They were other culprits last night yes, but those same culprits like Peacock for example, would you back against him come playoff time to step up? Other culprits like Cuthbertson for example, but would you back against him being a key player for us in the next few years?

Could you say the same about Achurch? Not totally excusing their performances but surely the likes of Peacock and Cuthbertson etc. have earned the right to have a shocker and be forgiven? Achurch hasn't, and he also hasn't had a gruelling long season with a sizeable break just recently meaning fatigue can't be linked to him.

Players have bad games. Players make mistakes. There was a lot of that from a lot of people last night.

What separates Achruch's performance was that there was an air of gutlessness about it.

He should not play Thursday. The other players that had stinkers have earned the right to have another game to put it behind them He hasn't.

44 missed tackles (with Achurch topping the list with 7) and 23 errors would rather indicate a mental switch off and is not at all how we have played this year. I would be very disappointed if we are unable to get our defense back on track for Thursday.

This new format has seen most sides begin to look tired in the super 8s and we have had the Cup Final as an extra handicap. I hope we still have some gas left in the tank. I favor attack as the best form of defense to reduce the need for a high tackle count. Burrow and Watkins if fit and fresh will assist in this cause.

True on attack being the best form of defence. Cas have shipped 40+ in their last 3 games. With nothing to play for if we can get a couple of early scores they could well crumble.

Saints were three scores up wasn't they?

And as for Achurch, we really don't have the options. Are people really suggesting that Walters has had a better year than him when fit? If we are prepared to go to players who haven't played yet then fair enough. But if you look at Achurch over the year, where he was very good early season, rather than one game, he has actually done more than done others.

They were, but Cas knew they had to win that to keep their hopes alive....nothing to play for this week so very different.



I think the opinions on Achurch are more in terms of his future looking ahead to next year and beyond, not whether he should make the 17 next week over Walters.

Overall a shocking performance and i thought our "Leaders" went missing very early.
Individually Mc.D needs to sort the 6-7-9 out starting Sinfield at 9 Mags at 7 and playing Cuthbo as an extra pivot effectively cost us 2 players in that Mags was always isolated and Cuthbo couldn't have the impact he has at 13.
I thought Lilley looked promising at 9 but imo he's an even better 7 so that's where i'd start him with Sinfield staying at 9 but with the option to rotate between them.
Achurch was pathetic pure and simple but saying that JP looked 73 rather than 37 and Singleton/Ward aside the pack caved in and looked very leggy imo.
Again though very early in the game we didn't look right as per the Wire (SL) games & yet again senior players and the Coach failed to react and address the problems.
Hopefully it is a blip and not terminal but win or lose that 17 should have played much better than the dross they served up.
All that matters thursday is winning no more get out of jail free cards and Cas will come looking for an upset so we need 100% improvement across the board.

Read that same line a few times last week about Catalans too.




And I would agree on the future. But the posts on this board are shouldn't play for us again, and shouldn't play Thursday. I can't see any reference to next year and beyond.

But both teams in their last games were playing their last home games of the season so wanted to send off departing players in style & to give their fans something to remember till next season.
Neither factor comes into play this week.
BUT we know that Cas always raise their game against us at Headingley.
The Dragons woeful away form will likely mean two easy home wins for whomever they play over the next two weeks.

Wayne McAchurch

It could be argued that McDermott may have prepared the team badly or failed with his selections. However, I don't think any coach could have done much to address the shambles that unfolded once play was underway.

They were not prepared, and selections not right, and he obviously hoped to get away with it. However, I do think he did react and positively, because the introduction of Lilley, which no doubt he didn't plan to make until much later, did have a better effect on us. And now we have seen a player who looks good enough to have a run at this level.

I think the heat & humidity had a massive effect on the team, allied to our errors & poor discipline we had to do so much defence early on that it took a very heavy toll on all the players.
The Dragons are used to those conditions we aren't & there is never enough time to acclimatise.

The only positive from Saturdays game for me was Lilley at dummy, I wouldn't be disappointed so see him start on thursday.

A little lightweight in defence but that's to be expected, we certainly looked a bit sharper (not hard) when he came on an freed Sinfield up.

I thought Lilley did well given he hasn't played much first team and was playing in a beaten team