rugby lads?

[Welly]

Will be a intesrting battle of the front rows.

 Brookes V Mulipola
 Lawson  v Ghiraldini
 Vickers  v Balmain

 Makes for a tasty match-up.

 Although I wouldn't swap any of the Tigers players, I know some of you would rate your FR as better than ours at scrum time,

[Geordie]

Swap Lawson for McGugan Welly....McGuigan is a big boy and will start.

[Jimpy]

Can we maintain this chat about rugby lads?

I'm trying. I think pooly needs a nap. Bless.

[Sgt_Pooly]

Balmain could be a weakness Welly but it's a decent trio, ours is ok

[Driver]

I think we'll edge you with Brookes up against Mulipola , Guilardini should do Lawson over though. Vickers could get a bit of a nudge on at 1.

[Welly]

Mcguigan I though he had left or is that next season?

 



either way will be a interesting Matchup.

 esp as certain poster believe that Brooks is better than mulipola at scrum time, we will see although Logo will be at LH so he will be directly facing him (he is one of the few props now he can be a a very good LH or TH. But he held Adam jones at scrum time last weekend and drove him back a couple of times.
 

 Balmain has stepped up when needed, he is certainly a quick mobile prop, but I haven't seen him struggle in the scrums when he does get the game time.

 This is his chance to stake claim to the TH bench spot.

[Geordie]

But he held Adam jones at scrum time last weekend and drove him back a couple of times

NOt the feat it used to be Welly.

I think it will be a close one...but dont forget the locks play a huge part in the scrummaging aswell...and you may have the edge in that dept.

[Sgt_Pooly]

I don't Adam Jones is much of a gauge Welly lol

I think we'd both rather have our own TH's but that not unusual, I'd welcome Mulipola at LH to play aside Brookes.

[Driver]

Will Brad Thorn be in the side Welly?

[Welly]

True about Jones but considering Mulipola hadn't played LH for a season it still good. Although he came to us a LH and coered there when it was Ayerza, Cole, Castro as options, it hard because some prefer him at TH others at LH.

 

Don't know about the locks Yet hopefully it's Parling and Kitchener, don't know what yours are like. they are good scrummangers but neither are the enforcer role of Deacon, Slater or Thorn. But with those two and croft we should be in control of the lineout.


 Thorn should be ready end of September so that will be a huge boost for us cant wait to see him in action. He is here and will be at the game but only watching due to the fact he isn't 100% recovered from his injury in the super rugby. De Cheves will be the likely bench option.
 


 Don't know to much on your Locks, is Kane Thompson fit?


 Shame Brookes stopped his Nandos sponsorship when they tried to give him some salad when he went back to Falcons.

[Geordie]

Barrow is out
Furno is lightweight
Green could be a slater style player but is not as developed
Kane Thompson is not fit

Furno and Green will start in the locks

[Sgt_Pooly]

Our line our has went better than last season but will be tested for sure.

Thorn locking behind a fit Cole could be scary

[Welly]

shame about Thompson he will add some real go to power. 

 What is this Newcastle Falcons or Newcastle Tigers?

 Hawkins
 Brookes
 Green
 Alex T
 Andy T (Maybe?)

 Deano and Wells.

 Starting to get a bit silly isn't it.

 We only have Parling and Balmian for you lot.

 Times they are a changin.

[Welly]

Also the last two season the teams Leicester had faced in both of the opening games, were both relegated at the end of that season (L.Welsh and Wuss).

 

[Geordie]

Brookes was ours first dude...dont claim him
Hawkins wont play much at all
Green could be very impressive
Alex T will play quite a bit but Andy wont - a makeweight in the deal i think
Wells could go walkies and i would be quite happy his methods are dated.

[Welly]

We made Brookes the player he is today.

 I liked Green but I mean our Locks are probably the hardest to get game time in England maybe even Europe.

[Geordie]

No you made him a fat injured Nandos eater.

We gave you a cracking young lad ready for the develpment....however we have no brought him back and turned him in to the player you couldnt.

Thats why only Parling is a starter for England?

[Welly]

but if Brookes hadn't gone to Leicester he may have went else where and not came back, and the fact he didn't get any game time and got fat and no doubt a chip on his shoulder would have given him a desire to succeed and reach his potential which he may not have gotten somewhere else or by staying put. because let's face it even at Newcastle he was still coasting at times wasn't he.
 

  And Brookes had players like Cole, ayerza, Castrogiovanni, white to learn from at Tigers he wouldn't of had that them to learn from at Falcons  but he was also stuck behind them.

  Therefore yes we at tigers are still wonderful.

[Driver]

No , he just had Carl Hayman and Dave Wilson....

[Welly]

Who?

[Geordie]

No probs Welly...

Funny how Tigers fans just wont accept anything other than they are the best.

Now that we are keeping our academy lads...and we are producing top quality again...i guess we will see if can take the kids to the next level.

I think we can.

[Welly]

No probs Welly...

Funny how Tigers fans just wont accept anything other than they are the best.

 

 Nah we just don't tell lies and saying that tigers are anything but the best would be a lie now, and we can't have.

 We at tigers are noble and humble kind who rarely cheat or lie about thing.

 Although Driver didn't Hayman leave before Brookes left so he wouldn't had been able to learn from him in that time length as did Dave Wilson.

[Geordie]

No Hayman used to train Brookes.

We dont lie either. If your refering to Deano...he served his punishment and moves on.

Must be great supporting such a great club Welly!

[Driver]

Brookes was with the club in the academy capacity whilst Carl was here , Part of Haymans wage deal was to work as the academy scrum coach along with coaching Blyth Rugby club.

[Welly]

Geordie you know my comments were Tongue firmly in cheek, hell the Hand of Back is held in high regards here despite being one of the most obvious cheats on the rugby pitch.

 Also Re: Richards I have nothing but huge respect towards him, he is a Tiger legend and I am glad he is in the top flight were he belongs and hopes he can take Newcastle towards the top.

 Hayman Left Newcastle in 2010, Wilson left in 2009, Brookes went to Leicester in 2011 so in that time he was at Leicester he wouldn't have been able to learn from Hayman or Wilson. I wasn't questioning that Hayman didn't work with him just that when he moved to Leicester who were the TH props for you? In fact looking at it how many young props have gotten to play and train with so many top class TH's?

 
 And agin GF I wasn't begin at all serious in my comments.

[Geordie]

Maybe i miread them Welly. No probs

[Jimpy]

Maybe i miread them Welly. No probs

It seems there's one rule for some and another for others with regards to comments that are said fairly tongue in cheek. Of course, it's all down to interpretation isn't it. I'd ask Pooly to comment, but he's having an afternoon nap I think.

[Geordie]

No Jimpy you come on here because you have a genuine dislike for the falcons and want to cause sh*t.

[Jimpy]

No Jimpy you come on here because you have a genuine dislike for the falcons and want to cause sh*t.

Way Aye. That's a muckle geet ackusayshun is that like.

I don't genuinely dislike the Falcons, I just don't mind if they get beaten is all....

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