What was the point of bringing him in on loan then?

Thanks for that. That explains the second half then. Can't blame anyone really.

I think PP is saying Bibb never came on in the second half. Which from my memory and backed up by the highlights tape, isn't true.

You can make all the excuses you like but I think most have come round to the opinion over a period of many months that BMcD is taking us nowhere. Some of our tactics on Sunday were laughable even for a team lacking first choice players.

When did Bibb come on in the second half? Again JB reasons not excuses - difficult to play with one half back. I don't like our record any more than the next man but I don't see how change will alter the facts as they stand but if the policy is for long term we should be told.

Who for extended periods seemed to be playing at hooker.

It's a little hard to swallow right now.

Since Quins became our moniker we've seen the likes of Sykes, Hill, Paul, McLinden, Dorn, Leuluai etc don the shirt. We've pushed for play-offs then capitulated.

We've now got a threadbare squad made up of kids, SL rejects & Championship players, and yet we're told there's little money to spend. Golden I think is the only one who's made a great impression of those brought in from 'outside'. Granted, there's one Brit in the list above and our squad is now full of them, but why not a Brough, or a Rooney, a Lynch, a Johnson. All Brits who've moved around SL in the last few years and would probably cost a lot less than some of the above names. Especially when we were told last year that the majority of the cap was spent on Robinson & Williamson anyway. Jones-Bishop is proving he's worth his salt, so why not some exciting youngsters from 'higher' SL clubs on loan? Why these players that made intermittent appearances for their clubs before being released?

And why has every ounce of talent been coached out of our team? In the first 12 rounds or so last year, Clubb was a machine, routinely keeping 'superstars' quiet and earning an England cap to boot. He's now SL's highest for missed tackles thus far. Randall is a shadow of his former self (as is LMS), Dorn was a better player at Cas than he has been in his second spell here & Purdham is always on the treatment table. Our 'flagship' players are of a lower quality than previous years and yet we're still (apparently) spending the same on wages than when we had Hill, Paul et al with Academy products filling the gaps.

None of us know how close the club is to paying the full salary cap. In the past they've suggested they go pretty close to it, but actually I think it's almost irrelevant. The question surrounding the squad and the money spent should be "has Mc spent the money well or has he wasted it?"

Everyone knew the pack was lightweight and a priority signing was a big, bullocking prop forward. Instead, Mc signs two beefed-up 2nd rows in Matt James and Oliver Wilkes. Even Ben Jones (who hasn't even figured yet despite the injuries!) isn't exactly a big prop.

Ryan Esders? He's a championship standard player, everyone who saw him play last season would agree. But to sign him and then release Joe Mbu (a somewhat limited but determined and wholehearted player) at the same time?

IMO, whatever money he has, he's spent it very poorly.


As for a replacement, I think we all know that there are any number of Australian coaches that would have an immediate impact; just sorting out the defensive line and giving them a simple, coherent attacking game plan would be a start. If there is money to spend and we're looking for a proven coach then I'd shout for Steve Follkes or Graham Murray.
If we're doing it a bit cheaper and looking at someone building (or rebuilding) a coaching career then Michael Fairleigh did a great job with the Cook Islands last year. Michael Hagan is out of work, Jim Dymock, Jason Taylor, (even Brad Fitler?) and any number of number 2's across the NRL.
If we're really broke then Dave Woods did a great job with zero money at both Cas and Gateshead and is still in the country.

I think any of these would be a better option.

James & Wilkes? Beefed Up?

Bring back Solo! Even Mbu was a powerhouse compared to our current pack.

Also, what has happened to Dave Williams and Luke May?

We're being told we're short of players yet we have 2 who seem to be on permanent loan to Skolars.

With the way the team in general performed last week, put them in the starting line up - they can't make it any worse!

I don't really see Mac as a Burberry man TBH.

David Fairleigh is part of the Central Coast Bears' bid for 2013. He is also currently helping the NZ Warriors out as Ivan Cleary is a former bear also.

And how, exactly, are we meant to know "about the club"?

They never bloody tell us anything! It's hard enough buying a ticket some days. Try getting them to reply to an email — chance would be a fine thing!

Sorry we're not all so privileged to be in a position to "know about the club".