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

Managed to score this week.  

3-3

11-3

Barrow in bin

Not sounding good this.

That's better.

11-6.

We need a LBP at least from this

Brilliant.

11-9 going into half time, recovered well.

Too right, we can't afford to get nowt in matches against other relegation candidates.

Good comeback, scrum on top apparently

Our discipline sounds shocking, giving away a penalty every minute or so.

Get in!

Into the lead 11-12

Go on Falcons!

C'mon lads!!! Getting tweats to Middle East lol

Scrum sounds right on top and we've a great bench. Would be some win this

Sale penalty...Missed!

We're under some pressure here.

Another stupid penalty given away and an easy kick.

Got it. 

14-12

Minced another scrum and we get another penalty.

Clegg steps up and...

GETS IT!

14-15 Twelve mins to go!

I'm getting a semi on!!

C'mon lads!

1 min 30 to go.

Clegg puts a great tactical kick pinning Sale into their own 20. We're going to do this!

GET IN THERE!!!  

Very happy with that, well done lads

congrats on the win!

Great stuff...how did we look guys?

By the reviews etc...in Montanella, Brookes, Shiels, Tomas and Scott Wilson we have a VERY strong stable of props who have acclimatised to the scrum changes nicely...

Just seen we've got you boys in the A league tonight. You've got Tahir el Mahdi on the wing per the Tigers site. Have you nicked him out our academy or is it a loan?

Both teams look young and pacey.

In the preview on our site it say he faces his "former employers" so looks like we;ve snapped him up. Wow theres a reversal..

He's pretty handy if I'm thinking of the right lad

I'm a bit gutted about that. He's rapid with a lethal step and scored a boat load of tries for the academy. He's a bit wiry so could do with a little extra bulk but his displays in the JP Morgan 7s obviously meant he caught the eye. Starting to get annoyed at our inability to bring through outside backs.

For the second A league game in a row we have a 9 playing flyhalf. No idea why.

Half time and Falcons are 10-3 up with a try from Andy Saull.

I'm a bit surprised (and pleased ) I thought Leicester had plans for him. What's the craic Sam? Leicester used to be so prolific in bringing through young players, there hardly seems to have been any over the last few years, since Manu and Ben Youngs really. Do you think it is because they haven't replaced Dusty Hare properly or is it just a bit of a lean spell?

And a good win for the Falcons academy aswell.

We've got young players coming through, we had three at the JWC and 6 in the England under 20s this year so we're still developing them. We got players in other positions from the academy coming into the first team, maybe not straight in at star level like Youngs and Manu but still good players. We just can't seem to bring through wingers or fullbacks for some reason.

We have Purdy, he's the main hope to break that duck but we'll have to see. Dunn and Humphreys are in the A league team and I hear positive things about Rhys Williams but no first team exposure yet.

Previously fans blamed MOC for the lack of academy backs given chances. I guess we'll find out.

Falcons A team won with tries from Wilson and Saull. A try from academy back Dunn for Tigers not enough.

Well i cant see any mention of when we signed him. But it means in a few years time...our wingers will be electric with him and Zac Kibirigie on the wings...

PS Re the website...is it actually working properly? Im having a few issues with it.

What's the craic Sam?

Cumbrian, I'm very suprised you would stoop to the use of a Gaelicized spelling on a very old northern English word.


tut tut.

That last message was brought to you by the Grammar Poleese

Indeed the word "crack" is an onld Northern English / Scottish word for whats happening, etc...this was borrowed by the irish turned in to craic with the same meaning and then the English have borrowed it back...

So in reality we should be saying whats the crack....not whats the craic.....

Ah me ma is Oirish, what can I say?!?

Tell me ma when i go home the boys wont leave the girls alone...

Is anyone having trouble with the new Website...ie not working.

I cant view the squad properly.

Yeah - I see what you mean.

Glitched.

Team V Leicester

Newcastle Falcons:
1 Franck Montanella,
2 Rob Vickers,
3 Kieran Brookes,
4 Carlo del Fava,
5 Dominic Barrow,
6 Mark Wilson,
7 Will Welch (c),
8 Chris York

9 Warren Fury
10 Rory Clegg
11 Tom Catterick
12 James Fitzpatrick
13 Adam Powell
14 Noah Cato
15 Alex Tait

Replacements: 16 Matt Thompson, 17 Gary Strain, 18 Scott Wilson, 19 Sean Tomes, 20 Andy Saull, 21 Chris Pilgrim, 22 Joel Hodgson, 23 Alex Crockett

You may have forgotten Alex Tait?

So i did...many do alas...

Some interesing calls, Barrow to lead the line?

York has came from nowhere, hope he has a big game. Blair missing is a huge loss....think we may get a pasting.

Might thoughts too Sarge...York is a complete mystery to me!

Fitzy couldnt get a game in the championship...yet is in against Leicester??????

Some curious calls.

Howdy Newky fans.

Do you like what we have done with your old outhalf? Bit of oil, few little tweaks. Have him purring like a bentley.

PS. You never told us he was so fast. :0

Some fecken pace on him

Glad to see it...he showed glimpses but i dont believe we really saw the best of him....couldnt have helped having a truly woeful side for the majority of his stay mind...

What exactly have you done with him?

Gopperth has great pace, he's a serious running threat and great kicking game. What he lacks is distribution, he can pass but doesn't pass as much as he should.

Sgt_Pooly wrote:What exactly have you done with him?

Gopperth has great pace, he's a serious running threat and great kicking game. What he lacks is distribution, he can pass but doesn't pass as much as he should.

The guy is playing out of his skin. Madigan hasn't had a go of the 10 jersey yet. (due to other factors also in fairness)

Pulled of a few lovely passes in fairness, as well as receiving a sweet inside scoring one from the tallest player in pro rugby.

Be interesting to see how he gets on in the HC, I don't think the Rabo is a great test tbh.

Hope he does well, top bloke.

Sgt_Pooly wrote:Be interesting to see how he gets on in the HC, I don't think the Rabo is a great test tbh.

Possibly because you haven't watched it and believe the spin you are fed by the like of the PRL.

Having watched Premiership for several years I know that it's not the boring boshfest that the stereotypes tell me.

But that there are many games in it that are of low quality which could be seen to reenforce that stereotype.

Similarly the Rabo has some unbelievably good games in it. (like the 29 all draw that Jimmy played in last Sat)

It also has some games which contribute to the stereotype that you may have been fed.

Not meaning this as a personal thing on you Pooly, Just reacting to your comment on the rabo not being a test.

You're assuming I don't watch it McLadyboy, when in UK I d/l a few games and watch midweek.

I watch more than the average detractor, certainly enough to forge an opinion.

Not having a pop I just think in general the standard of the Rabo isn't that great. You get the odd cracker when teams roll out their big guns but that doesn't happen enough.

I think the HC will be a true test for wor Jimmy.