Realistically, Leeds and Huddersfield should be the teams that we are in line with at the moment. If we suggest we’re neck and neck with Saints, Wigan or even Catalan I think that is a bit overzealous. So I would hope to win one of those at least.

Then we couldn’t ask for a better run really, Salford at home is a game that we should be looking to win, KR Leigh and Cas are games that any team with ambitions of the top 6 will mark down as must wins, without offence to those teams.

4 from 6 is the benchmark, as it then turns into 4 from 9 pretty quickly. Any less than 4 and it’s a struggle to keep pace.

First on my list of minimum requirements do we look like a team and a team with character and without wishing to 'admit defeat' or perhaps more correctly 'soft peddle' with Powell and the team, as I definitely want accountability, but I'd be looking at 4 from 7 as the minimum whilst hoping for more, grabbing a point or two from one of the away ties, which I'd have down as middle tier games before we head into what looks like a stiffer run.

I think that the manner of any defeats, such as are we still repeating last season's mistakes, or are there positive signs, not blowing two score leads, better goal line defence, a missed kick, the rub of the green.......rather than a simple W/L column might tell us more.

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They are not kind opening fixtures in my opinion, they are the type of fixtures that we have typically gone in to with a complacent "yeh, we'll win this one, no problem" attitude, only to come out the other side with our tail between our legs and wondering where the next win will actually come from.

Wigan, Cats, Saints, Hull would have been better i reckon, more chance of us getting up for the game and performing at a higher level, and hopefully breeding a consistent perfomance, and more importantly, match day attitude.

Powell needs to get them thinking that every game is a cup final and be targetting to smash every team from minute one - anything less and i reckon we're in for another miserable season.

if he's gonna do another one of them addresses, for first day of pre season, i'd be wanting EVERYONE in, whether your injured, or whether your george williams with extra time after the world cup, he can fit his holiday in around that, but be in on day one, so whatever message gets spoken to the squad, it gets said to EVERYONE.

Isn’t the whole defence of last season that it was to change this culture though, of treating so called smaller teams differently. So it’s a perfect run of games to evidence that the lessons have been learned. If we had Saints, Wigan, Catalan, Leeds in the first 4 rounds there would be too many variables/excuses to make a definitive decision on whether on not the team is progressing.

No excuses for me 2 games that we should compete in, 4 that we should win.

Let us hope that four easy wins don't lull us into thinking DP has worked miracles. The club has been damaged & supporter confidence needs to return to get bums back on seats. Be interesting to see season ticket sales for 2023.

Exactly. How many of those 6 sides spend as much on their playing squad as we do?

Any evidence of the following

1. looking clueless near opposition line.
2. Conceding large leads
3. Not getting "up" for the small games
4. No clear territorial kicking plan
5. Averaging 20 pts per game against

and we know nothing has changed and it's time to cut our losses.

He's meant to be changing the culture if we aren't ruthless against these sides then the culture hasn't changed and he has failed and we should move on.

I'm hoping it won't come to that though and the pack will make us a lot more competitive.

Keeping very positive then eh! Come on give 'em a chance. Don't rack up the pressure.

Powell has done that for the entire 2022 season, putting pressure on himself through the performances and results.

We need proof of change, that's the bottom line.

It's not to do with positive or negative. Just objective markers to see if anything has changed.

Pressure? I hope he is feeling under pressure.

It’s a pressure environment, this whole project is to make the team better than the had been before. A mediocre campaign, limping out of the playoffs early won’t be saved by a cup run, they are the terms of engagement.

14 new players (and counting, 15 with Drinkwater) granted back to 12 as Holmes and Billy Magoulias have gone. It’s a purpose built squad, if there isn’t any expectation now then when will there be.

No excuses, only Williams is disrupted by the World Cup so perfect pre-season to prepare for hitting the ground running.

Exactly, on paper it's the 4th/5th/6th best coaching job in northern hemisphere rugby league. With the rewards, comes the expectation and pressure. No one forced him to apply for the job.

Similar to last season again 6 of our last 9 matches away from home.

I don't mind that. It means we have to peak at the end of the season when we're supposed to. It's likely that if we make the 6 it's going to be 5th/6th and playoff trips away from home, a la Leeds 2022. Build some resilience.