Excellent post, get your case of beer for that one!!!!!

Fine post and one that should be rolled out to every opposition fan who continuously refer to our demise.

Good Friday in 2003 when Wigan came back from something like 22-4 down at half time to beat us. I think it was in the same season at KR when we went into a quick 20-0 lead and ended up losing 36-34 or something like that. Think Luke Robinson got a hat trick that day

Oh dear.

I'd agree with that but there is one main difference. This time we are talking about losing within a couple of years Scully, Long and KC which really is the spine of the side and has been the main creative hub for us.

I think we have put the Sculthorpe one to bed with Wilkin who has been fantastic for us this year. Cunningham as big a loss he will be, will be replaced by Moore and as for Longy I would imagine Eastmond/Smith will replace or we will go into the market place.

You hope. Moore may prefer to stay at Udders.

ok then. So we will have gone from

Long
KC
Scully

to

Eastmond
Moore
Wilkin.

Do you seriously not think that this constitues a severe weakening of the main positions in our team? If so, why do you think we will be ok? Surely the aim is to maintain yourself as a top side and that is done by having top players in the main positions.

It all depends on how good they become. I doubt there is a better 13 in SL than Wilkin, not that he plays there much. Leeds and Wigan for example carry players in that position, Sinfield for his kicking and O'Loughlin for his comedy hair.

Scott Moore could be the next best British hooker to KC already, it's not like there are several young guns fighting over his undisputed spot at the top of the tree in that position is it.

Eastmond looks a lively player, but why does everyone assume he's up to replacing Longy? What has he ever done to suggest he could?

I think that's a very good question which not many people appear to be considering. It seems to me that he has a charisma on the field and does the wow things very well - like great long drop goals that take some cockiness in a player of his age. That can turn heads. But I'd like to see him play every week when we have to rely upon him because I have a sneaky suspicion he may not be consistent. I might be wrong, but it's just a gut instinct I have about him, amazing though he can be. Wheeler, however, I have found to be both an instinctive rugby league player and a reliable one, so far anyway (and I think I've seen them play about the same number of times now). I'd like to see Wheeler play every week too, to see how he performs over a long period. Both Eastmond and Wheeler have already shown they can handle pressure, which is very encouraging, as have a couple of our other guys like Ashurst and Lomax (but I do worry about that lad's head!). However, so far as two of our young guns are concerned, they really do need regular game time this season to seriously find their feet in the team and give them a chance of taking over spots next season.

Would you?

Nope. But I'm not young Mr Moore who may think the place is fab and his coach is fab and Udders are the cows teats.