I still keep coming back to the fact that lots of us didn't rate Big Lesley first season but gradually he turned into the winger they all wanted. I just wonder if Herbert has the basic skill to improve. Trouble is he keeps showing glimpses but not consistently. Robbie reckons Potter will turn it round, another big forward, a quality half back and a decent centre could make all the difference. Lulia may be a start, but I wonder also if Lynchy is the best leader

Mate, that goes for almost all of them, to a greater or lesser extent?

Without knowing the packages, we probably had VFM out of Koppy and some of the youngsters, and probably Raynor and Heath? And too many players have been injured for too long to be able to say we have had VFM?

But I reckon we have had more value for money out of Lynch than almost anyone else? Especially when you take into account time spent on field?

Some of our signings have been poor - there is no doubting that. Some of them have gone wrong through circumstances outside the clubs control.

I put this on the other thread - with hindsight I should have realised that thread was doomed.

I seem to remember a post full of advice/encouragement from a Wigan fan maybe 18/12 ago. He (put simply) was saying that Wigan had had problems - panic buying, no forward thinking and made one astute signing - Trent Barrett.

He gave Wigan time - time to integrate their youth setup, allowed them to compete better in the short term, allowed them to use their quota signings properly - signing class rather than "good enough". He got them points from games that they otherwise wouldn't have got.

We had just signed Awford - which is where the encouragement came from. And - as most people would agree, for the first few months of that season, he did give us the ability to compete at a higher level than we otherwise would. The rest is history. And probably set us back at least 2yrs.

Good post

Christ. I get into bother for not attending games from some quarters yet get accused of being there and causing bother from others.

Like the Bulls at the moment I simply cannot win.

I think you're spot on with saying that the Orford farce has indeed set us back two years if not more in terms of getting continuity within the halves.

I won't be alone in the hope that Sammut and Gale hit it off during the off season/pre season building.