Need props, end of story

To be replaced by Jamie Rooney if rumours are correct!

No it's not actually - we need cohesion and team spirit, this prop stuff is absolute rubbish - do you really think one player will make that big a difference..

There is nothing wrong with this squad on paper just on grass and the idea that a prop will turn it is pure fantasy IMHO. The under performance of this team is due to many things and it's quite complex and the lack of this mythical prop is way down the list.

1: No backbone of senior players who have been at the club for a while and have a feel for the club.

2: A previous Coach replaced by one who's track record in the game is inferior. Usually you replace a Coach with one who is at least as good if not better. Agar may make the grade but for now he is not IMHO in the same class as JK who himself had limitations.

3: Fundamentally WTWRLFC is a start up business with all the problems that brings.

4: The squad is still very new and it is the whole squad.

5: We are still a small clubs with perceived low expectations which in turn attracts those kind of players.

6: Squad is still on the young side.

7: Other more established teams improved a lot in the close season.

8: We lack a kicking game and the player to provide it which is far more of an issue than a prop.

9: We lack a bit of go forward, this is more to do with ticker than size.

It's complex and there is not one particular issue but many - it will take a while to get right sadly. To blame just one person or pick on one position is ludicrously simplistic I'm afraid and not the answer.

Just out of interest who are the senior players who have been at the club for a while? I genuinely can't think of any!

I actually agree and disagree to some extent. A lot of what you say is bang on and the comment about ticker is valid. But there is an old saying that rings true here, 'a good big 'un will always beat a good little 'un'. A good kicking game can only ever come from a dominent pack and that is something that we aren't. Not only are we down on metres made (the stats don't lie) but we lose the physical battle on the floor, thus meaning a slow play the ball. This negates Aitons running ability from acting half and means not only are we kicking from deep but the kicks are also rushed, hence them going down the opposition fullback or wingers throat. We build no momemtum so our only hope is a real fast start and try to build a lead. If this doesn't work we start to panic and the mistakes and penalties happen.

This is down to a pure lack of size. The guys are tryers but only Amor & Wilkes for me are week in week out superleague standard prop forwards. Raleigh & Johnson (who remember finished last year playing in the backrow because he was shot) are converted second rowers and the week in, week out grind isn't there strongest suit. They could do a job for a week or two and have tried manfully but sorry, they just ain't props. With Ali missing they could be handy right now in the back row to give that some size but we don't have that option.

But yes of course you're right that just signing a prop or two won't magically solve all our problems, but its the unwritten rule that when building a team you start with the pack because that keeps you in games, then get yourself some match winners. We've done it back to front. 9 times out of 10 if you lose the forwards battle you lose the match. I had no issue with Korkidas & Higgins being released as they aren't necessarily great players but they both had a presence. Getting rid and not replacing them with anything better seems bizarre. Maybe Agar had plans that fell through and we seem to have dropped one with the Ewan Dowes affair, he'd have been very handy right now. We need to build the platform for our halfbacks to do their job. Tim Smith has a good kicking game given a chance but right now even Darren Lockyer & Andrew Johns in their pomp would struggle with a split seconds kicking time on their own 30 metre line. We need some size and presnce to give the opposition something to worry about going forward and put them on their backsides when they have the ball. When we get that many of the points you make might just click into gear, until then theres no chance.

I agree and as the length of your reply suggests it's complex. Yes a bigger pack would help but for many reasons it's not available. That said we still have enough players to compensate for that. Cas do not have a great pack but they steamrollered us down the middle, even converted S/R's (which I don't accept there is such a thing) should be able to have coped with Cas a lot better. I do get the size issue, but it's not the be al and end all there are enough options in this squad to find a way around it - this IMO is where we are failing.

The longest serving senior player is Wilkes if you ignore the 2 year break. The most senior player is probably Matty Wildie in terms of seasons and games played

One thing i don't get in this is why Matt James hasn't been given a chance earlier. He's a natural prop and as a wakey lad is likely to have the fire in his belly to put himself around. Surely he would have been a better option than playing southern there who never looked comfortable in the role. Maybe he will be part of the answer, maybe he won't but i hope now he is given a run of games to prove himself and not just ditched straight away.

Apparently he's a midget.

According to NGBC he's one of them shire folk.

Scott Moore, aka alecat21. Says it all really.

Off to Giants. You heard it here first. Anyway, wouldn't touch him with Kath Hetherington's knickers , but Gary might!

No he wont be going to you lot even he sets his self standards.

Huddersfield are letting Lunt go out on loan so they can bring Moore in. I think Lunt is the better player, strange move.