Not throwing towel in at all. I hope I'm wrong. Simply viewing my opinions and interested to see what other Wire fans think.
Maybe being harsh on Riley. It's just evident that for whatever reason other teams particularly attack this side and seem to have joy. Granted he needs help from Atkins in particular.
I agree Waterhouse is solid and a work horse.
Look forward to Friday with optimism as always. However, we will have to be on our game because Leeds look stronger than ever.
Going to be a period of transition for a little while. Players who wouldn't normally be taking games by the scruff if the neck are going to have to learn how to do it; and for a lot of players it's not something you can just pop up one day and start doing, it takes time to learn how to do it.
Losing leaders and experience, and so many at once, is a big change to this squad.
I worry about our kicking game (the field positioning side if it). I think Gaz O'B has to get some good game time as he is a good kicker of the ball. But where does that leave the Myler-Ratchford partnership? And if they're going to play where is the kicking game going to come from to get us up the other end if the field turning the opposition around?
I also think we lack a depth of power and really lack some pace in the forwards. Who is going to break a tackle and sprint eight-fifteen metres for us in our pack? I think that's something we've missed in Grand Finals and it's not something we've addressed.
This is the first time in probably a decade that we're starting a new season weaker than we were the previous season. We've known for a few years that that group of players were going to be leaving us in quick succession soon and we had plenty of time to recruit well to push us to that next level. We've won three Challenge Cups, a League Leaders Shield and got to two Grand Finals...but it feels a bit like that is the end of this dynasty for Wire.
I don't feel like we've signed to a sufficient standard to keep us going at the level and going up another level by going to these Grand Finals and winning, then giving the World Club Challenge a go, and maybe winning multiple trophies a season. I feel like that little era of success we've just had has been signed off.
I think it's time to learn how to be patient with the team again and not expect too much.
I am excited about seeing Matty Russel. I like an exciting Full Back and he's one of them!
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