This time last year we were also miles off them.

How did their play off runs go?

No worse than our's ultimately. And don't even suggest us reaching another Grand Final, just don't mention it. I couldn't take it.

Hardly miles off when we make the big 'un and they don't.

Best prepare yourself for the worst... I can see the annual trip to the Wet City.

Me too... Probably against Wigan... God help us... Give me 2 80-0 defeats against Wire in the playoffs beforehand any day.

We had something last year that we don't this year: an effective halfback partnership. It's a sad state of affairs when Wilkin is our main kicking threat.

I agree, but a lot of people are too blinded by the past that they either won't or can't admit it. Wellens has been a great player for us but sadly doesn't contribute enough anymore to warrant being in a top 4 side. He made 2 good contributions tonight, catching a bomb and putting Shenton through for his try. Other than that he was constantly late getting to attacks, threw the ball on the floor a couple of times and killed possession.

Our play off run blew up in the last game of the season against Leeds. But we were and are a comfortably team than Saints last year or this.

We can't stretch a defence out wide like Wigan and Wire do and its mainly because Wellens movement across the back and into the line is so easy to monitor. Hohaia proved his pace last night tracking down Myler and we know he can be dangerous with the ball in hand.

We've based our revival on a % game, but surely that lends itself to picking a standoff with a kicking game, rather than a player based on the odd bit of flair. Lance can be dangerous, but I'm afraid our ball movement, when compare to the W's is poor. Gaskell should be #6 - The team would be much better off for it.

As most of us mentioned, we were worried about Wire's ability to up the intensity. We've had a poor line speed since Royce took over and that hasn't really improved. Wire came on to the ball at pace and our failure to meet them properly meant they were getting easy yards, landing on the front foot and getting offloads away without a problem.

Our players didn't disgrace themselves. I thought we had good games from Perry, Clough, LMS, I thought Dixon played well when he came on. I thought Shenton was good with ball in hand, despite getting a few hospital passes (although I haven't rewatched the Waterhouse try, which could have been a black mark to him), but as a whole, much like the Wigan games, Wire played 10% quicker/keener/more agressive across the park which left us with little chances. If we can flick that switch and gear things up (like Leeds do when its needed), then we will be be a true threat to the clubs above us, but untill then........

Final remark - Ben Westwood. What an animal. he way he trucked the ball up was immense

Willie Manu will add some much needed fire power to our pack but we still are in dire need of a prop.

Tommy makinson is a real worry for me now, he's very low on confidence and Warrington had his number all night and it was clear from the first min what they was going to do with tommy.

He'll come through, he's got some great qualities and seems like a solid character.
A few weeks ago he was picking bombs out the air for fun, but he seems to have the colly woblles with them at the moment.
Also, whilst it was a great effort to get riley into touch, he'd drifted in towards the centre, which is something he's been guilty of doing earlier in his career. As you say, if we can get his confidence back up, these things should dissapear.

As we mentioned before the game, playing puletua wide of the ruck completely marginalises him. Whilst he was ok in his stint later in the game, on the whole he was anonymous. They'd have been better playing Laffranchi out there and Puletua in the middle.

The one saving grace for Makinson is that the fans don't seem to identify him as a scapegoat. Had that been Jamie Foster last night, there would have been pitchforks and torches and a mass witch hunt.

Makinson should be playing fullback, he should have been playing fullback for 2 years. I think we're going to ruin the potential he's got, he doesn't seem comfortable on the wing and he isn't playing well this season.