jon wells leaving cas now as well

We don’t want him!

You might not want him but he's coming

Lefty will be delighted

I also read through their forum threads about Powell. On point 5, I agree with them about our roster not being good enough to win SL without some significant additions. I think we tend to overrate this apart from in the immediate aftermath of a defeat when people realise some of the guys who we think are stars, are fairly average and wouldn't get in the top clubs starting team, including Cas. It will be interesting to see how a guy who has previously coached against us (with some success) brings a new perspective. There will be guys in our starting line up who Powell has regarded a weakness and told Cas players how to exploit them.

However I was puzzled by their view that Powell will find Wire a difficult environment with a short leash and limited time to succeed. Whatever criticisms you can make of us, having a 'hire and fire' approach to coaches hasn't been our thing. More like Cullen, TS and Price went on a season or two too long.

Agree about us not being hire and fire, and you're right about the 'season too long' bit.

I do believe that we have a squad capable of winning things though, but I think that Powell has a big decision to make regarding whether he thinks we can win in his first year or whether an extra year (his 2nd) is too long for some of the players.

That's just ruined my enjoyment of a Twirl Easter egg and can of Guinness.

Quote: Douglas Black "Lefty will be delighted'" Oh FFS Professor Stanley Unwin"s best friend youtu.be/0UJZF5iRhNg

Quote: Douglas Black "Lefty will be delighted'" Oh FFS Professor Stanley Unwin"s best friend youtu.be/0UJZF5iRhNg

Is it still April 1st?

Not sure why our squad isn't considered capable of winning the title. I look at the Wigan and Saints squads and don't see a huge difference in the key positions. What I do see is the coaching seemingly able to get the same standard of players to play at a higher level consistently. Isn't Powell a man who does that at Cas, with a set tools arguably NOT of star quality?

To be fair to Price, he came here and promised to sort our resilience in defence. He did that. He just doesn't seem to be able to create a consistently threatening attacking structure.

Sorry but your squad is miles off Wigan and Saints.
Clark is probably the only international standard player you have...

So conversely then, you'd suggest that Price is far and away the best coach in the league? He's made 3 finals, won one, beaten Saints and Wigan in every important knockout game they've been paired with Warrington. I can't believe he doesn't get the plaudits he deserves? Imagine what Saints and Wigan could achieve with Price?

I'd agree your squad is good, probably the third best in SL and Clark isn't the only international standard player therin, Toby King, Ben Currie, Joe Phillbin are three that spring to mind as being good enough for any SL team, add Widdop and Austin, although misfiring and most teams would take that.

Cooper is better than any prop in Wigans squad. He'd also get in saints team alongside walmsley.

In a salary capped sport there will always be weaknesses in any team's line up. A coach's job is to exploit an opposition's weakness AND to protect his weaknesses in his own side as well.

Powell will recognise our weaknesses and a major part of his job is to limit issues with them as much as possible.