Everyone tries to second guess whats going to happen but you never know no one knew or thought we would win the CC last season at the same point last year, get into the top 4 and into the last 4 of the CC again and anything can happen with this team.

I agree they would.

Surely, much better for him not to mention anything about 'contending' at all in my view. It only draws attention to the subject. Steer clear of it and quietly get on with the job like Michael Maguire has done.

He must have said it to attempt to take pressure of the players and himself following the loss where we were clearly lack lustre. Yet I think the pressure remains and rightly so if you are sitting in 2nd place, with the best defence, 2nd best joint attack, and 2nd best points difference over halfway through the season and reigning CC winners.

Smith in the Sporting life article also says

I remember at the last home game last season he announced the aim was to "win both" or words to that effect.

Some mixed messages but I still trust him to deliver the goods.

Perhaps one of his pre season targets was to be in the top two at the half way point.

I get your point but I'm not sure the analogy holds firm as Hudds only spent 1 week at 2nd in the league (after the 1st game), and had occupied places as low as 9th. Whereas, I think I am right in saying, we have held 2nd or better for 13 weeks.

Good point.

check my sig :-p

I think you are reading too much into it. It was a comment in a post-match interview when he has to come up with something to say.

and who knows what the question was that he was asked, thats why he's responded mentioning 'contenders'.

I'd say its certainly out of character of tony to even mention or acknowledge such a situation or the club to be in the position.

Very much the cliched one game at a time bloke.

on the original question. If we maintain our form towards the back end of the season, we're gonna have to knock one or two off to pick up the SL trophy.

Would it be so bad if we didnt win the GF OR CC this year.I see this season as more of laying the foundations to being a sucessful team over a number of years.One area i think we need to look at is a ball playing 2nd rower, Westwood and LAnderson good at what they do.Just seem to be lacking that little bit extra.

No, not so bad. We haven't won the league since 1954 so we can cope. I'd like us to trouble the semis though, as surely Leeds, Saints and Wigan will. We have no divine right to beat any of them but at least be on the same page.

I'd have Westwood as one of the first names on the team sheet for workload alone, but agree we could change Louis, and improve, with a more skillful ball playing 2nd rower. Imagine if we could get a "Solomana effect" for the 2nd row who could last the whole 80.