Don’t need to get a grip we have had 2 decent seasons apart from that we are whipping fodder. Is the reason that SL struggles as it’s the usual 4-5 clubs and the rest make up the numbers. Is it the reason why fans of smaller clubs see Toronto as threat to their Superleague place. The more this carries on the more you have to say just the one up one down scenario may not be good enough as we seem to scrape through each year.

What? In 20 years?

How can any Wakefield supporter still believe Chester should still be in a job? We are woeful, simply woeful. The signs were there most of last season and in the pre season games such as the Hull kr game and definitely Huddersfield that we had no idea how to break a side down and post points. We lose by only 4 last week and it's as if we've turned a corner, no saints were terrible and we had no idea how to capitalise.

Saints were very good today and obviously had a rocket from the coach but it's no excuse for that 80 minutes. The sky team rave about Walmsley but he thrives on ruck speed which saints give him playing for us he'd look as average as the likes of Green and Navarette. Even Amor and LMS were making metres for fun would they do that at Wakey?

I've supported Wakefield through thick and thin since 1989 but I can't stomach this outfit. Chester is the only coach since I've been watching who has never had his best players sold to the big boys and within reason can get players he wants. Yet I had more enjoyment watching the thrown together sides under toppo, kear etc. Than this so called Super League outfit.

Chester for me got lucky in 2017 when a lot of players hit a peak all at the same time and we almost made the semis. He's lived off this for me. In 2016 he turned it round for a top 8 finish but think we lost about 8-9 in a row. Ditto 2018 when we managed 5th to be fair when a few teams were underachieving. 2019 despite a good start we ended in a last day relegation scrap again. Fair enough a lenghty injury list but we won games with the fringe players.

Now I think Chester is always looking for the excuses before a ball has been kicked and the players are buying into this negativity, his body language in interviews is not a positive confident coach for me. All clubs have had issues with Covid19 fair enough, but we has (armchair) fans deserve better than hoping to keep teams under 60.

Fair enough we can write this season off but if the clear problems we have aren't addressed we're down simple as, then no club at all Pointless signing an 'organiser' such as Sam Williams if the fundamental problems we have aren't solved such as fitness, running hard, tackling hard, controlling the ball and kicking well. Ok bringing in Poching but I think we need a change of head coach to bring it about.

Blind Lemon Jefferson could do no worse

I agree nobody gave in. I thought there was a lot of effort but in by the team albeit not very effective. It was therefore a surprise and disappointment at the end of the game when Chester said there were only about eight players making any effort. How demotivating will that be to the players

I haven't read the whole of this thread as I'm too p'd off to do so but my thoughts (for what they're worth)

I think the knees into Walker from Naiqama early on affected his confidence. Possibly should have been more than a penalty as I think Naiqama could have pulled out if he'd wanted to.
Saints line speed absolutely killed us, we are slower than a lot of teams at passing the ball anyway and when they were up on us so fast we were never going to get anywhere. We can complain about them being offside all we like but if the referee doesn't give it then we have to play to the whistle and get on with it.
We don't have a single forward who takes the ball at pace, everyone of them receives it practically standing still and therefore struggles to make the impact of other teams.
Last week Rocky's kicking was praised as he consistently put the ball away from opposition players. This week every kick we had, maybe one or two exceptions, went straight to one of their players.

I've had a lot of sympathy for Chester because of the injuries we've had and the Covid stand-downs messing teams up at the last minute but that doesn't excuse some of the things mentioned above that are in my mind the basics:
Passing too slow
Forwards not running onto the ball
Kicking game woeful

I have to agree now it's time for a change - coach and backroom staff.
Sorry Chris but your time is up.

I remember when Chester first came in he said the first thing to do was to get the team “smiling” when they came into work. Wonder how many players are now “smiling” when they rock up for training.

P.S the ones Chester are criticising for effort Max isn’t one of them ended up doing Walker’s job for him.

Great effort from Max to keep Dodd from scoring, which I believe he actually did but once again we get no luck with the on-field decision and therefore the video ref decision. Not that it would have made a difference but like you say if Chester is criticising effort then Max shouldn't be on the end of that. Game was totally gone but he still put in 100% to prevent that try.

I remember when Chester first started too!
He inherited a team that was extremely fit and one which contained some quality players who had a point to prove. Tupou, Ashurst, Kirmond, BJB, Finn, England, Arona amongst others. He also got Johnstone and Jowitt, two young player of the year candidates and eventual winners.

On the negative side which quickly became a positive, the team was demoralised after Smiths 6:00am training regime and strict disciplinarian approach. Chester’s introduction brought some desperately desired relief to the tense atmosphere and the players began to enjoy their Rugby again.

The benefit during that crossover period was the combination of happy players who were fit and had a point to prove. Good times followed but the signs were soon there that elements of our performances were beginning to slip backwards, most notably fitness and defensive organisation.

A combination of things helped us to ignore the slide, a number of clubs, Wigan, Leeds, Catalan, Warrington, Sts & Huddersfield, who’d resided at the top of the league were underperforming or rebuilding and their fall into the bottom half of the table left us an opportunity to finish higher than expected.

John Kears addition to the coaching staff brought about a better defensive structure but his departure after 1 season soon saw his effect on the wane.

We had some amazing highlights that made the good times seem even better, 62-0 v Wigan, Tom Johnstone’s rise, Bill Tupou and Matty Ashursts form and the inclusion of all three into the Dream Team. The arrival of Fifita with his smiling, fan engaging performances made us all think we were building a team that might stay in the lofty position of 5th or maybe even a Challenge Cup Final.

The rot however was there from early on, we never fixed the defensive issues, we didn’t replace key members of the team, poor bargain basement signings, falling fitness levels and an unimaginative attacking game left us susceptible to any form of adversity.

Now with 5 wins from 33 games we are cruelly but predictably exposed and our coaching team doesn’t have the knowledge to turn this ship around. This season we are sailing in a flat calm but there are warnings of bergs ahead. One in particular has relegation written on it but our Captain seems intent on stoking up the final boiler in the blind hope that we won’t hit it!

Let’s hope it doesn’t sink us!

Its not difficult when the opposing forwards receive the ball, standing, 10 meters back from dummy half.

Any team, whos forwards arent receiving the ball, at pace, at the gain line need to ask questions as to why.

Chester & his coaching team should look at what St's were doing last night & coach the side to do exactly that, It was a masterclass on how to attack & defend. They could only do this by getting fit. But Chester never learns anything. What St's did last night is not unachievable, But a new mindset, coaching wise has to be set

Saints were indeed marginally off-side for the entire game, they also got away with a lot of second efforts in the tackle. However, we were perpetually off-side and we messed around in the ruck.

The difference was that Saints were doing it to gain an advantage. We ere doing it to slow the game down or because we simply couldn't get back on side, either because we weren't fit or weren't motivated.

I can't complain at Saints for taking advantage of a weak ref. A Ref who by the way had he not been so lax would have been officiating over a 70+ massacre.

The tragedy is Roby was no better than Wood on the night, the difference was Wood was playing alone whilst Roby was part of a machine.