I heard it was part of they Iestyn setllement. "Ok Mr Hetherington!We'll give you your undisclosed amount cash providing you let us win our home game against you next year!" Simple as

You do get the feeling that something isn't quite right behind the scenes though don't you?
I'd like to think it isn't a question of spirit, but the longer this goes on, the more that's seems to be the issue.
How can a team perform like they did against Leeds one week (from a spirit and passion point of view), then a week later perform like they did against Warrington?

Two situations have been at the forefront of my mind since Friday:
1. The Bulls in 1998
A handful of White Hot performances in a disappointing season, the reasons as to why have since been made public.
2. Chelsea this season
A change of coach, who has turned the season around with the same playing staff at his disposal. The form change of some of those players - old coach v new coach - has been remarkable.
Scolari too has similarities to Macca, we (the Chelsea fans) thought; good coach, good tactician, proven pedigree, let’s just give him some time.....

Different sport, granted, but the comparison is justified IMO

What's that about?

The "Edwards" season

Coupled with a shedload of injuries, many of which were never made public at the time for obvious reasons.

Mind you, you only had to see the hatred that Leon was showing to Harris - when the latter was trying to tell the former where to position himself behind the sticks at Fev in the cup in 2005 - to see the Edwards effect was not wholly confined to 1998.

More bad luck?

Nah, the bad luck was getting the Scumster for the play-off at KR end of that season. We went there with (I think it was ) nine first-teamers out through injury, yet were STILL winning till the Scumster send Penguin off for nothing. (Ruled "no case to answer afterwards). Then did not penalise Aitcheson for tripping Robbie on his way to the line. THAT was bad luck!

This thread has made interesting reading. I think the main lesson it has to offer, which we may all take forward into our daily lives, is that a faulty washing machine is a poor analogue for a rugby league team.

Amen.

Indeed.

The faulty washing machine won't belt you back when you bray hell out of it with a club hammer...

We had 3 or 4 knee reconstruction injuries that year. Wasn't Anderson or Fielden injured in a pre-season friendly. The injuries crippled our season literally that year.

Anderson Jowett and Peacock all did cruciates that year.

Fielden came in to beef up the front row when we went even more down on numbers by the time we played Leeds at Headingley in April (was it)?