I agree we have to try and get as many points as we can and stop other team s getting points .

I thought we looked "off" Sunday but we still had the class to win against a good team that had players missing too.

To think the class of players we have sitting out as they haven't been selected too means that have anyone shows signs of loss of form there's players to slot in.........

This competition is going to be a great contest this year and the team that wins it will deserve it that there is no doubt. .........

The centres need refreshing, hopefully with players who can pass to their wingers, tackling ability wouldn't go amiss either.

Well if you drop Littler and Armstrong which I wouldn't incidentally who would you replace them with ?

Hankinson and Kaye perhaps ?

I remember hearing a interview from someone at the club (PR , I think) in which he said we'll be going for all 3 points but just as important is to ensure no clubs come away with a bonus point as the league could be tight this year.

Brown has earned his return to the team with Kaye as his centre, on the right Higson with Maden/Pownall. I would also remind the half backs and second row forwards about moving wide to assist in defence.

According to the Reporter we were a flu hit squad on Sunday, which may or may not explain the 'shambolic' defence. Still looking forward to watching my first game on LCTV on wednesday. Just need an hdmi cable and I'm sorted.

Wasn't the idea that a large squad would provide cover for eventualities like that, though?

Depends when they went down with the virus, I would imagine calling someone in at noon on a sunday would be difficult

I know that Alan, but Paul must have had his reasons for picking the team he did.

People need to forget the scores of the first three games and get back to reality. The other teams are doing there homework on us and it's only going to get harder. A win is a win it may not have been pretty but that's rugby.

Agreed.

The past two (close) games, the excuses have come out. The Keighley close-shave, was blamed on a touch judge disallowing a 'try' for a forward pass, (the same t-j who came on to get us the last minute penalty, from which we won the game) and now an epidemic, last weekend.

I'd be happier if the 'official' line was as you state it, above.

The 'official line' for Sunday was put out by Paul Rowley in The Reporter today wasn't it?

Hang on. It's a bit worrying that people don't see that there was very little creativity from the half backs on Sunday. They weren't at their best! Service out wide was poor. Higgy's tries were good, but generally, creativity wasn't great. Credit to the spoiling tactics and play of the Crusaders aswell. Their number 30 had an absolute laugh on our right hand side. He was very tall and tacklers just didn't wrap the ball up, so he could offload at will. Back up play to him was very good, so we got ripped over that side many times. In attack, we persisted in going to the same right side, over and over and over again. It paid off with some tries, but mixing it up would have brought many more points. The left hand side has pace to burn, yet we're only used a couple of times. Kay's combination try with Armstrong was fabulous, but it was far too little used. Defence on the left was also great. If we are going to go to some of the stronger teams away, this one dimensional play is going to have to be dropped. Unpredictability is the key, for which this team has tricks in abundance. Such an approach is what will trouble other teams....not what we saw on Sunday!