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

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.