I fancy ourselves against anyone on a one off performance. However, quite obviously, the league isn't based on one off performances. Its so frustrating watching us play against Leeds home and away and looking really good, and then having to watch some of the rubbish that's been served up to us in other games. I think 4th position is just about where we will finish up, behind Saints, Leeds and the Pies.

We have gone backwards, and i fear this is not stopping. Too many times have i seen wire make mistakes. wigan seem to have a manager who wants them to run through brick walls and saints. That to me is more than any tactician. Tony smith needs to hair dryer treatment these players... We are a club with huge following and expectations over recent years compared to other clubs. We need to go forward or get left behind, no wonder we get laughed at by other fans.

But...

3 challenge cups, one hubcap and 2 grand fianal appearances speaks for itself.. In tony smith we trust!

WIRE!

Look how close 4th-8th is currently..

The reason we are in the position we are in is because, apart from the 2 Leeds games, the team have not swarmed all over the opposition when defending, cutting down the options. We seem content to stand and stare and wait to see what the opposition will do.
In attack we are rarely struggling to get up and play the ball quickly, something from which Higham and Clarke thrive. And what has happened to our off-loading?
Granted the half backs are hardly shining lights, but they can't operate without their forwards dominating.
Finally, near the opposition line, we seem to have no ideas, no dummy runners, and plump for trying to barge over.
Anyway, get the forwards doing what they are paid for will produce the play and results we need.
And really finally. if Atkins must keep his place, please stop him flying out of the line, leaving gaping holes for his winger to defend.
off for my afternoon nap now.

But surely the fans of Huddersfield Catalan and Castleford will be saying th same thing. They aren't just going to step aside and let us in.

I don't think it's negativity, it's realism. A realistic observation to how average we are.

I'd say, bar three games, we've been way way below 6.5/10. For 70+% of the season. It's not like we've even been a consistent 6.5, we've been just about scraping a 3/10 at best most weeks

People could look at the Leeds wins as "look how good we are, that's what we're capable of, that'll be our level come September"...but I'm thinking more along the lines of them being total anomolies and akin to when average Salford London and Wakefiekd sides beat us when we were at our best three/four years ago. Their fans might have been saying "look what we can do to top of the league Wire, we could easily make the play-offs of we get that level of performance more consistently"; but they didn't and finished outside the 8.

I'm not saying we'll be that low down, but I can't see us being any higher than the bang in mid table spaces of 6th/7th.