Just thought I'd ask peoples opinion on this. I'm sure we are all aware that our defence is garbage this year and we lack ideas at times when we attack. It doesn't take a genius to work out we'll prob finish 5th - 7th this year if we are lucky.

My concern is our recruitment policy. Post 2013 since Morley, Hodgson, Briers, M Monas, Carvell etc left for pastures new, I thought we were starting to creating a long-lasting brand.

If we look at our recruitment since then, Chris Hill is the only player who I've sat and thought wow! I'll give Daryll Clark a bit more time to settle in but apart from that I'm struggling.

Asotasi, Sims, Russell, England.... Not players I would say add quality to the side. Add to that the appointment of Agar and more regular players underperforming, I feel like we have gone backwards over the last 3 years.

If we are doing this so that we are financially secure, new training complex etc then that's fine, similar to what Arsenal have done done, but let's come out in the press and say it.

Is our side better than last year? Is our side better than 3 years ago? The answer to both questions in no.

recruitment has been terrible, was there anyone watching the likes of asotasi or was it his mum that recommended him because it couldnt have been anyone else surely, if so they need to go in a dark room and think about what they have done, it will be a long time before we reach the dizzy heights of the team we had 3 yrs ago, if at all.

Recuitment hasn't been been way off, I mean Asotasi hasn't been (take your hates off) but he's been steady! We need that forward that will be a battering ram, sims offloads and knowledge of that shows he can be out run off man in a live game, we just need that forward that does the hard yards like hill.. Patton can lead our team he just needs time, OB can easily be the guy that leads off him, like Myler did to Briers, but let's face it, we aren't going to ever see that partnership again, no homegrown talent will ever get us that far again! (Hopefully I'm proven wrong and I mean it).

Crock is a maybe, but Myler shows his worth when such post is brought up about him! Lineham is also a mybe, Cronk wants out but doesn't want to leave the Oz team/SoO either.. Anyone shed some light??

It all depends on what you want out of a player and unfortunately most on here want the worlds best prop, second row, half back and anything else just isn't good enough. What people fail to see is that A. We cant afford the very best B. the very best don't want to come to Warrington or England for peanuts.
With the players we have signed, Clarke is the MOS, tell me who would have been a better replacement for Mona's?. Sims is doing the hard yards every week, and puts the effort in every game. For those that moan that he doesn't make enough yards needs to learn about the game more before they open there mouth. Watch the game and see who drives the ball in when Clarke or Higham scoot and make yards off a very quick play the ball? the answer is sims and asotasi, not Hill. So yes they do not make massive drives and carry 3 players and extra 5m and slow the play down to let the defense get set, they drive in hit the deck and get a quick play the ball and create space due to the defense not setting up.
For me Sims has been an excellent signing and Asotasi has been ok without being great. England is getting better all the time and is no Hill but is better and makes more yards and does more damage in attack than Woods did.

This, and a few other reasons, is exactly why I don't enjoy watching anywhere near as much.

I cannot imagine Boyd running into Sorenson or Ward thinking "I'd better hit the deck on my knees to get a quick PTB"

Maybe so but this how the game has changed as you didn't see Ascroft or Duane Man scooting 50m to score, but to have a go at someone for not playing like they did in the 80's, isn't really fair by some on these boards. The game has changed and so have individual players responsibilities.

How anyone can knock the signing of Sims, I don't know.

The guy doesn't take a backwards step. He's a monster, who works tirelessly when he's on the field. Big character in the changing rooms I believe as well. Been a very good signing IMO.

He hasn't lived up to all his pre-season ultra hype though.

No denying his efforts in some games this season, especially v Leeds. I still say he's 1/2 stone too light to be a hitter.
I don't think he is much more effective than we would get if we ask Westwood to play prop.
Imo

I cannot believe anyone making a case that Asotasi has been a good signing. Wow.

Sims has not put a foot wrong I would love it if all the wire squad put has much effort in every week as he does

Asotasi - a real disapointment compared to the reputation.
Sims - 'enforcer' bit overblown before he'd played a game. I've criticized him for not driving it in enough earlier this year, but he's making a decent fist of it now.

In years since we were at our best (2011) King, Solomona, Louis Anderson, Briers, Morley, Cooper, Carvell and Michael Monaghan have all gone.

At that level we've signed Hill Ratchford and Clark. 8>3!

I honestly think Ben Currie will be top class. He just really needs to express himself more and more consistently when he does it more. He's got it all in his locker, he really has. But that still 8>4!

And then think Westwood, Higham and Joel Monaghan are getting on and will soon leave...and Grix and Harrison are always injured. You could argue their futures are under threat unless they can show they can stay fit (although Grix's big injuries have all been forced on him rather than unfit niggly injuries; BenH looks like he's an old man his knees are gone). Both of those, fully fit, are in our top5 best players!

That'll be 13>4! So our next recruitment drive must we see some top class come in if we want success. or the emergence of youth into top class players, but that's a Lottery!

We need someone who other teams are frightened of, like another Moz. Sims work rate is fantastic and he is a true team player but we need a few more like him! Maybe his brothers???

100% Spot on and he seems like a real top bloke to the fans and always seems one of the last off the pitch and always has times for the fans signing stuff and shaking hands etc. I for one would not want him running at me he puts more effort in 5 mins that Roy puts in a whole game.

I wouldn't be surprised to see Ratchford at Wigan with Hampshire going to Wire.