on sky they were going on about Catalan asked to play the mighty Wigan first when they first came into Superleague i bet they wish they could play us every week now.

To be fair that team was hamstrung by a crippling injury list and a coach who didn't know his @rse from his elbow. Once we rectified both situations we were fine in the end.

This team, despite its limitations in the forwards are performing to nowhere near their potential. I don't only blame the coach for that, the underperforming players have to take a fair amount of the blame as well.

that made me laugh haha

Can't disagree with that. I have been one of Noble's biggest defenders but even I'm starting to think his time is coming to an end but I still maintain the players aren't as good as some people think they are and a change of coach although may do some good in the short term, I think we'll go full circle again. We still need some props. The last time we truly competed was when we had Smith, Pongia and O'Connor not just 3 props but leaders. What I'd give for just one of them 3 now. Also I would love us to sign Lockyer for the stand-off position. At the risk of repeating myself I see Sam as a 7 rather than a 6 and think Lockyer would be a massive influence not just for him but everyone else at the club. However that is me living in dreamland again.

If Noble does go I think he needs a pat on the back for laying the foundations for whoever the new coach is. My personal preference would be for Noble to stay and see some rewards for the hard work he and IL has put in to making the club stable again. I think something fresh needs to happen though and would prefer us to get a big name assistant like a Farrell or a Lam with a view to them taking over in x years time.

Well, the run has started.

Run my ar5e, are you having that Dave

Not including playoffs - Last time we won:

[u3 League Matches in a row [/u

Last season 24th March to 5th April:

Hull KR (H), Wakefield (H), Leeds (A).


[u4 League Matches in a row [/u

4th August - 6th Sept 06:

Catalans (H), Leeds (A), Hudds (H), Bradford (H).


[u5 League Matches in a row [/u

18th June - 14th July 06:

Catalans (H), Wire (H), Quins (A), Wakey (H), Salford (H).

In fact - only a Wire loss 20-22 seperated the two runs above in 2006 which (had we won), would have resulted in an unbelievable 10 match unbeaten run.

A far cry from the time when we managed 18 months unbeaten at the JJB

Heart will and does overule the head on some of those predictions,but you never know..

We seriously need to go on a run though. If we want even the slightest chance of anything this season then we need five or six games unbeaten. Which, looking at the fixtures I can't se happening.

As a wakey supporter, i can understand you thinking that you could beat wakey as the games between us over the past two seasons have generally been close (a step up for us, and one down for you)...but beating saints?....the way there playing i don't see any team in superleague stopping them, cup or league

One already has.

Let us take it a game at a time. Wakefield will be a very difficult test on their own patch. They are playing some good rugby league at the moment and have a lot of momentum and confidence which can be hard to stop in rugby league but we do have the players who are capable of beating them. Let's hope we turn up on the day and give it all for 80 minutes and come away with a win and then look to the week after in the cup.

Well, we got over that difficult test so the run continues. Bring on the Saints.

Indeed! Let's look to next week. That will be a really big test for us.

We can do it.

Salty wrote: So far our best winning run is 2: Quins and Bradford
My heart says we are about to embark on a run that will surpass that.
CELTIC win [i- yay[/i
Wakefield win [i- yay[/i
St Helens win =red[i- F****** YAY[/i
Wakefield (cup) win
HULL K R win
Warrington win
challenge cup ?
SALFORD win
Celtic win
Hull K R loss!

I'm liking your preds so far mate!!

We have built some momentum now which is brilliant.

I can't stress enough how important the Wakefield game is next week.

The run continues and seems more probable with every game.

I don't agree mate. The wakey game is important, but for me the Hull KR game is massive. More massive than saints, they are going well, pushing hard for top and have a good record over us.

However I think that they are beatable, they didn't impress me that much last night, I thought their second row won the game for them but I'm thinking Hock, Bailey and J.Tomkins can do a job over them.

We could quite easily win the next 5 games we just need to keep some intensity up and do the basics well. Its nice to now have the feeling that when we are in the opposition 30 its almost certain we will score points

I've been impressed with the difference in attitude in the last two games after slating them for the no show in France.

As someone said we also look much more likely to score now when we get into the oppositions 30m area, something we have been sadly lacking in recent seasons.

IF Coley, Fielden and Smith can continue their recent improved form we are in with a change again, but the next three games (Wakefield, Hull KR, and Warrington) are all going to be tough. The outcome of those games will go some way to defining our whole season. We could come out of those with a CC quarter final place in the bag and looking at a top four finish or we could be out of the cup and have crashed and burned in the league.

Agree with Galea winning us the game but don't think your back 3 come close to ours, for me we have the best overall back 3 in SL and they alone have been massive for us this season so far. All imo of course!

No surprises that 2/3 are Aussies though.

haha, mate, you should see it through my cherry and white tinted specs. Then you'd agree



No seriously, I don't think Vella and Galea are a touch on Hock (when he's not in a silly mood) and then with the choice of back rowers we have, I can't see you really competing with us in the back row. Especially with Lockers in fine form