Newcastle Falcons - We're back!! Championship winners

First topic message reminder :

Manager: Dean Richards
Head Coach: Peter Russell

Current Squad:

Forwards
Props:
Grant Shiels
Oliver Tomasczyk
Keiron Brookes
Scott Wilson

Hookers:
Matt Thompson
Rob Vickers
Scott Lawson

Second Rows:
Carlo Del Fava
Scott MacLeod
Sean Tomes
Frasier McKensie

Back Row
Ally Hogg
Will Welch
Richard Mayhew
Andy Saul
Mark Wilson
Chris York

Backs
SH's
Rory Lawson
Chris Pilgrim
Warren Fury
Mike Blair

Fh's
Joel Hodgson
Waisea Luveniyali
Rory Clegg
Phil Godman

Centres
Jamie Helleur
James Fitzpatrick
Tane Tu'ipulotu
Andrew Higgins
Alex Crocket
Michael Tait
Adam Powell
Danny Barnes - In from Munster

Wing:
Ryan Shortland
Andy Higgins
Suka Hufanga
Noah Cato

FB's:
Tom Catterick
Alex Tait

Yes he was mate...but your right he left for Sale...and i dont have much sympathy...

Hopefully a few will come through and stay.

Out of curiosity...did he go before Dean was announced or after? Id be curious to see...i bet he wouldnt have gone had he known who was coming in as coaches etc?

To be fair to Son Of Billy, I have heard he was only representing us to get a bit of rugby while he was at Uni.

He's a NW lad born and bred, so it's understandable he went back home.

Yeah i can see where your coming from there as well.....

Falcons v Nottingham Team.

Former Falcons Brent Wilson returns as Nottingham Captain after thay demolished Bristol 63-7 last weekend.

Could be another tough game.

1 Jonny Golding
2 Rob Vickers
3 Oliver Tomaszczyk
4 Sean Tomes
5 Scott MacLeod
6 Mark Wilson
7 Richard Mayhew
8 Ally Hogg (c)

9 Rory Lawson,
10 Jimmy Gopperth
11 Ryan Shortland
12 Jamie Helleur
13 Tane Tu’ipulotu
14 Luke Fielden
15 Alex Tait

Replacements: 16 Matt Thompson, 17 James Hall, 18 James Goode, 19 Chris York, 20 Warren Fury, 21 Joel Hodgson, 22 Alex Crockett

29 - 6 to the FAlcons....

Some big defence and big scrums in the second half. Some bone crunching hits....

Good win.

Backs were poor tonight , struggled with Hueller at 12.

Didn't seem to play as much rugby as we have done previously.

Mark Wilson was mammoth in defense but we played the territory game poorly and made some poor decisions with the boot.

Discipline looked a problem. Especially first 40.

Once again having a top draw maul saved the day.

The maul is a serious weapon of ours now...and i thought our scrum in the second half was powerful.

Wilson was great...hence his MOM.
I thought Helluer was immence defensively as well...and one of his tackles led to a try.

The whole team looked as they were having an off day to be honest..but they won. And fairly comfortably in the second half to be fair.

Cant believe Alex Tait dropped that ball late in the game...that was a certain try.

What do you think of York. He looks a huge guy with serious pace...but just seems to be a bench guy for the moment...though i appreciate our back row options are a massive strength at the moment.

Just reading the unofficial forum and there is a report that a good portion of the team had a stomach bug.

Was Suzie from Nottingham?

Pretty dreary stuff in the first half but it got better later on.

Not much activity..except i see Lawson is on the bench for Scotland v Tonga.

Well it feels like ages, but it is back to league action, team for Jersey:

15 Alex Tait, 14 Luke Fielden, 13 Alex Crockett, 12 Jamie Helleur, 11 Ryan Shortland, 10 Jimmy Gopperth, 9 Warren Fury, 1 Grant Shiells, 2 Matt Thompson, 3 Oliver Tomaszczyk, 4 Sean Tomes, 5 Scott MacLeod, 6 Chris York, 7 Mark Wilson, 8 Ally Hogg

Replacements: 16 Mike Mayhew, 17 James Hall, 18 James Goode, 19 Richard Mayhew, 20 Jordi Pasqualin, 21 Joel Hodgson, 22 Andy Higgins

Is Tui'fua a star player for you? Remember him not featuring too heavily last year, but he was awesome against Wales.

Well interesting team...

I havent been overly impressed by Fury at SH mind. I really like the look of that back row. Mark Wilson is continuing to show just how class he is.

Burger...we are in the position of having a luxury of back row players.
We are rotating quite a bit there and hes getting his games...but players like Mark Wilson (from the academy) who is awesome, Ally Hogg is rejuvenated, Chris York is a young monster from Quins and been getting more games recently...Will Welch is captain, and even Richard Mayhew has been good etc so he has a battle on his hands.

Ok. We will happily take him off your hands at Irish

HHmmmm whats happened to Alex Gray?

23 - 3 Beating Jersey.

Looks like Jersey actually gave a good account of themselves....

Mark Wilson yet again class. The guy is some player....

Tough place to go Jersey , umptine million miles away and cold and wet windy day.

Curious why Jimmy has been bought back in at 10 again?

Yeah he's been the main 10 hasnt he.

Wonder if Dean is just bring Hodgson through slowly..some development plan.

Newcastle Falcons v Plymouth Albion:

1 Grant Shiells
2 Matt Thompson
3 James Hall
4 Sean Tomes
5 Scott MacLeod
6 Chris York
7 Mark Wilson
8 Ally Hogg (c)

9 Warren Fury
10 Jimmy Gopperth
11 Andrew Higgins
12 Jamie Helleur
13 Alex Crockett
14 Luke Fielden
15 Alex Tait

Replacements: 16 Michael Mayhew, 17 Scott Wilson, 18 James Goode, 19 Taiasina Tu’ifua, 20 Rory Lawson, 21 Joel Hodgson, 22 Suka Hufanga

31-15 to the Falcons.

Tough game...Mark Wilson excellent and scoring again.

Saxons next season...i would think.

Wonder where this leaves Welchy?

He's been out with a back injury since the Rotherham game but Richards said
“Will is on the way back but he is probably still a couple of weeks away."

http://www.journallive.co.uk/newcastle-sports/north-east-rugby/newcastle-falcons/2012/11/30/changes-are-being-kept-to-a-minimum-61634-32335198/#ixzz2DsuHuqkE

To be honest though, it's a good thing to have competition between the two potential sevens. I felt Welch played too many games last season (31 or 27 depending upon the stats you believe) I wouldn't like to see him burnout.

How about:

6 Wilson
7 Welch
8 Hogg / York

Impressive....

I'd prefare to to see Chris York at 8 over Ally Hogg. Al has been fantastic this season but struggled in the premiership last year where Chris York could be a superstar.

Hearing that Joe Duffrey (Notts Hooker) is in talks with the club , be a good signing as he's set piece is his strong point and thats been our weakness this season.

That is interesting...Hooker is one our major weak spots as you say.

He was at Tigers for a big I think, big lump.

He was but if I recall correctly, he didn't get a single game. At the time it mystified some of the Tiger’s fans that I know because he went there with a good reputation. (Again if I recall correctly he was being mentioned as a potential Saxon because he is EQ. Mind you we had even less choice at no.2 then, than we do now even with Steve Thompson still kicking about).

I think he is good in both the set piece and the loose and could be a decent addition to the squad.

Another i think they could keep their eye on is Ross Batty who is playing hooker for Bath. He has looked decent when he has had game time, but could be pushed out because of Bath's ambitions. He’s still fairly young for a front rower at 26 too.

Didnt Ross Batty come through our academy.

If only Vickers could throw there wouldnt really be a problem as he's ok.

Yeah he did, spent a bit of time with Rotherham in the Championship too.

We seem to have prospects coming through in all positions yet hooker seems a curiously bare one...(and Second rows aswell actually)
McGuirk doesnt seem to be much fancied...

Maybe we need to be looking to bring in if Vickers throwing doesnt improve much.

How about Bismark

And on a separate note what would your favorite ever falcons team be including Gosforth etc...

Well another win 14 / 14 now.

And just about on the mid point of the season.

Whats your verdicts people. Is the championship far worse than we actually thought...are we an improved team...a bit of both?

At present if we manage to make it back up...where in the prem could you see us...bottom..midway?

Whats our strengths and where do you want to see us improve?

Geordie, Falcons are way out ahead of the rest for good reason. You've a squad of players who are hungry for a return to Prem and a coach who seems to have put some steel into them. They are showing all the attributes that have been lacking for several seasons now. Deano's going to be expecting the sort of return that Mallinder achieved and I can't see why that shouldn't happen. Until they play against Prem sides you can't really know but the signs are good.

As for the Championship, I think that apart from your lot the rest are about where they have been as far as standard is concerned but with Bedford being where Bristol were. Bristol have gone backwards since last season and Leeds are in for a long period of being also rans because of the lack of cash and a determination to build from affordable player resources. Can't see you getting mugged in the play offs either, you're too far ahead in quality.

GeordieFalcon wrote:And on a separate note what would your favorite ever falcons team be including Gosforth etc...

Golding
?????
Ward
Swinson
Parling
Dowson
Wilson
Tui'fuia

Charlton
Sir J
Visser
Mayhofler
Noon
Tait
Burke


The Goose has retired. Always like Goose , great broken field runner.

We've got a better team than Worcester Warriors and London Welsh , still need to sign big if we go up.

In need of a solid hooking option. Got to nail the set piece if we go up.

A few players we've been linked too

Joe Duffrey
Rudiah Jackson (London Scottish 10)


Heard a tasty rumour about George Ford on loan as well which could be a corker of a buy.

HHmmm interesting links there Driver.

To be honest id not want Ford...id rather keep working on Hodgson...i think he has great potential...is learning and is quite strong for his fragile frame.

We badly need a hooker...and judging by the fact that we apear historically to have an issue in that position we need to fix it.

For the greatest team...Ross Nesdale? or even back to the Roger Uttley Gosforth days might be required.

Our teams would be quite different though...

1 Nick Popplewell
2 ? Nesdale?
3 Carl Hayman
4 Doddie Weir
5 Roger Uttley
6 Peter Walton / Colin Charvis / Owen Fineghan
7 Pat Lam
8 Dean Ryan

9 Gary Armstrong
10 Johnny Wilkinson
11 Tony Underwood
12 John Leslie / Alan Tait
13 Tuigamala
14 Epi Taione / John Bentley
15 Matt Burke

We have some decent players through the years...

Newcastle 93 - Newport 0

15 tries...

Geordie

Mate of mine plays for Newport, and another coaches reckons the ref robbed them...

of 93 points!

Wow. Definitely time to enter Regional A teams. It's no surprise Newcastle are dominating this competition though.

Yeah i dont think Cricket scores like this are really doing anyone any favours...

Maybe the whole format needs a look into...

First if all, thanks for this thread, I've been reading it fairly often to see how the Falcons are doing. I used to live in Newcastle and really want them to be back not just in the premiership but near the top of it.

The Falcons would really have to screw up to not win the championship now, but I am a bit worried about the ridiculous play offs that may scupper them due to one bad performance.

GF - I guess you've been going to the games - Are the Falcons looking like a proper premiership team now under Richards or is the championship flattering to deceive?

That comment was firmly tongue in cheek don't worry.

This score is huge, but it's not a surprise as Newport are far from a professional outfit. It is time to make the prem fully prof, regional A sides will do nothing but kill club rugby in Wales!!!

screamingaddabs wrote:First if all, thanks for this thread, I've been reading it fairly often to see how the Falcons are doing. I used to live in Newcastle and really want them to be back not just in the premiership but near the top of it.

The Falcons would really have to screw up to not win the championship now, but I am a bit worried about the ridiculous play offs that may scupper them due to one bad performance.

GF - I guess you've been going to the games - Are the Falcons looking like a proper premiership team now under Richards or is the championship flattering to deceive?

The playoffs aren't as ridiculous anymore. Just a normal 4 team playoff I think.

I assume the poster meant the playoffs are ridiculous in concept

ChequeredJersey wrote:I assume the poster meant the playoffs are ridiculous in concept

I thought he was referring to the top 8 mini tournament playoffs they had before this season. They were truly ridiculous. The ones for this season are just normal playoffs (which some may consider ridiculous in general)

ChequeredJersey wrote:I assume the poster meant the playoffs are ridiculous in concept

They used to be REALLY ridiculous. Once the league had finished the top 8 went into two pools to play off against each other. The winners and runners up in the pools went into the semi-finals and then there was a two legged final. There were so many chances for the incumbent team (last year Bristol) to slip up that it got beyond a joke.

Oops, beat me to it!

Screaming

Yeah ive been at the majority of them this season...missed Sundays game though.

We are improving all the time...the back play is getting better. Our pack is getting that tough edge you expect from Deano's sides...and our scrum is very strong..even the best prem sides will find that out.
Our defence is aggresive and organised....
Our lineout is attrocious.

BUT what do you judge it on...some of these teams in the championship are well below the prem standard...
The benefit of being here however is that he is blooding lots of the academy boys like TH Scot Wilson, Back rower Joe Robinson, 17yo winger Kibirige etc etc so these are getting invaluable experience against decent and some very physical sides...

Overall we have improved considerably and continue to do so...and will give all the prem teams a tough game now..but probably a middle of the bottom half of the prem side at the moment.

Just to clarify....

I just think the play offs are pointless in a league pretty much unaffected my international call ups. Newcastle could win every game this season and then not get promoted because they lose by one point in the final game. I'm not a big fan of the play offs in the Premiership, but they make a bit more sense because of international call ups and it's certainly true that they make a lot of money for the league too.