Falcons Fans: Jimmy Gopperth

Jimmy Gopperth says he respects Johnny blah blah...with the upcoming game tomorrow (thursday)

Now then...heres the question...do you rate Jimmy as a points scoring saviour for Newcastle...excellent only with his boot...or part of the reason we are rock bottom as his ability to get a backline moving is utter tosh....?

Would you like to see him move on out of the club...or stay at 10?

Who would you replace him with...

Surely there must be another excellent fly half in your academy? Wilkinson, Flood, Clegg, Miller can't be a coincidence!

HongKongCherry wrote:Surely there must be another excellent fly half in your academy? Wilkinson, Flood, Clegg, Miller can't be a coincidence!

Tom Catterick and Joel Hodgson. The former has been injured a lot and the other is presently too physically small (He makes George Ford look like the incredible hulk!). When/ if (I know it's 'when') we go down, I'm hoping that Tom Catterick gets some good playing time a fly half, the lad has potential.

http://www.newcastlefalcons.co.uk/player/tom-catterick
http://www.newcastlefalcons.co.uk/player/joel-hodgson

IMO Goppeth just doesn't trust his team mates with the ball ( It might be a reasonable assumption, with some of the tosh that Tait has brought in... Bobo anyone?) but generally when the ball gets to him he either takes the tackle or boots it away. It's no coincide that we scored the fewest tries last season and we're on to repeat the trick this one.

Well he wasn't that good when he played for the Hurricanes so probably the last one

Geordie,

I don't think Newcastles ability to produce great players is the problem... It's Newcastles ability to retain their services once they've hit the big stage that is a serious issue.

I know the wage cap is supposed to level the field (that's another debate I guess) but the sponsorship deals (which don't come under the cap) that a player can get by moving to a bigger club that has won a bit of silverware must be far more attractive, as is the possibility of selection for England... It certainly won't hurt your chances playing for a "winning" club.

Take Marler at Saints for example. I've never rated him as a scrummager or his abilities in the set peices but he runs & carries well. Quins are unbeaton this season and suddenly everyone is including him in the EPS? Strange but true as their are far better props out there but they are not in the lime light.

Newcastle just doesn't have the image, profile or power (at the moment) to compete with the other clubs.

Hate to say it mate, but sometimes dropping down to the championship... clearing house and starting again can be the best thing for a club. It didn't hurt Saints! I'm sure the Falcons would bounce back anyway.

Sorry... posted twice by mistake... damn laptop.

MT,

I understand what your saying...but i just think our drop to the championship isnt being helped by the knacker in charge...and Gopperth at 10.

Fully fit and on form i would play catterick now above Gopperth....give the lad a go.

Hodgson is so small physically...if he doesnt grow much he will struggle in the 10 spot...maybe move him to scrum half as a playmaking 9.

I asked this on a different thread - but how well would Falcons cope with a drop to the championship?

While Quins and Saints rebounded really well, Northern clubs have not fared so well. Rotherham have struggled and had financial difficulties, Leeds yo-yo and Orrell and West Harlepool suffered major financial problems and plumetted down the leagues

I've thought about this aswel....and where we might fair better is that we are the main club in the area, so could still draw on good local talent (which in my eyes is what we shoudl be doing now) and our very strong academy...

Mix that with a few good experienced guys..not the rubbish we have at the moment...and i think we could come straight back up. A good young side with many of our academy players...playing a decent style of rugby and you will get the crowds in again....

Tait would need to go...and take Gopperth with him, and Wells, and....the list goes on...

It would be a lot easier if Falcons admitted defeat and disbanded. Then they could travel down the A1/M1 and reform as the official Leicester academy side.

Helpful.

However the Falcons might be viewed at the moment...there are a hell of a lot of players around the Premier League developed in Newcastle....and i do think this would be missed if we dissapeared for too long....

I think we'll be fine...our old chum Rob Andrew will bring through a rule that there'll be no relegation or promotion this season due to the effect the world cup had on teams...

Cumbrian wrote:Helpful.

Thats why i ignored it marra....

Ah, I know... I can't help being a bit flippant sometimes!

If you look at the squad, there are still a lot of young players with big futures.


Darren Fearn (Prop)
Josh Beaumont (Lock… where else?)
Dan Fraizer (Prop)
Mark Wilson (Flanker)
Tim Swinson (Flanker)
Will Welch (Flanker)
Joe Robinson (No.6/ no.8)- watch out for him.

Joel Hodgson (I suspect he will revert back to scrum half tbh)
Tom Catterick (Stand off)
James Fitzpatrick (centre)
Luke Eves (centre)
Alex Tait (Wing)

If we can keep a core of guys like these and some more experienced players like Euan Murray, a fit Jon Golding and Ally Hogg we should do fine. Get rid of the journeymen, replace them with some experienced players, we should hopefully be okay.

Cumbrian wrote:Helpful.

The truth plainly hurts..

Cumbrian wrote:Ah, I know... I can't help being a bit flippant sometimes!

If you look at the squad, there are still a lot of young players with big futures mostly at other clubs, like Leicester.


Darren Fearn (Prop)
Josh Beaumont (Lock… where else?)
Dan Fraizer (Prop)
Mark Wilson (Flanker)
Tim Swinson (Flanker)
Will Welch (Flanker)
Joe Robinson (No.6/ no.8)- watch out for him.

Joel Hodgson (I suspect he will revert back to scrum half tbh)
Tom Catterick (Stand off)
James Fitzpatrick (centre)
Luke Eves (centre)
Alex Tait (Wing)

If we can keep a core of guys like these and some more experienced players like Euan Murray, a fit Jon Golding and Ally Hogg we should do fine. Get rid of the journeymen, replace them with some experienced players, we should hopefully be okay.

There I've helped you out a bit.

Cumbrian,

I agree with your list...some of them are doing well already....and some are going to be really good.

Fitzpatrick is impressing me at the moment...big lump of a lad at 12. Lets see how he goes tonight...

You going to the game?

GeordieFalcon wrote:Cumbrian,

I agree with your list...some of them are doing well already....and some are going to be really good.

Fitzpatrick is impressing me at the moment...big lump of a lad at 12. Lets see how he goes tonight...

You going to the game?

Wish I could, I'm still marooned down in the South West for another week or so. I'm going to try and catch a game over the Christmas period though.

Fitzpatrick is a weapon that needs to be used properly, his running lines have been very good at times this season. It seems so simple doesn't it? Big man hitting the line/ gap at speed, yet it doesn't happen nearly enough.

Its on sky 1 ko 7.45 i cant make the game either so a bottle of Dog or two for me and hope we can give em a good game...