makes no odds who i support. The fact remains you havent beat a title contender. If that doesnt change you wont win the title, its all very well being flat track bullies.

The simple fact to back up the original thread, is, the media (and fans of the so called Big 4) don't like us. The media (in particular, Sky), don't like their little clique of previously successful clubs, in any sport, being upset by having pesky newcomers, shaking up the status quo.

I have to put up with this (slightly aside), being a Man City fan. Whenever they're on Sky, it's just a 90 minute diatribe against them, with any negative statistic the commentators can lay their hands on. One such instance this season, was when City, who were playing away, had "a poor away record this seaon", yet they had (at the time) more away wins than Liverpool (one of the clique), but I've not heard Sky commentators mention Liverpool's poor away form being mentioned all season.

I still remember Andrew John's second game for us (Hull away). If anyone's still got a copy of the game, watch it again, and listen to Stevo's commentary - it just sounds like he's been told his dog has been shot, just because we were winning. To be fair, over the last 5 years, Eddie and Stevo's attitudes have mellowed towards us, but we are where we are in the table ON MERIT.

We just need to keep the faith. Sure, we might lose a few more games until Round 27 ha been played, but nobody wins the Super League in May.
As someone previously said, you don't get any extra points for beating the side sitting top of the table.

Will we win/reach the Grand Final or even reach the semis, who knows. But, with our new found decent form, and a world class coach, I'm damn sure we'll give it a good go.

I'm just looking forward to TS and the boys ramming the words from the varoius media right back down their throats. We've got a damn good squad, a match for anyone, one defeat doesn't put us back where we started.
No reason why we can't go back to Wembley and be making Saints/Wigan/Leeds very nervous about meeting us in the play offs.

I have to be honest riley has a big heart and bags of pace I bet he trains really well but when I see him on your team sheet I think it's gonna be our day. if players like Riley are still getting a game at wire you still have a way to go in havng a really good squad. As you said he wouldn't get anywhere near a start at Leeds, Wigan, saints, hudds unless they were down to the bones. Where as He has a squad number in the first 13 at wire. can't fault his effort but he is prone to errors and his defence isn't the best.

Do you really think Riley is significantly worse than Ryan Hall, Ade Gardner, Leroy Cudjoe? He may or may not be as good but the rest of the 3/4 line is King, Atkins, Bridge, Hicks all of whom would be as good as most other teams'. You can't have top notch in EVERY position.

I'd agree. Riley is an example of pretty good squad depth considering he is a back up player. At Saints we have a the sodding ice skater, a 4 stone centre who can kick ok and a 3 foot tall winger / fullback and TBH I'd swap all three in return for Riley.

Riley is no way in the class of hall. He is not as good as cudjoe IMO and gardner though his form has been up and down in the last few seasons at times in his career at saints has been the stand out winger in our comp and a England shoe in, Riley has never been that. off the top of my head I think halley, lawerence, owen, briscoe(tom), fox, hodgson(Ginger)sharpe, Gibson, pelo are all wingers/utilities who are better than riley from other clubs other than Leeds, pies and saints who would get a game before him at your club and at Leeds, pies and saints.

I think there are a few stand out wingers in the league - Donald, Hicks, Richards, Roberts. Err, that's about it.

Then I'd say you have Hall, Gardner (at his best), Hodgson (at his best). Err, that's about it.

Then the next pack includes Riley.

I don't rate Gardner one bit.

Take Gidley out of his inside, he's cack.

So we agree. He is in the 3rd tier of SL wingers. I know he is not hugely evasive and prone to a few mistakes but he's not (lightening) fast either. Warrington could improve in this position in my view.

Who exactly has wrote you off??????

I think you will find you were the bookies favourites to win both of those games

I think hall, lee smith, tom briscoe, fox are as good as hicks if not a bit better, but hicks is quality no doubt. Richards is solid and effective a real good pro. donald is as good as anything in the comp! if you said this time last year Roberts was one of the best wingers in the comp you would have got laughed off the forum. Roberts is a different player now, in the 10+ good games he's had for Wigan he's been outstanding. Let's see him do it over a number of years.

Not for me. Hicks best finisher if not best winger in comp.

this slagging off of riley is laughable..he may not be the best winger in super league but he`s up at the top end of the try scoring charts so he`s doing something right..