Well our form is

WWWWWWWWWWL

When we beat Saints in May I wasn't reading too much in to that one win as us 'turning the corner', because even rubbish teams always get the odd lucky day, when Plange was coach we won away at Hull (who were good back then) and Leeds.

However over a run of 11 games we have won 10, lost 1, which is pretty good form and shows a corner was turned. So we can't read in to one defeat as another corner being turned or a dip.

In sport will always be luck on the upside or downside, injuries, ref decisions, form of individuals, bounce of the ball in a close game, in any one game luck will have a disproportionate influence but over a series of games luck is less influential so you can only really draw conclusions over a series of games. Early season we were rank average, because we were patchy over a large series of games. Now we are relentless winners, over a large series of games. So yesterday doesn't really change anything, if we go on to resume our winning form...

I always considered that Hull game we won under Plange as the game that saved Warrington from relegation.

we lost a game.. its no big deal.... The team simply didnt play well in key areas.

ours half backs were non existent and the forwards lacked aggression.

big mistakes in key areas at crucial moments in the game cost us dear.

this is basically a Karl Harrison press conference

im taking that as a compliment.

These threads are so similar year after year. We've been convincingly beaten, and thumped on some occasions, by struggling London Salford Widnes and Bradford sides in the last four years. Yet none of them have been to Wembley or Old Trafford, while we have been to five finals.

I don't think Tony Smith particularly minds losing to sides that won't overtake us in the table, resting players in these games and being fresh/ready/motivated to go again in bigger games ahead. The key is getting to the finals, at the end of all of these seasons I've not looked back and thought "if only we didn't lose by 50 at London"/"that bloody Widnes game, gutted!".

No but at the end of the season if we lose in the Grand Final, or in a playoff a game before the Grand Final (which will have been a vastly better season than most of us expected), there will be a lot of discussion on here about how TS has taken us as far as he can, falling at the final hurdle.

The pressure will start rising on the board to make the transition to Agar sooner than expected.

....and yet another season of "it's always your year!"

I don't know what the stats are but what annoys me is that we always seem to go into games v Widnes understrength, underprepared and unmotivated and consequently lose games which, on form, we should win. It is almost as if we want to lose.
One bad game is understandable but there seems to be a pattern of poor displays against Widnes where players are rested and those that play seem to suffer a cataclysmic loss of form.

Most seem to think that Monas was rested but in fact he had a problem with his ankle and coundnt be risked.
I would agree with him not playing if not fully fit regardless of opposition.
We lacked passion, for Widnes the Wire fixture is one that they look for first. Its a massive game, according to my Widnes mates, for us its not now, it used to be but its no different than HKR,Cas,Wakey. Its not a game to get up for and although wrong, they should be up for every game, it is true some games mean more than others. This isnt a dig at Widnes just that we have new goals and are challenging on higher level than them.

It is frustrating but I would rather lose this game where key players are rested than the SF against a bigger rival in recent years

I also have to note the attendance was so poor for a derby game, where were the Widnes fans?

I heard the same thing and it was particularly the case because of the plastic pitch. Bridge was set not to play as well.

May be TS hasn't listened to the advice from the Forum that 5th is the place to finish for the easier play off games.

I agree we lacked passion but it seems we always do when we play Widnes. If we are going to approach games in this manner, why not give Widnes the points and save peoples' time and money.