I know games arnt won on paper and Wire have been on fire in pre season. But that Wire 19 looks pretty thin.

It's a game that can go either way. I see us only getting beat through individual brilliance rather than losing the battle.

Expect a full run out of the new rules then.

That was Ganson mate.
I've got a couple of pals who areWarrington fans, and one has stuck a Tenner on them to clean up the lot this year, as they are by far the best side in the comp, with the most fearsome pack. I don't get it myself.

We are no where near the best in the comp, my hope is just a shot at the top 4 this year!

Re sgtwilko: agreed, we look thin. Dodds and Bailey are both out injured! However G King & Cox, while not exactly striking fear into your minds, will hold their own when they come on.

Ganson was referee.

The call that Myler was offside came from the touch judge on that side, which was James Child. Seem to remember Ganson confirming that on the audio when the Wire players questioned the decision.

Ganson "not my fault blame him".
As has been said this appointment will sorely test McGuire's tact & diplomacy.
I just hope all the discussion after the game is about the players & not the ref.
I doubt it somehow.
Can't we have Thaler for all our games, surely as treble winners we deserve that at least.

We had Child preseason v Leigh, predictably awful he was.

He missd two drop balls in the tackle on the same set to which we then scored, if i was supporting the opposite side i would have been livid.

Maybe we've been given Child as a form of handicap?
Seriously, his problem is has apparent inability to develop any form of rapport with the players.
He gives the impression that he thinks he's somehow better than them.
He talks down to them, not to them.

He played v Fev on Sunday. Against backdrop of injuries to ward, jjb and mulalley - that is a long way down the list.

Not a great child fan but appears to be reasonably poor to both sides

He does. I remember Child reffing us at open age level when he seemed 14/15 years old (he may have been a little older) and he was very much like this then, as he probably saw it as the only way to get respect and his point across to the old veterans and virtually all the players who were much older than him. Always seemed like he had a big point to prove and that hasn't changed as he has moved up the ranks.

Pretty much. The job of the referee should be to work with the players to enforce the laws in a way that makes the game both better to watch and to play in.

Some games you won't be able to do that, because sometimes players don't want to work with you for whatever reason. Too much adrenaline or emotion, unable to cope with pressure etc.

The problem with Child is that every game seems to be one of those where he can't get players to work with him, mostly because his communication is limited to only when absolutely necessary.

Listen to the likes of Thaler, Ian Smith when he used to ref, even Bentham sometimes. They'll have a little laugh and a joke with players during breaks in play, smile at a player when he tries it on pleading his case. Child does none of that, he's like some sort of humourless drone.

It always feels like it's him versus the players, rather than them being there for the same reason.

Half true - He was in charge for both games at your gaff. Bentham was in charge when you lost at ours.

The referee was Ganson, but the call was made by the linesman....James Child. It was the correct call, but after a season of watching referees in almost every game fail to enforce the offside rule, he picked a damn good time for you lot to start didn't he?

Smiling at players when they try it on. Bunch of flirts these refs. Little flirty pants.

Hardaker
Briscoe Watkins Moon Hall
Sutcliffe McGuire
Galloway Burrow Cuthbertson
Ferres Ablett
Delaney

Garbutt Singleton Keinhorst Lilley

Russell
Lineham Evans Currie Penny
Gidley Sandow
Hill Clark Sims
Westwood Hughes
Westerman

Dwyer King Cox Julien

No Falloon then ? Bugger,was looking forward to seeing him play

It's a great opener isn't it... wish i could have made it.

James f**king incompetent Child.....doesn't even go to the screen for one of the most obvious obstructions.

Still....he's 'earned' this big gigs.

If that wasnt obstruction, i struggle to see the point of having an obstruction rule. He literally just stood in the defensive line and stopped Ablett moving across and Sandow went through the gap that created.

I wouldnt actually mind if that was the rule and we carried on with that, but we wont and at some point in the season we will see some fantastic and well worked attack ruled out for far less than that.

I know you are still obsessed with his willy, but it makes you look sillier than him.

Being the best of a bad bunch, doesnt mean you are good.

Talking about willy, Cox seems to be making good inroads.

Ha ha, He does. Wire look good, we look flat.

Well that was a good start wasn't it?

Completely disjointed in attack. For that much ball, two tries in attack is a poor return. Plenty of work to be done.

Post-Sinfield Era to date = Ouch!

Why didn't Lilley take the penalty????

Apart from the lack of a decent first choice kicker, I don't think we look in bad shape. I thought w did well to still be in the game considering we had our best half injured for most of the game, and Sutcliffe could barely walk for most of it. We looked flat in the first half with the ball, but I thought we defended well for most of the game, hopefully or injuries aren't too serious, and we can get some more cohesion in attack once Falloon is in the team.