We need to respect when we build a lead, simple as that.

It's worrying that we're falling away in the 2nd half of games. Last season we were very strong at the end of game so what's changed? radford talked pre season about not flogging the players and having a different approach so we don't burn out. Is that the reason? Whilst houghton is a massive miss, it doesn't account for us being good 1st half, dire in the 2nd for the last 2 games. Is it mental fragility, lack of leadership or us simply switching off when ahead? Whatever it is needs sorting as we have much bigger tests coming up than wigan reserves or dire wire

I think we have improvement in us, personally. As do all teams. We've scored some good tries this year, although not enough of them, and have the best defence in the competition. Cas have one more point than us and their wins have come against the teams in 12th, 11th, 10th, 9th, 8th and 2nd. Our errors in our 3rd of the field are hurting us. I could see us losing to Salford and Leeds, then maybe sneaking a win against Leigh which would likely leave us around 4th after Easter, hopefully then getting Houghton back to relieve the defensive workload;the timing of his loss couldn't be worse TBH. I do think the squad depth point has been over-egged in some parts and we've taken a punt with lack of cover at hooker which has backfired.

I'm not sure it's a mental thing, more that mistakes in our 30 mean we end up defending intensely for long periods which is very draining.

It's not fitness. We've not come in less fit. It's lack of brains and stupidity with a lack of killer instinct. Cas have wigan and wire in the positions we did they go on to win by 40 in both..We get slack and invite them back. By time we lose loads of ball and defend for massive spells(or full halfs) were fooked. Killing ourselves. If we're holding back to conserve energy it's massively not workinG

Twice we went for goal yesterday 8 up. Don't get that mentality.
Twice near the end we aimlessly booted the ball dead plus a drop shot miles out with tackles in the bag. Hence giving 7 tackle sets away and making it easier for them to position for a shot. Their last drop attempt deserved to go over to punish our stupidity. If patton had played instead of gidley we'd of lost

But he didn't and we didn't.

seems us supporters are split about last few games, some think 3 out of 4 isn't to bad , others think its not, unbeaten in 5 after playing saints, wigan away wires away, one point of top, imo we have improvement in us and apart from cas all teams are beating each other, top 4 was our aim at start of season and I see no reason to think that we wont, imo we cant play like world beaters all season, whatever some say about wigan reserves and crap wires its still hard to go there and win, played 7 lost 1 not to bad a start is it, improvement in us yes, so even better then,

In that case "If Houghton had played we would have won"

Was a game of first one team, then the other not respecting possession. And first one team then the other benefitting from that in equal measure.
Wire may have turned a corner yesterday, I thought they threw it about and looked dangerous 2nd half. If Wire do continue in that vein then yesterday's point will look even better.
We take it and move on.
Radders does another week of catching and defensive shape and Yeamo does a few 1 on 1 sessions with Griffo.
Overall, were going well enough and we haven't played for 80mins yet.

That is probably true tbf. But gidley looks shot this yr and was of massive detriment to them

I do believe we have loads of improving in us. Just seems real slow getting to it. 7 in plus friendlies. Not 1 of hulls wins this yr would I have rated against our best 15 wins last. Just saying we're riding our luck a bit. Cas have played similar teams that's true. But it shows in the fact we've muddled past teams and Cas have racked big scores up.

We have only played Toronto in friendly rest was getting work in to the young players.
Cas have been near enough full strength since we played them with our young ones 3 month back , they'll collapse like we did last year. Easter will catch them out .

apart from leeds and salford, cas have played all the teams at the bottom, still have to play wigan, us, saints, and wakey

Why do you think they'll collapse. What about them shouts that? Given they've played teams without key men and still whammed them. They put the best part of 70 on leeds without roberts or chase. Cas ain't going anywhere soon imo
We played salford as well. That's 2 friendlies and 7 games. Which is still slow getting up to speed.
But if you go back wembley was our last performance..But as a team performance if you break it down that wasn't actually that great. Semi v wigan in July was last time we've been really good with a complete performance. In the meantime loads of games with the same issues

Just watched SLS and there was some really soft defence particularly for Russell's first and Clark's try.

I'm exactly the same as Mrs B though, it's a coping mechanism. Drives my eldest barmy but as I say to him...I've seen us fook up so many times over the years, it's very hard not to look at the negative side when you can feel the momentum shift teams which is exactly what happened at Wigan & Wire.