Quote: PopTart "I would add to that and say every team last year appreciated how a big squad will help you through the season
Of course I'd quite happily have a couple of top quality players but the very fact that those players can be injured a la Hull KR you need plenty of above average if not top quality to come in and take over.
We were very lucky with Miller and Finn last year. The odds are stacked against us to go through a season with our best players on the field 100% of the time again.
We now have some cover at half back and certainly through the middle backs.
The numbers will hopefully push quality up as well as they fight for their place.
There is no doubt that you need a quality player or two in your team, but if you reduce your squad too much to get them, you'll come unstuck.
Cas is a good example of using their bigger squad. They however have extended their squad with some internal development as well which is helping them out a lot. We look to be progressing in a similar way, but are not quite at their level yet in numbers.
In my opinion a good squad should be able to handle a season long injury to a FB, 3/4, half back, Prop, hooker and back row, and be confident that the replacement in each case can continue the momentum without the team suffering badly. That is a 23 man squad to just turn a 17 out.
In worse case you lose more than one in the same position so more are needed. And the kids that you but in the squad need to be able to play. They are not there to learn, they should only get a number if you are confident that they could hold their own.
Wood is a key part of all that. I thought he got unnecessary stick first time round, and he has got better since then.'"
Last time around Wood creates a break from his own half that produces the try of the game and takes an offload from Raleigh against Leeds to score a try that turns the game which we win. You watch it on you know which channel - Wakefield v Leeds 2012 (we had that green stripe shirt on) Woods runs that game and is the best play maker on the park that day. We only need him to play like that 2 or 3 times a year and we'll win those three games which makes him worth every penny and assuming Williams, Miller and Finn do the same in other games we will do ok - it's called being part of a team.
