Will he get a game though. After all we had Bowden fit and available but not considered.

They have to learn our complicated game plan and moves, unfortunately some of our existing squad are still to nail it down.

Exactly.

Pochings team selections have been strange all season and make a mockery of his ‘next man up’ mantra.

It stated against Leeds with two SR at centre and has got progressively more ludicrous since then.

I’ll say again the bloke is not a coach as far as I can see. Or if he is and has some cunning plan I pray it starts next week.

For now though this is the worst coached team I’ve seen whilst we’ve been in SL and there have been a few.

If it were me I’d bring in Somebody as an advisor in the hope that he can rescue Poching from himself.

Probably doesn’t help having two inexperienced assistants.

One thing is for sure that they need to pull it together and lead from the front. It’s all about showing strength, leadership and motivation. It will go a long way.

Defence structure and roles need to be clear and the focus at the moment. You can’t will games capitulating for 20 minutes a game.

I Agee we cannot be relegated something has to be done.

So it was ludicrous to put two second rows in against Leeds? But everyone including you is now slagging off Croft and want Batch to play.

People moaned about Tanginoa not being at SR but I haven't seen him breaking many tackles? And I think he's a weak link in defense.
I didn't like Gaskell taking Max's place but he offered more in attack so when Max had a bad game he gave him a chance.

Which selections would you have done instead?

I get that everyone is upset about the last game but that doesn't mean everything is rubbish. There are some ridiculous things being said because of a result where we lost our scrum half the day before the game and lost a player for 20 minutes in extreme heat. Clearly we didn't manage it well and a lot needs fixing but let's not just burn the house down cos we are upset.

PT to say people are upset because of 1 game is very wide off the mark. We're upset because of 4 years of been bang average

Well below average, it’s not too surprising though is it because the team has been designed that way

Some good players have aged, we’ve lost Tom who was the X factor in the team (see Salford game) but the main contributing factor is that we’ve bought bargain basement, cast offs for season after season.

Guess what, if you shop from the bargain bucket all the time don’t expect to find yourself stacked with quality

Mark Applegarth maybe but I wouldn't call Francis Cummins inexperienced. In addition to his assistant roles and a spell in Rugby Union he has held two super league head coaching roles, totalling nearly 60 games. He's probably one of the most experienced assistants going round.

In reply to PT I am sorry but Croft is not big, strong or fast enough for SL and other teams know it. In our current situation it is go with Croft and watch Kenny-Dowall run rings round him or play Batchelor who is stronger and can tackle. I suppose we could try Gaskell or even Mimms(if that’s how you spell his name) only joking they wouldn’t do that, would they!.
I think he will bring Lineham back don’t know why but fear he might. We should take them on in the forwards but but we shall see.

If you watched Minns last time he played I doubt you’d be wanting him back in. The only player to have had a few good games at right centre since Lyne injury is Batchelor. He’d be my shout.

One SR at centre in an emergency but two, on what planet was that ever a good idea and I said it at the time.

Now two thirds of the way through the season and one of those SR has finally got a bit of a grip on the position and he doesn’t use him. There were options in the forwards so he didn’t have to. Poching could have played the team that got him two wins a few weeks back but just binned it.

So yes a ludicrous decision imo.

There comes a point PT where you can’t defend the indefensible and I’m at it.

Even if Poching turns it round and we stay up, I don’t want another season of this nonsense. The whole team and the coaching set up need pulling down and starting again.

Mark Applegarth is a quality coach whos done wonders with the youth set up and id say he is far from inexperienced ok he not been around coaching the first team that long but he has coached, his knowledge and how he relays this to his team is second to none

My thoughts too - particularly last para!