Still not worried we turned Wigan over with no Kelly and no pack

You're not worried because 4 games ago we showed a bit of heart? Ok.

With hindsight, all that the Wigan game showed is that they dropped the ball a lot and it cost them a place in the cup quarter finals. Nothing else.

Without a few 1st choice players we are nothing. A total lack of depth to the squad has been exposed in the last 2 months. We will get some players back (we may lose some more) but the top 8 is now gone and we need to ensure we avoid 11th as the fixture list gets much harder from there.

Completely agree but I'll go one step further and say we lack key factors even at full strength. As much as we'd like to think not a good side is built on a pack, the half backs can work from that and the backs will do the job. At full strength our pack is average to poor. We can't rely on teams being below par as wigan were in the cup, we can't rely on Kelly intercepting as we did against Saints, we need to build a platform to have any chance.

At full strength we sail through the middle 8's, as I said a couple of key injuries and a bad call or 2 and we'll be playing in the championship next year and thats not just scaremongering.

To be in the championship a SL club will need to perform worse than wakey, leigh and bradford over 7 games which I just can't see. Think leigh will pip wakey unless brian smith works a miracle but no other SL club are in danger

Agree with Jake the peg. The likes of Kelly campese and Dixon would have a field day against anyone in the championship as they have with a lot of SL teams. Worst case scenario you miss the top 8 you'll cruise and win the the middle 8 league which could be good for confidence for next year.

On a side note really enjoyed my visit last night. First time I've been since 2011. A decent acoustic singer pre match, tonnes of refreshments and just a plush stand and I wasnt fooooking freezing.

Good turnout from your fans didn't expect so many

Agree with the points about our pack being underpowered. Lack of aggression up front and lack of size in the backrow. Even at full strength, it'd give our backs a chance rather than dominating. Needs addressing for next year.

To ensure we're still in SL next year, we can't take anything for granted in the middle 8s. Remember we have to be 3rd of 8 to be safe. And 7 games is a short enough season that one slip puts you in trouble - a brain fart or harsh sending off early in a game against a Championship team is not a happy prospect. Bradford pushed us close for an hour or so, and they had a few out that day. Wakefield might improve under Brian Smith.
Should be 'compelling'. Tbh, in some ways I'd be happier if thought we'd overpower the championship teams, rather than relying on some magic to outclass them.

Our pack isn't as bad at full strength as barham red is making out and were not as bad as Stan is making out otherwise we wouldn't have beaten Wigan twice saints hudds and Catalans the problem is we're not consistent enough regardless of what team we have out just really good or really bad why I'm not worried about the middle 8s is even on a bad day we would still beat the championship sides that's just reality

Put into context tho. We are a 9 year old super league team, that have gone backwards since 2009. Criminal if you ask me.
I'm more worried that 'us' fans are accepting mediocrity all too readily. Start of the season, Mike smith said he didn't envisage us in the middle 8's. We all bought passes, the signings we're going to take SL by storm. Well we have to prepare for that now.
Every year there is a disaster at rovers. Sometimes you couldn't write it. But stupid signings and unfortunate retirements hit us on the backside every year.
I'm really not in Chester's camp. I hoped his signing would work, but he's been amongst too much failure to drag this team from where it is.
Just where do we go from here?!

To be honest I don't think we've gone backwards I think we've just stayed at the same level losing weyman was a massive loss same with goulding something CC couldn't have envisaged at the start of the season then bailey going signing Lunt then him been out for a lengthy period every team has injuries the problem ours have all been in the same position

As I said. We have had unfortunate retirements. Lunt was a massive signing but we was going into this season with an unknown French hooker and Keal Carlile before he came. One of Chester's biggest mistakes.
Bailey was never going to work, and I reckon the club knew this well before him leaving.

We are a talented side. We have some quality players, but unfortunately not enough of them. Too many of our players are too nice and not aggressive or intense enough within the game's legal boundaries. We lack depth in the squad and we overplay too much and overlook the fundamentals. Some of our squad also lack strength and fitness compared to other SL peers.

When we play with fire and passion for the badge and for one another and act like we want it, we seem to win. Witness Saints at home, Wigan twice, Hull away, Huddersfield at home, Catalans 2nd half at home, Wakefield at home and all this season. Great performances all of them.

Then there's the embarrassments. Wakefield away, Wigan away, Castleford away, Castleford at home, Hull at the magic, Widnes away. These are performances where we don't turn up and play with fire and intensity and we fall down on the basics. I've seen a few too many of these for comfort now in recent seasons. Winning regularly is a mindset.

For those of you who want a great analogy and example of how to play intense sport with a winning mentality, have a look at how Dennis Lilley and Jeff Thomson bowled for the Aussies against other teams in the 70s. If a batsman dominated either of them, they would just ramp up the intensity, speed, accuracy and snarling verbal aggression and if that failed, they would bowl at you to hurt you. We have a few players right now who could do worse than take this mindset into a game.