[quote="pmarrow":khttzuv1]Overall I wasnt that impressed tonight, whether the personal we lost impacted the drop in intensity ill never know. However I wasnt expecting much from the game so we move on. I really thought we would have lost our first two games so to have won 1 out the 2 is something. Move on dont dwell, ive still seen enough to think we will be better then last year. Far from being a boo boy yet, long journey ahead which we all know.[/quote:khttzuv1] Several factors I felt contributed to a loss: injuries, missed go forward in Ashworth, then Sao, so injuries are an issue including Hardaker. Wigan were just really good - strong, fast agile, well drilled, inventive, thinking on their feet, etc, etc. I did feel that we have potential in that we have quicker distribution a decent spine, some young talent, some valuable experienced players and a close up look at where we need to beafter 80 mins against a top outfit. I do see now that perhaps apart from his defence Fash is lacking, not sure about Gardiner. Thought Lane was ok. We missed Cartwright big time. Need another prop and back rower but that’s not a new idea I wasn’t happy about the tackle on Ligi. Didn’t Asiata get in trouble for similar tackles a season or two before? This is a developmental team, we all know it. Last nights result is not the end of the world. Bye the way I think our discipline was better too. S So let’s stay positive and aim for lower mid table. Don’t see anyone but Wigan winning the GF

Re: Wilf's post above. Think that captures what most of us are feeling this morning, perfect summation of last night We're in it for the long haul (we have no choice really but to do otherwise!). There were positives, negatives, talking points galore from last night, all perfectly encapsulated by Wilf, as always. There's a long road ahead of us if we are to get even remotely back to where we all wish to be and I think we all knew it's going to be a long hard bumpy road, last night simply reinforced just how much work is required to set the ship sailing once more. Let's hope that a few of the floating voters who turned out last night see the game for what it was (a lesson by the very best in the business), can see a couple of the green shoots of recovery and don't desert us for another twelve months or until the next cheap ticket offer! As Wilf so eloquently states above, the long suffering hardcore are well used to knocks and disappointments when it comes to our club, we will be here no matter what, let us hope a few of the uncommitted/unconvinced stick by us as well. If last night's game had been against anyone else, it would have been a joy to watch Wigan play in that manner, but as we were the opponents it made for a painful night's '[i:15jhqykm]entertainment[/i:15jhqykm]' It's a strange feeling admiring someone as they are giving you a good kicking!! but that was how last night felt to me. We simply need to be realistic here, chalk up last night to experience and move on to the (ongoing) job in hand, the long rebuild of Hull Fc, which is happening but only slowly right now. Hopefully there are better times ahead and I get the feeling that virtually every poster on here recognises that it will take time to right some many wrongs the club has made in the recent past, but the road back has begun. I just hope I get to witness the better times before I'm fully into my dotage when I may have difficulty remembering the previous night's game anyway!!! Hopefully before I reach that state of affairs!!

Lets hope Catalans wasn't a false dawn , There was some small glimmers of hope last night to suggest we wont be as bad as last season .

Expected result was just hoping we kept it tighter. Wigan were ruthless and would have put that score on a few teams in the league. Hopefully Myler can get 2/3 players in soon. The likes of Fash, Lane and Chamberlain aren’t gunna cut it if they are regulars each week but we already knew that.

[quote="The Dentist Wilf":3roo8nni]It’s a funny old game!!! Not so much Rugby League but more this being a fan business. The word itself depicts a fanatic and so we are all are really, because even after watching the club into my sixth decade I never cease to be amazed by how the pre-season hype, marketing and general talking up inspires me each year and convinces me things are back on track, a miracle has occurred and we will do well in the coming season. Last night we sat there and witnessed a visiting team as good as anything our competition has produced that would hold their own very well in the NRL. I’m not saying Wigan would win it but boy, they’d give it a good go and were they good last night? Stinging after a defeat as they were, it’s unlikely any other Super League club would have beaten them. However biased I am towards the club I love, however much I want a magic wand to have been waved you have to admit that and I have to be a bit more realistic as to just how far we have to travel to get anywhere near that level of performance. Had we kicked on from 2017 we could have been up there but it’s hard to see how our attaining that level again will not take several seasons of building a team and developing the squad. How far we have been allowed to fall is the real disgrace really and yet we pitch up in our absolute thousands full of hope for a new beginning yet with many of us knowing in our hearts, through bitter experience, that it very likely that disappointment will continue to haunt many aspects of the season ahead. I’m trying to not let the disappointment that comes with losing to a brilliant opponent on the night, colour our judgement for there were positives. We hung in, there the resolve to be better was there for all to see, the line speed was OK the ruck was a lot better we never gave up on what was a lost cause, we have tons of potential, we had some bad luck and tough calls but everyone tried. And at last facing a big defeat heads didn’t go down. I can hack it as long as that continues, but it’s a shame for those less case-hardened individuals who want to see a winning team and turned up fuelled by the hype and expectation, one win at a very average Catalan brought and who have not wintered and summered the almost unique experience of being an FC fan ‘till I die’. The team isn’t good enough is it? WE have signed as well as an ailing club could have, but it remains to be seen how signing older players for their experience will impact on out injury situation going forward. That was always a worry for me, but by and large we have recruited pretty well. I also think the coach is good enough (his post-match interview was succinct honest and realistic) and I’m of the school of thought that if he can’t do it no one can!!! I rate our football manager thus far too. In addition, anyone who has had a chat with the new owner will know that he is in it for the long haul really passionate about the club and very realistic about the task ahead. Some players we fielded last night wouldn’t have got anywhere near the 2016/17 squad 1 to 30, but we are building and we have to rely on those less gifted both in ability and size to do their best and let’s face it last night they all did. Brad Fash is a point of question on this front. He’ll never be a second row forward, he’s not tall enough, he doesn’t have the hands and he's short on speed. Nor is he big enough for a prop, but he put his hand up, he’s FC through and through he gave his absolute all and ran himself to a standstill. He’ll probably knows that he’ll be replaced in the fullness of time, but in the mean-time we can really ask for nothing more. I think that can be said for most of the others too, well beaten but certainly not unbowed. How a few more disappointments will impact on that resolve remains to be seen. But last night Wigan were just too good. When power was needed they had, it they showed patience, discipline, had pace to burn and so much skill through their spine. We chased the game throughout and weren’t at the races, but we tried and never gave in and that for me is a massive plus on last season. All we can now do is stick with the team as we always do, but let’s take heart in the fact that a lot looks different now and we have to take that build on it and move forward. It’s going to be a long hard season but the fact the players are hurting because they felt they let us down is proof enough that things have changed. Let’s just hope for a bit more luck than we usually get on the injury front!![/quote:3roo8nni] Brilliant post Pete, The analysis of Fashy is spot on, he never stops, frightened of nothing, but endeavour is always beaten by quality, and we need to replenish our squad as I said pre game. Hopefully we can find the available personnel asap. We did show some good shape last night, just didn’t have the strike to finish it. Rapanas hit on Field was worth the attendance ticket alone, and Young Pablos got some talent. Just waiting for the good old RFL to put the usual boot in now.

I'm not a fan of breaking up the spine but with the plaudits Moy was getting preseason I'm really thinking we should move Rapana into the centres. Chamberlain is just poor and it's mind boggling we offered him a 3 year deal. Having said that, I still think he would do a better job in the second row than Fash can. I just think we'd be a bit better balanced and I know that Rapana isn't a established centre, I just think he would actually add an attacking threat there and sharpen things up defensively. OR I'd be happy to see Westerman given a chance but I feel like I've read either Carty or Myler say they think he's still a year away from been ready. He maybe could handle a couple of games just until Hardaker is back. It was quite painful watching Chamberlain have open space in front of him and his winger outside of him (might have been a 2 on 1) but then kicking dead for a 7 tackle set (which Wigan I think scored from?).