True, Gareth O'Brien was lined up for a long time there as a future HB but was quickly cut adrift when they weren't doing so strongly in 2014. Could see Patton departing IF Smith stays (which admittedly is unlikely). Rhys Evans is a guy who he started playing several years ago now and what has he really done? He gets shifted to wing so often even though he's so slow because Kevin Penny is apparently not one of Smiths favourites even though he's done well in his second spell there.

Depends who is coach though, if it's still Smith I wouldn't be surprised if the response to this season is to splash some cash and bring in a load of outside recruitment for 2018.

The Savelio one's a puzzle. Then again, there has always been the odd scapegoat with TS, often one of the less obvious candidates.

If you read the Warrington board he seems to be as bad as any coach for favourites and scapegoats. The fans there seem continuously puzzled as to what Matty Russell does to never get dropped.

Seems to have strayed from his Leeds approach where he/GH brought in 1 or 2 & nurtured the Acadamy lads.
Moran does seem very keen to be seen spending big year on year.

No chance, Shithead. Unlike Leeds, they have a good coach.

No, they don't have any recent history of it.

No, their squad is better than ours.

McDermott Out.

I don't know if you at the 2007 GF team what academy lads are there that only came through in his time? Ablett as a sub back rower, no guarantee I think he'd have stayed in the team under Smith had he stayed (filling in at RC helped him massively in 2008). Lee Smith, again would've been a long term fixture? He had spells in and out under Smith although he probably deserved that with his off field attitude/partying.

That 07 team was pretty much established by then though we'd added the required quality in Webb,Kylie was an excellent addition & Toopi was an International centre at the time albeit on the left.
Players like Burrow Mags Jjb Bailey Disko were well established & influential 1st teamers who tbf realised their potential under TS throw in Walker & Mathers et al he did a good job in that regard.
As a side note i also maintain Powell deserves praise for initially backing them with 1st team debuts.

Smith is a great coach but he has some very strange ideas about player management.

When he was at Leeds the players had to ask his permission to take their wives out for dinner!!

When Smith was going out with Verity the players were given a week end off and Tony Smith had taken his wife to some expensive/exclusive retreat only to find Lee and Verity at the very same place!! Didn't go down too well

Smith controlling attitude is OK with young players to try and get them to adopt the correct path but you can't treat senior players in the same way they simple will not allow it and by end of 2006 early 2007 it began to creak and that is probably what is happening at Warrington.

Having said all that the first half of the 2005 season was IMO the finest this side played in the whole of golden generation.

That doesn't quite stack up though does it? i mean, he is in his 9th season at Warrington and you say the cracks appeared at Leeds after just three seasons. Plus, he had plenty of senior players in the likes of Briers, Hodgson, Morley, Carvell etc..etc.. in his earlier days as opposed to now where he never struggled to keep a tight ship, if anything it would be easier now, no?Imo, a bit like Mac he has probably just run his course at the club, must be the longest serving head coach i have seen at a top club in 30 years of watching the game.

At Leeds you had the same core of senior players at Warrington you have more transition of senior players

He has never been anywhere as long as he has at the Wolves so much easier to keep a grip - at Leeds there were tangible results there haven't been at Warrington.

Players will accept a certain culture if it delivers results e.g. Alex Ferguson but if the don't then players are less forgiving

My bad