So you have to think that there is some sort of fall out in the group. Mikaele going home? The drama of McGuire? or something else. So given the 3 things you say something within in the group has happened to kill the harmony.

I am never convinced by this argument and it always comes out when other excuses are extinguished.

You seem to be arguing for a complete absolution of responsibility from the coach? If that is true what does Powell do?

I am still baffled by the complete lack of intent to be adventurous in attack that was evident early doors. There are NO REASONS to stop [itrying[/i to attack in this way unless it comes from a coaching instruction.

Powell, regrettably, will get 3 years and we’ll all be closer to death without having witnessed us win the big one. We’ve been knocked out of the cup by a desperately average Wigan side with 12 men…it’s just really poor and we’re much further away from a GF than we were under Price and the overhaul looks like sending us further backwards.

From what I hear the board are the problem, far too much Willy waving about who has the most cash/can bring in the most expensive signing rather than a serious attempt to make us the dominant force. KFP as CEO says it all.

A performance like that looks like the players don't want to play for the coach, or, they don't understand what the coach is asking them to do and how they are being told to play.

Either way, something has changed since the opening couple of months of the season, and unless its reversed quickly, its mid table finish and season over for us...

....better than 2nd bottom, yes, but is that all we're striving for? Our club to be defined by never having been relegated, and never having won "the big one" for almost 70 years?

They really need to get the announcement about McGuire out of the way now... There does appear to be a lingering malaise with the team going on and it needs sorting out quickly before all the credit built up with the fans for the start of the season against last year's fiasco is once again gone

So, 12 hours later with an overnights sleep....

The anger has gone but the main points of my earlier post remain in tact.

If you don't have the ball, don't do the basics and give up possession easily you're on a sticky wicket.

I do think the players tried, but we do - in the main - have a history of putting ourselves in a hole and not being able to get out.
The leadership group on the field don't seem to be able to reset things when it goes wrong.

We played dumb, were a shambles and paniced throughout the game.
When Vaughan starts to get into arguments, you know things aren't going right.

I know some people are calling for DP's head, but I really don't think you can blame the coach when professional players don't do the basics right.
Any semi-professional player would have been embarrassed making the majority of those mistakes.

Do we not think line speed can coached into players? Wigan were up in our faces in the first half and we couldn’t keep hold of the ball. in contrast to our line speed which was slow all game. Our fitness levels look well off the pace for a supposed top side.

exactly this.

now if there is disharmony in the squad I would take a guess at dufty being the cause. there's plenty of info online about his behaviour

It's something I've noticed. It's clearly Powell's plan to not push the line and wait for the attackers to get to us. I've lost count the amount of time there's a turn over in the opposition 10 and they're taking a kick from well within our half. We seem to give the 10 yards plus 2 after impact most tackles.

I think with line speed it’s a tricky one to correct mid-game. It came from the first set from the kick off. Havard bumps off Harrison and ends up on his knees, the next Walker gets bumped off, knees. Third in short is just poor from Vaughan who thinks about grabbing the leg to bring the man to the ground but literally let’s go and leaves him to fall to the floor, the ball is played before he’s even back the 10. They kick on 4th tackle 40 yards out in 36 seconds. Which is lightning quick for what should be the most dominant set of the game.

We actually make a decent fist of it in our first set, but kick poorly, get it back and Dudson has to kick which then sets Field off from his try line, quick play the ball and we’re up against it. Good teams there roll the ball in the in goal and get the ball back.

The next tackle, they carry hard, another quick play the ball and Vaughan gets called offside and King makes a half break, 40 yards out on the 3rd and we’re in damage limitation defence already. We kick from 35 meters on that set coming away, Marshall plays it 35 meters out on the first tackle. We’re already losing the arm wrestle.

Those first missed tackles from Harrison, Walker and Vaughan are criminal. As is the awful kick from Williams at the end of our first attacking set. Had golden chances to put them under pressure and through poor application, with ZERO fatigue, we didn’t do it.

Get Phil Chadwick back as fitness coach. Make 'em play tick rugby at 8am on a Sunday morning in Bank Park for two hours then a 5 mile run afterwards. Failure to toe the line and The Chad would knock 'em out

Exactly this we are getting marched down the field, week in week out by every team we play. We then have to go the full length of the field to score a try. Our passive defence is killing us, giving the opposition a 10 meter run at us to get up some steam is criminal. If we are not fit enough, or not disciplined enough to move up in a line, this is down to coaching, fitness coach, and team coach. Harry smith had the freedom of the park yesterday, barley any kick pressure all day. We look so unfit it’s embarrassing. I am 100% certain that Shaun Wane could coach some aggressive defence into this team. We need a defence coach, who said defence wins games, wasn’t this up on the wall in the dressing room at Wilderspool?
How many times have we conceded a try as well against 12 men, it really is shocking.

we done similar in big games where the line would bend but not break dont seem to be able to do that anymore.

Spot on here. What's changed - something seems to have?

The drastic downturn in form can't be, I wouldn't have thought, caused by just 1 player leaving in Michaele. It's like the Warington of the past 10 years - complacency - has reared its ugly head. After such a positive start, I just cannot understand what has happened. That number of mistakes was just inexcusable and while Powell has to take some responsibility for that performance, the players are equally to blame with such a poor attitude. We only showed some urgency in the last 10 or so minutes where the defensive line speed improved, so it shows we can do it, so why not throughout the rest of the game?

Pressure's really on Powell now and they need to respond next week in a big way.

Extended passing and catching drills on on Loushers Lane - starting 8am. Every dropped ball - 10 press ups.