I think you're deluding yourself, I want to think we can but can't see it.

We can when needed defend quite well although I've seen a lot of soft tries this season, dummy half scoots from 1 metre out. Our lack of pace, we have Penny, Atkins and Currie (a forward) with genuine pace and that's it.

Our attack is dreadful, I mean personally the worst in SL. Forget stats on for and against, we are shocking going forward, I've seen London a few times this year and actually think they have more clue going forward.

A fully fit squad means we'll get some good yards in the forwards (bar Asotasi) and set a platform but our backs look like they only started playing the game at the beginning of the season, there is no cohesion whatsoever and I just don't know how or when they are going to solve it.

Tonight. Keep the faith.

yea.. Cooper, Carvell and Morley

It was pointed out by Phil Clarke that we are passing the ball less than any other team in SL now. Only 144 passes made in that Bradford game.

Seems the team doesn't have much confidence in themselves either.

I am a bit gloomy, mainly because I am disappointed in TS. It is not worth covering the ground of half back and props, because I think everyone agrees what is needed. We will get a new hooker next year. But, whilst we try and find several new players, we will be faced with further problems in the short term. Waterhouse's contract ends this year and Benny, Joel M, and Paul Wood will all be 33 next year - they will all need a replacement very soon, even if we do discover one of them is Peter Pan.

It is too late now, but we need to aim for a mix of ages in our future squads; a group of youngsters coming through and gaining experience (18-23) a group at their peak (25 ish) and a group of older players to provide leadership and experience (30 ish). That allows us more time to replace the older players and allow youngsters to come through gradually. I realise that it is an 'ideal' that is probably difficult to achieve, but we should be aiming for it. What we have ended up with is a sudden loss of a significant quality older players that will prove difficult to replace. We need better planning and management in the future.

The Bradford/Hull KR etc losses are one thing, but the biggest disappointment to me was how we played when up against Leeds, Saints, Wigan and Cas; if I'd seen any sign there that we were competitive I'd be prepared to have a bit of optimism. As it is if we get to the play-offs (which I think we will, but it isn't a given) I think we'll go out as soon as we meet any of those teams.

Not sure a CC tilt would paper over the cracks, but maybe a huge performance or two on that front could enthuse me.

We played well against Leeds but we had Hill and Wood fit.
At this time we only have 1 fit quality prop Hill and we need another. Asotasi is not it.
So unless we get both Wood and Hill back on the field together we will have to rely on the backs to front up.

This year was always going to be a transition year. With Morley, Briers, Carvell etc leaving/retiring the challenge was always going to be to replace those high personal levels of performance and consistency.

It is difficult to take that we aren't at the same standard as the previous 3 years, but I for one would like to see us take a more long term view on things. What are people's thoughts on the season so far in terms of players, tactics and what we need in addition.

Let's leave Westwood, Hill, Waterhouse, Joel Mona's and Michael Monas and Micky Higham out of it as I don't think their quality/ attitude is in question.

Russell - A quality addition who injects some pace into the side
Evans, laithwaite and Ormsby - Good young players who are starting to develop
Bridge - looking confident with the boot and getting better every game
Ratchford - Always good wherever he plays but TS needs to get him in a settled position
Atkins - Poor for his standards but will come good

Roy - Not lived up to expectations in terms of enthusiasm and leading the pack
England - Technically not good enough, too many mistakes
Penny - Not up to our standards
Currie/ Dwyer /Evans need more time to judge
O'Brien - Not good enough to be a top Super League side

What we need. A couple of props to add that ferocity we lost into the pack. A quality half back which is where we should invest our money next year. Another winger with some pace Ben Jones Bishop) maybe.

All through the off season my prediction was we would finish 4th-6th in the league, make the playoffs and go out to the first top 4 side we play, and in the Challenge Cup we would go out to the first top 4 side we play. We are very much on for that forecast so the season is on par with what I expected although I am slightly disappointed because I hoped we would be closer to 4th than 6th and now I think we will be closer to 6th.

Some things which I grimly expected would happen, have happened:

- We don't have enough quality to compete with the top teams
- Our main problem would be the halves and front row
- I had a sinking feeling when we let Carvell go that Asotasi wasn't going to be up to replacing him

A few other things have disappointed me:

- Ratchford has not kicked on from last season. Last year I thought he was ahead of Briers at a comparable age and I thought he's the one of the players in our squad that could go on to be really special. I still think he can but he has been generally out of form with one or two better games.
- None of the players who have had opportunities opened up by the departure of players from last year have really stepped up. Glenn Riley and England don't look up to SL for me. GO'B I think is OK but he's a squad player not a halfback that can lead a top side. Russell has got some potential but I am not convinced. I think he's at best a fullback in the Mathers calibre rather than Hodgson.

Overall I think we are at a crossroads now and need to really step up the recruitment to show we are on an upward path. Otherwise guys like Hill, Grix will start to think that they have probably achieved as much as they are ever going to at Warrington and it's time to look for new challenges to a club on the up.

SC.
I would say Russell is more like Reardon than Mathers.

Ahem. This is all taken from whatever I can see or listen to on the internet.

Grix is and has been a very talented player. Hill has been solid since he signed. He seems to lack support from others though


This though seems to describe our team. We need forwards dominating to allow Higham and Monaghan (M) to speed it up.

This would change our HB pairing as well.

Your post China comes across like half a thought. I can't fathom what the point is.
It may be my understanding, if so I apologise.