GAME THREAD: Flames V Steelers: Sunday 18th February

[smbmetal]

Didn't watch, but sounds like a big time character win. Guildford first to try to disrupt and goad in to penalties but we pass that test too.

Balmas now top points scorer in the league. What a pick up he's been.

We've also now scored 100 more goals than we've conceded in the league. Absolutely ridiculous.

It’s an awesome team it really is.

That character has been missing the past few seasons. We appear to have it in spades this year. That is down to Fox and some excellent recruitment.

Can’t fault Guildford trying to goon it up, they don’t have much chance otherwise.

Bring on Cardiff on Saturday.

[ginger]

Didn't watch, but sounds like a big time character win. Guildford first to try to disrupt and goad in to penalties but we pass that test too.

Balmas now top points scorer in the league. What a pick up he's been.

We've also now scored 100 more goals than we've conceded in the league. Absolutely ridiculous.

It’s an awesome team it really is.

That character has been missing the past few seasons. We appear to have it in spades this year. That is down to Fox and some excellent recruitment.

Can’t fault Guildford trying to goon it up, they don’t have much chance otherwise.

Bring on Cardiff on Saturday.

I've been a fan of Fox since he got here, and honestly been surprised by just how much stick he gets from some fans. He's got a clear vision on how he wants his team to play, but it's demanding on players, who have to be fast, offensive and still play a complete 200ft game. 21/22 we probably had 50% of the players who could manage it, last year 65-70%. This year it's every single guy. As you say, excellent recruitment, but it's also the systems and concepts he's put in place.

[BontSteeler]

Didn't watch, but sounds like a big time character win. Guildford first to try to disrupt and goad in to penalties but we pass that test too.

Balmas now top points scorer in the league. What a pick up he's been.

We've also now scored 100 more goals than we've conceded in the league. Absolutely ridiculous.

It’s an awesome team it really is.

That character has been missing the past few seasons. We appear to have it in spades this year. That is down to Fox and some excellent recruitment.

Can’t fault Guildford trying to goon it up, they don’t have much chance otherwise.

Bring on Cardiff on Saturday.

I've been a fan of Fox since he got here, and honestly been surprised by just how much stick he gets from some fans. He's got a clear vision on how he wants his team to play, but it's demanding on players, who have to be fast, offensive and still play a complete 200ft game. 21/22 we probably had 50% of the players who could manage it, last year 65-70%. This year it's every single guy. As you say, excellent recruitment, but it's also the systems and concepts he's put in place.

We have also got Tony Smith to thank, as without him & the financial backing Fox hets, we wouldn't get to watch the type of guys that Fox likes to recruit.

I have to say, this is probably the best Steelers team of an EIHL era - I'd be intrested to hear what other people think.

[Doom]

Didn't watch, but sounds like a big time character win. Guildford first to try to disrupt and goad in to penalties but we pass that test too.

Balmas now top points scorer in the league. What a pick up he's been.

We've also now scored 100 more goals than we've conceded in the league. Absolutely ridiculous.

It’s an awesome team it really is.

That character has been missing the past few seasons. We appear to have it in spades this year. That is down to Fox and some excellent recruitment.

Can’t fault Guildford trying to goon it up, they don’t have much chance otherwise.

Bring on Cardiff on Saturday.

I've been a fan of Fox since he got here, and honestly been surprised by just how much stick he gets from some fans. He's got a clear vision on how he wants his team to play, but it's demanding on players, who have to be fast, offensive and still play a complete 200ft game. 21/22 we probably had 50% of the players who could manage it, last year 65-70%. This year it's every single guy. As you say, excellent recruitment, but it's also the systems and concepts he's put in place.

We have also got Tony Smith to thank, as without him & the financial backing Fox hets, we wouldn't get to watch the type of guys that Fox likes to recruit.

I have to say, this is probably the best Steelers team of an EIHL era - I'd be intrested to hear what other people think.

I'd agree with your Tony Smith comment, he's given Fox the tools to carry out his job. I don't buy the rubbish about us spending a lot more than the others, you just have to look at the CV's of our rivals to realise that, but we'll be certainly there or thereabouts the highest spenders.

I'm pleased now that Tony stuck with Fox, but I would have shook his hand, thanked him for his services and let him go at the end of last season. I think he did a fabulous job in his first season considering the mess he inherited, but the big issue for me was history repeating itself with the team falling away so badly in the second half of last season (again). Even more concerning for me was the noises within the club that nobody could understand why.

I can only guess, but I do wonder if Fox plays a high intensity game (he's mentioned playing with pace before) and over a period of time that creates fatigue, especially for older players. This year we have a few younger forwards (Balmas, Watling, Juusola etc) who can cope with the pace of the game week in and week out.

There's no doubt that 1 trophy in 2.5 seasons (ignoring the Covid year) isn't really a good return for Tony's investment, but hopefully the faith he's shown in Fox is now being repaid.

The ironic thing is, should Fox leave us at the end of this season (assuming things continue as they are) we'll all be gutted.

Looking to next season, there's no doubt plenty of our players will get better offers from European teams. This is where I hope our relationships with the two Universities kicks in and we can tempt some of the players with a free education.

In terms of where this team stands compared with Steelers teams of the past, I'll reserve judgement until the season is over. As things currently stand we've won the same as Fife this season....one of the qualities of a great team is getting the job done.....that's still to be achieved.

Regards

Doom

[ginger]

Didn't watch, but sounds like a big time character win. Guildford first to try to disrupt and goad in to penalties but we pass that test too.

Balmas now top points scorer in the league. What a pick up he's been.

We've also now scored 100 more goals than we've conceded in the league. Absolutely ridiculous.

It’s an awesome team it really is.

That character has been missing the past few seasons. We appear to have it in spades this year. That is down to Fox and some excellent recruitment.

Can’t fault Guildford trying to goon it up, they don’t have much chance otherwise.

Bring on Cardiff on Saturday.

I've been a fan of Fox since he got here, and honestly been surprised by just how much stick he gets from some fans. He's got a clear vision on how he wants his team to play, but it's demanding on players, who have to be fast, offensive and still play a complete 200ft game. 21/22 we probably had 50% of the players who could manage it, last year 65-70%. This year it's every single guy. As you say, excellent recruitment, but it's also the systems and concepts he's put in place.

We have also got Tony Smith to thank, as without him & the financial backing Fox hets, we wouldn't get to watch the type of guys that Fox likes to recruit.

I have to say, this is probably the best Steelers team of an EIHL era - I'd be intrested to hear what other people think.

I'd agree with your Tony Smith comment, he's given Fox the tools to carry out his job. I don't buy the rubbish about us spending a lot more than the others, you just have to look at the CV's of our rivals to realise that, but we'll be certainly there or thereabouts the highest spenders.

I'm pleased now that Tony stuck with Fox, but I would have shook his hand, thanked him for his services and let him go at the end of last season. I think he did a fabulous job in his first season considering the mess he inherited, but the big issue for me was history repeating itself with the team falling away so badly in the second half of last season (again). Even more concerning for me was the noises within the club that nobody could understand why.

I can only guess, but I do wonder if Fox plays a high intensity game (he's mentioned playing with pace before) and over a period of time that creates fatigue, especially for older players. This year we have a few younger forwards (Balmas, Watling, Juusola etc) who can cope with the pace of the game week in and week out.

There's no doubt that 1 trophy in 2.5 seasons (ignoring the Covid year) isn't really a good return for Tony's investment, but hopefully the faith he's shown in Fox is now being repaid.

The ironic thing is, should Fox leave us at the end of this season (assuming things continue as they are) we'll all be gutted.

Looking to next season, there's no doubt plenty of our players will get better offers from European teams. This is where I hope our relationships with the two Universities kicks in and we can tempt some of the players with a free education.

In terms of where this team stands compared with Steelers teams of the past, I'll reserve judgement until the season is over. As things currently stand we've won the same as Fife this season....one of the qualities of a great team is getting the job done.....that's still to be achieved.

Regards

Doom

That COVID year I think really messed up a lot of recruitment, especially with Tron sadly passing away. Last year I think we got a lot closer even though we dropped off again.

Think you're right on the demands of Fox's systems on older players, but equally Vallerand and Dowd at 35 and 36 seem to manage it just fine. I get the feeling there might have been a little bit of a split dressing room, or a few with minds not on hockey fully (some for understandable reasons - Latal for example with family concerns in Ukraine). Losing Piche to injury also hurt us.

Win 2/3 trophies and I think we can definitely include this year's team as one of, if not the best we've had in EIHL era. As for all time, well they'll need to take all 3 for that conversation. But so far, this group deserves all the praise it's getting

[House_of_Steel]

Didn't watch, but sounds like a big time character win. Guildford first to try to disrupt and goad in to penalties but we pass that test too.

Balmas now top points scorer in the league. What a pick up he's been.

We've also now scored 100 more goals than we've conceded in the league. Absolutely ridiculous.

It’s an awesome team it really is.

That character has been missing the past few seasons. We appear to have it in spades this year. That is down to Fox and some excellent recruitment.

Can’t fault Guildford trying to goon it up, they don’t have much chance otherwise.

Bring on Cardiff on Saturday.

I've been a fan of Fox since he got here, and honestly been surprised by just how much stick he gets from some fans. He's got a clear vision on how he wants his team to play, but it's demanding on players, who have to be fast, offensive and still play a complete 200ft game. 21/22 we probably had 50% of the players who could manage it, last year 65-70%. This year it's every single guy. As you say, excellent recruitment, but it's also the systems and concepts he's put in place.

We have also got Tony Smith to thank, as without him & the financial backing Fox hets, we wouldn't get to watch the type of guys that Fox likes to recruit.

I have to say, this is probably the best Steelers team of an EIHL era - I'd be intrested to hear what other people think.

I'd agree with your Tony Smith comment, he's given Fox the tools to carry out his job. I don't buy the rubbish about us spending a lot more than the others, you just have to look at the CV's of our rivals to realise that, but we'll be certainly there or thereabouts the highest spenders.

I'm pleased now that Tony stuck with Fox, but I would have shook his hand, thanked him for his services and let him go at the end of last season. I think he did a fabulous job in his first season considering the mess he inherited, but the big issue for me was history repeating itself with the team falling away so badly in the second half of last season (again). Even more concerning for me was the noises within the club that nobody could understand why.

I can only guess, but I do wonder if Fox plays a high intensity game (he's mentioned playing with pace before) and over a period of time that creates fatigue, especially for older players. This year we have a few younger forwards (Balmas, Watling, Juusola etc) who can cope with the pace of the game week in and week out.

There's no doubt that 1 trophy in 2.5 seasons (ignoring the Covid year) isn't really a good return for Tony's investment, but hopefully the faith he's shown in Fox is now being repaid.

The ironic thing is, should Fox leave us at the end of this season (assuming things continue as they are) we'll all be gutted.

Looking to next season, there's no doubt plenty of our players will get better offers from European teams. This is where I hope our relationships with the two Universities kicks in and we can tempt some of the players with a free education.

In terms of where this team stands compared with Steelers teams of the past, I'll reserve judgement until the season is over. As things currently stand we've won the same as Fife this season....one of the qualities of a great team is getting the job done.....that's still to be achieved.

Regards

Doom

Couldn’t agree more with all that Doom, I think with regards to university courses (which rightly you’ve mentioned for years) it’s the reason we’ve attracted Watling, Nicholls, and Balmas I remember listening to the Fox interview on his signing and that he’d be enrolled next year so hopefully Mitchell is with us for at least next season.

[lovedenisvial]

Just watched the highlights on the Flames website, I'm very impressed with the vast improvement in the coverage! well done to them for a improving such a poor product.
We looked very good again! we just keep showing the qualities of a winning team, nice to see they are standing up for one another too!
Not sure why the goal washed out thou?

[smbmetal]

Just watched the highlights on the Flames website, I'm very impressed with the vast improvement in the coverage! well done to them for a improving such a poor product.
We looked very good again! we just keep showing the qualities of a winning team, nice to see they are standing up for one another too!
Not sure why the goal washed out thou?

Enjoyed the highlights. Looked a cracking game. Great to see Tansey clear the crease! Rather than shouting at the tele I was applauding instead

There does appear to be some proper player rivalries brewing here. The last team I would have thought that would happen with.

Hope it continues into the CC final. Will make it entertaining for those like me who enjoy the physical side of the game.

Highlights out before our Nottingham ones as well. Looks a better picture quality than ours as well. We really need to improve that part of our stream I think.

[greeny]

Just watched the highlights on the Flames website, I'm very impressed with the vast improvement in the coverage! well done to them for a improving such a poor product.
We looked very good again! we just keep showing the qualities of a winning team, nice to see they are standing up for one another too!
Not sure why the goal washed out thou?

Enjoyed the highlights. Looked a cracking game. Great to see Tansey clear the crease! Rather than shouting at the tele I was applauding instead

There does appear to be some proper player rivalries brewing here. The last team I would have thought that would happen with.

Hope it continues into the CC final. Will make it entertaining for those like me who enjoy the physical side of the game.

Highlights out before our Nottingham ones as well. Looks a better picture quality than ours as well. We really need to improve that part of our stream I think.

yes agree there seems to be an edge to this encounter and as you say, probably didnt expect it with guildford but all the better in a one off cup game final, makes for better viewing

[mark]

Highlights

https://youtu.be/KngJRmIs9SM?si=n_n6Xx03XZfPkH5l