Quote: Rugbychick™ "I've made that exact comment somewhere else on this boardBut we will have made a Wembley final and have improved as a team.
Whilst you don;t want to blame the start of the season for our poor league position, that is exactly what it is. The two games we lost at Easter were still very early in Smith's reign and came only three weeks after our lowest performance against Quins, so things didn't just get fixed after Lowes was sacked, it took him a little time.
After the Easter period our record is something like 11 wins and 6 defeats, which is decent form. Those defeats have come against Wigan, Leeds, Saints, Hull KR, Hudds and a disappointing one against Bradford.
So basically we lost against the top5 away from home.
The most disappointing period of this season was the start, in the first 9 weeks (under Lowes and when Smith had just taken over) we lost against St Helens, Catalans (at home), Wakefield, Leeds, Quins (by 60), Salford, and Cas (at home).
That is the period that has cost us.
People have wanted us to make finals, we have done that this year, even if we lose, it is a start, hopefully it is a turning point for the club.
Hull, Bradford and Catalans are all also at risk of missing the playoffs, so it isn't a given that we should make it, and none of those clubs have changed coach during the year, and none of them have a Wembley visit to look forward to.
