I agree completely. I'm heartily fed up of approaching each game with a feeling of trepidation rather than anticipation. I accept that there are mitigating factors, and we at least [itry[/i to play entertaining stuff, but our execution is too often poor.

I'm pretty much beyond caring why, as well. I just want someone to fix it. As soon as they like.

Some real highs, Devastating lows sprinkled with a bit of poor direction and ideas!

It doesn't feel like it's been a good season no matter which way you look at it! Maybe we just expect too much! Ha

I think those were reasonable aims for this season, if you compare how we have done to where we were after Good Friday we really managed to turn what looked like a poor campaign into a good one

Oh for the heady days of 1998 and 1999.

19** you sound like a dobbin

On the surface it appears to have been a reasonable year. 6th place finish, Wembley appearance, at least one play-off win. These were probably targets for most of us in February.

And yet it is difficult to escape a feeling of underwhelming achievement, possibly a knock on effect from a deflating atmosphere post Wembley.

For me personally, whatever the cold facts say, there is still no sign of the great leap forward. We still look like a mid table average side who occasionally beat one of the big boys, rather than being one of the big boys who the rest of the competition fear and respect.

Our recruitment thus far for next year doesn't point to any great change in our fortune with a feeling of "more of the same" for 2014. We still appear to be treading mid table water where we have basically been since 2006.

2013 could certainly have been a good deal worse, but after all the talk and hype of last winter it really didn't inspire in the way most were hoping for.

Aye...i mean,we finished 4th and 2nd from botton...nearly went bust and had the worst squad of players ever assembled,a very dodgy CO and a owner who was clueless....give me this season anytime....Just need to find consistency....2012,we was consistent and hard to beat at home....this yr not so but we are way better off with off the field progress than anytime in the last 5 yrs.

Agree, that is why I've got my finger out and bought a season ticket for 2014 for the first time since 1986.

It's the OTT nature of what people are/were saying that prompted this thread. No-one thinks or is saying this is a good or great season in comparison to our better years. But in some people's minds that therefore means it's the worst for years. It's not. It's the best season we've had in 6-7 years.

Basically, whilst we know there are flaws, some people really need to get a bloody grip!

This.

Well said on the OP, Wellsy.

I think we have been bang average. Started awful, finished awful with some outstanding performances in the middle. The frustrating thing is we know we can turn ANY team over on our day just them days are far to infrequent. Would of taken 6th and a Wembley appearance at the start of the season but certain performances ie Leeds at home leave me feeling short changed when backed up by St Helens at home.

The attendance last night told the story of what fans think of our season. Performances haven't been good enough on the whole

I do think the club's PR and marketing machine sometimes raises fans' expectations unrealistically by over-hyping everything and making promises which the players are unable to deliver. Its very successful at selling tickets and merchandise but the fans end up being disappointed when the product on the pitch fails to live up to expectations. Maybe its time to tone down things a bit?

The style of rugby is what as disappointed me this year, for the first time in years we have decent halfbacks and some exciting young backs and we still play too much one out rugby.

We are desperate for soe tackle busters in side.

Well said!.

It's the poor Challenge cup performance in particular that has left a sour taste in people's mouths.

I actually think we will beat hudds on Thursday.
then anything could happen.

Good post Wellsy. We're all rather downbeat from Wembley, but lets not forget that we actually got there (only 2 teams can do that). We've finished in the playoff positions and won our first round. Its the basis of a good team and what's happening away from the first team really excites me. we've got a great academy setup with some real talent waiting to make their mark. The average age of players in our club is very low, which suggests that we should have great continuity over the next few years.
I think the future of our club is in great hands and I'm really looking forward to great things to come.

Still not convinced by our coach

I agree,

Personally,I look at the performances on the field,instead of the final position in the League table.

Since last season, our performances have 'flatlined', no real improvement from last season.

Defensively, we are in the top 3 teams, Offensively, we are in the bottom 3 - IMO.

My opinion,is we have improved defensively, offence is static, I dont feel Gentle has the capability to change our attack.
I would be more optimistic, if we could see any 'green shoots' appearing in our attack structure, but the same old problems are not been addressed nor improved.

I feel we are in the same situation as we were under Peter Sharp, albeit with an excellent youth set-up.

Good post. IMO it's been a poor SL season proven by Huddersfield finishing top after being 7th last season. leeds, wigan and saints have all been garbage at different parts of the season and wire seem to have had less focus on the league and now seem up for the play offs (They'll win it IMO). We've only really finished 6th because 6 clubs had no chance of finishing above us and rovers and les cats have had mediocre seasons. Some of our performances have been unacceptable IMO and to lose 6 from 13 at home is really bad. gentle has probably spawned himself the first 1/3rd of next season with a play off win against a poor cats side but don't think he'll see out next season

Yes I agree it would be far better for the chairman to tell everyone the team are $h1te and he expects us to win nothing and struggle all season. I can see that working

So you've just taken everything away from Huddersfield there. They've been brilliant all year and a very good side for years. They've just had internal problems due to Nathan Brown's messing about.


Leeds have had their best regular season since 2009.
Wigan seem to always have a great start and middle to the season and fall away at the end.
Saints have struggled for a few years now.
Wire are doing pretty much the same as they've done for a few years.

It's a very pessimistic view.

So we are where we are because of everyone else? Again, just pessimistic rubbish.


Our home performances at times have been poor. But that means our away performances have improved. Try and find a positive every now and again instead of something to moan about.
Worst season for years. How many home games did we win in 2011, 2009 and 2008 out of interest? Was it more than this season?


I'd like to see what signings we make before predicting impending doom already.

Anything else to moan about?

So we should sell tickets by saying "yeah, probably a mid-table finish next season at best."

As it stands its a marginal improvement on last year (which was an improvement on the year before), if we win at Huddersfield it is more of an improvement this year. We go into the pre season with the coaches choice at half back in place and available for the first time. I think it is fair to expect further and sustained improvement next year and ask questions if it doesn't happen but this year hasn't been the worst as some dismal jimmy's on here are implying - far from it.

Agree, yes the final performance will hinder with some people for a while. But the fact of it is, At Least We Got There.

We beat teams like Catalans and Warrington to get there and even though our season form was none existent for the latter stage, we still finished 6th and could of reached 5th. ( Maybe higher considering the 4 games we should have won. Widnes A, Wakey H, Catalan A, Saints A)

Wembley knocked the stuffing out of the fans big time I think. The whole day from the performance to the weather which turned what should have been a great experience into a damp squib has hit hard. Underneath that there has been the ridiculous inconsistency which which we seem to play season after season for which a cure seemingly cannot be found.

However the season must be judged as a whole and it has been a marginal improvement again. Not perhaps the step change that a flowing attack would have brought but 6th, a major final appearance, and so far through round one of the play offs isn't by any means the worst return. Pearson said it would take time to turn our fortunes around and we're on track to do that, particularly with the emergence of new talent that we're seeing.

We are where we are down to our own efforts. To say that we've done what we've done due to other teams failings is just ridiculous in my view - the league standings are what they are. For me Gentle just has to keep on improving the side each year, and as I said a while back he should be given 15-20 games next year as a minimum to do that. Recruitment is key now and we're all waiting with baited breath.