Exactly the same as what i said.



I agree about us hopefully capitalising on it as well. I think in all likely hood Saints will be our closest rivals for a few seasons.

I thought Tony Smith got it wrong with his team selection for Catalans. He had three men missing for that one and those who played were still getting over the trip and the game.
McDermott though rested his main players for the Bradford game, they lost and he got pilloried. Yet his team looked the fresher and 14-0 in their favour at half time meant game over.
Leeds fans won't give a thought (or anything else) about the Bradford loss if they win the C Cup after all these years.

We're at the total opposite end of the scale aren't we in that we can only improve 'if' we can keep a reasonably settled squad. We've got so much improvement in almost every member of the squad and we only have two players in Bowen and Lockers who may only have another season or two in them. Unlike Wire and Leeds we have decent options to replace those guys anyway both internally and externally via lads like Hampshire, Bateman and possibly a certain Sam Tomkins.

It would be a waste if we don't at least continue to compete for trophies over the next 5+ years.

Well, they couldn't have been given a better chance. London next week, McDermott could rest nearly everyone and still expect a result, whereas what does Daz Powell do against Warrington? Rest a few for the CC final and sod the two points in the league, or just head down and go for both?

wire were anonymous, only noticed Westwood was playing in the second half!

anyone else think Halls 2nd try was forward? I notice they never showed the side on view in any of the replays after the first time.

Didnt affect the result anyhow.

Criticises margin of victory.....in a semi final.

One of the dumbest things I've read on here.

Some Nice sensible reasoned points. All very fair assumptions of our shortcomings on Saturday.
It was disappointing that we gave so much ball to Leeds which simply drained us. I think the stats were 80% possession for Leeds for the first 20 minutes and they were just 2 nil up.... so I'm not that worried for play offs if we face them again, I doubt they'll get that level of possession again.

But Picking up on Rogues' special rule he has about players over 30 in a team meaning it's rubbish.
we'll replace:
M Monas: with

Darryl Clark (I have heard it off a current SL coach so I'm not being arrogant)
Waterhouse: with Ben Currie (19) who has been Second row on the 10 game unbeaten run while 'House was injured
Asotasi: being rubbish is fuelling rumours we may offload him, so Simms would be his replacement (29..phew!!)
Wood: is the odd one he's been poor and injured a lot but he may do one more year because Mike Cooper has one more season in the NRL with St George before he comes back to us, and he has been playing very well indeed. so that would be a twenty something warrington academy product with first grade NRL experience.... that's Rogues worst nightmare...
Higham again while no one rates him on here he's been superb for us, he'll go another year and then more than likely make way for academy product Brad Dwyer to step up to be Clarks understudy.
Bridge: no problems in good nick, great utility, player bags of experience.

Westwood clearly needs help. Along with Hill they have had to carry a young inexperienced pack(England, Evans, G Riley, Laithwaite, Curry etc etc) Wood And waterhous have not played much and Asotasi isn't ever given more than half an hours game time. Ashton Simms will help, he does work that goes noticed. (Our Waterhouse fans tell us his work goes unnoticed)

So while Rogues was clearly having a "look at Wigan full of kids (but not in the Semis btw)and dirty old Warrington full of over 30's" jibe. it wasn't a great jibe as its all largely sorted for next season, and we lost a lot of old farts at the end of last season as well, one of which has just bagged himself his fifth Wembley Final (Carvell).

Out of interest, is it a given that Cooper is going back to Wire when his current deal ends? No risk of him, yknow, getting another one or possibly looking at a different NRL club?

I ask because he was fairly anonymous over here, but seems to be going steady for now in the NRL, why would he come back? What for exactly?

There's a reason why he hasn't been signed by an NRL club and Wire have signed him instead and it's not because he loves the Wolfs, it's because he's steady at best and can't get a look-in in the NRL.

Also, he'll be 30 by the time next season starts.

Ashton Simms isn't gifted like his brother Tariq but he more than makes up with it in his desire and effort, polar opposite to Roy Asotasi.

Of the four semi final teams I thought Cas were the best by some considerable distance.
Leeds must be careful or they won't get the victory most seem they are certain of.
As for Wire and Widnes, the thread title says it all about the Wolfs and Widnes looked a very poor mid table team. As has been said Wire will still have to re-build but their playmakers of Ratchford, Myler and O'Brien aren't good enough. They need to find a half back coach from within the club and promote him to first team duties, if they look deep enough I'm sure they'll find one that knows the half back trade.

Perhaps Briers' enforced departure finally hit them more than they would like to admit.