Sheffield Eagles players in frank dressing room exchange after Batley Bulldogs loss

Sheffield Eagles' players didn’t hold back in the dressing room after their late collapse against Batley Bulldogs, head coach Mark Aston said.
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The Eagles led in-form Batley 18-10 with just twenty minutes left on the clock before the visitors ran in four unanswered tries for a comfortable 18-30 win in the Betfred Championship clash on Friday.

A brace from impressive winger Rob Worrincy, 35, which took his career tries to 200, as well as a debut score for former Eagles scholar Jordan Bull, had put them in control.

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Aston said: “We got ourselves in a position to win the game and blew it. I don’t think we were great and our discipline let us down a little bit so we’re a little disappointed.

"The boys have been quite honest with each other and they are disappointed. They did quite a lot of talking themselves, just saying ‘We keep saying the same stuff but we are not holding ourselves accountable’ and they are right.

"The talk is good in there, they know they are letting themselves and each other down at times. We can’t ever, ever knock them for the effort. They are working really hard, they are a committed bunch, we are just not smart and you have got to be smart and disciplined.”

Despite the result – the Eagles’ second defeat in three matches – Aston reserved praise for Worrincy, now in his fourth spell with the club and a key part of their expansive style of play, which clashed with Batley’s more physical, dogged approach.

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“Rob’s been absolutely outstanding this season so far, he gets better,” said Aston. “He’s hid by Ryan Millar on the other wing, I thought they really went after Batley and I thought they were both great.”

Sheffield Eagles led an eight-point second-half lead slip against Batley Bulldogs.Sheffield Eagles led an eight-point second-half lead slip against Batley Bulldogs.
Sheffield Eagles led an eight-point second-half lead slip against Batley Bulldogs.

There was also a mention for 21-year-old Bull, who rejoined the club ahead of the 2021 season following his release by Castleford Tigers.

The second row was part of Sheffield Eagles’ scholarship programme before it was disbanded.

Aston said: "It’s great for Jordan to make hid debut and get a try. He’s a kid for the future, he’s tough and he’s uncompromising so he’ll learn from this and it will give him a belief in himself that he can handle this competition because it’s the first time he’s played at this level.”