To be honest I looked at 1-6 and with the exception of Tupou I thought 'wobbly defence.' And what happens? Johnston grew about 5 years in 1 game, caught and tackled everything and was very unlucky to have his pass ruled forwards for being about 6" forwards (Jesus how many metres have half the tries in every SL game this season been?). Lyne had his best game all season and was solid. Tansey was exceptional. Miller had a great game and with one kick as an exception, had a fantastic kicking game, as well as being really inspirational in terms of his spirit and geeing up of the team. So many played wiith the kind of spirit we have lacked most of the year and you just thought..why couldn't you have given this commitment more often? Anyway, fair play, superb effort under immense pressure.

All very true, but, the reasons for the above, we played a Championship side, albeit a good one. A SL side would have put us to the sword.
But let's not get too negative, let's bask in the glory for a few months?

Not sure I agree, yes Leeds or Saints etc would have beaten us fairly comfortably unless they were having a really off day. However I reckon both Wakefield and Bradford would beat Salford, Widnes, HKR and Hull with that performance level in a standard League game. It was IMHO a good standard of play in that game, easily average SL level.

It shows we can do it however if the motivation needs to be a last day relegation battle then we should worry.

I think we player a low risk old style kind of rugby. We pounded them in the middle and the pack got us on the front foot . T b h that display although effective on the day would nut cut it on a weekly basis in S L .

Of course it would, when playing the teams you need to beat - it's exactly what Kear used to do. What exactly are you seeing at the lower end of SL? What I'm seeing is some very ordinary teams that we were easily competing against up until this season.

People seem to be forgetting that most lauded this squad at the start of the season as one of the best we'd managed to put together in years. Unlike some I'm not backing down from that. I don't buy this that SL has moved on and we've been left behind that's just typical Trinity fan know all pessimistic crap. I firmly believe for whatever reason our squad refused to reach it's potential until it was nearly to late.

Finally that game was won with our best play maker and a supposed star signing gone and one half back who has been injured for weeks and an old stager who just couldn't get fit enough for the final bow - with that in mind I can't see how saturdays performance can be seen as anything other than a step up and with the re-addition of a Smith/Locke/Lauiititi quality player would not compete well at the lower end of SL.

I'm not sure what your point is. We played basic Rd against a championship side and yes it was a great display on the day. To assume we could play to that level and come away with wins against lower level S L teams in my view is optometric at best.
They all have much better packs and settled half backs.
Your right we did compete with lower level S L teams up to this season but we at least fired on more than one cylinder.
I'm as chuffed as anyone with the display on Saturday and on the form before would have never expected a proper grunt display like that but it was basic .

You and I must have watched different games. I thought Scott Moore did pretty well for the majority of the time he was on. He certainly made some good scoots from dummy half and made good yards on several occasions.

The one thing we did differently from nearly every other game this year was that we respected possession and didn't constantly invite the opposition onto our line.

We gifted them a lot of field position with silly penalties though.

Scott Moore gave a couple of needless consecutive penalties away that put the Bulls in a position to steal the game. With the ball in hand though he looked an excellent swap for the hapless McShane.

Except that he gave away the stupid penalties that led to them getting back into the game.

Correct.

I must've moaned several times with him giving cheap penalties away for high shots...then he sets up Mullally....then scores the clincher.

There's no doubt there's ability in there somewhere...however the faults that he has...does this outweigh the good?

A classic Trin player if ever there was one!

I'd keep Moore. His penalties are at least given away trying to put a big hit in rather than just letting them through. He has skills and the tackling technique can be adjusted.

I don't dislike him - he has a certain flair that, as we've seen, can result in game-changing moments; and he's tough and nuggetty with just enough bad attitude to make a statement.

Maybe we could put him on some kind of fine system for giving away daft penalties?!

Kirmond would be skint!

Tansey played well but we can't afford to be romanced by one good performance in the season even if it was in a crucial game.

We were where we were because the likes of Tansey, Lyne, Hall etc weren't good enough!

Once bitten, twice shy!

Move him on if possible

Totally agree. He redemed himself somewhat but not enough to warrant staying. IMO.

Exactly what I was thinking, which is why I was wondering why bat away suggestions of recruiting a specialist fullback?

Hall has shown he doesn't want to be here and quite frankly I would move him on if we could. Tansey - 1 good game albeit when it mattered, but has shown not just this season but throughout his whole career he is massively inconsistent.

Jowitt has impressed in the few games he has played (And will hopefully get a few more next season) but I don't think he's quite ready for SL week in week out.

So who does that leave to take the number 1 shirt?

I think you need to be a touch more realistic here though I get the point. If Tansey was capable of playing like that every week he’d be at Leeds with a bag full of medals - we all know that. What we also know is like it or not he’s the kind of player we are able to attract, any idea that top rate players will be joining us next season is a fantasy IMHO.

What we have to decide is whether in a more settled team and in his preferred position Tansey has enough decent games in him to make it worth signing him - again like it or not he’s one of those flawed players clubs like us have to look at and he is definitely in “our class” at the moment.

BS clearly wasn’t willing to run with MJ when it mattered so at least in his eyes MJ is not the finished article. I suppose it could have been a noble gesture to spare such a young players the trauma but I doubt it. In which case even if Smith or next coach decides to run with MJ he will want a plan B.

Tansey is your plan B.

I agree. Tansey wasn't the reason we were down the bottom of the league. He wasn't here then.

Also, when we mention Hall, I still harbour a hope that he will come good. He is the most significant player I have been disappointed with this year. Smith was trying him out and I was hoping he could turn him but he had a stinker at 6 (I think against Salford) and then got injured.
If he played at his potential he could fill the centre role we are struggling with. Either way he is here next year.

The one thing I will say about Hall is he was there on Saturday cheering the guys on and looking every bit part of the team.

I'm being realistic enough!

Tansey is not the answer, I'm not suggesting we are shopping for current top class internationals but neither should we be accepting players of Lyne and Tanseys standard.

Tansey has clearly shown throughout his career that he isn't capable of consistency no matter how good his team mates are.

If we are going to go with the Tansey, Lyne, Hall level of player we will be right back where we were at the weekend and throughout the season.

Lee Smith would have been an ideal first choice full back with Jowitt as back up.

Even the guys with contracts can be moved on and i think Craig Hall may be one of these.
I think we will keep Tansey. A move i wouldn't be totally against. Maybe not with a view to him been in the starting 13 every week, but certainly a useful squad player and as pointed out possibly a "typical" Wakefield signing.

Every time these discussions take place, people only think about the starting 13/17 when in reality its very rare everyone in the squad is fit. With this in mind i think we actually need 2 half backs, especially if Godinet is not re signing. A decent leader at Scrum half is a must, but then someone like Addy from Bradford who can cover the halves as well as loose forward if required wouldn't be a bad shout imo although im not sure of his contract at Bradford.

Probably not a name everyone would be overjoyed with, but possibly a more realistic target. Didn't we try for him last year??

Addy is a shocker!

No thanks.

I tend to agree but the three you mention, along with Howarth who i don't feel is superleague standard either, are all under contract next year so will be very difficult to get rid of. Any money spent paying them off will likely come off the playing budget so we are probably stuck with them.