Here's one question, I keeped asking myself. Would we have struggled in this game if it was last year???

No i think even our team under Millward would've beaten this lot tonight , they were very poor

Last year we seemed to feel the pressure & freeze @ home, tonight we looked like we where feeding off the crowds passion & enthusiasm. I hope we can make the DW a bit of a fortress. I suppose next week will be a big step up.

We've got to be happy with that start but things can get better. Our attack was edgy at times and needed to show more patience but overall we got the job done very well.

There were some really encouraging signs especially in terms of a team defence. It looked on fire at Warrington and again tonight and didn't give them an inch to move in. Their attack was very poor again like last week but still it was a good effort.

Individual wise- Whats happened to Amos Roberts? At Wire and again tonight that can't be the same man! He just looks explosive and totally commited in everything he does.

Fielden caused a defence more problems then he's done for a very long time

Joel Tomkins was outstanding I thought and they just couldn't get to grips with him at times

I thought Phelps looked classy chiming in the line again from fullback

Lockers was Lockers and had a very good game as per usual

I thought Coley looked like a man that wanted a starting spot back

Deacon showed some nice touches

Man of the match must surely be Joel Tomkins. Ran with intensity, always forced the defence backwards and used his weight properly. Also showed some great handling too and put Roberts through for a try with some good attacking play.
In defence he was getting around and made a decent number of tackles which was nice to see.
I'm pretty sure he played the full 80 and he didn't let up at all during the game.

Fielden was also much improved, all of our props played well and did what was asked of them. Feka may not be quite as effective at the moment but the fact that he is making more drives when he's on the pitch and plays the ball quicker more than makes up for it.
Hansen was actually making yards in attack which is something he struggled with in the past, whilst Mossop put in a typically Mossop like perfomance, no nonsense in attack and defence and making an impact.

The flair in attack and willingness to do something unexpected was great to see and made it quite enjoyable. I doubt Noble would have liked the side doing half the stuff that was tried tonight. The aggression and instensity in defence was outstanding at times.

I thought both second rowers went really well and fair play to Maguire for sticking to his word from the fans forum and keeping players who are playing well on the field.

Mossop struggled to get on because J Tomkins and Hansen were playing very well. He did however make a huge impact when he came on. He's a dimond of a player.

Great first performance, I thought Fielden and J Tomkins were the stars of the show, can't wait for next week. Well done to the whole team.

Over all I thought it was a good enough performance tonight and blew a few more cobwebs away. A bit more steadiness in attack and we could have scored more points.

Our defence looks to have improved, which I'm pleased about. Good signs for the rest of the season.

I think a lot of little things combined to make that performance better than any we put in against struggling sides last season. Speed at the PTB was a big factor but several players have stepped up a gear from last season it seems. Roberts is the obvious one who looked in reverse at times in 2009. The pace and effort he put in for his try was better than most of his 2009 season combined. It was great.

Fielden looked really up for it but as someone said his execution wasn't always there. I was most impressed with J Tomkins. They couldn't hold him and in the first half in particular he made a lot of yards.

Feka's speed off the mark is much better than last season and Gleeson looks up for it so I hope the obvious knock the ankle he took isn't serious.

There were a few things that needed sorting out mostly handling and a bit of decision making. Just before he scored his try from Deacon's kick Phelps should have passed the ball but went for glory (got his head taken off for his trouble) and Sam held on to the ball bit too long at times but when he did pass at the right time he was very dangerous. Minor issues the coach will I am sure rectify.

Overall we beat was was in front of us convincingly and with some flair and inventiveness we never seemed to have last year. Would we have seen the kind of kick Deacon put up for Phelps try last time?

Next week will be much harder so we can't get carried away but I already think we will be a far less predictable side than last season and I think all the players in that 17 will still have to play for their places so I don't think we will get complacent.

Dave

I dont think it would have been as easy but we wouldnt have struggled. I think at the beginning when crusaders had alot of ball in our half,a year ago they would have probably gone in for a first try but we stuck out and our defence was superb. Thats gonna be the big difference this year.

Quick question for you guys, why didn't O Carroll play and can you see him getting much first team action this season??

Harrison Hansen! Tackled anything and everything IMO tonight, J.Tomkins outstanding, where will Bailey fit in when fit?

I guess the coach simply felt Prescott was the better option. If you had asked me would O'Carroll get much game time this time last season (yes, just one game in) I'd have said that the 17 that played today was nailed on for all the rounds unless injured or suspended. Under Maguire I don't expect that to be the case so I think he will get his chance and like all the rest of them he will have to make a case for continued selection.

Dave

Offensively no. Defensively though we wouldn't have kept them quiet so much. Would have been more 38-20 ish I reckon.

I thought he didn't play because he was simply the 5th best prop on the field for us in the friendly against Wire. He's had a very good game at Wakefield before that in pre season but didn't have his best game against Wire.

He'll get games though. We're bound to get injuries and players are bound to lose form. The current coach will use his squad as and when he see's fit imo to get the best from it. Guys like O'Carroll, Goulding, Pryce and McILorum will all see games at some point.