https://twitter.com/England_RL/status/1 ... 6655903008 Hope you can see this. Not many times when England players get their shirts from Wire's new coach.

https://twitter.com/England_RL/status/1 ... 6655903008 Hope you can see this. Not many times when England players get their shirts from Wire's new coach.

I think this is going to work.

Really excited for next season.

Decent article about Sam Burgess which I have attached here:- https://www.loverugbyleague.com/post/in ... yers-views

Decent article about Sam Burgess which I have attached here:- https://www.loverugbyleague.com/post/in ... yers-views

Good read. Sounds promising. Proof of the pudding etc

Quote ="Boss Hog"Decent article about Sam Burgess which I have attached here:- https://www.loverugbyleague.com/post/in ... yers-views'" That site’s normally full of rubbish, but that was a decent article. It’s like Burgess is trying to take the best of what both Price and Powell wanted to change - resilience and culture. According to the players, they really want to buy in. I’m not sure why they couldn’t do it for Powell but it goes to show the power of Burgess’ soft skills. He seems to ask the same but apparently is getting the results from the players. Let’s hope it’s no false dawn this time.

Quote ="Boss Hog"Decent article about Sam Burgess which I have attached here:- https://www.loverugbyleague.com/post/in ... yers-views'" That site’s normally full of rubbish, but that was a decent article. It’s like Burgess is trying to take the best of what both Price and Powell wanted to change - resilience and culture. According to the players, they really want to buy in. I’m not sure why they couldn’t do it for Powell but it goes to show the power of Burgess’ soft skills. He seems to ask the same but apparently is getting the results from the players. Let’s hope it’s no false dawn this time.

I know I might be clutching at straws here but there could be parallels with Ellery Hanley and his stint as Saint Helens coach.
During the early 90's Saints weren't the dominant team they are now. The odd challenge cup final, a lancs cup win and a premiership. They then won the league in 96 under Mcrae in the old first past the post format.
Then Hanley came along. I think he had only finished playing a couple of years before taking over at Saints. He was probably the biggest name in the British game at the time but had minimal experience of coaching first grade.

Reading what went on with Burgess at Souths with Latrell Mitchel etc it is clear that Burgess is not afraid to speak his mind if he believes something is not right. From memory Hanleys exit from Saints was for the similar reasons.

When you look at the saints squad from 1999 there were obviously a lot of players that went on to be superstars in the game. There were a few players like Newlove etc that were already superstars. But when you look at the squad there were a number of players that most of us would not even remember. Most of their imports were not state of origin, Kangaroos or had Kiwi caps.
For Saints the rest is history.
I remember an interview with a saints player (might have been Cunningham) who said that some of Hanleys team talks were like a spiritual experience and they the felt 10 feet tall and they prepared to run through brick walls.


So. Absolutely anything could happen with us and Burgess, it could go either way

I am happy to strap in and enjoy the ride.

Who knows how this will go but his appointment (and that of Gleeson) has certainly perked up the interest in the new season. Well done Wire management team.

“This is a new team, a different feel, a different vibe and we have a lot to prove" "this is a fresh start and I have no excuses, I won’t look for any and we now have quality in every position" “We are a united group who are ready to go,” These were quotes from Jan 2023 https://www.seriousaboutrl.com/weve-got ... 023-67313/ Take it all with a pinch of salt.

“This is a new team, a different feel, a different vibe and we have a lot to prove" "this is a fresh start and I have no excuses, I won’t look for any and we now have quality in every position" “We are a united group who are ready to go,” These were quotes from Jan 2023 https://www.seriousaboutrl.com/weve-got ... 023-67313/ Take it all with a pinch of salt.

I think mediocrity could be out of the window for a couple of years . Burgess could be a revelation or a car crash .

To be fair to Williams, as a fan I'd be a bit peed off if our marquee player said at the club Media Day, "I have my doubts about this year. Sure we're a new group and fresh, but every year for this club turns out to be a turd. I wouldn't be buying a season ticket put it that way"...

The delusion mounts again. Time is a flat circle.

We are good at self promotion and hyping ourselves up every year.

Then when the season starts its the same old underwhelming story on the field.

Sadly true. We don't have a SL title winning squad. We have a 3 - 7 squad for 2024 which is likely where we will end up.

Hopefully we will have a "team" this year though. (note expression of hope)

I don’t see the “hyping ourselves up” bit. You would expect some positivity coming from club sources pre season, it would actually look strange if you didn’t. In fact show me a club where there aren’t Strangely I have seen a number of pundits suggesting a good season for us with a CC win. Some suggesting G Williams for MoS. I don't think any of that will have come from the Club or even the average fan. Of course I am optimistic at the start of the season, if not then, when?

Of course nobody begrudges that optimism (clearly some people have a problem with others not sharing that optimism) but I am genuinely interested as to what it is based on? Is it just irrational optimism akin to a national lottery player buying their ticket, or is there a rationale to the optimism?

I am genuinely interested in this as I don't know what is worst - having optimism and that optimism draining away or never having it in the first place.

Natural disposition v being a Wire fan since ‘74. Disposition currently ahead by a nose.
Having said that I won’t judge a season based purely on silverware so if we play better rugby, with more commitment than last year (which is an achievable ambition) I will be reasonably happy. I get that you hold the club to higher standards and i’m fine with that.

Sky preview of our 1st match with Sam Burgess. No promises and realistic approach to this season IMHO. https://www.skysports.com/rugby-league/ ... ter-battle

Sky preview of our 1st match with Sam Burgess. No promises and realistic approach to this season IMHO. https://www.skysports.com/rugby-league/ ... ter-battle

Quote ="Boss Hog"Sky preview of our 1st match with Sam Burgess. No promises and realistic approach to this season IMHO. https://www.skysports.com/rugby-league/ ... ter-battle'" No promises? So basically saying there's a good chance we'll be as crap as usual then? Shocker.

Quote ="Boss Hog"Sky preview of our 1st match with Sam Burgess. No promises and realistic approach to this season IMHO. https://www.skysports.com/rugby-league/ ... ter-battle'" No promises? So basically saying there's a good chance we'll be as crap as usual then? Shocker.

Happy new season to you too.

He’s got to be given a chance. The old way wasn’t working, and there was no standout candidate available to bring in, so we went for a guy proven in motivation and with a reputation for wanting to drop the worlds best players when they’re not on form. What more could we ask for? It may or may not work but at least give him a chance to work out what he thinks is wrong with us first, before he’s supposed to fix it.

Im looking forward to this season simply due to the fact that expectations are rather low and whatever happens it can’t be as bad as Powell’s horrific reign. Pressure is off, should be fun.

Is it true that his future lies in Australia and that he is only using his tenure at Warrington as a practice run?

I'd imagine most players and coaches who aspire to be the best will use SL as a stepping stone to a gig in the NRL. But in order to get a decent position in the NRL you'd think he'd have to show some coaching nous in SL. He gets my blessing if he leaves in 2 years with 2 SL winners rings

He has made no secret of his ambition to be a head coach in the NRL. Who knows how long he'll stay at Wire, and whether he'll eventually jump or be pushed? Time will tell. But on the whole, long-term coaching reigns are becoming pretty few and far between anyway, which is probably a good thing. We have seen first-hand with Tony Smith how a good thing can eventually turn stale.

I’m fine with that ambition. He needs to deliver to get himself to a big job in the NRL. Look at what Woolf did at Saints, granted had a great foundation to work from, but even after that success he has had to settle for a 2 year apprenticeship at the Dolphins.

Sam will want the Rabbitohs, or a Sydney club at least you would imagine. Unless he settles for a club without a chance, he really needs to get some results out of us.