As recruitment and retention dominate our thoughts once again isn't it interesting to look at the Cas side that beat Wigan on Saturday.

No fewer than 4 'rejects' played in this game - Jamie Ellis, Lynch, Dixon and Wheeldon. At the beginning of this season, answer honestly, how many of these would have got in our 17 - most on here would without a doubt say none.

Interesting eh!

Discuss.......

It is interesting. Though for me, the most interesting thing is that Darryl Powell has taken a rag tag bunch of cast offs (this label unfairly applied in many cases) and turned them into the surprise package of the competition. No one gave them a chance after Chase left and a supposed "talented" coach in Ian Millward failed to deliver (my opinions on Millward's class are at odds with many of his fans).

It's an impressive turn around this season after being a gimme fixture since they came back into SL. Well done to Powell I say.

The only one that would get close to our 17 is Lynch.

The discussion to be had here isn't about recruitment, it's about the difference a good coach can make. Lynch is a good player, the other 3 are bang average. Yet Powell has got them playing well.

Its precisely what some fail to see. This is a classic example of what a good coach can do. Powell has good players playing to a system and with desire and pride. We have had very few coaches over the years capable of this. Kear managed it for the odd game (2005 CUP RUN) In my time of supporting the club only Smith and Bunting have managed it for us.
Powell is working within a tight budget with a group of players who whilst they are of SL standard are playing far beyond the sum of their parts. I personally hope that Cas are not raided in the winter as I think Powell is going places with them.

Not only that but how many ex FC players are in the Semi Finals?

They'd all be as bad as they were previously if they came back here

could just about get a team of ex FC together

1. tansey
2. dixon
3. arundel (on loan)
4. turner
5. briscoe
6. hall
7. ellis
8. lynch
9. hodgson
10. wheeldon
11. g horne
12. manu
13. washbrook

not all rejects but apart from a couple most will be seen as that

The one recruit from hull to cas who has made the biggest difference his Ben cooper the conditioner, he's turned us from semi pro to the fittest team in the league.

Presumably he's conspired to get your guys fitter than before

This Ben Cooper? www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-league/16354818

This Ben Cooper? www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-league/16354818

The obvious answer is the coach yes, what Powell has done with these players.........

However, no one has mentioned that Cas have regular half backs who although not big names by any stretch are more than capable of leading a side around with a first class kicking game too. Both their regular halves, Sneyd and Finn are a country mile better than our young bucks (currently!)

So, if these 2 were in our side would we also be transformed? Impossible to answer but I think we'd have won a number of games we've lost with these two 'unknowns'.

Comes down to recruitment to me, rather than the coach. Just my opinion.

Or that Powell is capable of getting the best out of what he has available unlike Radford.

I didn't realise Radford had no say in recruitment?

He has but his hands were tied massively this year because of previous recruitment and been appointed so late.

more excuses

when will someone ever take responsibility (and not just aimed at Radford, it seems our perennial excuse "not his team"icon_wink.gif