Newcastle Falcons Thread - 2016 / 2017

[Geordie]

First topic message reminder :

Manager: Dean Richards
Head Coach: John Wells
Forwards Coach: Micky Ward
Defence Coach: John Wells
Attack Coach: Dave Walder
Lineout Coach: Scott Macleod
Skills Coach: Mark Laycock

Current Squad (A= Academy):
Forwards
Props:
TH - Jon Welsh, Scott Wilson, Paddy Ryan, Davy Wilson
LH - Sami Mavinga, Rob Vickers, Sam Lockwood, Adam Brocklebank (A), Joshua Chisanga (A), Trevor Davison (A)

Hookers: Ben Sowrey, Kyle Cooper, Scott Lawson
Santiago Socino (A) Jamie Blamire (A)

Second Rows: Callum Green, Mauritz Botha, Will Witty, Sean Robinson , Evan Olmstead, Nick Civetta, Glen Youngs, Tevita Cavubati, Andrew Davidson
Josh Williams (A), Max Davies (A)

Back Row: Will Welch, Nili Latu, Mark Wilson, Harrison Orr, Opeti Fonua, Ally Hogg, Ryan Burrows, Gary Graham
Calum Chick,  Simon Uzokwe (A)

Backs
SH's: Sonatane Tukulua, Micky Young, Sam Stuart
Ruaridh Dawson (A), Dan Taylor (A)

Fh's: Mike Delaney, Joel Hodgson, Toby Flood,  Craig Willis
Brett Connon (A)

Centres: Juan Pablo Socino, Chris Harris, Dom Waldouck, Maxine Mermoz, Josh Matavesi, Joel Matavesi, Tom Penny
Ben Stevenson (A),

Wing: Sinoti Sinoti, Zac Kibirige, Veriniki Goneva, DTH Van der Merve
Adam Radwan (A), Cameron Cowell (A)

FB's: Alex Tait, Simon Hammersley

[Geordie]

Yeah that's the thing. He'll need to beef up. But they seem to like the idea of him at LH.

Don't forget Vickers isn't a big lad but he's been a very dependable solid lh since he switched.

[Sgt_Pooly]

I'm not sure I can agree on Vickers being dependable! lol

He looks and interesting project player for sure. He looks powerful around the fringes and another 5/6kg will help this.

[Geordie]

ha ha I think Vickers has done ok. He's not set the world alight, but he's done alright since his switch. Hopefully we can move on with Lockwood and Mavinga (and maybe Chisanga)

Of all of them...im really interested in seeing how Simon Uzokwe comes on. Looks a bull of a back rower. Be interesting to see if he can bring that to the prem level.

[Sgt_Pooly]

Its Vickers scrummaging GF, its just not good enough for this level, the TH has very little to work with.

See Tait has signed a new deal, great servant to the club.

[Geordie]

Vickers isn't the best scrummager but he's done ok. Im just disappointed Lockwood got injured so early. In the brief shows, he looked like he could have been the answer.

I hope we see that this season.

Yeah Tait has been great. If he'd just had a little bit more creativity he might have got a lot more recognition, as hes got decent pace and physical. Just sometimes lacks the finial bit of skill.

[Geordie]

Your Newcastle Falcons to face Gloucester.

15 Alex Tait
14 Vereniki Goneva
13 Chris Harris
12 Juan Pablo Socino
11 Marcus Watson
10 Mike Delany
9 Michael Young

1 Rob Vickers
2 Kyle Cooper
3 David Wilson
4 Calum Green
5 Evan Olmstead
6 Mark Wilson
7 Will Welch (captain)
8 Ally Hogg

Replacements
16 Scott Lawson
17 Ben Harris
18 Jon Welsh
19 Will Witty
20 Callum Chick
21 Sonatane Takulua
22 Joel Hodgson
23 Sinoti Sinoti

[Geordie]

Woeful game.

Can't believe we won in the last kick!!!

[Sgt_Pooly]

We were not good at all. Delany was woeful again, he kills the backline.

Handling was really bad, lost count of the times we knocked on in the Gloucester 22, we should have killed that game off with plenty of time to go.

On the plus......scrum went well and Chick looked great from the bench.

[sensisball]

Can any Falcon fan tell me if Jon Welsh is still playing well? If he is I just want to get it straight in my mind that there is no logical reason why he cant, at the very least, make the bench for Scotland!

[Geordie]

Delayney is a poor FH. How on earth did he get an AB cap??

Calum Chick is going to be a cracking player. Very impressed with him.
Goneva is a top class player aswell. He's just so dangerous....

Jon Welsh is playing great stuff. He should be in the Scotland squad. But their loss is our gain.

[sensisball]

Cheers GF

I just cannot understand why welsh isn't playing in blue, unless the rumours that he had a major falling out with Toonie when he was at Glasgow are true.

[Geordie]

Maybe, but he's playing well for us.

[Geordie]

Another kicking for the A team from Wasps this time.

[Geordie]

Well now THAT was another kicking!!!

[formerly known as Sam]

You just couldn't get your hands on the ball for long enough to give your backs a platform. Had the Welch break been converted that could have lifted you before half time but being denied there and then conceding just before half time seemed to cause the heads to drop.

[Geordie]

Our scrum (which is officially the best in the league apparently) was woeful, in fact everything was.

It was a bad day at the office but we've had too many of them in the last 6-7 games! Not good enough.

We don't need to win the last two games...but to keep everyone happy I'd say we MUST win them!

[Sgt_Pooly]

Defence has been woeful and handling to match. Scrum getting hammered every game(bar Gloucester), not a good end to the season.

We really need to tough up away from home and play the percentages a bit more.

[Heaf]

But it must have been nice to not be looking over your shoulder all season and Falcons have shown some real promise at times this season - a big improvement from my perspective.

[Geordie]

Defence has been woeful and handling to match. Scrum getting hammered every game(bar Gloucester), not a good end to the season.

We really need to tough up away from home and play the percentages a bit more.

Ironically the stats say otherwise....that we are one of the best!

[LondonTiger]

Being at the game this weekend, I was not aware of the stat showing the success rate Falcons were having this season at scrum time until watching my recording. It is certainly a case of the stats not telling the whole truth. It is not often that I will try and use Stephen Jones (of Sunday Times) to help me make a point (in a positive way anyway). However at the weekend he was talking about coaches/selectors being over reliant on stats when making decisions rather than trusting their eyes and looking at the impact of players performances.

Ignoring the player he was pushing for Lions selection, his point that things like tackle stats, lineout success, metres made can be misleading was a valid one. Stats showing scrums, lineouts, rucks won take no account of the speed and quality of ball provided. Even looking at kicking percentages can be misleading. Some accurate kickers have limited ranges and see their figures inflated by never attempting any close to their max range, other kickers are asked to take any number of 50/50 kicks.

So my point is that while one statistic tells you that Falcons scrum is good, measure that against what you see in a game. (Also remember that since Bobo came in to coach the scrum, we have had the upper hand on a lot of teams)

[Sgt_Pooly]

Defence has been woeful and handling to match. Scrum getting hammered every game(bar Gloucester), not a good end to the season.

We really need to tough up away from home and play the percentages a bit more.

Ironically the stats say otherwise....that we are one of the best!

The stat is completed scrums, which tbh, we are pretty good at. We get the ball in and out the majority of the time and don't give teams the chance to get at us.

Our problem is when they hold the ball in and they start walking us back. We must have the worst scrum in the league along with Gloucester.

[Geordie]

Aye fair call there like.

We need a HUGE game against Wuss.

[Geordie]

Well a nice win, and down to Bristol for the last game.

Congrats to our lock Glen Young for making the championship team of the season with Doncaster and new signing Ryan Burrows also made the team at number 8.

With Aly Hogg taking up a position with Blaydon (Head Coach) he might be eased off for the falcons and Burrows might play quite a role.

[Sgt_Pooly]

Didn't catch the game but a good win.

Another lock is a little bemusing, surely there's other positions that could be backed up first?

Anyway, it's got to be one of the best squads we've had in a long time going into a season and I'd fancy us for a similar league finish. I'd expect Gloucester, Sale and Worcester to be all around our level with LI needing some good recruitment to stand a chance of not going down again.

[formerly known as Sam]

Any news on you guys acquiring a big game 10? That experience guiding you round the field would make a huge difference.

[Geordie]

I think Botha or Civetta must be on their way...maybe both.

Yeah we have a decent squad. TH - Scotty needs to sort himself out with all these injuries!

No Sam, no news on the 10 spot. Personally I dont think we'll be signing one.

Hodgson is first choice, but so erratic and inconsistent - needs a psychologist to sort his head out!
Craig Willis still looks a great option for me. He looked very good and consistent on Friday when he came on and I would say he is more solid and reliable than Joel. I'd love to see him start V Bristol on Saturday! Next season may see him step up his gametime and number of games he starts.

I also think Matavesi has been brought in to cover 10 at times as well. Not his first choice position, but he has played there for Fiji etc, so I would expect to see him run out there in a few games.

Then we have young Conon who is another 15/10 who looks very promising...

Of course if we get shot of Delayney, who must be on a decent wage, and replace him with a very good premiership standard 10 (as Delayney was supposed to be) then I wouldnt complain.

[LondonTiger]

Ryan Lamb is now available

[Geordie]

Ill stick with Hodgson thanks

[Welly]

wouldn't be surprised if you sign Flood.

Whats Falcons first choice 23 looking like next season.

[Geordie]

Well Flood has been rumoured for a while Welly, but gone a bit quiet again, so who knows.

Starting 23? hhmm its actually difficult to say what the XV will be,.

1 Mavinga / Lockwood
2 Lawson
3 Jon Welsh
4 Green
5 Robinson / Olmstead
6 Wilson (Chick is looking VERY impressive)
7 Welch (Latu if Welch is not Captain)
8 Latu (But Burrows could challenge, and Hogg is still a classy player)

9 Takulua
10 Hodgson
11 Sinotti / DTH Van der Merve
12 Matavesi / JP Socino
13 Mermoz
14 Goneva
15 Hammersley / Tait

We are starting to get some strength in depth....but the back row is crucial for me. Its currently TOO similar. Wilson and Welch are warriors, but don't maybe offer enough elsewhere for both to in the side. Its one or the other for me.

Burrows will add a new dimension and Chick is getting better and better. And Latu is a beast....

[Geordie]

Powell on his back to sarries as an academy coach

[Geordie]

Toby Flood rumour still rumbling on Sgt...think its on?

[propdavid_london]

Whats all this rumour of Botica?

[Sgt_Pooly]

Whats all this rumour of Botica?

Hopefully just that PD, not an improvement on what we have really.

Fingers crossed on Flood GF, he'd be a fantastic signing.

[Geordie]

Do you think that's the announcement tomorrow?

[Sgt_Pooly]

Theres an announcement?

[Geordie]

Something is happening tomorrow. Smithy is playing down its an announcement mind, but im curious to what it could be.

[Geordie]

Toby released from his Toulouse contract. Major signing at the falcons dinner tonight.

Happy Sgt? Another piece of the jigsaw.

So who are you looking forward to seeing next season the most?

[Sgt_Pooly]

Very happy, couldnt have asked for more really.

Best Falcons squad for 10+ years? Finally have that quality at 10 we've needed.

Really impressed with Fonau and Robinson at the weekend too.

[Scottrf]

Now you just need to get rid of the guy on the tannoy!

[formerly known as Sam]

Falcons moving in the right direction. If they can keep the scrum steady and improve the discipline then the target will be sixth place and not avoiding relegation.

[Welly]

Mind i think Glous, Sale and Falcons all need a new front row to target 6th place.

[Geordie]

Still need to sort out the front row and scrum ...but its getting there.

[Geordie]

Mind i think Glous, Sale and Falcons all need a new front row to target 6th place.

Good minds.

Yes we do.

Hopefully Lockwood stays fit. Looks a beast (from the Jersey school of Scrummaging) and Mavinga can come good. Vickers has been a solid club player for us but not whats needed to move forward.

Jon Welsh has been class at TH And we need to get Scotty Wilson off the physio table and staying fit for the whole of next season. Davy Wilson looks totally past it!

[Sgt_Pooly]

We'll basically have 2 new LH's next season and Cooper bedded in. I think the front row should be ok....its been gash this season.

[Welly]

Also Falcons are behind on there player to Tigers quota this season.

Hopefully that will change next season..................

[formerly known as Sam]

Also Falcons are behind on there player to Tigers quota this season.

Hopefully that will change next season..................

Hammersley or Harris? I think we could just about find a spot for them. Depending how well Hardwick comes through and Joe Ford does maybe Willis?

[Geordie]

You can have Harris.

Keep your hands off Hammersley and Willis though!

[formerly known as Sam]

You can have Harris.

Keep your hands off Hammersley and Willis though!

We'll send Tait and Joe Ford up in part exchange.

[Welly]

I don't mind the Joe Ford signing.

Cheap enough for a squad depth signing but at the same time gives Hardwick a good marker to try and overtake during the season.

[Sponsored content]