I honestly think this squad would not have let a massive lead against Wigan go to waste. I also could imagine this set of players not squandering leads that would have pushed us much further up the table.

Not saying it won't happen but I just get the impression they know now how to close out a game and will be much more ready when these close games come up.

We were pretty close to many of the top teams over 80mins and often much the better side for 40/60mins only becoming extremely average for 20/40mins of most games. So if we can just put that right we shouldn't be far off.

Some of the pundits are saying we've lost some big players but let's be honest, McDonnell is not a big loss, Clinton is a welcome riddance while only Galea can be classed as influencial and for me it is the right time to part company especially as in the two games up to now Paterson offers much more and looks the business!

Sometimes the pundits can be rather ignorant to the clubs in the mid table. I think Paterson has flown in under the radar as he wasn't a massive name in the NRL but today he kept Gaz Ellis in his back pocket and I don't see that changing through the season.

I doubt we'll win anything this year and I fully expect a few poorer performances, that is the nature of the beast. But what I do know is that this team will be exciting and much faster than we've ever seen before, we will put on a show and some of the defending will be brutal.

Really glad I chose to get a pass

2 pages of Rovers related posts. Madness, well done MR.

I've not taken in any of the friendlies so can't say too much for the new recruits. But I have heard CS mention a few times that he's now got a group of players who want to be here. Which naturally suggests that this wasn't the case last year and perhaps caused a few internal issues. Whether or not we’re stronger than last year, time will tell, but at least (hopefully) we should see a committed team this year.

We lost far too many close games last year, if we can find that Dave Brailsford 'marginal gains' percentage, then hopefully we can see out tight games. GG Stan is right tho' - friendlies = frep squared.

greg eden is the best prospect we have



he can run through the tightest of gaps with ease . even a very small gap

i hope cox has a good year also after his injury last season

From what i have seen so far.......

I fear we are going to ship a lot of points again this year... our defence is still porous ...even the wigan b team went through twice with no real problem, and a stronger wigan lineup would have taken us apart.. I`m a realist... i see our problems..... is this the right coach or right players to sort them.... that is a hard one to answer... We played a Hull team that was lacklustre and seemed to have a lack of match fitness at the time... however after playing each team it will be the better time to reflect and assess our play-off hopes etc... right now is far far too early ....lets see how we fare against some of the first team squads after they are upto speed etc...

We have a threadbare squad , not much past the initial 17.... and for that reason alone we will struggle to compete.

Agree about our props, a couple of injuries and we may struggle.

Overall i think well improve on last season, we've got some rugged forwards and pace in the backs and I think well battle back into the playoffs.

I think a lot went on last year that we do not know about and it looks like it might now have been fixed (i hope) and if the money man comes in we might get some strength in depth you never know