Newcastle Falcons 2013/2014

First topic message reminder :

Manager: Dean Richards
Head Coach: Peter Russell (Leaving at the end of the season)
Forwards Coach: John Wells
Defence Coach: Graham Steadman
 
Current Squad: Underlined are new signings coming in the summer 2014
 
Forwards
Props: Grant Shiels, Oliver Tomasczyk, Keiron Brookes, Scott Wilson, Jeff Hallam, Rob Vickers , Eric Fry
Hookers: Matt Thompson, Scott Lawson, George McGuigan, David Nelson, Rob Hawkins
Second Rows:Scott MacLeod, Sean Tomes, Frasier McKensie, Dom Barrow, Callum Green  
Back Row:Ally Hogg, Will Welch, Richard Mayhew, Andy Saull, Mark Wilson, Chris York, Ben Morris, Semisi Taulava

Backs
SH's: Chris Pilrgrim (Signed for Leeds), Warren Fury, Mike Blair, Andy Davies, Ruki Tipuna
Fh's: Joel Hodgson, Rory Clegg, Phil Godman, Craig Willis 
Centres: Juan Pablo Socino, Jamie Helleur, James Fitzpatrick (Signed for Leeds), Alex Crocket, Adam Powell, Danny Barnes, Gonzalo Tiesi, Chris Harris  
Wing: Ryan Shortland, Noah Cato, Zac Kibirige, Sinoti Sinoti, Sean Brown, Tom Penny, Lee Smith
FB's: Tom Catterick, Alex Tait, Simon Hammersley

Out of contract Summer 2014:
Grant Shiells  
Oliver Tomaszczyk  
Gary Strain
Sean Tomes  
Ian Nagle (Trial till end of season)
Harry Spencer (Trial till end of season)
Chris York
Warren Fury  
Joel Hodgson  
Alex Crockett  
Ryan Shortland

Blair is only 32 and an experienced internationalist and British Lion, Pooly and he'll be incredibly important to you this season.

"Good", on the other hand, is clearly in one of those 2 game a season purple patches that we came to recognise at Edinburgh.

Im not sure where York stands at the minute...cant quite figure it out. Hes playing in Development games...hes down for the Blaydon v Falcons development game.

Back row is a strong area for us...with Hogg, Mark Wilson, Mayhew, Welch (Captain), Saull, and with Ben Morris and Harrison Collins coming through. It'll be interesting to see where he ends up. Maybe O'Shea realised previously what Deano has now...that hes not quite the grade? Who knows.

Blaire is a huge signing for us. Simple as.

And as for Godman...well yeah you hear so many mixed reviews. I wasnt overly ecstatic when i heard his signing...but if he plays like he did on Saturday then it could turn out well...but Joel has also been playing well...and Rory Clegg is a curious one. maybe with regular gametime he could finally fulfill his potential.

Lots of ifs and buts..

From the match report though the best thing i heard wa that Tomas looks a massive amount fitter. Id heard they'd been working on it in the preseason...i rate him highly but we all knew he was massively unfit...him and young Scotty give us a cracking TH pair.

yappysnap wrote:How's York getting in gents?

Still a bit gutted that we let him go to be honest. Will he be starting regularly for you boys?

Still struggling to break into the first team, he hasn't come on quite as well as I had hoped. Saying that, the back-row is an area of strong competition in the squad and he won't find it easy. I suspect if he doesn't crack it this year he will move on to pastures new.

Or, what GF said!  

Ha ha....good minds Marra!  

Also interesting in the reviews...seem Fitzy had an excellent game. If only he has improved his handling, skills and game management a little...he could be ideal at 12...an absolute powerhouse. But think this season is last chance saloon...

I just can't see it with Fitzy GF. If he can't make it at Champ level then he's not going to at AP, I don't really get why he's been getting gametime tbh as he hardly played last season.

Yeah thats my fears aswell Sgt, its a shame. I dont understand it either, Deano has played a few curious ones...be interesting to see the lineoup for Edinburgh...its the last friendly only chance to give the actual 1st team a run out...bit of time to gel...

Interesting to hear about York, he looked the business for Quins and we'd have happily kept him ourselves. It'll be interesting to see out of all your backrow options just who makes the jump up from Champ level to Prem and who hasn't got that extra skill level required, I guess that goes for a few other areas to.

Team for first game?

1. Shiels
2. Lawson
3. Tomas
4. Del Fava
5. McKenzie
6. Wilson
7. Welch
8. Hogg

9. Blair
10. Godman
11. Cato
12. Powell
13. Barnes
14. Shortland
15. Tait

yappysnap wrote:Interesting to hear about York, he looked the business for Quins and we'd have happily kept him ourselves. It'll be interesting to see out of all your backrow options just who makes the jump up from Champ level to Prem and who hasn't got that extra skill level required, I guess that goes for a few other areas to.

York was fantastic for 10 or so games for Quins, I was really excited when we signed him. He's not looked anywhere at that level, mainly due to injuries and getting a good run in the team. I've still got high hopes for him, possibly as a 6/8 off the bench to begin with.

Most of our squad has prem experience Yappy and the 2nd half of the season we went down performed extremley well. We've made some good additions since then so in theory we should be much stronger.

I think Shiels is still injured. So it'll be Montanella or Strain (i didnt think he had even signed for us yet has been starting at LH???)

Id also like to see anybody but Cato there. I just dont rate him. Id rather stick young Zach in there...though it might be a tad early to be starting him in the prem.

Alternatively...Catterick has been playing some great stuff...put him on the wing.

I'd much prefare Tom to come into the side at full back with Taity moving onto the left wing.

Shame we lost Fielden and missed out on bringing Fenby back as our back 3 lacks a 'X' factor player.

For the opener i'd like to see

1.Shiells
2.Lawson
3.Tomas
4.Mckenzie
5.Del Fava
6.Wilson
7.Welch
8.Hogg

9.Blair
10.Godman
11.Tait
12.Powell
13.Barnes
14.Shortland
15.Catterick

Yeah Driver i think that could very well be the starting lineup...but still not convinced Shiels will start...im convinced he's injured still...or recovering.

I imagine Monts is a few weeks behind match fitness so thats why stain is playing more thought Hallem would of started in pre season to be honest

I wonder if Strain will get a short term deal to give us cover whilst Lobo is playing for Arg?

Yeah i thought Hallam would have been given a bit of a run out.

Yeah i dont think strain is a long term option...with Shiels still recovering, Lobo away and Montanella as you say probably not match fit we are a bit short...

Team for Edinburgh:


Newcastle Falcons: 15 Tom Catterick, 14 Andy Higgins, 13 Danny Barnes, 12 Jamie Helleur, 11 Ryan Shortland, 10 Phil Godman, 9 Mike Blair, 1 Franck Montanella, 2 Scott Lawson, 3 Kieran Brookes, 4 Fraser McKenzie, 5 Scott MacLeod, 6 Will Welch (c), 7 Andy Saull, 8 Ally Hogg

Replacements: 16 Rob Vickers, 17 Matt Thompson, 18 Scott Wilson, 19 Dominic Barrow, 20 Mark Wilson, 21 Warren Fury, 22 Joel Hodgson, 23 Adam Powell, 24 Alex Tait

Great to see Franck and Saull get their first start, showing some strength in depth in the front 5 with 4 changes.

Vickers covering LH again?

Thats a big ol' front row there mind. I hope they have been hammering Brookes like they have Tomas in the fitness stakes...im pretty sure they will have been.

Also that back row screams pace and breakdown.

Glad to see Jamie back at 12...i really hope he can continue last seasons form...he could be a huge player for us if he does.

Reckon that could be our first choice back five in the scrum, is there enough carrying ability there? I wonder if we can get the go forward in heavy traffic.

Not sure matey...im thinking Del Fava and McKensie are the Second Rows of choice...and that should give us some go forward.

As for the back row...im a big fan of Mark Wilson...but im not sure he's the heavy duty ball carrier we are missing either.

Id rather see one of Welch or Saul at 7, Hogg at 8 and a monster like a "consistent" Tuifua at 6. But we dont seem to be heading down that road.

Well Geordies, Edinburgh got the win 15-5 in the end. Sounds like Edinburgh had a lot of the first half but handling let them down. 2nd half sounds a bit of a dull affair.

Any of you guys go to the game? Edinburgh will be posting highlights of the game in the next couple of days.

5 pens from Edinburgh, possible set piece advantage?

Think the pens were from open play, although the Edinburgh Twiitter feed did suggest Edinburgh got a good nudge on some scrums.

All I got was Mike Blair playing "typically well".

Good Edinburgh lineup to be fair, though would have liked to have been closer on the scoreboard. Not sure how far that was from Richard's best team but can't have been far off.

Roll on Bath.

Just read we were awful, bad times.

Highlights

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3wcdYEdeVk&feature=youtu.be

Ive heard / read mixed reviews on the game. Couldnt really tell from the highlights.

Some say we were attrocious, some say we were actually ok...

I see Mayhew is out for 6-8 Weeks...

We are also waiting on news of Welch (Back) and Lawson (Hand)

That could dictate our back row for Bath...
6 Wilson
7 Saull
8 Hogg

is pretty good anyway...

Mike Blair looked pretty good on the highlights.

Driver wrote:Mike Blair looked pretty good on the highlights.

He did and he'll be so important this season. Scotland's most capped scrummie ever, a Lion and our only IRB International Rugby Player of the Year nominee. He's still got it.

Behind Ben Youngs i'd say we have the best 9 in the premiership.

He's certainly up there. Lets hope he gets the same arm chair ride that youngs gets  

Teams up:

Barrow at 6?

Newcastle Falcons:
1 Franck Montanella
2 Matt Thompson
3 Kieran Brookes
4 Carlo del Fava
5 Scott MacLeod
6 Dom Barrow
7 Andy Saull
8 Ally Hogg (c)

9 Mike Blair,
10 Phil Godman
11 Tom Catterick
12 Jamie Helleur
13 Danny Barnes
14 Noah Cato
15 Alex Tait,

Replacements: 16 Rob Vickers, 17 Scott Wilson, 18 Gary Strain, 19 Mark Wilson, 20 Chris York, 21 Warren Fury, 22 Joel Hodgson, 23 Adam Powell

Barrow eh? Didn't see that one coming, Welchy is injured I'm guessing?

Tomohawk must be injured too. That is a MASSIVE front row though, 58 stone plus!

Lets hope they can scrum!

Barrow is interesting, he's a big mobile bloke, might be in for the line out??

Shortland injured?

Yeah Shortland injured. McKensie, Welch, Lawson,

The big front row didnt do much v Edinburgh.

Much concern on the unoffy for Cato v Banahan. Hope Cato's been in tackling practice...or itll be a long night...

Big test for Cato, if he can handle Banners he'll do ok. Catterick is no winger imo.

I think we have the weakest wings in the prem currently.

Bath team doesn't look too intimidating, they can put out much better. Lets hope we catch them cold.

Yeah i agree...no Fearns, Louw etc...

I agree about our wings aswell. I rate shortland...and thats it. Kibirige is still young.
Catterick is a Fb for me...and a good one. But not a winger.

Is the game on TV?

Sgt_Pooly wrote:Big test for Cato, if he can handle Banners he'll do ok. Catterick is no winger imo.

I think we have the weakest wings in the prem currently.

Bath team doesn't look too intimidating, they can put out much better. Lets hope we catch them cold.

Looks pretty bloomin good to me! Think we might get a bit of a wake-up call tonight via a humping. Fingers crossed though, need an LBP at the very least and a good demonstration of some forward grit with a solid set-piece.

Don't think we should hit the panic buttons yet. We fronted up well for the first 60 minutes.

With regards to wingers i think Deano will add some stardust to the side come the close season at the moment he'll be happy with a solid line and scrum and grinding wins out.

Yeah, not too bad (apart from the end scoreline) considering the conditions.

Bath look the real deal this year, loads of grunt and some talent in the backs.

One thing, and this might come across as a sore loser type comment, but did the coalman run away with Wayne Barnes girlfriend or missus? - he seems not to like teams in All Black.

Can some Newcastle fans come on this thread and fill us in about Michael Tait? He's on a trial with Edinburgh and is on the bench tomorrow....

https://www.606v2.com/t47844p50-edinburgh-v-dragons#2278590

I see Tane has had to retire due to injury.

Seen the snazzy new website? Finally got the academy profiles on there!

RDW_Scotland wrote:Can some Newcastle fans come on this thread and fill us in about Michael Tait? He's on a trial with Edinburgh and is on the bench tomorrow....

https://www.606v2.com/t47844p50-edinburgh-v-dragons#2278590

He's nothing special , wasn't AP standard to be honest. Big runner but that would be about it.

Thanks for that Driver, thought he was injured a lot for you guys too?

Also seem to recall your management at the time didn't rate Timbo Visser?

Snazzy new website indeed...

Teams up .....PHIL GODMAN??? Still there after that dire performance.
We'll see how Tomas goes after Brookes impressive run out last week. And can we sort out the debacle that was the lineout with Thompson in at 2.

Team for Sale:

Newcastle Falcons:
1 Franck Montanella,
2 Matt Thompson,
3 Oliver Tomaszczyk,
4 Fraser McKenzie,
5 Scott MacLeod,
6 Dom Barrow,
7 Will Welch (c),
8 Ally Hogg

9 Mike Blair
10 Phil Godman
11 Tom Catterick
12 Adam Powell
13 Danny Barnes
14 Noah Cato
15 Alex Tait

Replacements: 16 Rob Vickers, 17 Kieran Brookes, 18 Scott Wilson, 19 Carlo del Fava, 20 Mark Wilson, 21 Warren Fury, 22 Rory Clegg, 23 James Fitzpatrick

3-0 down after 6 mins and they have already missed a penalty.