Tony Smith nailed it in his post match interview IMO regarding losing some matches early in the season.

Basically he said it’s not doom and gloom and everyone makes too much of a big thing about it, if we go on to have a good season the early matches will be forgotten about, similarly if a teams wins its opening matches it means nothing if they fall away mid season.

Also this isn’t an excuse for losing but the weather has been awful, i know its the same for both sides but I’m looking forward to watching the games when its not blowing a blizzard and minus temperatures, I’m sure the players are too.

I think the season starts too early to be honest

It wont be, but What it should be imo

Walker
Fusitua
Newman
Broadbent - Due to being our 2nd best Centre
Handley
Austin
Sezer
Oledzki
Leeming
Prior
Gannon
Martin
Smith - Strong words about Discipline, unacceptable 6 agains and pens conceded

Johnson - Due to Dwyers delivery being absolutely horrendous all the time
Tetavano
Thompson - Due to being the only player left that even resembles a 4th prop
Suttcliffe - Due to our rubbish luck with injury and cards - Versatility

Agar needs to put his love affair with Briscoe and the clubs long standing love affair with Suttcliffe to one side and pick the 2 best centres in there best position, especially as the 2 best could be our present and future, not that it matters to rich, but he's really starting to annoy me with his selection at that position...Quality young England knights centre and we'r shoehorning past there best wingers and players with no obvious rugby league position at 26 yearold ahead of him, infuriating.

Tindall unlucky to drop out as he's shown some nice stuff, some real appetite for the battle, could of had a couple of trys if he wasnt playing outside Briscoe. But certainly put himself in the spotlight and put down a good marker to build from, only positive iv taken from the last 2 games.

Corey Halls starting and getting good reviews for Wakey, Broadbents miles better, we'r meant to be a club trusting our youth, lets see it.

Chris, with respect, it is ok to criticise Leeds you know?

That performance on Thursday with the ball was simply not good enough. When youve overlaps but keep choosing the wrong option everytime that is poor play not poor weather.

Did we use inside balls, did we change direction in attack with drop off plays, how many offloads did we do, did we run in 2s and 3s all things that must be done in those conditions? The answer is no.

That performance, taken as a 1 off game was nowhere near for a club like Leeds. Its wrong to write it off because we may have a good year in the long run.

From 1 to 17 and including the coaching staff that attacking performance was totally unacceptable to me. I cant make any excuses at all for it. We have to do a hell of a lot better and its fair to say so.

If you need to bring a headless chicken on at 9 to salvage a game then your papering over the cracks. Rich and especially Long need to have a long hard look at themselves if they need Dwyer running round like nutter in order to get over the tryline because nothing else looks even close to working.

Calm,controlled, intelligent, Delivery...Some words id use to use describing a good 9, id include all 4 describing Johnson, id use none describing Dwyer.

I’ve criticised them, read my posts, especially after the game. I thought we were terrible, what I’m not going to do is write them off. I also didn’t blame the weather it was a general point.

On to the team, if Handley isn’t 100% id rest him.

Wakey play off the cuff unstructured Rugby this year, and will be tricky.

1. Walker
2. Fusitu’a
3. Newman
4. Broadbent
5. Tindall
6. Austin
7. Sezer
8. Tetevano
9. Leeming
10. Prior
11. Gannon
12. Martin/Donaldson
13. Smith

14. Dwyer
15. Oledski
16. Sutcliffe
17 Thompson

I would prefer Johnson but I think Dwyer might be the best option against Wakefield

Did the weather come as a shock to anyone? I think we all had a fair idea what the weather would be. We didnt adapt or plan for it by the looks to me.

With regards to Tony Smiths comments its easier to say that after a win really i woyld say. Its not so easy after our type of performance Thursday.

Weve players to come back that will improve us, weve players in new combinations that should improve as they develop, weve players not 100% and weve players working there way back from long term injuries but weve got to be much better.

I expected us to challenge for top 4 at the start of the year and still do but were miles off that from the last 2 performances.

Again the weather was a general point, the season starts too early and playing in the type of conditions we’ve had for the last 3 weeks isn’t great for anyone, teams players and spectators, i specifically said it’s the same for both teams snd not an excuse, not sure why that point has bothered you.

I still expect us to challenge for top 4, but yes of course we need to be better, losing the first 3 doesn’t automatically mean we won’t get better though.

It's not about the defeats for me.
I can take being 0 from 3, especially against 3 teams who will probably finish above us.
It's the manner of the defeats that is the concern.
We look really badly coached and totally devoid of any game plan.
That doesn't suddenly change overnight.
Dwyer is the case in point - we have him on the bench as a last resort to try and salvage something from a game.
Smacks of fear and desperation.
I'm sure getting Newman, Fusitua, Martin and Bentley back will help - but tbh they will probably just replace the next set of players injured or suspended.

I'm not calling for Agar's head, but some decisions, both selection and in game are totally baffling.
Broadbent and Johnson should be playing - but we all know they won't be.
Starting with our only 3 props is utter madness.
And seeing Johnson hung out to dry in the centres was just totally ridiculous.
And Agar, Leeming and team have to get into Smiths head about his lazy tackling.
He's a quality player and should start at 13, but the 6 agains kills us every time. But it should be fixable.

I admire your optimism Chris, and I hope you're saying I told you so in a couple of months when we have a few W's on the board.
But I just can't see it at the moment.
Next 3 games, really are must win, but are also winnable. With the right selections and an actual game plan.

Sick of hearing that Smiths a quality player, no evidence of this what so ever, he’s championship std, offers nothing in attack no running or passing threat, defensively soft and a penalty machine.
If we are going for a traditional 13 OConnor already looks better option.

The manner of the defeat against wigan was very concerning, thr other two not so much IMO, i thought we were awful against Cats but we did actually create enough chances to win it, we just didn’t take them, both Sutcliffe and Gannon should have kept hold if the ball and if they do we score and win it’s not as if we got thumped and as I say we were very poor.

It’s not about optimism its about pragmatism, we do have the players, we need another prop and im not convinced about Sutcliffe but i just don’t see the point in writing the team off after 3 games, everyone can have whatever opinion they want, my opinion is that these 3 games won’t define the full season.

For me this isnt about 3 games it's about last season also being littered with similar efforts and we should have moved on now from putting in 2 of those back to back. I was equally critical of performances last year and was told by others that given X Y and Z circumstances I was being unfair/unrealistic, well here we still are. Look at the continuation of mediocrity Hull FC have had, we need to be better than that.

Very well said.

Agree 100%

Do we have a return date for Martin? I have no issue with his compassionate leave, but we could really do with him back especially now Mellor is likely to be missing.

Having watched the Catalan game again , that is undoubtedly is the worst display of distribution I have seen from a hooker for many years - that from our hookers in the second half.
I then sat and watched Hull KR v Castleford and watched a virtually perfect man of the match performance from a hooker - great distribution , solid defence , penetrating sniping runs and great link up play - who else but Matt Parcell .
Lock our 2 hookers in a room for a couple of days to watch the tape, until they are brainwashed.