Not a fan of Radford but to be judging after 3 games is ridiculous. Firstly the season had hardly started when there was a weeks break for the WCC, some teams perform better after a break and some struggle. Give the team at least 10 games before drawing conclusions.

Not quite the same though, is it? Firstly, Wigan went from conceding 2 to 4 tries, and an overall sequence of 4, 3, 2, 4 is fairly consistent anyway. Now I don't expect us to continue conceding only 1 every other game, but nor would I expect it to jump to 6 the week after, either. That's a much more marked decline and slightly worrying. Secondly, there's a bit of a difference in raising your game for what is essentially a cup final, and varying week to week depending upon the 'status' of the opposition.

Having said that, it's still early to be too despondent about it being another season of the same. I can understand why people might feel that way given recent history (I have an element of it myself), but for now there's still the chance (and hope!) that it was just an off day, and that they'll be reduced in regularity this year.

That's still wrong. You can argue that some of our props aren't good enough, but I don't really think you can make the remotest case that we don't have enough when we've had 5 players spell there so far and still have another 2 not getting a game.

It's hard to use your offloading game when typically there's no teammate within 10 yards when you're carrying the ball, though. We need to offer him options before pointing the finger there, IMO.

Fair point, backing up does seem a mystery to our club, yet it should be basics.

I think we have the most forgiving fans in superleague,after finishing a magnificent 11th last season,we start off with a highly promising win at the giants and a narrow loss v warrington,we then go to a team who had shipped 50+ pts at home and are missing 5 1st choice players and get beat.I know we missed ellis badly and had some good performances in our side,but as with last season radford says changes will be made,well yeaman should have had the axe last season but kept his place and tom lineham is a shadow of the player before his injury.If our fans who went on saturday thought they were watching a team playing with passion and pride in the shirt then we agree to disagree.As I saw it it could be a match from last season,mini thompson and pryce (who I thought was a poor signing) played well and looks like proving me wrong,rankin good on attack,poor on defence,but players like westerman among others look as though they are just going through the motions.We all know westy is class but for me just isnt giving 100%.I wish I had the optimism some of my fellow supporters and will be happy to be wrong,but for me we have got good players and a poor coach,and will not improve till we get a quality coach.

I don't doubt it, but '1865' is describing Westerman as 'our only international' as if he is at international level & that he doesn't need to up his game which I think we are in agreement he isn't quite at the level he/us would like him to be.

I just think it is especially hard for fans to fathom how we can be so tight for 2 weeks and then seemingly go to pot against what on paper (Chase aside) wasn't/won't be the strongest side we'll face this year, certainly one that got battered by Saints only 2 weeks before. From that we start to look at whom is doing X or Y, who isn't seemingly pulling their weight (Green has being singled out & Bowden to an extent) and asking questions and indeed have doubts, that's only natural.

Lose tomorrow and it puts more pressure on everyone, players, coaches AND the supporters, not only in believing that the coach/players can do the job but the worry of what will happen IF they can't.
Win and it totally changes the mood, that's how it is, I can understand that some fans want to be upbeat no matter what is served up, but for a fair portion how the team do at the weekend reflects very heavily on how we feel & analyse what is happening with the club/players coach hence threads like this.

Maybe when you've been to your first match in 8 months you'll be able to make an informed judgement.

Are you referring to me, if so what is your point, inacurate as it is?
I think I'm quite able to ascertain how people think without attending as many live games as most and whilst I can watch the recorded games I think I have as much a grasp of how things are as anyone else..So what is your judgement superfan?

You are right tomorrow's game is massive. A win and last week can be written off as a bad day at the office, and 2 from 4 is probably as good as we could have expected from 4 difficult games. Even if we play well and lose ala the Warrington game, three losses in a row does nothing for the team or supporter morale. Especially with a trip to Wigan up next.

It's early in the season and a loss by no means takes us out of the top 8 reckoning. But it's still a very important game.

Because he is Bumpy lad.



More Bumpy BS

Read what was said, what I responded to and you'll see that you've added a few things that weren't actually said. Poor form, but entirely predictable.

With Paea, Watts and Thompson, picking one from Green/Bowden/Feka isn't the end of the world. Centre's our biggest issue IMO. Sa will probably only play half the games this season, Whiting's injured and Yeamo ineffective.

Paea has been our best prop IMO.
Trying to turn this thread a bit more positive, Thompson has been outstanding, thought he had a good season last year, but has really kicked on, happy with both halfs and Mini. Houghton he usually self, although personally OI think his distribution has been better (although it is easily with faster play of the balls and better halfs). Jurys still out on the rest.

Agree about centre, its real big concern and we should already be looking at recruitment for that position for next season.

I still think Thomspon is best suited to backrow and I'm sure both his trys were scored from form playign out wide last week.

I'd have Feka, Paea, Watts and Green/Bowden as props and Thomspon on the bench to play in the backrow, if we give him a run of games there, he could be an outstanding backrower.

Next season I'd try sign Whitehaed and move Ellis up to prop.

Being a little unfair on Sa, his body is probably still acclimatising to RL.

Needs a decent partner in the centres, be nice to get Cudjoe.