saints have the hardest run in of all the top teams this season imo, plus they have at least 1 game in the cup maybe 2 so i think saints have their toughest run of fixtures coming into the end of the season,

Warrington Wolves vs Saints

Saints vs WT Wildcats

Harlequins vs Saints

Saints vs Wigan Warriors

Hull Kingston Rovers vs Saints

Saints vs Huddersfield Giants

Leeds Rhinos vs Saints

Saints vs Catalans Dragons

imo saints have to play all the teams that will be in the top 8 on the bounce with perhaps 2 cup games. this will be a real test of how good they are and what kind of depth they have.

I am not saying it is doom and gloom for the first team, or in demise.

I am saying we have an issue with the foundations, which will eventually hit the first team. As I said above, the clubs decision to go with jobs for the boys instead of putting in place respected and experienced personell, when replacing leaving coaches, was a big mistake.

I agree that an academies job is not to win trophies every year. But we are nowhere near that level, we are not even competing against lesser clubs, and that should be a worry. That is a big drop down in the ability of the academy levels at our club. As I said above, IMO that is not down to a shortage of players in the amateur game, far from it. So either we are not picking the right players to come into the club (which considering we have a top scout I doubt), or we are not developing as well.

Producing 2 players per year, should not be an aim. There is far more talent available than that.

When I said our rivals, I was specifically referring to Saints. Again, not from a 1st team level, because I dont think they are that much in front of us, but from an academy level. At all levels in the academy they are far ahead of us, and they have done this despite loaning our better players from that set up for long periods of time. They have damn good coaches at Saints throughout the levels.

Wigan for all their faults with Nobby in letting go thier produced ones, are still producing damn good players. With a different coach they would be a far superior team with the effects of that production. What they have is a good coaching set up at Wigan.

Yes, we loaned out Scruton for a short period, and look at the effect that did for us. Why have we not repeated it at the same level? Why is Watkins pishing around in our losing academy side when he good be out there playing super league for some other team untill is time arrives for us?

i have to say it seems like a lot of people still think we have some god given right to win week in week out and if we arnt winning every week the club is f**ked!!

if its not the coach its the squad,

if its not the squad depth, its infighting,

if its not infighting its that the acadamy and youth system has ground to a hault.

if its not the acadamy its GH not spending full cap and not caring about the club and only wanted to make the biggest wedge possible (when in reality he has worked his knackers of to improve everything at leeds)

please people when are some of you just gonna have some faith.

and if you have no faith just try and enjoy the game win or lose.

you left out salford at the willows...

A reasonable observation given the squad available for the last two seasons compared to this?

Now that Kirke is out for a while it's to be hoped that JJB and Burrow will be fit to return (to release Sinfield back into the pack) unless Senior (our only strike back) is to be a regular in the second row with Gibson taking his place at centre.

Basically this year's squad is down on bodies and that will inevitably impact on performance this season and continue to do so.

What is the point of Worrall at the moment if Gibson is preferred to replace JJB within the seventeen?

No. I would call it hoping that a players contract is honoured despite being injured before playing a game for his new club.

HTH.

Next.

Smith made the first team shirt his halfway through last year.
Hall continued on his progress from last year to become the leading winger at the club THIS YEAR.
Burgess made himself a regualr over last season to move into becoming a key pack member THIS YEAR.
Ablett went from fringe to 08 regular (thanks to injury).

Watkins, BJB, McShane and Simon Worrall all have/have had the oppertunity to make a first team shirt theres this year. And our production line is screwed??? bah

If anything our problems are down ditching our tried tested method of bringing youngsters through in a fuller more experienced squad to a smaller less experienced squad that forces the youngsters to be ready now without being tested (and having the same luxury of time to adjust) or if they don't then errr... well we didn't prepare for that... coaches fault mentality

Of course.

Your last point is a criticism of the coach rather than GH.

I hope we sign some more players and they come from a back-ground where they are coached about the importance of discipline.

When they get here I hope they remember the coaching they received before their arrival.

Saturday was a microcosm of Bluey's handling of the right centre. 3 players played that position during one game. It was a coching masterstroke.

But they dont need a left centre though do they because you said so?

So therefore rotating three shouldn't be a problem despite the fact that which ever this muppet of a coach goes with isnt good enough because you think they just need a decent run in the side!!

Not a problem for me, everyone at Headingley from the Chairman down is fair game when the club under-performs.

this muppet the one who won a tri nations and a GF last year?
will you feel the same if he wins the GF this year?