King can play equally well at centre as he can on the wing. His confidence now seems fully recovered and where he's named on the teamsheet isn't an issue.

Smith appears to have sorted the structure out. By this, I mean that the problematic left edge, that has dogged us for the past 18 months appears to have disappeared. Under Cullen & Lowes we tried every combination known to man and couldn't plug the gaps, now it looks as if that has been sorted. Penny slotted right in today, never once did He & King look troubled.

Bridge has got a kicking game. He must have put 10 or so decent kicks in today, short kicks close to the line & field position kicks. I thought at times, it was as goos as we've had for a long time, as this has been a part of Briers' game in decline.

We've got the hookers back to front. Higham needs to come on and add buzz around the ruck. It isn't working the other way.

I think we're getting better disciplined, in a few ways really, the old fashioned 'pinged for penalties', also defensive structure wise, folk stay in the line better, and little things like when Hicks gets involved in a tackle, Penny filled in instantly at fullback, little things like that.

I think we need to get monas away from halfback now, I really do. Obviously, Briers seems a doubt for Friday, so there's a void there, and I'm not sure what the answer is to be honest, one of the boys from the reserves or I'd even be tempted to play Clarke & Bridge and see if they can build an understanding and rotate Monas & Higham. Maybe just take him back to hooker, a bit of familiarity, take the pressure of him a tad, the pressure of creating etc. He may end up creating more from hooker anyhow, just try it out. Taking King out of the firing line worked, just see if we can do the same with Monas.

What I learned today by Papa Lazarou aged 82 & 3/4.

Today I went to a rugby match, the big misters who played in the forwards worked really hard and drove the team upfield. The two misters who were there to link the big misters and the fast misters and make the misters who were the opposition struggle where a bit giddy, bu didn't really do that much. When the big misters stopped running with the ball, the two misters who joined them all together were meant to kick the ball far, they didn't.

What I learned to day is; as much as the big misters work hard the two misters in the middle will dictate how all the misters play.

PMSL Fantastic

Good points made mate. The only problem for me, is that our problematic left, now seems to have become a problematic right. Grix just looked uncomfortable today, and didn't instill confidence. As soon as Briers is back, i'd put Bridge there with Johno. Monas just isn't at the races. I desperately wanted him to put his hand up in the absence of Briers, but it clearly isn't going to happen. Switch him to hooker? Some of his balls from AH today were shockers. I don't know if he fits anywhere in our current setup. I don't know what the standards of the reserve halfs are, Leatherbarrow looked out of place preseason, but thats only 1 game. Give someone a chance, it can't be any worse for creativity. The one thing i will say is Monas defense is class, and is he worth going in to hooker for that alone, as that is all Clarke appears to offer currently. There are alot of "i don't knows" in there, and the majority of us clearly don't. However, TS is piecing it together bit by bit, and i have complete faith in him being able to get it right, and WHEN he does, i feel it will be special. Incidentally, i feel that our defence structure, is now as strong as its ever been, and once its perfect, the confidence in attack will start to return. Unfortunatley confidence cannot be bought, it has to be earnt, and that is something we all have to accept on the road to turning this all around.

There is future for the King and Penny combo.

Johnson isn't a winger.

And your right about Monas JWP, he can't hack it at scrum-half. Instead of making one decision he makes about 50. A think in that role, like Sherwin did today you make one decision and you stick with it and go with it. Unlike Monas, who tries to push a pass, push a play.

Today must have been the first time that Penny played outside a confident Matt King, crazy. There was definately more than just a hint that those two could work, I hope Smith saw enough in Penny today to give that time to blossom. Friday will be a good test.

Yeah, PJ wasn't the best, he's well in credit for the season so I'm more than happy to kind of give him the 'bad day at the office' treatment and let him off.

I'd like to think Penny/King will work but today they weren't tested defensively as much as they have been previously, I just hope that when they are tested they'll prove me wrong.

I also think Penny's gonna be one hell of a frustrated kid if he's always outside Kingy, one touch a season at this rate.

I think it is SLOWLY piecing together. The left should now stay with King and Penny, and the right in time (when mathers is fit) will be Hicks and Johnson. A quite attacking backline.

Bridge today was outstanding, looked a real threat taking on the line, and doing little bit's he couldn't do 12-24 months ago, such as a good field kick and attacking kick options. When Briers is fit he will slot in alongside Bridge playing a 'scrum half' role , with Bridge playing a Leon Price/Danny McGuire 'stand off' role. I personally don't have a role for Monaghan!

And the back row will drop into place, Westwood right, Harrison has secured his 13 jersey, then it's the best of the rest for left side, I would like to see Grix get a reward for his efforts, but he isn't a back and needs to move into the pack.

Today I learnt that Rah hasn't got a bad little kick on him!

sadly i cant see monaghan's place in this squad. Frustrating because hes obviously v talented. Hope smith can work some way for us to utilise him, but he doesnt seem to be good enough at half back

i learnt today that my old feeling of 'this club has the best fans in the league' is far from true. i also learnt we only play rugby in dry weather, and finally i learnt the bottle lids are back.

I learnt today that we have no pace.

Louis A never passes to Kingy

And there is no creativity at half back

And we dont know how to break down a defence

And why play Penny if we dont use him

And most of our kicks went straight down someones throat

Its been like this for sometime

I also learnt that our 'State of the art' stadium doesn't serve peas! Disaster

I learn't today that...

On a large family photoshoot, keep none participants as far away from the action as you realistically can get away with.

Don't let kids who are in their 'Sunday best' play in the garden before their turn in front of the camera.

Ditto for eating chocolate.

Whilst you can get by with two strobes, a third makes life far easier.

And most importantly, keep a close eye on the time otherwise you suddenly realise it is far later than you thought and the game kicks off in 30 minutes and you are still an hours drive away from Warrington!

I learnt how to tie my shoelaces.

Give Penny the ball in an attacking position. Isn't the idea for the half backs, centres to create opening and then give a sensible pass to the speedy winger. It is so long since Penny was given that opportunity. Instead WE play to his weaknesses - he isnt a prop to carry the ball like Morley, his defence leaves questions (but name me a current wire who hasnt let himself down with his defence this season). I am told Brian Bevans defence wasnt great but who is bothered about that if you can score the odd 600 tries a Wire career.

Another option - massive down field kick from scrum. What a good idea...IF circumstances permit e.g. Is Penny aware kicker is going to do it, is Penny in best position to run after ball. When it was tried today it didnt feel like it was excuted well.

Thought King had his best game for Wire (especially defence) this season -like a father figure to Penny, but could he please pass to Mr Speedy!!!

I feel sorry for guys like Woody and Rah who make breaks and look to offload because generally people dont back up and then the ball goes to ground and these players look poorer than they are. Saints would love their offloads!

As a team still too many one on one silly mistakes like Westwoods needless penalty, bridge knock ons, clarkes pointless 6th tackle kicking. Just re seen tries for first time and Johnson and Hicks at fault for a couple, Rah for the last.

Great kick from Rah but why should a prop be kicking on last tackle.

Dont think Mona (Did anyone ask him if he prefered hooker role before he signed?)or Clarke - are interested? For a couple of weeks of the Lowes era, whoops Lowes error, Clarke ran like Cunningham directing operations but now not much. Kids seem to have good attitude but lacking in the full range of skills, naive etc, whereas the experienced are maybe over the top with some bad attitudes.

I am told that of the 13 matches Briers has missed over the years, Wire lost 12. Annoys us when he is there yet ultimately cant live without him...for now.



In all my years of watching Wire I have never been as non plussed about wire overall matchday performances.

Only half back at the club is Lee Briers
3 hookers in the 17
Rauhihi is just a man mountain
Matt King is now playing like Matt King and not like Don King
Grix is no Martin Gleeson
Tony Smith likes to watch the opposition warm up
I wished Castleford would sing a song for us, cos we dont have much to sing about atm.
28-6 score was harsh
Our defensive structure is MILES better

I've learnt that as fans we constantly look for the negative, boo the mistakes and ignore the improvements. Also that it doesn't matter what the team does some people will never be satisfied.

How many games have you been to where the opposition seem likely to score every time they get in our 20m? How many times have you had that feeling that we have no line defence? Five weeks ago we shipped in 60 points against London. Yesterday Cas spent repeat sets camped on our line and couldn't get through - that is an improvement.

How many times on here have people stated that they don't mind losing it's the lack of effort that annoys them - if they showed some effort and pride in the shirt the result wouldn't be so bad? Yet the team was booed off at half time with the result at 0-6 and Penny is criticised for encouraging his team mates!

I think they were tested. On a number of occasions Cas went down that side and, on at least 2 occasions, King and Penny did a great job on plugging in gaps as part of a successful scramble defence. Penny got minimal touches but it's unfair to refer to King in that context. It's not as if King got lots of ball and refused to pass to him.

I'm enjoying watching King's confidence improve and his performances accordingly. I always enjoyed Penny's enuthasism for his team mates.

i learnt today that yes "i wanna drink" but sadly the urban / bassline music is not my cup of tea and that i will not be purchasing anything by Platnum or N-Dubz in the near future

I learned that people don't understand the word

Transitional

Simon Grix is a fine back-row forward but is never a centre. I'd prefer Riley on the wing and PJ at No 3 which was the position in which he first made a reputation for himself in his Pie days. Grix can then play back row with Westwood and Harrison and leave the under-achieving Andersons out of it.

Funny you say this , I remember 2 years ago against CAS away when nearly everybody went off injured we stole the game in the last minit , Rau took charge and ripped them apart !!!

I leaned that Smith can create a defensive structure, it actually looked like we'd been coached BUT Johnson and Grix were not at the races and I'm not sure they will be good enough

I learned that Bridge is like a headless chicken much of the time and no-one really knows where he is going. He is not the answer. Does he ever look before he kicks; wide open field, fast winger but kicks the other way every time!!!!!!

Regretfully I concede that Monas is not the answer in attack and has to defend too much for a small half back. For a good team you need at least one great half back. We haven't got one

Penny & King looked very good in defence but didn't get enough attacking chances

I learned that anyone who picks the MOM must be watching a different game to me, get the Andersons to Japan asap as per the League Express story

Too many people leaving early and booing, its frustrating watching Wire, stick with it

They did do alright once or twice but I did see signs of the old King goes wandering Penny is left 3 on 1 which if noted by the opposition could have been disastrous.

I just can't help thinking that Cas weren't aware Penny was going to play (neither was I) but if they were they would've peppered him and it would've been a whole lot worse.

However, I finally saw the sliding defence creeping in in that first half, so hopefully Smith is concentrating on defence for now and those individual errors will be cancelled out by the lovely attacking rugby we're gonna learn soon.

Whatever happens, I just want to see a planned move that actually works.