There's a balance that needs to be struck. Although I don't feel we should divert too much in the way of funds into the first team, we need to keep attendances up so it's vital we can compete on the pitch to a degree.

That's for the RFL PR department to worry about. SOC is doing exactly what anyone else would given the conditions laid down by the RFL. Don't worry about it.

We need to play as a team and work for each other.Why does Cullen drop Ford to the reserves and plays well for them in the centre.He is not a fullback.We need to play people in their postions to get the best out of them.I wonder why Mullaley,Lawton,and others not get put into the first team.Heckenberg was awful for the reserves and i believe just as bad for the first team.Play players on form and not cos of their name.Cullen gets rid of our scrumhalf with no replacement, so to me this seems he has lost the plot.

We had a full back. We had a great championship full back. He was called Gavin Dodd.

I know Chris mate and we let Hardman go aswell.Seems no logic in some of the signings.I would like our backline to be 1.Flynn/Grady 2.Gardner 3.TKL 4.Ford 5.Gaskell/Flynn 6.Thackeray 7.New kicking scrumhalf. I think flynn has great hands and a good jump and could be a great fullback.

What a difference a couple of weeks makes, we lost to fev and the majority of us stayed and aplauded the effort, and me for one the result, I went to the game thinking we were in for a drumming and came away thinking we could have won that, the team persona was fantastic, they looked like they were working for each other and had the never say die attitude and belief. A couple of weeks down the line a different story, I only hope the recent changes have been bourne from off the pitch differences/attitudes that need sorting out, that we are not/should not be party to, because if its some ploy/money influence/strategy for the future, then things aren't paying off.

Good post. I think what frustrates me most is that no team in particular this year has been untouchable. We could easily have been the team challenging for honours this year but instead we're getting hammered by Batley and Toulouse and the effort from the players feels like it is completely lacking. Now if we'd had the likes of Haggerty, Pickersgill and smith available every game I think we'd have got off to a better start but we've made some terrible errors to go along with our injury list.

Funnily enough the things that we all took out of that win was the pride and passion the lads showed for the shirt, grit in defence (1st half) their team spirit and support for one an another and a unity I haven't seen in a Widnes side for a long time!

Go to Batley at home and the exact opposite for every point, that is unbelievable tbh!

Also a note the side that beat Batley away was probably the weakest side on paper we have fielded all season in the league... make of that what you will!

Made similar points on TIW mate and fully agree he is a real top quality winger now IMO but we never get the ball to him so why not give him a crack at full back? He could be explosive through the middle, if it doesn't work don't make him a scape goat just move him back to his wing spot, if it does work we could have a star full back on our hands!

I think Ford is an attitude issue (surely) he had to be forced back on againts Leigh and you'd of thought a move to Centre for a few weeks at least would of been option 1?

Hardman IMO would compliment the likes fo Thacks & Kohe brilliantly problem at the time was we wanted more flare and looked to full back / centre for it whereas now we have it there and want a solid player at the back

Aim number one completely agree with off the cuff bring in a kicking scrum half that we have been missing ever since I can remember to compliment Thacks, even if at a cost surely won't go over Websters wage (if Smith was moaning at it etc) and any fee would be re paid on the pitch I am sure!

At the end of the day though... WE WANT OUR DODDY BACK

That’ll be why he spent most of his time with us on the wing then will it, Chris?


Doddy has gone. He had more heart than ability, and I liked him as much as anyone here, but he was not great - not at all.

We need to move on and spend the SC money as wisely as possible. This probably means getting hold of the best scrum half, who has a good kicking game, that we can. Maybe even bring in another good prop too.

I’ve still not given up hope on Grady at fullback, despite his diabolical first team debut there. If not him, then Yacca will do for now.

Doddy will not be brought back. He may not even want to come back, if asked anyway. Going over old ground and filling the board with recriminations about Gavin Dodd, as J20 is doing, is pointless and just doesn’t help.

Yacca must be the luckiest player because nobody ever seems to come in and have a good game at full back and make the position their own.

He's the best full back at the club being the only one to have reularly played the position.

If we could surgically attach his two elbows together he might start getting somewhere.

By the way I agree with the comments on Doddy. Lets not tread over old ground. He's gone.

Doddy confirmed at Swinton away he'd love to come back

Wouldn't be suprised if Yacca got another shot, tbh he was better than Ford in attack as he can pass the ball on the move outwide which is now an essential asset for a modern day full back! Ok under the bombs is poor but tbh no-one has been good since peachey left even Hardman made numerous unlikely errors there!

If he could catch he'd certainly be the best option we'd have at the moment!

Chris i've not read the whole thread justup to your posting here, What I wanted to say was BRLFC have had to endure a lot worstfor a lot longer, thats why we are buzzing and the crowds are coming back, hope your results & crowds improve after Thursday and not a day before & not against us in the league a few weeks after.

Hang in there.

I agree, no one individual player, coach or even owner is bigger than the club. Long after all the players have left, PC and even SO'C, the club will still be there. We are unfortunate at the moment that thing aren't going right but it won't be like this for ever. I was convinced after the Batley game that I wouldn't bother to go any more away games and probably wasn't going to bother with the Barrow game either. As a few days passes though you calm down and you hope the next game will be better. I would imagine a good few will give up though.

Personally I think the trouble this season is a lethal combination.
1stly the squad strength:
We had too few experienced players to begin with
This was made worse by the injuries to players like Smith, Haggerty and Pickersgill
We couldn't cope with the injuries because of the reliance on the dual contract players which was always likely to end in tears
It may seem harsh, but a lot of the younger players who have come in have not really proved to be good enough
finally you have factor in the accusation by PC that there has been a lack of effort, Ford getting dropped and of course Webbo leaving.

2ndly - The coach
Some people don't rate him at all, and at best some people will still say the jury is out, but I would bet you won't find many or possibly even anyone who is 100% behind him.

I am mate. 100%...