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.

Well Powell is certainly getting a tune out of the boys but sadly it is a Stockhausen classic. It's so frustrating as I am sure there is a decent team in there somewhere. Powell needs to find it quickly.

That was the worst case of game management that I have seen in a long time.

It’s a far cry from a spa day at the Mere and video sessions in the chuffing cinema!

A dodecaphonic disaster melodically and a failure to surpass the challenge from Wigan's dodecad.

exellent

Think all the Matuitia bashing is a bit unfair. He’s a perfectly solid squad option. He’s just not a stand off. He had a decent season last year and got through a load of work when the pack weren’t making any yardage. Think he’s probably a loose forward. Not his fault Powell keeps inexplicably starting him at stand off. Just feels like a fall guy. Far bigger issues to worry about.

That pass for Thewlis was perfectly good. Also gets given 9.5/10. The game is a shambles. Who calls that. A ref can’t see it. Does a touch judge? Have to bring back video ref interventions. PM is in front of the ball when he catches it. Unless he accelerated after the pass it can’t be forward.

no he didn't

the touchy called it, and if pm hadn't passed it the way he did and did a conventional pass it wouldn't have been pulled.

also bring back vid refs interventions for what? they've never ruled on forward passes