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

We need some investment across the board.

LH, 6/8, FH, CE, WG

Some quality in those positions and we should look to improve.

I wonder we'll sign Priestland?

Well we got the victory, but by all accounts it was still a stodgy poor performance, lacking any real flair or creativity.

And too much kicking possession away in the first half.

Did any one watch it...can you confirm?

I went GF, Clegg kicked the leather of ot first half. Fury played well actually.

Young lads stood up

Sarge,

I think at LH and back row we're actually ok, that wouldnt be my first area of concern.

However you rightly list FH, Centre and Wing...FH is the biggest. I never thought we would miss Gopperth so much, and i take back my criticism of him.

Outside of that there just doesnt look like any quality at all.

Smashed the Calvisano scrum. Shiells, McGuigan, Wilson is a serious front row.

Yeah definately McGuigan and Wilson are powerhouses. Shiels is a crackin LH aswell.

That could be our front row for years, and its an impressive one aswell!

I'd like to see Scott start the Wasps game on 27th. Blokes a cannonball and beast of a scrummager. If we could convert Brookes to a loosehead we'd be massive upfront. Mckenzie is a beast at 4 aswell.

1.Brookes
2.McGuigan
3.Wilson
4.McKenzie
5.Borrow
6.York
7.Saull
8.Hogg

9.Blair
10.Hodgson
11.Kircbridge
12.Hueller
13.Crockett (C)
14.Cato
15.Catterick (K)

For me that's our best 15 with everyone fit. Joel has to have a go at 10 as Clegg and Godman are terrible.

Kill to have Jimmy back.

Now i like that pack.

Im beginning to think Joel will be on his way at the end of the season. I still wonder if he should have been a SH instead of a FH. I think Godman will be on his way aswell.

I like Helluer, Catterick and Kibirige. I also think in some of the youngsters we have a few crackers, like wingers Brown and Penny (who kicks aswell), Centre Harris etc. Im pretty sure theres a very highly rated young FH in there aswell.

Its quite a young team / squad.

I did but i think he's our best 10 tbh just off the tee he might struggle. Hence Catterick in at full back.

Got to remember he's only 21. He'll be a good Premiership 10 but won't be the world beater we hoped for.

1. Frank
2. Lawson/Thompson
3. Brookes

Is our best front row imo. Wilson is still a youngster, he's coming along but would get mullered against the better LH's.

I've been a little disappointed with McKenzie from what I've seen, he maybe needs a few games to settle in.

We defend a lot better when McKenzie plays. Real brute around the fringes and kills a lot of play off with big hits round the ruck. 

Del Fava off the bench would keep the scrum going. 

Props learn by being pasted.

Wilsons time will come, he's not ready to be a regular. Brookes is a cracking player, gave Marler a real pasting last week.

We didn't defend a lot better last week!

Whats the crack with Brookes. Is he not rated by Dean or is he just having trouble staying fit.

He just seems to be in and out of the team.

Thinking we're still working our best team out to be honest.

He twisted his knee last week, I imagine he's first choice. He was quality against Quins, him and Frank would make a formidable propping combo.

I think we're in very good stead with our front row options.
Second Row is a bit bare and back row is not bad.

Do you rate Brookes higher than Tomas.

I do GF, he seems to have lost some weight. He took Marler to the cleaners last week which is pretty impressive.

Indeed, his weight was one of the critical things wasnt it. His injuries etc at Leicester had left him in poor shape. Seems that they've gone to town on him in the gym.

Think we'd do well to nab some of the Tiger's lot who are becoming freebies.

Crane would be a great 8 to have. Benjiman and Thomstone would certainly improve our backs

I imagine Tigers will sign them all back up.

Benjamin especially was electric on Sunday, I suspect Leicester will want to get their investment back on him.

I hope we sign hearing about some signings soon, I've got my fingers crossed for Priestland, Guildford and Matt Scott.

They would be three interesting acquisitions Sarge...and very welcome

Thought Guildford wanted to move to Clermount?

I'd look at pulling Parks closer to home as he's a cracker at 10.

Ah not Parks for me Driver. Godman is awful, and Parks is just a similar type to me.

Can we not find one good FH...and NOT one who's sole purpose is to kick the leather of a rugby ball!!

Bloody hope Parks doesn't come, he's possibly worse than Godman!

We're going to have to cast our net quite wide to find a top 10.

I heard we were linked to the Doncaster 12, some Argentinian who's ripping the Championship up.

yeah ive heard that one aswell Sarge.

Did not see this signing coming! What a coup from the Falcons!

http://www.espn.co.uk/england/rugby/story/208629.html

HHmmm not sure...

If its for pace well young Kibirige has rediculous pace...and has more rugby experience. Id rather just play him.

Cant see what a hurdler would offer...

He'd have plenty of power in the legs mixed with pace. Be a good centre.

Well Dwain Chambers went well in league.....  

His rugby skills can't be any worse than Fitzy.

Sounds a bit of a nothing story to me. You can't just flit between sports, especially track and a skilled sport and expect to make the grade.

Bet SBW would win gold in the Olympics.

Which sport?

Any , he seems to take to anything.

Bit of synchronised swimming?

Interesting article on the Offy about young Will Witty. Particularly that for someone so young he tackles nonstop and hits the rucks like a crazy man.

Nice to see we are now producing some decent forwards in the academy aswell.

Witty, Scott Wilson, McGuigan, Nelson, Shiels, Ben Morris all coming along nicely.

Team for Calvisano:

1 Vickers
2 Lawson
3 S.Wilson
4 Tomes
5 McKensie
6 Welch (C)
7 Saull
8 Mayhew

9 Fury
10 Godman
11 Kibirige
12 Powell
13 Crockett
14 Cato
15 Tait

Bench: McGuigan, Shiells, Brookes, del Fava, Fitzpatrick, Pilgrim, Clegg, Shortland

Good to see Brookes back, thought he'd be out longer

Yeah thats true, i like the look of the back row aswell.

Well we got the win 25-10 Zac scoring aswell.

Yeah im not sure why its always Vickers?Especially when Shiells is there??!!!

And wheres Kibirige? Hes bang on form...why not play him??

I've a feeling we may hear about some new signings over the next few weeks......a Non EU winger is the bets.

New signing, it's a biggy.......Sinoti Sinoti

http://www.newcastlefalcons.co.uk/news/story/falcons-sign-samoan-star

Over the last few seasons he's played for Aroni & Zebre so he sounds like a real catch.

Nice to see us aiming high.

Hmmmm sounds like a journeyman been around the block.

See how he goes...but it's only till the end of the season o think like Tiesi aswell

Big Frank is back but only on the bench as Vickers continues at 1

Newcastle Falcons: 15 Alex Tait, 14 Noah Cato, 13 Jamie Helleur, 12 James Fitzpatrick, 11 Ryan Shortland, 10 Phil Godman, 9 Warren Fury, 1 Rob Vickers, 2 Scott Lawson, 3 Kieran Brookes, 4 Carlo del Fava, 5 Fraser McKenzie, 6 Richard Mayhew, 7 Will Welch (c), 8 Ally Hogg
Replacements: 16 George McGuigan, 17 Franck Montanella, 18 Oliver Tomaszczyk, 19 Sean Tomes, 20 Mark Wilson, 21 Chris Pilgrim, 22 Rory Clegg, 23 Danny Barnes

How is Rory Clegg getting on? I hadn't realised he with up at Newcastle until I saw the lineup upi posted. Seems to me as if he has fallen off the radar screen.

He's been poor Doc, Him and Godman are two of the big factors towards our failings this year. Both seem intent on kicking the ball deep and down teams throats instead of using our backs to decent effect.

Not sure what's happening at the moment to be honest. If i was to take a stab i'd say Richards and Russell are giving everyone a chance at Premiership level whilst targeting the games which we need to win to stay up.


From tomorrow's backlines i'd only take Varndell , Daley and Goode above any of ours.

Strange. At one point Clegg was regarded highly.

I suppose I understand the strategy behind doing what is necessary to stay up whilst evaluating the talent you have compared to the other Premiership clubs.

Pilgrim needs to be playing champ rugby, he's a disgrace

Shocking 1st half, unreal that we had the wind and done nothing.

Execution is awful, we deserve to go down playing like this.

Don't think they're was any danger of us winning that.