If this is true, I think we have done very well to finish continually in the top 3 for the past god knows how many years...would say if Brown can keep us in top 6 with that poor quality team he should be made Sir Nathan!!

IMO we lacked an out and out "coach" towards the end of the season...think Rushy and KC did a good job with their experience but it showed in playoff game vs Wire that Smith got them fired up for 2nd half and we came out flat. We have the quality to compete with Wigan (weaker than last season), Wire (not strengthened and old guard another year older) and we demolished LEeds both times we played them last season...if NB can give us something extra motivationally and make one or two minor tweaks to how we play I am confident we will see some silverware in 2013 (as long as Wello manages to make it up the stairs to collect it before 31st December )

Do we need world class players in those positions to win trophys? Or to look at it another way, which of our opponents have world class players in thoem? Leeds? Wigan? Warrignton? I would say Wigan have Tomkins, who is potentially world class, with three make weights in the others, Leeds have 4 players who aren't world class, and Wire have 4 good, but certainly not world class, players. If we had Scully, Long, KC and Tommy playing at the top of their games, we would walk the league by a mile, but we really don't need players of that quality to win trohpys in today's league.

Leeds combo of Hardaker, McGuire, Burrow/Sinfield is so far ahead of ours that it's laughable to even compare them.
Wigan HAD Tomkins, Finch, Leuluai, which again makes ours look ridiculously poor by comparison
Warrington have Hodgson, Briers and Myler, which bar possibly Myler is again far superior to our own

I've left out 9 as it it the one spot in the key creative positions in which we are ahead. Looking at those names listed, it's no surprise we're the one team out of the 4 to not win a trophy in the last 4 years. Wigan may struggle a bit, particularly WHEN Tomkins leaves, but we shouldn't be using the fact that other clubs are going backwards as a reason to put up with our frankly shocking creative players.

There is a reason why you are just a random on an internet message board, instead of a head coach.

Come on then Wayne bennett, tell me how you would produce some creative players out of nothing. Tell us all how easy it is when there are none available

You can achieve less and still have a sound base for winning the title. I doubt Leeds fans are saying they've no chance next year yet they finished fifth in your Super League.



It is.



That '96 side needed defence. The year before it was awful.

Classic.

1 - Drop the door mat
2 - Play Makinson at fullback
3 - Promote Lee Gaskell to 6
4 - Play Hohaia from the bench

Boom! Two of the 3 problem positions are sorted. And that's before I go hunting for players.

Realistically the club has to do the above. It also has to start getting itself in gear with recruitment. Good players ARE, ARE, ARE, ARE, ARE, ARE available. In the past few seasons we COULD have signed Hardaker, Ratchford, Eden, Hill, Dureau and Bateman, for a combined outlay of about the equivalent of a Ford Mondeo.

True.

Big difference here: they have actually won the title in recent years. We haven't won so much as a Blue Peter badge.

Typo corrected

The scope of 'sound base' is highly subjective and entirely dependant on your perspective...hence the pointless debate!

We have as much of a 'sound base' as every team except from Leeds.

Leeds sign Joel Moon, we sign Jordan Turner. Does anyone feel short changed?

Considering that he'll have cost a bit of money and the fact he was reported to be homesick, I don't personally.

Joel who??? www.superleague.co.uk/player/2394 www.superleague.co.uk/player/2810 not exactly tearing Turner a new one. Saddened you are becoming more of a troll than Rogues. Lightn up This would be the same Joel moon who is a last minute choice after Keith Lulia www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-league/20140136

Joel who??? www.superleague.co.uk/player/2394 www.superleague.co.uk/player/2810 not exactly tearing Turner a new one. Saddened you are becoming more of a troll than Rogues. Lightn up This would be the same Joel moon who is a last minute choice after Keith Lulia www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-league/20140136