We did put some high scores in last season why can't we defend when other teams can I just don't get it

Despite our obvious injuries hampering us in key areas, it's the forwards which perhaps are the biggest concern. O'Hara aside we've been able to field pretty much a near full strength pack (Lovegrove inj offset by Ferguson). Yet both games we've been dominated with no safe word. I guess against Catalans you could overlook this, but when Wakefield from very early on started making easy yards, it becomes a worrying trend. Desperate to slow them down poor discipline followed and any team given field position can score points against us.

Can't wait for this one. Three of us are staying over in a travel lodge

Ben cross won't be playing neither will phelps

My team would be

Briscoe
Flynn
Marsh
Isa
Ah van
Mellor/brown
Hanbury
Ocarroll
Clarke
Joseph
Hock
Allen
Cahill

Winterstein
Pickersgill
White
Kavanagh

sadly we are looking at three from three and nil points. We badly need Welham we have hardly won ever since he was crocked first time round. Widnes will come fanciing their chances. If we give them a lead as per last two games its game over. Can we get this monkey off our backs if i was a betting man i would say its more like the rock of gibralter and monkies.

because we have second rowers that if there left on the field longer than 10 mins they cant tackle there too tired

OMG then we need fitter faster stronger players

For me it's a little worrying that the defence just seems so porous. Yes we are lacking half a dozen first team players but for my money, the defensive structure is surely something that the whole squad buys into in pre season, is it possible that it's not entirely the players fault and that they are being coached incorrectly?! I'm not saying this is definitely true, it's just a thought.

Also, Mika's accidental foul on Amor is a prime example of why i'm baffled about Withers being first man up at tackle constantly.

The reason we lost on Saturday was not our back row, it was our front row getting absolutely annihilated by Wakefield's.
If the props don't pull their weight it is very difficult for anyone else to flourish.

Because he doesn't head butt people when tackling them?

So it should have been our head and feed, Ganson you t

What i'm trying to say is that it's not the first time Withers has been bumped off easily by an opposing Prop. Take him out of that situation 10 seconds in and Mika & Paea probably stop Poore, wrap him up and we go again rather than being down to 16 men.

Before the season I was optimistic about our chances of having a good year. This has been dented slightly from what I have seen so far, mainly defensively because in all honesty it looks just as bad in terms of intensity, winning the ruck and discipline. Injuries do not really affect this which is why its so disappointing. However in attack we will be fine, especially when Burns gets on the pitch. I still think we can and will get the win against Widnes lets not panic yet, the team will be a bit low on confidence we dont need it seeping through to the fans on the terraces.

For me, Withers is actually one of our better tacklers, he`s put some monster hits in since he joined us. His over enthusiasm for them first few seconds was his only undoing.

Agree with you he more often puts his body on the line

He's our 3rd highest tackler in the two games so far, just one behind Griffin.

Our front-rowers are the problem - not the second-rowers IMO.