Hill a way off yet

I think that's fair.

Salford have kept its core of players together and strengthened where required on last season. That cohesion through the spine with GoB, Dobson and Lui has helped us so far in the early stages where some teams have struggled to get up to speed. As for Wire, you seem a little disjointed at the moment (barring the WCC win) but you'd be in a better position to comment as to why than me. It's a marathon and not a sprint, so I don't think it's time to panic just yet.

Your game next week should be a cracker.

A few on here have got it spot on. Ask any non wire fan who out of our 17 yesterday would they want in their side.....Clark? Savielo? That's about it. Our 1-7 is distinctly average...we have a lightweight pack which Chris Hill has carried for 2 years...and clueless in attack.

I'm starting to question if Smith is as good as we think he is or if he has just been blessed with a good core of players for a few years.

For the money we have spent, his acquisitions have been poor. We are lacking on the wings, pack, centres, back line and these have been evident for 2 years. His role as a coach is to spot these issues and address them.

We have gone backwards over the last 3 years which has been clouded by some poor sides around us. We are getting found out this year.

And don't get me started on the acquisition of Agar.......

I honestly believe that we have been spiralling downwards since our best season in 2011. The club has just been lucky that the general quality in the game has also fallen & it has made us look better than we have been for a few years now. Unfortunately, some of these clubs that were "also rans" are finding ways of winning, & many are doing it with other clubs cast offs. Wigan did it with bringing youth through. I think coaching must be the way forward & the likes of Powell ,Wane & Watson are doing the biz & showing us the way.

Whilst 0-3 isn't a good start for you lot I'm not sure you should be in panic mode just yet. It doesn't need saying that your back line/HB partnership is woefully inadequate for a team with serious top 4 aspirations but if/when you can get a full pack out on the park you'll no doubt bully a few teams into submission. What surprised me yesterday was that you missed your big names more than we did. We've had no back row for the first 3 games (BMM & Weller) and missing Evalds and J Carney I thought would really hurt us yesterday. Our first choice, fully fit 17 is actually pretty decent and while a million miles away from competing with the top teams on a consistent basis we're more than capable of pulling off a few shock results. If we can just be more consistent agaimst the lesser teams then I'm quietly confident we can sneak into the top 8 this season. If we can get Todd Carney fit, firing & find a way to utilise Lui, Dobson & Carney in our 17 we may just ruffle a few feathers. I think Cas have hit the nail on the head this year and show that you don't need 17 world beaters to mould into a decent team. Cas have some very good players but they are a "team" who are extremely well coached and a pleasure to watch.

Not sure what young players you've got to bring in but not convinced by the likes of Patton & Evans at all. Hughes looks a really decent player, big & mobile, and can see him developing into a more than able replacement for Westwood who looks like father time has finally caught up with him. A pack of Sims, Clarke, Hill, Hughes, Currie & Westerman is up there with the best in the league.

It's just nice to finally get one over on Wire after we got ambushed last year. 4 points from 8 isn't a bad start (could/should have been 6 after Leeds). Just hope we can back it up next week at Wakey and build a bit of momentum.

Forgot to add Savelio into that last post. Really liked the look of him at Saints and throw him in the mix and don't think you should have any pack concerns at all.