(1) Hey-ho.
(2) Fair enough - there have been comments made by other teams' supporters about our fitness.
(3) Y-what?!? Where are we playing, then??
(4) ROFLMAO! Assuming Nathan Brown is in charge of recruiting at Saints for next season, he's lost it big time.
(5) Can you blame them?
(6-7) From this distance would seem to be worth a serious look, but I don't know the area at all.
(8)Looks like a good coaching team and would show that the club has some serious ambition, but I'll believe it when I see it!
(9) Dorn's probably coming to the end of his playing days anyway.
(10) For players of his age and experience, I'd question whether a long term contract's a good idea.

Maybe end of 2013 when his contract expires

a 1000 seater stadium sounds about right for you lot

I wonder if they have tried to get Jim Dymock. He is a bit inexperienced but did well in his short stint at Cantebury and now has some experience underneath Des Hasler who is a premiership winning coach??

As for the issue between Powell and Dorn it apparently goes back to the beginning of the pre-season. At the end of last season Powell go the senior players to get their input into planning for this year and when everyone returned apparently Powell had decided to put his own "systems" in place. The players and back-room staff werent very happy with the setup and Powell got the senior guys together to find out what was wrong and it was Dorn who spoke on behalf of the players. Dorn was pretty quickly off the senior playing group and Powell has hardly spoken to him since, apparently even when he dropped Dorn the message was delivered by one of the players.

I dont think anyone can argue the fact that Dorn is playing poorly but for me it is alarming just how many players are going backwards at a massive pace under Powell. If you look at players like Randall, Howell and Dorn, while they may not be world beaters they were all reasonable players and they have gone down hill so quickly since Powell took over. Yes they may be getting on a bit but it is also the young guys who are going backwards as well. Sargy last year was fantastic and this season looks a shadow of himself as does JOC and if Powell stays I think the same will happen to Dixon and other youngsters coming through. All of this information came from an ex player who was in London recently so I think its pretty reliable and to be honest I think its all fairly obvious to see.

The other problem with the Powell/Dorn issue is that is causing a big rift in the club between Powell and the majority of players and back-room staff (what little there is left of them now). Seems like the only one who has the coaches ear is Chris Bailey but I dont think this is news to anyone as it has been rumoured for a while.

Dorn only has a year or so to go in his career so its not going to be a major loss if he goes but I am concerned about what is going to happen to all the young guys if Powell stays on any longer. A coach should be able to get the best out of his players and if Powell could do that with this squad then we wouldn't be sitting so close to the bottom.

Lets remember these are just "rumours" at present, not that I deny there may be some truth!

The very least it demonstrates that discussions may be under way and ones that may benefit the club, okay we may not agree with all of them but they are the start for real debate once substantiated, it is just becoming sad whatever the club may do now one and perhaps another few will never now agree with anything the club may say or put forward, but at the same time feel every statement they make is completely correct and has no faults at all.

Powell going to coaching such as the Under 20's is a possibility. only yesterday LMS in an article was praising the way he was developed before leaving and we have seen this with other young players, the new line up of coaching staff sounds interesting and I look forward to hearing more. You can understand perhaps that position with Gower currently and his decision has to be respected, he is giving the club first class service on the pitch at present. Regards Dan Sarginson, he has such potential, but as I stated with agents in another thread he wants to think carefully what is best for him now and not short term gain.

The Stoop, and what future there may be, this is going to disappoint some! as they will never see any wrong with it as a venue for us to play, but several press stories seem to be circulating only released today how the on the road matches were relatively successful!

I just think we need to see what does develop but we should all agree some action has to be taken.



This comes from a City that had to buy another Club just to keep it's place! how sad!

Apparently the only NRL club that owns its own ground is Cronulla, and a fat lot of good it's done them. As an aside, what always puzzles me about Australian grounds is how little covered accomodation a lot of them have - looking at the Penrith game on Monday there didn't even appear to be a lid on the seated areas, no wonder the crowd was so bad.

Sorry meant number 8 about Simmons

1) Powell has a proven track record in player development, he does look out of his depth in the top job.
2) Not sure fitness is the real issue.
3) Discussed this with a fellow season ticket holder and we're not aware of a better ground of the right size and standard that is likely to have us. The Stoop is a cracking ground, even if the beer is expensive.
4) Unlikely given they are sh[size=50.[/sizeitti[size=50.[/sizeng wingers at the moment.
5) Hmmm not sure about that, Gower maybe has credentials as former international class player (and our best player by a country mile), but does that bring coaching credentials?
6) I'm all for redevelopment of Wood Green but I wouldn't base a SL team there.
7) Broncos need to do what is right for Broncos and going to Wood Green is not right for any team with SL ambitions.
8') Lets dig up Maurice Bamford too.
9) Shame if that's the case as whilst Dorn's defence has been shocking we still need someone to finish the little we create.
10) Don't blame him personally, but will be a shame if we start being stripped of the SL class players we are steadily producing (and I think Clubb has really come into his own playing as a third prop style loose forward).

Im also unconvinced about the fitness level as well. If we didn't make so many unforced errors and give daft penalties away - how many was it in first 10 minutes against Widnes - and used our bench to the full we wouldn't be so shattered by the end of matches. Because of our one dimentional play the same players are getting the donkeywork to do in each game so it is unsurprising they are worn out.

Yeah Snoopy, I think the fitness thing is a red herring. If there's one thing that all SL clubs should be at similar levels in is fitness. We apparently linked with St George prior to the season start with an aim to following their fitness regimes etc and we have a very experienced man in charge of strength and conditioning (ex Hudds and Penrith).

Players look jaded when they are making mistakes and have lost their confidence. We score highly in both those factors, imo.