How did Mikaele play ?

Didn’t Wane allude to Powell having his work cut out after the first friendly?

Among many issues is the fact that our squad is not as good as many think it is on paper. The so-called superstars are Widdop - overrated, Williams - overrated, Clark - not what he was, Ratchford - always been hugely overrated IMO and King - possibly the most overrated player in our history, Currie - currently the worst second row in the league.

Wane could clearly see the squad wasn’t just in trouble with a light pack but all across the field.

I was happy to run with a third year of Price as long as we got the right coach to replace him. I cannot hide my disappointment in how things have turned out, as I expected we'd make the playoffs even with a poor pack of forwards. Looking back to 2009, where Tony Smith's side finished 10th a season that was sugar coated with our first silverware since 1981 and there was no spectre of relegation. Reasons why TS didn't get questioned as much as DP is now. I really don't know what the answer is, as I've no idea what the "bad apple" allegations are truly about, nor how our recruitment has been so bad that we've shuffled around our squad to bring in Amor and Mikaele. Perhaps, the regime of Powell and Sheridan is the or part of the problem, but the bottom line is we cannot let the current set up get us dragged into a relegation battle. The club will go the way of Bradford and Widnes should the worst happen.

Do you know what worries me the most about today? He dropped magoulias and bullock who are 2 of his own signings! If his track record with us so far is signing duds and we have loads to come in next season it doesn't fill me with confidence at all.

Riley Dean should be getting the rest of this season starting in the halves, he's been the best of our halves in terms of tactical kicking and he gets hung out to dry. Why is he in gateshead? How can Powell or anybody justify that right now? There are alarm bells sounding, and they're loud. The loudest of which at the moment are singling out a single bad kick by Riley Dean, dropping him for it and then shipping him out on loa and then dropping his own signings, surely we should expect his own signings to be buying in to the philosophy?

It's alright anyway, karl won't tolerate the team not being good enough, absolutely no chance, he's ruthless when it comes to making decisions about removing underperforming coaches.

If he said that, then I'm baffled as to why he's our head coach.

That's why we've got Powell (I think). He's the type of stubborn, no-nonsence coach we need who has the guts to sort out this club's complacent playing staff and ethos. He's also got an accomplished record of improving clubs and players playing an attractive brand of rugby. When we announced his appointment, I thought yes, he ticks all the boxes and still do now.

Given that Powell has had only half a year in the job and is having to do a root and branch upheaval, what makes you think that in the medium to long term he won't make a positive change, given his track record at previous clubs over 15 years? His track record tells a very different story to your expectations of him.

I'm certainly not happy at potential relegation for the sake of an appointment, but I think the difference between me and you is that I'm prepared for our club to roll the dice for change with the risks involved. I'd rather this than end up with another Steve Price yes man to prolong further years of underachievement and mediocrity. The vast majority of successful teams in any sport give their manager time - even Chelsea give most of their managers at least a year. The difference is, we need to change the culture and rid ourselves of the players who aren't buying in, and that means more profound upheaval than normal.

A couple of questions. Who would you have brought in instead of Powell? What would you do now?

With all due respect, tosh.
You're OK to "roll the dice for a change with the risks involved". Well, we've rolled the dice.
The chips are all gone, and the croupier has thanked us for our custom.
I don't know if you've realised, but this is professional sport. He, and his side, are failing MASSIVELY. Given that other underperforming clubs (in any sport) have never sacked their underperforming playing roster before, I dare say Powell's job is over, if we lose our next two. Changing the culture. He has. Two big losing runs in a matter of months

Yes. Price underachieved and his sides played drab rugby, but he never dragged us down to this level.
Go on. Admit it. We've ####ed up appointing Powell. It's no loss of face. I came to accept it, weeks ago.


As to who would I appoint, well that's down to our embarrassing CEO/COO or whatever his job title is.


I'd have had Wane in a heartbeat.
Yes, he's bluff
Yes, he whinges
Yes, his rugby might be as bland as Price's..... BUT..... HE WINS.

I'd take a couple of drab years rugby, so we can FINALLY win the league, thank him for his time, and then go back to entertainment.

Powell is giving us neither

Did Wane want the job? Who next?

The Fact he dropped Bullock and left Philbin in the team is a head scratcher for me. And i genuinely NEVER would have thought i'd be missing Hughes, his solid defensive game is sorely missed at the minute. I can't see there being a sudden turn around, but i think we are capable of grinding out enough wins from close games to beat Toulose for the drop.
We're a mess, none of the guys seem to know what anybody else is doing or is going to do, the drop off in defense is staggering and fingers should be pointed at whoever is in charge of it.
As i've said before i didn't expect to win anything this year, but i never ever would have expected us to be like this.

Highlights. We scored a couple of nicely worked tries but defence was terrible https://www.skysports.com/watch/video/s ... ton-wolves

Highlights. We scored a couple of nicely worked tries but defence was terrible https://www.skysports.com/watch/video/s ... ton-wolves

My god it shows how bad the league is currently, we've moved UP in to 9th place despite losing purely on points difference and we've been battered 40 points 3 times this year.

Watching that video highlights then I think Currie should of stayed in the stand he was in last week, never been anywhere near since his injuries.

Currie and King have been stealing a wage all season fair play to them getting away with it I guess. Also Philbin should be nowhere near the 13. Tbh it’s hard to think of how many deserve to play.

At lease it’s two weeks until we lose again, we won’t win again this year if Powell continually picks a woeful currie a shocking king and a very poor philbin(they are probably the worse of a BAD BUNCH, except young lads)come on Daryl leave them out I’m beginning to feel sorry for the torture your putting them through never mind us fans,who aren’t helping, with showing our disappointment of the way this once elite top four club has dropped to a team who tried hard against Wakefield!!!!!(first time they have doubled us since 2009)