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

Callum Green signs up:

http://www.newcastlefalcons.co.uk/news/story/falcons-signs-leeds-second-row

Another good signing although in an already strong area.

Sgt_Pooly wrote:Callum Green signs up:

http://www.newcastlefalcons.co.uk/news/story/falcons-signs-leeds-second-row

Another good signing although in an already strong area.

His debut for us as a 19 year old was extremely assured (against Saints) and I was sure he was set to be a mainstay for us. Never quite kicked on in what is usually a strong position for us, and perhaps hampered by a lack of inches.

Hope he does well for you.

Cheers LT, at 6'4" he's not exactly huge.

Looks a big bloke mind, interesting the link states he's a line out operator??

We need some bloomin intelligence and skills behind the flamin pack not more second rows who also play 6.

If we're looking for back rowers we need a carrier like Ben Morgan / Vunipola as we have barely anyone in the pack who can really be destructive in that area.

FLY HALF Deano!!!!! NUmber 10!!!!

Creative centers!!!!

Pointless having the ball like we have many times this season through the decent pack....and been unable to do f*$k all with it once we get it as the backs are utterly CLUELESS!!

Him and Barrow could form a top combo given some Deano influence.

Hopefully they'll be a 10 & big backrow to come

Oh im not doubting that Sgt, he is a cracking signing, not huge in height but very well built.....and we have a good stable of locks now. Especially if Nagel or this Spencer come through their end of season trails showing what they are capable of.

We desperately need a beast in the back row someone who can make serious hard yards with the ball.

You know the strange thing is im actually quietly confident that they have got a good number of players already sealed, just need to announce them.

Green, Socino etc...they may have come from the championship but i think they're good signings...

GeordieFalcon wrote:
Green, Socino etc...they may have come from the championship but i think they're good signings...

Geordie, where else are you going to look for players? Overseas for more journeymen? Callum Green has good potential and has done well for us last couple of seasons. There's some talent at the top of the IPA and there's not enough room in the AP to develop all the available youngsters.

I know he's not in one of the positions you desperately need but he should do OK.

I wasnt having a go at the championship. There is a lot of people doing that...i meant there are some cracking players down there and i think Green is a great signing for us...albeit in a position we are quite strong in (although McCleod is nearly 36)

I would hate to go back to that foreign journeyman route we went through...players like South African Prop Ashley Wells i shudder at the thought.

Anyway, Sgt etc...we have a few out of contract in the summer...who would you keep?

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.

Tomas, York, Hodgson.

I haven't seen Nagle/Spencer play yet so hard to comment, Shiels seems like he has real issues but I'd certainly keep him if he's sorted.

The offers aren't quite at AP level for me, even as squad players.

I pretty much agree Sgt,

Shiells does look to be a problem. If he gets fixed then id keep him aswell.

I actually dont mind Shortland, and as a back up winger id keep him. But not as a first choice.

Peter Russell to leave the club at the end if the season, quote from the offy:

"Russell arrived on Tyneside in the summer of 2012 from Hawke’s Bay and in his first season at Kingston Park, Newcastle sealed promotion back to the top-flight in convincing fashion, scoring 760 points and losing just one match during the regular campaign. Implementing free-flowing attacking rugby in the North East, a feature of the game that Russell is renowned for promoting in his homeland, the Falcons also claimed 13 try bonus-points before defeating Leeds Carnegie and Bedford Blues in the RFU Championship play-off semi-finals and final respectively."

I'm a little confused......

Yes we dominated the Championship last year but I can't recall us once playing "free flowing attacking rugby". Since Russell came in (and Wells/Richards) we've played pretty much nothing but forward dominated tactical/stagnant/kicking rugby.

Is this a good move?

Thats a very interesting one. I havent seen any free flowing rugby either.

Id like to know who is dictating these tactics. All ive seen is the overuse of the boot...and poorly done at that.

Maybe Russell is restricted in his role by Richards and Wells, and thus not able to achieve the results...or maybe he's just not good enough?

No.8 Semisi Taulava confirmed from Worcester

Extremely uninspiring.

We're now signing bench players from the only side worse than us in the league. We did need this type of player but I'm not convinced he's any good tbh.

I'm guessing Eric Fry will follow shortly.

He's looked unfit this year , might just need whipping back into shape.

Yeah hes the TYPe of player we need...but i dont think HE is the player we need.

Eric Fry...is he the London Scottish Loose Head? If so he's a huge American guy, supposedly great round the field and at the breakdown etc...but ive heard lots of rumours about his poor scrummaging....i hope not!!

Sgt_Pooly wrote:Extremely uninspiring.

We're now signing bench players from the only side worse than us in the league. We did need this type of player but I'm not convinced he's any good tbh.

I'm guessing Eric Fry will follow shortly.

I think you may be pleasantly surprised by him. In his first season at Wuss there was talk of a call up to England (on residency grounds). He was truly excellent in that season, so much so it allowed Wuss to release Cowan to Irish. He's carried a number of niggles this season which have stopped him being properly fit, but if you can get him back to full fitness you'll have a decent player on your hands.

Semisi is a lovely guy and will try his heart out for you.
I have always been surprised, though, by how little ground he makes for such a big guy. Not the impact you would expect.
To Hong Kong Cherry - Blair Cowan is a very different player. A real ball playing 8. I think most everybody (except Richard Hill, who clearly had his own reasons), would have wanted Blair to stay at Sixways.

He looks unfit at the moment.

I wonder if he gets a pre season workout like we did to Tomaschyk (also very unfit when he came from Wuss) and Brookes he will look a different player.

We miss a "go to carrier" in the pack so he could do a job.

I'm hoping Deano is saving his cash for a top class 10 then all will be forgiven.

Yeah, thats the thing we need a 10

Socino should make that 12 place his own...with Tiesi at 13 and Sinoti at 11 or 14.
9 is Tipuna or Blair...and that really leave 10 and the other 11/14 - ideally Kibirige.

9 Blair / Tipuna (Davies- Academy)
10 ??
11 Sinoti
12 Socino
13 Tiesi
14 Kibirige
15 Tait

Helleur on the bench.
Is there an improvment IF we can get the required 10 in?

Where do you see Hodgson and Clegg in that scenario?

I'v emailed West Hartlepool TDSOB reigistration forms to Newcastle Falcons to save Deano the worry of trying to find Phil Godman a new club , he should do well in the Tees Valley Social League.

I know we joke how bad he is Driver...but surely the worrying thing is that he's been picked constantly despite his performances? Do the coaches really see a different better player than the one we have been witnessing?

I personally would not have played him over Clegg or Hodgson.

I don't know GF , I think on some level Blair will have something to do with it. I know they're buddies from Edinburgh and Scotland.

I know the academy backs and back rows love Russell as it's all about tempo and width with his coaching. A stark contrast from Deano.

So do we want Dean to leave and Russel to stay as Head Coach / DOR

Driver wrote:I don't know GF , I think on some level Blair will have something to do with it. I know they're buddies from Edinburgh and Scotland.

They certainly played together a lot at Edinburgh.

And if you put to one side the facts that Blair is a B&I Lion, IRB Player of the Year nominee, the most capped player in his position for Scotland of all time, has played in 3 world cups and is quite good at rugby, he and Godman are really very similar.

Decent little highlight reel of Taulava on YouTube. To be fair to the lad he continually gets over the gain line and would be the best carrying option in our pack without question.

For all of the work the lads put in we've lacked a carrier who can make yards and actually keep hold of the ball all season, he could be the missing link.....and he's EQ.

He needs to be fit to play though Sgt....and he's had issues all season in regards to that.

And god knows we appear to have had enough injury problems in our squad as it is this season without another crock coming in.

Rumours on the unoffy that we have signed Rob Hawkins , the hooker from leicester.

GRANT SHIELLS STARTS

Cato,Shortland,Helleur,Smith,Sinoti,Clegg,Fury,Shiells,Thompson,Tomaszczyk,MacLeod,McKenzie,Welch(c),Saull,M.Wilson

Another completely new backline.....

Smith at 12 will be interesting, Barnes has added little so worth a shot.

Good front row, hopefully put some pressure on in the scrum.

I like Smith , big rangy runner flying at Gereghty and will do most of the kicking i think.



GF, Do Percy park want to enter Seaton 10s?

Let me know.

Holy s&*t!!!!

Shiells...well thats GREAT news. Lets see how he goes. I hope having pretty much the entire season out has sorted this back problem out once and for all.

Barrow on the bench aswell.

Well gotta say thats an interesting team Sgt...could pose Irish a few problems.

1 Shiells,
2 Thompson,
3 Tomaszczyk,
4 MacLeod,
5 McKenzie,
6 Welch(c),
7 Saull,
8 M.Wilson

9 Fury
10 Clegg
11 Sinoti
12 Lee Smith
13 Helleur
14 Shortland
15 Cato

Bench: McGuigan, Strain, S. Wilson, Barrow, Mayhew, Blair, Hodgson, Fitzpatrick

Driver wrote:I like Smith , big rangy runner flying at Gereghty and will do most of the kicking i think.



GF, Do Percy park want to enter Seaton 10s?

Let me know.

Ooh dont know what the plans are mate. Ill check. When is it?

It's June 21st fella , it's a good day out. Plenty of rugby and port to go around.

I'm shotting a Baa-Baas team in if any of your lads fancy it , How know's even Pooly might put his boots on? ;-)

Sounds a good day...ill keep that in my diary. Hopefully its a nice day aswell.

Let me know if your game fella.

I'll e-mail you a poster with all the details.

Same e-mail yeah?

Yeah same email mate.

33-12 down and not even half time, 5 tries conceded.

Disgraceful.

40-12 at half time Geordie.  

This season can't end soon enough.   

AH its just embarrassing now. The standard of rugby is amateurish, the results pathetic.

Im actually beginning to wonder where Dean is taking us.

Whats our best side?

Will Socino, Green. Tipuna, Sinoti, Tiesi make a difference next season?

Whats your view on the coaches...is Russel leaving a problem or a good thing?

Is Wells the problem...as he was in the England set up?

I just don't know man, everything always just so disjointed and clumsy. We seem to spend phase after phase going nowhere until one of the backs thunders it up the middle and loses it in contact. The pack seems decent enough, but they've taken a beasting at times and seem to lack a go to character who will drag us over the line.

As I remember Green was a decent carrier, maybe have him playing six and Barrow into second row. Maybe something like:

01. Grant Sheils
02. George McGuigan (If he can sort his throwing)
03. Kieran Brookes
04. Fraser McKenzie
05. Dom Barrow
06. Callum Green
07. Will Welch
08. Ally Hogg/ Chris York

See on paper it doesn't seem that bad (although still one of the weaker packs in the league)

Do forget we have that Taulava coming in from worcester aswell. He's a route one carrier. And a big tackler to be fair. But has been permanently injured and looks unfit.

If they can get him seriously fit and injury free...may be a good option.

I posted on the unoffy about Green being brought in as a heavy duty 6. He's only 6'4 so not quite lock height as the prem goes.

What have you thought of Vickers performances this season? Ive changed my opinon as the season has gone on.

Rob Hawkins confirmed.

I'm depressed.

It's going to be an 'interesting' run in to the end of the season.

Its going to be a f*$king horrible run in to the end of the seaon!!!

Falcon's shortest ever player? Stands a whole one inch tall apparently.

http://www.rfu.com/squadsandplayers/englandunder18/callumchick








  

Wow he's a big guy.

Ive just been on the Worcester unoffy...having a browse...and some of the nastyness being directed towards the Falcons is really poor spirit.

I found myself posting that whilst we have been horrible to watch since Christmas....we werent actually that bad before and got some wins unlike them who havent managed that.

Also if we'd had a decent regular kicker we probably would have been safe by now.