Newcastle Falcons Season 2014/2015 - Closed, use new one.

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UPDATED FOR 2015 / 2016

Manager: Dean Richards
Head Coach: John Wells
Forwards Coach: John Wells
Defence Coach: Graham Steadman
Attack Coach: Dave Walder

Current Squad (A= Academy):
Forwards
Props: Taione Vea, Jon Welsh, Scott Wilson, Ben Harris, Rob Vickers , Eric Fry,

Hookers: Scott Lawson, George McGuigan, Rob Hawkins,
David Nelson (A)

Second Rows: Dom Barrow, Callum Green, Kane Thompson, Josh Furno,
Glen Youngs (A), Will Witty (A), Sean Robinson (A), Harry Snowdon (A),

Back Row: Ally Hogg, Will Welch, Richard Mayhew, Nili Latu, Mark Wilson, Uili Kolo'ofai, Dan Temm,
Brian Tuilagi (A), Joe Craggs (A), Calum Chick (A)

Backs
SH's: Sonatane Tukulua, Ruki Tipuna, Micky Young,
Dan Taylor (A),  Ruaridh Dawson (A)

Fh's: Tom Catterick, Mike Delaney,
Craig Willis (A), Brett Connon (A)

Centres: Juan Pablo Socino, Adam Powell, Gonzalo Tiesi, Andy Tuilagi, Chris Harris ,
Adam Redman centre (A), Tom Penny (A)

Wing: Sinoti Sinoti, Alex Tuilagi, Giovanbattista Venditti, Marcus Watson, Zac Kibirige,
Dan Marshall (A)

FB's: Alex Tait, Simon Hammersley

Contracts yet to be agreed:
Oliver Tomaschyk
Scott MacLeod
Warren Fury
Jamie Helleur
Noah Cato
Rory Clegg - Going to Australia

Well, new game face to take to the North Stand

Instead of Weary Resignation, I'll try Optimistic Trepidation.

I'll be there too Trail!

That Irish backline looks awful, we should really look to get at them early.

Thats confident pooly. It will be close. On paper nothing in it really

Probably falsely placed Nick but it's a game we should win tbh

I think the same. But am not confident as we never win at you.

NEWCASTLE FALCONS A TEAM VERSUS BRISTOL
1. Rogers
2. Nelson
3. Brookes
4. Young
5. Witty
6. Temm
7. Saull (C)
8. Mayhew

9. Fury
10. Catterick
11. Smith
12. Helleur
13. Tiesi
14. Barnes
15. Tait

Strong backline, we need Brookes back asap.

I was really disappointed with Welch on Sunday, we need somebody to compete at the breakdown so hopefully Saull can start playing well. Still no sign of the new boys.

Team for Saints?

1. Rodgers/Fry
2. Hawkins
3. Brookes
4. Green
5. Barrow
6. Furno
7. Wilson
8. Hogg

9. Blair
10. Socino
11. Tuilagi
12. Tuilagi
13. Tiesi
14. Sonoti
15. Hammersley

To be honest Sgt ive never been a massive fan of Welch. Hes a good local lad yes but he's not a great fetching 7 and not a huge powerhouse 6. Mark Wilson is a FAR better player.

Likewise Saul has his moments but is inconsistant.

Personally i think Dan Temm is looking like the real deal. And his breakdown is immense as you would expect from a Kiwi 7. Theres also another lad at Blaydon who is pulling up trees at 7.

Either look to him or play mark Wilson at 7...which will allow you to play Furno on the flank at 6 and bring in a bigger better scrummaging lock.

For Saints...well im not sure it matters who we put out...but i think your bang on with that suggested team.

Do you agree with me over Furno?

Furno to 6 is a no brainer for you guys.  The guys is 100% energy and getting up in opposition attackers faces.  he would be far more effective from 6 than from the engine room.

Ive watched him in the preseasons and two games now...he's just not effective enough in the nitty gritty Ozzy in the scrums...but his loose play is class. He just causes problems for the opposition. And he's a great lineout option.

I've got no issue with Furno at lock GF, we just need him on the park. Hopefully we'll see the new guys soon.

I also note from the A league game last night...Brookes looked great by all accounts.

Suggestions are that he didnt look like he was recovering from an injury of any kind. If so...why did he not play against Irish???

WTF is going on with Deans selection policy.

Where is Kolo'ufai? Whats the situation with Kane Thompsons injury? Is he recoviering or not.

Why was Tomas chosen over Scot Wilson. Tomas just walks about offering nothing.

I see Deano is unhappy about how scrums are refereed now http://www.espn.co.uk/premiership-2014-15/rugby/story/241291.html

Yeah i read all that...but in all honesty as i put on the unoffy...he needs to stop whinging and find some props that can handle it.

Ie Brookes and Scot Wilson at TH. Both fit...why not play them?

Dean is opening his mouth to much in certain areas...and not enough in others (ie telling his clubs fans about player fitness etc)

Regards the scrums, if you can get away with it do it. We weren't as bad as I thought we'd be but it's obvious Fry isn't up to standard yet.

I see Catterick is in the England 7's squad for the final leg of the European circuit this weekend.

England play Georgia, Wales and Belgium.

I wonder if he might be moving across there as his chances seem limited for the senior falcons and he seems very impressive at 7's.

Former Falcon Alex Gray is the Captain.

He's certainly not cut out to be a back 3 player GF, FH was his only real option I think.

I totally agree.

Ironically he was dumped by Dean to the wing when he arrived...but now in the A games Dean has been playing him .....at 10!?

Sometimes i wonder if Dean knows what he's doing.

He does seem a little out of touch, is there anybody better available that would come to us??

i dont know Sgt...theres a few things starting to annoy me now.

1) The constant wash of rotation. I want to see the best team picked for every game. If players need rested the odd time then fine do so but only if they need it.
Why does Dean not do this?

2) John Wells - The break down. When he was with England...Englands breakdown was very poor. Since he's come to us our breakdown is ........very poor! No conicidence i think.

3) Lack of ANY kind of communication. He said at the members meeting he would improve this....erm he hasnt.
Brookes missed the Irish game but played for the A team??? And by all accounts did not look like he had been carrying any injruy or anything.
I would like an explanation please mr Richards!

I can go on....but you probably have the same thoughts Sgt.

GeordieFalcon wrote:Yeah i read all that...but in all honesty as i put on the unoffy...he needs to stop whinging and find some props that can handle it.

Ie Brookes and Scot Wilson at TH. Both fit...why not play them?

Dean is opening his mouth to much in certain areas...and not enough in others (ie telling his clubs fans about player fitness etc)

and to accommodate your wishes - both selected.

15. Simon Hammersley,
14. Noah Cato,
13. Adam Powell,
12. Juan Pablo Socino,
11. Alex Tuilagi,
10. Phil Godman,
9. Mike Blair; Forwards:
1. Kieran Brookes,
2. Scott Lawson,
3. Scott Wilson,
4. Calum Green,
5. Dom Barrow,
6. Josh Furno,
7. Will Welch (c),
8. Ally Hogg.

Replacements:
16. Rob Hawkins,
17. Alex Rogers,
18. Oliver Tomaszczyk,
19. Mark Wilson,
20. Richard Mayhew,
21. Warren Fury,
22. Gonzalo Tiesi,
23. Sinoti SInoti.

Scrum could be in for a hiding, that's a better unit than Irish put out and I'm unconvinced Wilson is ready to start/Brookes is a LH. We need a new LH Deano.....please!

Hopefully be able to get down and catch it.

I'd rather Scot Wilson than Tomas and Brookes is way better than Fry so I'll go with that front row.

Pretty Much what I wanted...though I'd prefer sinoti with a knock over Cato.

Heaf wrote:

Sgt_Pooly wrote:It wasn't Sam.

Vickers was getting on top of Balmain from the off. It was pretty close till late in the 2nd, you minced us for the try.

Rodgers held up ok, Balmain dropped a knee pretty much every scrum but never got pinged. Pearce only reffed one team in the scrum which can happen sometimes.

I've seen him do that before - I can't remember who it was against but last season, for example, he called a perfectly straight feed crooked from the sidelines when he was an AR (it was on the 22 or 10m line and the ball followed the line perfectly) in Tigers favour and then ignored the Tiger's feed that went straight the the 2nd row.

Did it again this week - not just the scrum either ...

This is awful, something needs to change

Anyone got a link?

Wizi wig

Good kid you Pooly

I wouldn't bother watching it, disgrace

I'v turned it back , stream matched Falcons play. Brookes looked OK at the 2 scrums i saw , should of been pinged for boaring in though.

Scrum is only positive

Backs are shocking surely we can pick up a 10 on the go?

Godman is dreadful but it's been the whole team today

Dire attack, dire defence. Line out a shambles, kicking from hand poor, handling & desicion making shocking.

Apart from that we went quite well, reason to be cheerful.

If you take all that away from the equation we where unlucky to lose that game.

Need some serious changes , Need someone in to sort the breakdown out and start playing socks at 10.

Did saints switch off, or were Falcons more competitive in second half?

Saints slowed down second half , we got a bit better.

Saints never really got out of 2nd gear

I don't think its a coincidence that When John Wells was with England we were woeful at the breakdown and now that we have him...our breakdown is appalling.

Well we put the side out I wanted so I cant have any complaints now....we're gash.

Dean and his team are under the spotlight now.

Well after calming down a little...
We were woeful in the first half, but came slightly better in the 2nd.

Godman must be finally removed from the squad. He is appalling.

Hogg isnt offering anything at all. He looks past his best now...and to have him on but Mark Wilson on the bench is just laughable. Mark Wilson is our best back rower by a country mile and must start.  

Likewise Will Welch just doesnt offer anything to warrant his spot. Saull hasnt massively impressed either...id be inclined to give Dan Temm a go now.

Alex Tuilagi looks fat and unfit. Obviously we knew his best days were behind him...but he's worse than that. He just looks like a fat prop on the wing. Id rather have young Sean Brown / Penny or Kibirige on the wing.

Hammersley looks a class act.

For Wasps....

1 K.Brookes
2 G.McGuigan
3 S.Wilson
4 D.Barrow
5 C.Green
6 J.Furno
7 D.Temm
8 M.Wilson

9 R.Tipuna
10 JP. Socino

11 S.Sinoti
12 Andy Tuilagi
13 A.Powell
14 Brown / Kbirigie
15 S.Hammersley

Isn't Brookes your best tighthead? Why play him at loosehead?

Because Vickers our LH is injured...and all the rest are utter garbage....whilst Brookes can play LH (as he showed) to a very high standard.

It works as Scott Wilson is a quality TH so gives us good options.

For me you always play your best TH at 3, whatever else is going on.

Well i would agree...but Scotty is a quality TH, and cant play LH.

Anyway the scrums werent an issue at all...we were better than last weekend against you guys....it was the rest of the game (in the first half in particular) that was a shambles

The scrum went extremely well, im happy with that call

I said all pre-season thats the way we should go! Roll on heavy rain so the pitch starts to rip up! Oh wait......

Falcons 'A' Game Tonight at Sale
Alex Tait is back in the A team after injury. He may find it difficult to reclaim the 1st team 15 jumper though with Hammersley looking so good.

But maybe he could be a safe option on the wing as i dont rate Cato.


1. Alex Rogers
2. Rob Hawkins
3. Oliver Tomaszczyk
4. Glenn Young
5. Will Witty
6. Brian Tuilagi
7. Andy Saull (c)
8. Richard Mayhew

9. Dan Taylor
10. Rory Clegg

11. Alex Tait
12. Jamie Helleur
13. Tom Penny
14. Danny Barnes
15. Lee Smith

Replacements 16. David Nelson, 17. Eric Fry, 18. Mark Irving, 19. Dan Temm, 20. Joe Craggs, 21. James Christie, 22. Craig Willis, 23. Sean Brown.
.

http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/dean-richards-newcastle-falcons-wont-7820182