Wouldn't get too excited with pre season results, too many people get carried away after 1 result, especially dobbins lol

Lineham was a liability in defence, costing us time and time again down that right. Rankin wasn't top class at either 6 or 1, but played with a passion that clouded a lot of peoples opinions on his ability. I'm a massive fan of Westerman and his work rate and defence will be difficult to replace (we won't IMO) but the fact was that things got over complicated with Westy & Sneyd trying to do similar roles, Joe's departure should help Sneyd. Abdull can replace Sneyd if injured, but you're right about Houghton, if we lose him for any length of time we're screwed, Washy is a below average 9 and Litten hasn't got the physicality yet.

Like your logic



Point really was that to make the Top 4 we need to be overtaking the likes of Warrington and Catalans in all likelihood and both are potentially stronger than last year. Interesting times.

Lineman won you 6 points last year.

Probably cost us as many too, that's the point.

Lineham improves wire
But Fonua improves us over lineham imo
I know Fonua hasn't played yet but I doubt I've missed more than a handful of games of Fonua s career.
He's more explosive bringing the ball back - by a lot
His Defence is better - by a lot
Finishing Tom takes some beating but won't be much in it
I think/hope Fonua will be like a justin carney in this league

Wigan
St Helens
Leeds
=#FF0000Huddersfield
--------------
Warrington
Hull
Castleford
=#0000FFCatalans
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Salford
Rovers
Wakefield
Widnes

Widnes to finish bottom easily and Wigan to finish top IMO. Teams in blue to spend season in dogfight for eight and teams in red to spend the season in dogfight for fourth.

4th.....your 1,6,7,and 9 are good enough to get you 4th. The 4th best set of playmakers in the competition really. Not even the best set of 1,6,7,9 in the city.

You over rate these forwards you've got too. Watts can soon find other interests. Taylor couldn't hack it at Wigan. Player of the year at salford last year wow tough contest to win that. Paea is better than both.
Your clubs problem in a nutshell this thread....gross over expectation.
6th you should be looking at as your target this year.
You only have one hooker and one scrum half. Madness.

A classic example of once a player has left he is deemed as a weak link.

Lineham's defence was on par with the majority of other wingers in SL. To say he cost us time and again is misleading to say the least. It also ignores the fact he was often put into impossible positions due to missed tackles in mid field which drew in his 2nd rower and centre. Lineham however did win us a number of games with his ability to get over the line.

I would agree that Rankin wasn't top class. But very few players are genuinely top class. He gave his all when he played and he played well. Its not about being clouded, its appreciating a player who will leave nothing out in the pitch.

Christ,what a load of one eyed drivel,over expectation..if we didn't have expectation it wouldn't be worth going.I think 4th to 6th would be a fair reflection,as for overrating the forwards,I like the fact you singled out 2 of your ex players...Watts hasn't found other interests,only thing he has found is a very high level of consistency and for Taylor hacking it....well silver wear is a good example of not hacking it and he wanted to move be to Hull,what's up with that....as for 9 and 7...yes we only have 1 9 that is a problem,washbrook can do a job and we have a young player who is getting good reviews,same for the 7...Abdull,Tyson Wilson,Dean.Pryce can slot in.....unlike your lot..Campese won't last a season and who do u bring in...no bugger as you don't give youth a chance.

Ok.
Yes Taylor had the option of a career at Wigan and challenging for trophies every year....instead he hit the buffet and they got rid. Too much like hard work year on year for him.
Watts really was better last year but we'll see. It won't last he's an oaf.
You'll finish 6th-10th.
England have the best pack in international rugby. However 1,6,7 and 9 win you games in the modern era. Hence the Aussies beat us every time. Our forwards tear up the nrl, can't recall many who haven't but we lack pivots and halves....Yours are no where near good enough for 4th.
Within 2months you'll all want Radford's head on a pole again.
Same old with you lot.
Catalan Wigan Leeds Saints Cas Warrington will all be above you. The rest is a dog fight.
Oh and let's not discuss Taylor and Watts international careers. For Taylor in the reckoning then chucked his chances...see above.
Watts called up.....sent home from training before he pulled a shirt on due to his professional behaviour.

Who the hell mentioned international careers....I admit there are better props ATM.As for Watts being a oaf....he was a oaf at yours when he was with cockend and limpdick in charge,his performances earned him a new contract and he backed that up last season by being simply superb and as for Taylor,yes he cou
D have stayed at Wigan and challenged but for reasons unknown to us,he wanted to join us.We will just see how our overrated pack goes against the other packs in the league?As for Radford,never been a fan and shouldn't have been appointed but he is coach and gets my backing.

Disagree with your point about tackles being missed infield,he has a habit of not trusting his centre and comes inside a hell of a lot and leaves a massive gap for opposing wingers.As for Rankin,I have made my views clear.....he was a better Fullback than Shaul,better in the line,link up,broke field and defence.

The bitterness is strong with this one: Quote ="Burtons Forearm"Ok. Yes Taylor had the option of a career at Wigan and challenging for trophies every year....instead he hit the buffet and they got rid. Too much like hard work year on year for him.'" Well, they got rid because he wanted to leave, nothing to do with his playing ability or is physique. Went on to win POTY at Salford & now joins the club he supported as a lad. If you had the chance to play for Wigan or Rovers, who would you choose? Admittedly, he's not looking too great this pre-season: https://www.instagram.com/p/_kMibxHUJh/ ... ttagtaylor Quote ="Burtons Forearm"Watts really was better last year but we'll see. It won't last he's an oaf.'" He was tremendous last season, consistent and unlucky not to make the England squad in a position England are strongest in. Only a one-eye would suggest otherwise. Players are capable of growing up the same as anyone else. Quote ="Burtons Forearm"You'll finish 6th-10th.'" 5 of 12 finishing positions will see you right with this Nostradamus-esque prediction. Quote ="Burtons Forearm"England have the best pack in international rugby. However 1,6,7 and 9 win you games in the modern era. Hence the Aussies beat us every time. Our forwards tear up the nrl, can't recall many who haven't but we lack pivots and halves....Yours are no where near good enough for 4th.'" Pretty much everyone on here has concerns with those positions too, whilst all four incumbents are capable of having decent seasons. With your 1,6,7 & 9 you'll be right up there then won't you? Quote ="Burtons Forearm"Within 2months you'll all want Radford's head on a pole again. Same old with you lot.'" Probably. Quote ="Burtons Forearm"Catalan Wigan Leeds Saints Cas Warrington will all be above you. The rest is a dog fight.'" But you've predicted 6th-10th? Surly that should be revised to 8th-10th as so many teams will be above us? Quote ="Burtons Forearm"Oh and let's not discuss Taylor and Watts international careers. For Taylor in the reckoning then chucked his chances...see above. Watts called up.....sent home from training before he pulled a shirt on due to his professional behaviour.'" You saved the most one-eyed comments for last, nice. See earlier answer on Watts/England's depth at prop.

The bitterness is strong with this one: Quote ="Burtons Forearm"Ok. Yes Taylor had the option of a career at Wigan and challenging for trophies every year....instead he hit the buffet and they got rid. Too much like hard work year on year for him.'" Well, they got rid because he wanted to leave, nothing to do with his playing ability or is physique. Went on to win POTY at Salford & now joins the club he supported as a lad. If you had the chance to play for Wigan or Rovers, who would you choose? Admittedly, he's not looking too great this pre-season: https://www.instagram.com/p/_kMibxHUJh/ ... ttagtaylor Quote ="Burtons Forearm"Watts really was better last year but we'll see. It won't last he's an oaf.'" He was tremendous last season, consistent and unlucky not to make the England squad in a position England are strongest in. Only a one-eye would suggest otherwise. Players are capable of growing up the same as anyone else. Quote ="Burtons Forearm"You'll finish 6th-10th.'" 5 of 12 finishing positions will see you right with this Nostradamus-esque prediction. Quote ="Burtons Forearm"England have the best pack in international rugby. However 1,6,7 and 9 win you games in the modern era. Hence the Aussies beat us every time. Our forwards tear up the nrl, can't recall many who haven't but we lack pivots and halves....Yours are no where near good enough for 4th.'" Pretty much everyone on here has concerns with those positions too, whilst all four incumbents are capable of having decent seasons. With your 1,6,7 & 9 you'll be right up there then won't you? Quote ="Burtons Forearm"Within 2months you'll all want Radford's head on a pole again. Same old with you lot.'" Probably. Quote ="Burtons Forearm"Catalan Wigan Leeds Saints Cas Warrington will all be above you. The rest is a dog fight.'" But you've predicted 6th-10th? Surly that should be revised to 8th-10th as so many teams will be above us? Quote ="Burtons Forearm"Oh and let's not discuss Taylor and Watts international careers. For Taylor in the reckoning then chucked his chances...see above. Watts called up.....sent home from training before he pulled a shirt on due to his professional behaviour.'" You saved the most one-eyed comments for last, nice. See earlier answer on Watts/England's depth at prop.

Some excellent points made by Doom and Gloom Merchant. Burton's Forearm said Rovers would finish above FC last year IIRC, and shot down in flames posters suggesting Cockayne would be a safer bet than Dixon at Wembley. Oh well. Maybe he's a bit giddy at the prospect of imminent HDM reports on Rovers overseas training camp in Florida/Portugal. Craig Sandercock reckoned it got them a 5 week boost which will be important in such a tight comp.

..... particularly as rovers are on a 10 day extended break at the moment.

For me its very difficult to predict as it depends on 3 things

1. Radford as a Coach whether he has learnt sufficiently from last seasons mistakes and improve the mind set and tactics used. We need to much more clinical in the oppositions 20.

2. The spine of the team 1, 6, 7, 9 & 13 and in particular how our half's go and whether we get a settled partnership. If the spine performs game in game out then the rest should take care of itself.

3. How well the new recruits settle and gel into the culture and league.

If all the above goes well then I can see us looking at a fight from 4th to 6th with possibly a push for 3rd but failing come the end of the season.

However if we revert to the norm of not performing again then another stuggle of 7th-9th will be on the cards. As the rest of the teams in the competition are improving each year.

The club nor Radford can afford another poor season so each game they have to be up for it and play from minute 1 to 80 which we have struggled to do for so many seasons now. The first 5 or 6 games will show us which way our season is likely to go.

Nice time for Tampa or The Algarve, both winners.



I think a realistic [utarget[/u is 6th with the squad we have. As ever the relative injury situations will be key but we have better depth in the forwards than I can remember, less so in the backs and much less in the halves, but on the latter few teams carry big numbers in this area. We have grounds for optimism. Not long ago we had starting numbers for Crookes, Pitts, Arundel, Whiting, Tuson and Miller. Feels the we're heading in the right direction quality-wise.

Your never really going to an unbiased view on each other's squads from fans but my view is when watts played for us he could be brilliant or he could be a liability and he had a lot of off field problems and the club got rid rightly so When I saw Taylor make his debut at 16 you knew he was something special and I think he would have stayed at least another season if we hadn't have needed the money (he was always going to end up at hull imo) all in all I would have both players at my club given the chance as these two could be the cornerstone to Hulls pack for the next decade

The potential's there, both mid 20s so you could be right. Their future progression is partly down to them and partly their environment. Hopefully both will help them realise their potential.

I have to say I agree with him. Year on year we have fans claiming we'll be top 4 and year on year we're nowhere near. My opinion is that our halfs aren't good enough and houghton's attacking play is below par for a team with any aspiration in the comp. washbrook can maybe be a stop gap to give houghton a breather for 10 minutes, and hopefully we won't lose games in that time, but if houghton gets injured we're fubar'd. fonua aside, our outside backs are either promising youngsters or average at best. Talk of top 4 is nonsense. Personally, my hope is that we get into the 8 without any dramas but doubt we'll make an impact the same as we didn;t last year

Tbf, you were 7th after 23 rounds this year. Pearson has targeted three more wins in that part of the competition in 2016, which would give you the same of points as 4th placed Huddersfield had at the same point this year. Optimistic, but not unrealistic. You've got excellent depth, and a pack that should bully a fair proportion of SL's lesser lights out of games.
On the downside, some of your leaders are very much at the veteran stage - Ellis and Pryce are both 34 and Minicello will be at the end of January. Iirc your 2-5 is Fonua, Tuimavave, Logan and Talanoa - which in prospect looks fairly indifferent. You can replace them with players of similar calibre if injuries hit at least.
It'll be a big season for Sneyd and Shaul. If they lose the 'young' tag that speaks of potential as yet mostly unfulfilled (Sneyd is 25 soon, again iirc), and do what they show in glimpses more regularly, giving you more of a cutting edge... 'If' though, innit? Plus you really need to keep Houghton fit. With luck that is neither good nor bad, 6th looks about right.

I always thought Pitts was a decent player, and, much as he has fallen out of favour under Radford, Whiting has been a good servant to Hull. Tuson was just unlucky with injury. Not a bad fed-trained backrow, tbf. Crookes was a leftfield acquisition and Arundel came through at Cas which carries a bizarre amount of kudos.

Quote ="Doom&Gloom Merchant"The bitterness is strong with this one: Well, they got rid because he wanted to leave, nothing to do with his playing ability or is physique. Went on to win POTY at Salford & now joins the club he supported as a lad. If you had the chance to play for Wigan or Rovers, who would you choose? Admittedly, he's not looking too great this pre-season: https://www.instagram.com/p/_kMibxHUJh/ ... ttagtaylor He was tremendous last season, consistent and unlucky not to make the England squad in a position England are strongest in. Only a one-eye would suggest otherwise. Players are capable of growing up the same as anyone else. 5 of 12 finishing positions will see you right with this Nostradamus-esque prediction. Pretty much everyone on here has concerns with those positions too, whilst all four incumbents are capable of having decent seasons. With your 1,6,7 & 9 you'll be right up there then won't you? Probably. But you've predicted 6th-10th? Surly that should be revised to 8th-10th as so many teams will be above us? You saved the most one-eyed comments for last, nice. See earlier answer on Watts/England's depth at prop.'" Wow ok I'll spell it out. 1st Taylor. Had a Stella career in front of him at Wigan. Wins the double destined for long international career. According to Wigan fans his Mrs was homesick so he wanted back to hull. He turns up to pre season like Mr stay puft the marshmallow man. Wigan wanted him so much they send him to leigh then Salford for 2 of his 3 year contract. He wins player of the year at Salford last year. Brilliant like beating a squad of amputees at Twister. He didn't have the dedication and his career now is seen as wasted by all but his current clubs fans..... Watts....won young superleague player of the year at 20. Some feat for a prop.....he then es it up the wall. Always had conduct problems hence we got him from Cas at 16. Gets picked for the knights and is sent home after 2 days. If these 2 gun props can't get motivated to play international rugby...by all accounts every players motivation....do you think they'll dig in each week for you. Good luck but their track record says not. I never came on here running Paea down. Quality player and man better than both of these. Rovers 1,6,7 and 9 are better than hull´s. Sio/shaul,Kelly/Pryce,Sneyd /Campese, Lunt/Houghton. Better in each position for me. Our squad though is flimsy so we could be anywhere 6-12. The usual madness on here 4th. 6 at best but 6-10 you'll finish.

Quote ="Doom&Gloom Merchant"The bitterness is strong with this one: Well, they got rid because he wanted to leave, nothing to do with his playing ability or is physique. Went on to win POTY at Salford & now joins the club he supported as a lad. If you had the chance to play for Wigan or Rovers, who would you choose? Admittedly, he's not looking too great this pre-season: https://www.instagram.com/p/_kMibxHUJh/ ... ttagtaylor He was tremendous last season, consistent and unlucky not to make the England squad in a position England are strongest in. Only a one-eye would suggest otherwise. Players are capable of growing up the same as anyone else. 5 of 12 finishing positions will see you right with this Nostradamus-esque prediction. Pretty much everyone on here has concerns with those positions too, whilst all four incumbents are capable of having decent seasons. With your 1,6,7 & 9 you'll be right up there then won't you? Probably. But you've predicted 6th-10th? Surly that should be revised to 8th-10th as so many teams will be above us? You saved the most one-eyed comments for last, nice. See earlier answer on Watts/England's depth at prop.'" Wow ok I'll spell it out. 1st Taylor. Had a Stella career in front of him at Wigan. Wins the double destined for long international career. According to Wigan fans his Mrs was homesick so he wanted back to hull. He turns up to pre season like Mr stay puft the marshmallow man. Wigan wanted him so much they send him to leigh then Salford for 2 of his 3 year contract. He wins player of the year at Salford last year. Brilliant like beating a squad of amputees at Twister. He didn't have the dedication and his career now is seen as wasted by all but his current clubs fans..... Watts....won young superleague player of the year at 20. Some feat for a prop.....he then es it up the wall. Always had conduct problems hence we got him from Cas at 16. Gets picked for the knights and is sent home after 2 days. If these 2 gun props can't get motivated to play international rugby...by all accounts every players motivation....do you think they'll dig in each week for you. Good luck but their track record says not. I never came on here running Paea down. Quality player and man better than both of these. Rovers 1,6,7 and 9 are better than hull´s. Sio/shaul,Kelly/Pryce,Sneyd /Campese, Lunt/Houghton. Better in each position for me. Our squad though is flimsy so we could be anywhere 6-12. The usual madness on here 4th. 6 at best but 6-10 you'll finish.

Typical bulle from Burtons [sic Forearm.

Get over it, Taylor and Watts didn't want to play for your club anymore. Both would walk into your team and you and every Rovers supporter knows it.'"