Newcastle Falcons - 2019 to 2020 Championship - Closed

First topic message reminder :

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

Current Squad:
Forwards
Props:
LH - Sam Lockwood, Adam Brocklebank, Trevor Davison,
Conrad Cade (Senior Academy), Phil Brantingham (Senior Academy)
TH - Rodney Ah You, Logo Mulipola, Mark Tampin, Mike Daniels,
Oscar Caudle  TH(Senior Academy & Tynedale)

Hookers: Kyle Cooper, George McGuigan, Jamie Blamire, Charlie Maddison

Second Rows: Sean Robinson, Darren Barry, Toby Salmon, Greg Peterson,
Will Montgomery (Senior Academy), Freddie Lockwood (Senior Academy), Bailey Ransom (Senior Academy)

Back Row:
6&7's: Mark Wilson, Will Welch, Gary Graham, Jon Hardie,
Guy Graham (Senior Academy), Rob Farrar (Senior Academy), Josh Basham (Senior Academy), Harry Hill (Senior Academy),
8: Philip van der Walt, Nemani Negusa, Calum Chick,
Tom Marshall (Senior Academy), Charlie Richards (Senior Academy & Tynedale)

Backs
SH's: Micky Young, Sam Stuart
Callum Pascoe (Senior Academy & Tynedale), Cameron Nordi Kelemeti (Senior Academy), James Elliott (Senior Academy)

Fh's: Joel Hodgson, Toby Flood, Brett Connon, Tim Swiel, Joel Matavesi
Will Haydon Wood (Senior Academy & Tynedale)

Centres: Matias Orlandi, Gareth Owen, Ben Stevenson, George Wacokecoke,
Charlie Wilson (Senior Academy - At Durham UNi)), Chidera Obonna (Senior Academy)

Wing: Sinoti Sinoti , Adam Radwan, Cooper Vuna
Morgan Passman (Senior Academy),

FB's: Alex Tait, Tom Arscott,

Players unconfirmed:
Seb De Chaves - Only has a one year deal
Jon Welsh - Injuries mean he hasnt played for nearly 2 years.
Connor Collett - has he signed permanently for Doncaster

Next Seasons budget has gone down by £1m Sgt.

Yeah I agree...highly likely we'll be down if we lose to Wuss or don't win by the full 5 points.
Id start looking to get rid of half the players in this squad. Too many good players renowned for injury issues. And too many aging.

And now Evan Olmstead is brought back to the club!!??

Im lost for words with some of the management decisions...

The recruitment drive has been completely bizarre and we've hardly put the same side out twice all season. I'm really not sure what is going on with the club and can see Deano stepping down at the end of the season if I'm honest.

Well we all rated Olmstead and he wouldn't have been expensive, and yet we stick with that lump Cavubati??

Why let Craig Willis go? Don't get that one either.

Injuries have hurt us incredibly, however I don't think the management are innocent either.

Season decider......

Newcastle Falcons team to face Worcester Warriors (Sunday, 3pm, Kingston Park Stadium)

15 Simon Hammersley
14 Zach Kibirige
13 Chris Harris
12 Johnny Williams
11 Sinoti Sinoti
10 Toby Flood
9 Sonatane Takulua

1 Sam Lockwood
2 George McGuigan
3 Logovi'i Mulipola
4 Calum Green
5 Andrew Davidson
6 Will Welch (captain)
7 Gary Graham
8 Callum Chick

Replacements
16 Kyle Cooper
17 Adam Brocklebank
18 David Wilson
19 Will Witty
20 Nemani Nagusa
21 Sam Stuart
22 Brett Connon
23 Josh Matavesi

Referee: Wayne Barnes

Lose this and we're done....win and we're in with a fight. No excuse really, we're at home and fighting for our lives!

Yeah we have to get 5 points here Sgt. Despite our chat

Well it wasn't pretty but we're still in it.

Congratulations all - your guys looked better in just about every department.

But for a couple of flashes of something approximating decent from Hill, Lawrence and Lance, I can’t think of any positives for Wuss.

From the offy site:

Carrying milestone for Hammersley

In the week that he could make his 100th appearance for the club, Simon Hammersley has hit another milestone in the Opta stats.

The Newcastle Falcons full-back played the full 80 minutes during Sunday's 17-6 home win over Worcester Warriors, and in doing so became the first player in this season's Gallagher Premiership to pass the 1,000 metre mark with ball in hand.

Hammersley carried for 130 metres during Sunday's victory, in what was his 99th competitive game for the club.

I'm still stuck with who I want to go down this year. I'd say I don't want anyone to go down, but then it wouldnt be fair if no one came up

There's some Scottish Boys and Nookie, but there's Scottish boys are Wuss too. I think I'd prefer it if Bristol went down as I have less affiliation with them but I do like Pat Lam.

To be honest, if there is going to be ringfencing, whoever goes down, should get automatic enty into a larger league to include the current Prem teams, London Irish and possibly Earling too.

Beating Wuss has done you a massive help, now you need to target those Bristol Bears. I still say Wuss have the harder run in so there's still hope for the Nookies yet

tigertattie wrote:I'm still stuck with who I want to go down this year. I'd say I don't want anyone to go down, but then it wouldnt be fair if no one came up


To be honest, if there is going to be ringfencing, whoever goes down, should get automatic enty into a larger league to include the current Prem teams, London Irish and possibly Earling too.

Lets watch this space....

6'8 and 19st+ lock forward Greg Peterson announced for next year.

All the new signings to start being announced.

Will Witty the first to be confirmed off to Exeter.

So Witty, Davidson and now Young confirmed as gone.

Waiting for Green to be confirmed aswell.

It'll be interesting to see the plans for the lock situation.

Ryan Burrow has gone to Doncaster with immediate effect.

I see that Green has been cited and Webber given a retrospective YC following their coming together.

Well not unexpected.

Green should know better not to bite and will get a decent ban I would have thought.

However...Webber was choking or had him in a headlock...which started off the whole thing off in the first place. Retrospectively he should be given more than a yellow. But that's just my useless opinion.

It does mean we lose a hugely influential player at the most critical part of our season.

Swings and roundabouts at least he didn't pick up a red at the time and cost you the game.

Very true

We may have Sean Robinson back...apparently he's being beasted in training at the moment so if he is back that'll be a huge bonus.

The moment of skin-canine contact. Problem for Green was that he was in the double arm headlock with Webber locking the right arm and a second Sale forward holding onto the left arm. While it is silly to bite, if you are in a hold like that what do you do? Certainly with all the exacerbating actions this is some way below the "bad" bites we see.

Maybe they will go a little easier on him with that in mind LT.

Rob Burrows confirmed to Coventry permanently next season.

Flacons A team for Sale tonight

Some interesting selections.
Rodney Ah You gets his first run out.
Collett back from long term injury
Swiel Starts at 10
A big midfield

15 Alex Tait
14 Zach Kibirige
13 Alex Dunbar (captain)
12 Joel Matavesi
11 Adam Radwan
10 Tim Swiel
9 Sam Stuart

1 Trevor Davison
2 Santiago Socino
3 Rodney Ah You
4 Will Witty
5 Glen Young
6 Rob Farrar
7 Connor Collett
8 Simon Uzokwe

Replacements
16 Jamie Blamire
17 Adam Brocklebank
18 Oscar Caudle (Junior Academy)
19 Tevita Cavubati
20 Tom Marshall
21 Michael Young
22 Pedro Bettencourt
23 Tom Arscott

That is a strong lineup for an Shield game, with only the back row comprising people I do not know.

I understand that Green's disciplinary hearing was adjourned to this week?

Yeah, the decision will be made on Tuesday LT.

The back row is actually very good, and young.

Uzokwe has been in our Senior Academy for a few years. He's about 5'11 / 6' normally a flanker but he's built like a prop forward (think Stefon Armitage)...an absolute bulldozer with the ball in hand. Lots of hope around him...as he's different to the Will Welch, Mark Wilson / workhorse type back rower that Dean likes.

Collett is the young English 7 who moved to NZ to learn the game and was getting huge reviews. A tackle machine and turnover player who apparently has an insane engine.

Farrar is another Cumbrian from Mark Wilsons neck of the woods. he was promoted to the senior academy with Marshall another back rower we are really hopeful of. 6'3 about 16st only 18 year old. He's athletic but has a very physical, uncompromising style of game.

With Wilson, Welch, Gary Graham and John Hardie to work with...our young back rowers have some good people to learn off.

Strong looking side. I hope Dunbar can make an impact/get fit and sign a deal with us, big fan if his.

10 and prop has been our weakness again this season I feel (with the real loss of form as well) with Floody not quite able to reach the heights.

Agree Sgt,

Dunbar needs to get fit and stay fit to get some real form back. If he can he'll be a hell of a signing. We will wait and see.

Im curious to see how Joel Matavesi is coming on.

Prop is an ongoing saga, and yes 10 is an issue. Flood is a shadow of the player we think of. Connon is still young and Hodgson is still in recovery.

Counter that with our back row options being amongst the best in the league ...the options there are unreal.

I thought that Uzokwe was converting to prop?

I remember seeing him play for Mowden a few years back. He seemed an absolute wrecking ball. A fantastic athlete that's for sure.

No I think you are thinking of that Kenyan guy we had. He was a number 8, and they looked at moving him to prop unsuccessfully.

Uzokwe is definitely a back rower.

Zac Kibirige has signed a new 2 year deal...

GeordieFalcon wrote:Zac Kibirige has signed a new 2 year deal...

Good.

It is LT.

Goneva and Sinoti are class but not getting any younger so I suspect Dean will start managing them properly...ie not playing all games just the key ones..

Zach needs to be staring now, and hopefully young Radwan will get some gametime next season.

We have another young winger coming through called Morgan Passman. Hes only 19 but he's already around 6'1 /6'2 and 16st. He's scored tries for fun at all the levels hes played at and will probably be slowly introduced next season in cup games etc.

Falcons run riot....

73 -5

Radwan Hattrick , Kibirige 1, Glen Youngs 2 etc etc...

Bit of mis-match to be fair but at least some of the lads got a run out before the final push.

Agree...a complete mismatch, however its a crucial time now with relegation staring us in the face and I think Dean wants the 1st team squad as match fit as possible.

Falcons have signed flanker Josh Basham...with immediate effect.

Wow we're getting top heavy with back rowers!

GeordieFalcon wrote:Falcons have signed flanker Josh Basham...with immediate effect.

 I thought that had already happened, what with him going to Durham University last autumn?

Nah not yet LT. But its immediate effect now.

Calum Green found not guilty and free to play immediately! great news.

And Sam Stuart signs a new contract.

GeordieFalcon wrote:Calum Green found not guilty and free to play immediately! great news.

Will be interesting to read the full hearing report. Trying to decide if they are stating the wounds were not caused by teeth, or were teeth marks but not a bite - ie one expolanation being they were caused by Webber effectively shoving his arm into the teeth when applying the headlock.

Yeah very true LT.

Initially and after, All talk and feedback was that Webber was holding Green (who doesn't wear a gum shield) around the mouth in a headlock and that's where the marks came from .

GeordieFalcon wrote:Yeah very true LT.

Initially and after, All talk and feedback was that Webber was holding Green (who doesn't wear a gum shield) around the mouth in a headlock and that's where the marks came from .

A pro rugby player who doesn't wear a gum shield is either - very brave - already has no teeth - or has a very good dentist !

Yeah I thought that as well IL...

I had no idea yet it seemed to be common knowledge around all the other falcon fans.

W3ell decent lineup for Saracens...

Ah You starts
Tait back
Sean Robinson back on the bench...
Matavesi back at 12.
Big Evan in at lock.

I'd be surprised if we get anything but fingers crossed. Surprised Ah You goes straight in.

Well cant see us stayin up now.

GeordieFalcon wrote:Well cant see us stayin up now.

Brutal timing for Falcons that Worcs pulled the BP win out the bag against Sale.

Bristol leading Sarries in the second half too...

It's a shame after how well Falcons played last season. Do you think the cut in playing budget has had a big effect? Or more a lack of direction from 10 with Flood struggling for form and Hodgson injured.

Sean Robinson being injured and Wilson away with England will have hit your pack very hard as well.

They cut the budget by £1m despite already having the smallest budget in the league and going into the Champions Cup

Flood has been awful
Injuries have been a huge issue

Dean's Tactics are awful

Ringfencing is coming in so we may not go down anyway Carlos.

On the unoffy and the other forums people are really looking at the coaching team and Dean.