I didn't get carried away when we beat SL teams pre season and I won't get carried away when we lose to 3 of the best Championship sides in Sheffield , Batley and Featherstone.
The reality of all the off field problems and the end of last season was we lost a lot of our really good players and the best RL coach in the business.
I honestly think peoples (or even the clubs) expectations need a check as it will take time for youngsters to gell and develop , sure its frustrating but how many clubs that have nearly gone bust performed really well less than 3 months later ?

If we make 5th then we will have done well as there at least 4 better clubs in this league than us as they haven't had to make widespread changes - equally they can have a plan B when they have those little niggly injuries that players carry and clubs don't publicise (for obvious reasons !).

People may moan about the coaches appointment (strange how its his fault when we lose but not anything to do with him when we win) but lets remember - just who else really wanted it ?

I'll be happy with a 10 -15 point win v Skolars and then a chance to see how we fare against York City Knights with hopefully our first league points and a chance for the players and coaching staff to get some confidencece going (although that will be another game I'll miss due to it being midweek - hope we have commentary on that one as last night was frustrating not knowing what was going on !).

Its not great viewing but lets face it 4 months ago you'd have taken us still being able to play Fev.

I'd have preferred not to know, seeing it in the flesh was painful

What I mean is that Fev will have more games like we did last night were things dont click/go to plan and as you said it aint the end of the world and we will get better.

nowt wrong with the effort, simple fact is we are not good enough at present to compete with the better teams in this league, end of story really. i wish we had finn in our team, duffy gives everything he has, but we need a propper scrum half who can control us like finn does with rovers.

If we have all players plus duels available I`d go

Russell
Maden
Littler
Gardner
Shaw (let the abuse begin)
Ridyard
McNally
Parker
Nicholson
Bibey
Goulden
Taylor
Beswick

Subs
Duffy
Spenser
Gallagher
Brierley

Abram had that all the time he was in charge!! The Treble was nowt to do with him, but our failure to light up SDL was all because he wouldn't wave at the speccies!!

I for one am not ready to write Paul's obitury just yet!! Just look at what happened with McDermott at Leeds, when he stepped up from assistant, to head coach (taking over from a popular,and successful Aussie...sound familiar?) - and who's previous tenure as a head coach (albeit at a different club) was 'patchy' to say the least (again, sound familiar?). The start of last season was very poor for the Rhinos, and quite a sizable portion of the Leeds 'faithful' were calling for his head......by season's end they'd narrowly lost a pulsating CC final, to arguably the most consistant team of the last couple of seasons, then went on an unbeaten run all the way to grand final success!!

I'm not saying we'll make Wembley, but am not prepared to write-off the season after a couple of games!!!

YESTERDAY has been and gone.......thank duck.

Cant believe you have left hoppy out and put a dr in,hes been one of your best forwards and gets through a mountain of work

Totally agree Mr Mad , Hopkins is one of our best forwards no doubt , maybe not a 13 , but still worth his place , our tactics need sorting out along with a couple of team selections ,for me Riddy and Macnally at Halves , bringing on Brierley later in the game .

Im not keen on the Friendly Giant either , Worrincy ,Briscoe is average , and Duffy is a deffo 9 not a 7 , but its early days .

Hoppy needs to play prop IMO and will be 1st choice for selection if we get a injury or Spenser not available......................or if Bibey doesnt sort himself out, for a guy his size and experiance he just aint showing his ability at the mo.

PR will allways play Spenser if available so thats why I put him in that lineup.

A question about Worrincy and Briscoe both defences are suspect but one makes more yards per carry with the ball in hand and it's not Briscoe. Who do you pick? The Worrincy campaign is a bit biased because of his size.. Personally I think Worrincy needs a General barking at him but Craig needs to be a bit bigger and alert in defence and attack.

Hopefully rather that than the other obvious difference.