Chambers has repeatedly said that they want Dufty playing on the inside rather than out wide. It may well be this has been the key to his displays rather than a call from SB.

Perhaps we should have sacked Powell earlier? All those calling for his head early on got rinsed on here when, in fact, they were visionaries.

Great win, good practice for the attack and defence the lads look as though they're united and in this together again. Maybe the season isn't over yet after all. Credit to all the current coaches and pkayers for the turnaround. Hopefully we get another few wins in the last 3, give saints a good game and go in to the playoffs full of confidence.

He won the first 8. We lost a load of forwards and the camp was divided after the Mcguire debacle. During those first 8 games the players all seemed happy and the Mcguire thing seemed to be the catalyst for discontent. Without the Mcguire shenanigans, things could/should have been very different as the team morale would have been fine, which appears to have been the main cause for our poor performances. With all this in mind, I think the club would gave been reluctant to sack him and not give him chance to make amends as the dip in form would have possibly been attributed to the camp split.

That said, Gleeson seems to have really boosted our attacking prowess as Chambers alluded too in his interview. They also seem to respect Chambers. I think post the Mcguire saga, Chambers has proved to be a better coach in reuniting the different factions and as a result, is getting more out the players. So in hindsight, an earlier change would have been better.

We should have given Chambers the job in 2022.

Even at the start of the year we didn't really see the fabled daryl Powell expansive attack

We didn't no. I would have said that it would have taken a bit of time for the shoots of his style to emerge, but Gleeson seems to have made an instant impact. Perhaps Powell's style takes a bit more learning and integration, who knows? But I do agree, in those first 8 wins, there wasn't so much of the Classy Cas flamboyance on view.

I started to think that Walker should go for a tinkle before the match started, rather than being subbed so that he can go to the loo.

I throw a curve ball in now and again.

Chambers has repeatedly said that they want Dufty playing on the inside rather than out wide. It may well be this has been the key to his displays rather than a call from SB.

If we want Dufty running middle channels, we could shoe horn him in as a 9 on attack rather than Dwyer, Thewlis back to fullback.
Dufty dropping back out wide in defence.

Didn’t the Dwyer rumour turn out to be buzzcocks? Pretty sure it did?

And I thought Ratchford was pencilled in as Walker’s backip from the bench?

IF we win against Salford, the true test of this squad for me is the St's match, not necessarily as a benchmark of our team vs theirs, more from a psychological perspective.

A Salford win solidifies play off place (i think) so it'll be interesting if we get the "job done, cue on the rack" Warrington or if we get the "time to get a run together for the play offs" Warrington.

Is this from the Kear playbook?

You've broken character for the first time in years with that post.

I might be getting the timeline wrong, but the collapse in results and performances also coincided with Dufty getting dropped after the Saints game (I think). While we didn’t look like winning, and Dufty wasn’t great, he wasn’t the only one or most deserving to get the axe. At that point we had got beaten twice by the two best teams in the competition and cruised the rest.

Hindsight is wonderful, but it looks like he reacts better to an arm around the shoulder than a week on the naughty step.

I’m not suggesting that the McGuire thing didn’t impact, I’m sure it did, but an already disgruntled player getting dropped won’t help the mood around the place, likely ostracised him (and that group of antipodean players who were upset with the McGuire handling) further.

I woke up early that morning and couldn’t get back to sleep.
I hope it doesn’t happen again.

In fairness to Powell he HAD to drop Dufty after his Saints 'performance' and he said that Dufty took that decision well. If Dufty is happy and confident then he's a brilliant weapon to have, I hear he likes to have a little grumble though. If we keep him happy for the next 7 weeks then we're in with a sniff.

Most individuals do.

Dufty is a good player with great speed, BUT for me he's not a GREAT player.

He's not in the class of Field or French (mind you most players aren't).
Those two have confidence regardless of how they play and they don't let a bad patch get to them.

Dufty is far more fragile. If he makes a mistake it can easily go downhill. That's maybe a mindset thing that maybe he's working on with a sports psychologist.
I think it can show itself when he has to run for a high ball. He doesn't appear confident enough to go at full speed for it and take it cleanly (Field is superb at that imo). I also think his organizational ability in defence needs to be worked on.

But, he's still a good player to have.

There are always going to be players better or worse in a given position. In the case we talking about Dufty well maybe Field is better but I wouldn’t kick Dufty out right now, his defence is not the greatest but give him a gap and I’d back him against Field

I'd prefer Dufty to Field, I think defensively they are on a par , let's charitably say it isn't their best facet.

Speed wise they are on a par.

Where I prefer Dufty is as well as having that speed threat he can actually pass a ball unlike Field whose passing is terrible.

French is a better all round player but Wigan are shoe horning him into the side to accommodate Field, but French is the better full back but as Field cant pass or defend at half back you understand why. That alongside Harry Smiths atrocious goal kicking are their biggest short comings at the moment.

Field can’t pass? Did you watch him on Friday? Apart from Welsby, he has more try assists this season other than half backs. The other thing I would add is that Dufty doesn’t like dealing with high kicks.

He doesn't have the range of Duftys passing, he may have more Try assists, but he has less clean breaks tackle busts makes considerably less meters and offloads.

He's just a poundshop Matt Dufty.

As for high kicks, Dufty diffused all of the spiral bombs and high kicks and everything thrown at him against Cas I'd agree he doesn't compete well when the kick chase is good , but again that's not exactly Fields strong suit either.

I too was worried that you'd had your account hacked.