Fair enough and quite right. At least we know the culture issues are/were real (as a number of us suspected) but are finally being dealt with which can only be a positive step forwards.

Dallas
I know for a fact that players used to look on this board - not sure about now. But you're right - in the main looking on these type of boards wouldnt help their performance.

Jack,
Yes I take your point - it's just I don't particularly think it's helpful. I think there's lots of other topics to discuss. Having said that, the openjng of the transfer window is bound to provoke interest regardless of whether the posts are fact, gossip or other.

Wires71
I understand your point - and I'm certainly not suggesting posts of this nature should be censored.
I think people may be suprised though at the numbers of 'big tough rugby players' who are actually quite mentally fragile - and it's good that this has been recognised by the sport and various charities.
I do think clubs now need to ensure that professionals have the right level of support (and in many clubs this is now the case) to cope with the 'pressures associated with being a professional sportsman in the public eye'.

Madame Boyd on Twitter today seems to believe 12 OOC players will be leaving the club this year. Here's the list (prior to Butler & Robson going). My assumption is Dean, Gannon and one of Mulhern/Magoulias are staying.

Jason Clark, Stefan Ratchford, Josh Charnley, Mike Cooper, Gareth Widdop, Jack Hughes, Matt Davis, Keanan Brand, Ellis Robson, Rob Butler, Robbie Mulhern, Riley Dean, Eribe Doro, Jacob Gannon, Billy Magoulias (option for 2023)

If Dean goes, there must be an issue that isn't performance based.

There are no issues with Dean, he is a dedicated player, completely focused on his RL career.

I'd assume Dean isn't in that 12 to leave.

As for the other 14, Magoulias has time for that option to be enacted. And we should keep hold of Mulhern even though Philbin's contract may make that difficult.

But if Ratchford is to leave, I hope it's with some fanfare. We may have underachieved in his time here but he has been an incredible servant to the club.

Agreed on all points. Riley Dean has to be kept IMO, that's if this is where he wants to be of course.

A player with his talent will definitely receive offers from other clubs, especially when he is so near to the end of his contract.

I sincerely hope that Wire haven`t left it too late to offer Riley a contract.

I doubt that his monetary demands will have that much effect on the Salary Cap at this stage of his career?

With the early departure of Butler we've managed to fit Mikaele and Amor under the salary cap for the remainder of this season. Presumably Amor won't be staying into 2023 (rumour is that he will retire anyway). We've already got Dudson and Kasiano signed, I’m assuming neither are marquee but nor will they be cheap. I expect that Widdop will leave with the marquee money going towards a replacement (Dufty?) and now, according to ‘Madame Boyd’, we’re being linked with Paul Vaughan. That would suggest that both Mulhern and Cooper are surplus to requirements.

I can't decide if Magoulias is fit for the knackers yard or the old fashioned 13 style I'd love us to have. He can pass, he can kick and he's got a Derby on him so he can take a drive and he shows some aggression.

A lot depends on where Powell decides to play Philbin.

I can see Philbin being played at 13, but like you, I would prefer a ball playing loose forward that can unlock the opposition`s defence.

I don't how much Magoulias is costing us (I'd hope it's not much) but I'd like a bit more time to see what he can do. Powell brought him here for his skills, and I'd love us to have a creative midfield trio after years of '5 drives and pin them in the corner'.

Couldn't we have both? Magoulias starting 13 and Philbin off the bench for impact in the back row or even second row? I just think Philbin would be used better a little wider in the field really.

Philbin played 2nd row for all his Warrington Academy career scoring a lot of tries.

Ironically his brother played prop in the same team, but he was never going to make it as a 1st team player.

The problem in our current 2nd row is that Powell has brought Holmes with him from Castleford on a 3 year deal, and will be very reluctant to drop him, even though his form has been poor up to the Saints game, where he seemed to find his feet at last.

Currie is the other 2nd row. I have been a big fan of Ben Currie, but he seems to get tackled too easily this season and his defence hasn`t been great. Maybe when we have some bigger props in the team, then he will have a better season? I also wonder as a senior player, is he influenced by team mates who dislike the changes being made by Powell?

Only time will tell.