Agreed but we still had Watts available thats why i wondered if this is compounded presently by the absence of Watts and once he is back and a game or two under his belt will it give us the punch and ability to play down the middle effectively like last season?

The forwards were not the problem against Widnes. And we played well last season in games where Moa was absent.

Our key signings in the closed season were Holdsworth and Ellis. Neither played. Instead we had a halfback combo we know wasn't good enough last season (Seymour and Horne) and no-one else with the ability to be an on pitch leader/organiser. As Staffs FC points out, our problem for years has been a lack of RL smarts and leadership. Holdsworth and Ellis were the solution. Take them out and we have a team with the same characteristics as the last few years so they're likely to play in the same manner.

Didn't realise about Crooks and Green - apologies.

It only came out in Gentle's post-match press conference.

If you have access to FC Live it's worth a watch. I've never seen him so visibly pi$$ed off. I reckon if he'd had the option to sack the entire side on the spot he'd have taken it with one or two exceptions.

Good post but just a point Chris spoke to Crooks' Dad he is injured probabaly won't make this week either thats why he is dropped Green carried a knock last week in training but I think he was fit to play.

If crooks doesn't play against cas, who plays centre?

Whiting, Crookes, arundel.

Personally I'd go with whiting.

I hope we do. Arundel looks like he needs 10-15 minimum games to build confidence in his body
and his play - York beckons for an extended period in my view unless we're desperate. It's not possible
to defend like he has done at SL level and get away with it.

Its the defensive system thats letting down our right / left hand side by not sliding and not getting up quick enough into the opposition faces, they seem to go up half way then stopping to set the line, might work when ellis and Tickle are fit / full fit

how far away is watts?

Back on Friday hopefully.

According to his Twitter he might be back this week.

Hope he is, as he'll need a game to get his sharpness back, and I fear that we'll be steamrollered by Huddersfield's big forwards without him the week after.

Watts back is a big plus. Expecting a big win.

I'll settle for a win of any kind, but hope you're right.

So would I, but I can see us actually giving a complete performance this week. For one reason or another.

I sincerely hope you're right.

The saying is Things can only get better Come on u ullarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

If you look back over the defeats against "teams we should beat" over the last 4 seasons , eg , Crusaders and Salford away , Wakey at home , Widnes etc , between 5 and 8 of the team that played on Saturday have been involved in those games. It's unpalatable when you look at who they are and I'm not suggesting that it's necessarilly that group that don't play well but you have to start to wonder if they are somehow preventing change? Perhaps the culture gravitates to them or the new players coming in don't fit in with them? We've had a few who haven't settled , become homesick , wanted to move for family reasons etc. The tendency has been to blame the incomer , maybe it's the other way around. That sort of thing doesn't have to be deliberate or sinister but can be tough to change unless the personnel change.

One of the big problems we have is that we rely so heavily on one player to build our attack around - Holdsworth, instead of having structures in place that just allow one player to slot in with minimal difference.

I honestly beleive the team had lost the widnes game before it even took the field. The players know from last season that it simply doesnt happen with Horne/Seymour in the halfs so probably came out expecting us to be awful and surprise surprise. Add to the fact that look along the lines and see rubbish like Arundel playing in the same team as them and they probably came out with a very negative attitude and it showed.

that says it all for me you wont go until were winning so basically jump on the band wagon when things are going right? so glory supporting?

So "In any kind of weather" has no meaning to you. Fair weather supporter or what??

supporter of the year is our seb

Where as you obviously dumbass of the year as it wasnt even me saying that

who said it was,

anyway what next, hopefully a much improved display fri and a win to kick start our season, come on ulllllllll