We have a massive challenge - the season after each good season we have struggled. Can we break that cycle?

Yes thats what I was saying TRB.

We tend to struggle putting two play off seasons together.

Having said that, under Kear, I think we finished 7th,7th and 5th is successive seasons. Unfortunately back then it was top 6 that got in the play offs.

Full Seasons under John Kear;
2007 - 8th
2008 - 8th
2009 - 5th (Play offs)
2010 - 11th

If we sort the defence out for the forthcoming season then we can have another good season. The defence last season was shocking and cost us dearly.

DEFENCE, DEFENCE, DEFENCE is the mantra they should chant for ten minutes before every training session and game. Defence and the points conceded were an embarrassment that marred an otherwise good season last year.

Too true.

The defence is the key.

Even in other sports, such as football.

Didn't Arsenal build from the back when they started to become successful, and also Manchester United.

If you don't concede points. then you are giving yourselves a chance

That's all very true, but Kear was the head coach back then, he's not actually fulfilling the same role this time around is he?

I didn't state he was. It was reference how we have a good season and fail to follow up on that the next season.

I can't see us being any different to any other season.
We'll have some good surprising wins and we'll have some disappointing days too.

The target for me should be to be in the 8, probably 8th and compete well enough that we have a chance of winning a game. Target win at least one game in the 8.
I'd be still happy if we are in the middle 8 but win all our games.
A bad season for me would be the middle 8 and not winning enough games, so risking the playoff game.

Correct PT, there are another 3 or 4 teams on there who you could also make 200/1 because in reality they have very little chance of winning the GF.

I think Shudds and Widnes will be the bottom 2.

The 2010 season, before he left, Kear's playing budget was about £12 due to impending disaster so, perhaps this should be removed from his stats

It's going to be interesting to see what difference it makes, having JK upstairs and concentrating on the management stuff.
You cant help thinking that he will want to have a bit more involvement ?

Ohhhh ok, I must be a bit dim then, I thought you were pointing out that under Kear we kinda did follow it up?!! Unless you count finishing in the same league position, then higher the following one not progressing? We only finshed 11th after that because if memory serves we played half the games with virtually the academy team! Anyway, let's hope he does have a positive impact on his return, I like him as a bloke generally, and hopefully he and CC will work well together, whatever his actual role is.......

Just want us to be competitive, entertaining and perhaps reduce the amount of 50s we get against us. Top 8 has to be the target but not the end of the world if we don't make that cut.

Kear's finishes were

-8th
-8th
-5th
-11th (this is when the wheels started to come off)
-13th (with the youngest side we've had in SL)

Agar

-8th (to his credit after reassembling the squad)
-11th (only a couple of changes)

Agar/Webster

-12th (Webster took over halfway through)

Webster/Smith

- 12th in the league/4th in the middle 8s/winners of MPG (Smith took over halfway through)

Smith/Chester

-8th in the league/8th in the super 8s (Chester took over early on)


-

As a Huddersfield fan I think you'll be challenging for the top 8 as you have a decent team and with Kear coming back might kick on a little more. As for us we'll be back in the top 8 as Stone is a good coach and the players we've got already are pretty good who were unfit and underperformed the majority of. last season.