Yep, I’ll give you that one.

We signed Goodwin on the rebound. Leigh got their first.

Exactly mate, we seem to just score off errors and lucky plays/bounces/passes etc we don't often score from set plays or direct running.
Widdop in broken play is amazing, facing a set line he doesn't to have a clue what to do. So many times through the whole team we just pass to a player stood still, who then passes to a player stood still etc etc
I saw about 2 plays that looked practised plays and we made some big yards off them. More of that please.

I know this is tantamount to the satanic verses and I expect that I will need to go into hiding shortly.
I appreciate everything that Simon Moran has done for this club. The players that we have seen and the success that we have had I could not have imagined when there were sit in protests and supporters throwing their season tickets on the pitch.
I do think that Simon Moran is too accessible to the players. When Matty Russell signed I found it odd in an interview that Russell said he had spoken to Moran about the direction of the club which I found a bit odd. If I had heard that from Cameron Smith I would have got it but Matty Russell? I get the impression that he is almost mates with them and that would certainly explain Briers and Westwood being able to secure jobs at the club.
I might be wide of the mark here but I also get the impression that SJM also likes to play football manager (for those old enough to remember the ZX SPECTRUM). From the Andrew John's signing through to Greg Inglis and the reported courting of Cooper Cronk, Even though they are fantastic players it is not how you build a winning mentality and culture.
When I look at Wellens or Radlinski I don't reckon they got a job in their respective clubs because they are a good laugh after a few pints. It is because they are winners and demand success and professionalism. I am sure they are decent blokes
We all know that Westwood and Briers were not the best trainers.
I heard when TS took over that he looked at the wage bill and said wow, some of these players have not got a GF winners ring. Some of those players are still involved with the club in a coaching capacity and still don't have a GF ring

If SJM want to lift the SL trophy then I think he needs to look at his own involvement as well. If we do move in a different direction then maybe a new coach, CEO and new approach because what we have been doing isn't working. This is no criticism of Simon Moran because if Greg Inglis agent bumped into me at Lords and said that GI might fancy a go in SL of course I would be interested but maybe the wise thing to do would be to give the agent the head coaches phone number and say that the Head coach makes the decisions I suspect that happens the other way round.

Many was the time last night, when Gelling, Currie, King (even Hughes) ran across our line looking for an offload, but we looked disinterested/unprepared.

I remember during the period when we were putting big scores on most teams, we had dummy runners in every move. Teams literally had no clue how to stop us. I didn't see many dummy runners last night...plenty of offloads...but at the line you need to create some doubts in the defence ....we are too predictable.

We are the RL equivalent of Butch Wilkins. Only know how to move from side to side.

Said earlier in the week, our attacking line is far too shallow and so they are all static when receiving the ball - We must be a dream to defend against.

Agree with what both you and LG are saying, we don't seem to able to break down opposition in their own 25.

Tony Smith has stated on many occasion that he didn't coach the attack, as he left it to the players. These repeated comments made me wonder who did, within the group of players we had, as they were rather good at it. This squad is competitive and has good ability, in comparison to the current top 4 in SL. But it could be great if we had attacking structures that got even the best defence on the back foot.

So the charge sheet against Simon Moran is:
- he speaks to his players about his plans for the direction of the club
- he plays football manager (although I don't get the reference to ZX Spectrum...FM has been mainly a PC game, Spectrum was stuff like Daley Thompson Decathlon

)
- he has signed / targeted world class players
- Westwood and Briers cited as negative examples

As for coaches not having a Grand Final ring as a player, we had Jimmy Lowes but people didn't like him. Saints jettisoned Keiron Cunningham and brought in Justin Holbrook. Holbrook played a handful of first grade games in the NRL and was predominantly a back up. How would international players in the Saints roster be expected to respect him, after they've just had a legend like KC.

I think the question is more how much involvement should an investor, like Mr Moran, have in the day to day running of the team?

Surely after he has found himself a director of rugby, then he should step back and have zero influence from there on?.. Take away his healthy bank balance and it's fair to say that Mr Moran is no more knowledgeable on how to create a SL winning side than the majority on here. I mean, wasn't his whole everyman persona built on the fact he was just a honest fan, who supported the side from the Wilderspool terraces?

As DDI said, there is often a whiff of Football Manager when it comes to some of our transfer dealings. More thought of headlines and shirt sales than actual team building and achieving long term success.

Moran and Middleton are like us on here, fans (but we have thinner wallets)

Just as DSM may spot a talent on his weekends watching the NRL, someone like Deus Dat Incrementum will say "boll0x, he's crap".... it's all about opinions.


(if what we hear is true) Moran is having an input on personnel /recruitment. That's not in his remit. His is concert promotion. His (and Middleton's) input should just be cash and good will. If anyone's seen the film [iThe Damned United[/i and remembers the relationship between Brian Clough and his Derby Country chairman Sam Longson will know exactly what I mean.

Another point is.... How many times do you reckon we get a bit of a roll on or catch a kick on the full, only for Charnley to take the next drive and rather than hit the floor and keep the momentum going he rolls around on the floor looking for a penalty....

Just get up and play it ffs. The opposition is on the back foot struggling to make the 10 meters and he's balling about looking for a pen or back to 6. Really starting to grind my gears.