IIRC Trueman made his debut for Cas due to an injury crisis. He scored a hat trick in that game and DP could hardly leave him out after that

Playing with better team mates in a higher standard environment might help him stretch himself.

You are sounding jaded.

Hull FC are just as much a disappointment as we are over the years.

More reacting to the reality of the situation - we are totally crap. 2022 is in the top 3 worst Wire teams I've seen, up there with the teams of 2002 and 1998.

One positive is there's a feeling now that change is inevitable. Powell is changing a lot, and it will either work, or we'll have to go through some even more profound change and shake up some of the things that had slowly rotted behind the scenes really since around the time Gatcliffe left in 2014. Because we've been generally competing for playoffs and making a few finals we always had enough reason to justify carry on with the same old. The bleaker reality is that going down either this season or next, is within the range of possibilities in a way it hasn't been for 20 years.

We are and it is.

Long, long overdue changes and shock to the complacent culture where "there or thereabouts" and "going places" was the mantra and blowing smoke up players was the style.

I'm giving Powell time, but if we are not in the top 3 after 6 games of 2023 he can go as the excuses will be gone and he will be proven to be not up to the job. If I cared passionately about Warrington, in the way I did in my callow youth, I would be livid right now.

Wasn’t we still around the top 3 this season by the 6th game?

Just saying.

Can we send Karl back to 2014? Please and thank you.

There seems to be a problem of trust with giving Dean and Longstaffe a run in the first team, which I think is a symptom of our slide down the SL table. I'm frustrated that they've hardly featured in the first team, but have shown enough promise for me to be worthy of further first team experience. The recent examples of GOB BP and HL, all had far more game time, which helped to make ones mind up regarding what their ability level was at the time, and going forward. Without being party to what he wanted, and what we offered, personally, I'd have kept GOB as he would have made a very useful squad player.

Things is, were in a position where we cannot judge Dean and Longstaffe, due to limited appearances, in the same way that we currently judge Thewlis and Wrench. The latter are worthy of the shirt, and I have a feeling that the former are too, and would like Powell to give them a go. Powell seems to be missing an opportunity, where we sadly lack a creative half back, and have two very underperforming second row forwards.

This sends out the wrong message, in that there's not enough trust in what were doing with our whole academy development structure, and for some, on an individual basis.

Well there must be something Powell likes about Dean, otherwise we wouldn't have kept him. Maybe if we get pummelled by Cats Powell will finally give him a crack.

FWIW I think Sunday's game will see a different Wire, just because it's a change of scenery from the normal league games.

You should win, they had their best front row banned after the game against Saints and still have a load out injured as well.