Well with Widnes away this week and a decent playing surface it will be good to see how we get on.

Widnes have not lost a league game yet also defeated the bulls easily. Am not expecting a result here after last year.

Scouse's 26 fax 10

Widnes have beat Dewsbury, Swinton and Barrow in the league. All three teams are tipped to finish near or at the bottom of the league this year. We will struggle with our forwards (occurring theme this season) but our backs should do well on the Widnes pitch. I think we could get a win.

I’ve flipped back and forward in terms of the result . Keyes will not feature so widdop and jouffret will feature, if these two play at the top of their game I think we could sneak it , however one thing we don’t seem to have addressed is our discipline and unfortunately I think this will be our undoing . Gilmore will have a field day on the back of the penalties and territory we will concede . 44-10 to Widnes .

Not much confidence about this - performance last year st Widnes probably ranks as our worst of the season, and we probably had a stronger team then than we'll field on Sunday.i don'tread much into Widnes position in the league, as has been mentioned the teams they've beaten not expected to be strong. In fact with the exception of Wakefield, the quality of sides in this division is the lowest I can remember for several years.Obviously very early days but when Widnes and Sheffield look like relative World beaters with on paper pretty average squads, things don't look that good. Lack of ambition and spending by vast majority of clubs another benefit of the IMG fiasco.

Scousers? A lot of Man United fans in Widnes

I'l go on the flip side with this...Widnes 18 Fax 26..More heart than head as this game could emphasize our shortcomings.Swinton winning in Toulouse and our Bradford debacle does put their current form way above ours...

Just don’t see how our recruitment has fixed last season’s problems, struggling this year to get excited .

More to the point, our plays are still the same as they've been for the last couple of seasons. No innovation, no rehed plays, I'm struggling to see where Liam has made any difference? Watching the Catalan game (in which we did Ok tbh) I think the main difference (other than size and skill) was their speed when we played the ball. They were right off the mark and in our faces but we were pretty much just waiting for them when they had the ball. That, for me, is a massive factor in winning any game of RL, speed off the defensive mark (keeping onside, obviously!)

Last time I am gonna say this but we have missed Muzza from 1! Nobody has come close to filling his boots in many ways and I doubt even Widdop can bridge that gap. We should at least try get him back as an attacking coach.

While i obviously agree,if there's no money the coaching staff have to get more from what we've got.Baby steps yes but Fairbank seems revitalised under Finn and the try he made for Inman on Sunday was reminiscent of how Ben Johnston ran off him 5 years ago and was sadly lacking under Grix tutilage..

Conner Davies has been band for 2 matches for a dangerous throw

Do not rate him all tbf

League 1 player at best. V v v poor signing.

I thought we might see some more Leeds players in the squad this week with them having no game and us carrying a fair few injuries. Are Eden and Douglas fit if not the side pretty much picks itself and with not much support for Connor Davies being in the side would we rather see say James Donaldson on dr or stick with what we have. Because Connor seems to be a favourite of Finns.

terry, you do realise dr is designed to help the SL team and not the 'junior' club don't you?

Really don't see the point in padding out the squad with players who aren't fit, it doesn't fool anyone, particularly when Finn confirms in his pre game interview that no injured players will returning for Widnes. Doesn't look as though Widnes are experiencing the same problems as their squad includes their first 16 squad numbers - plus Dan Murray.
On Donaldson - I'd love to see him here - think he only played that one game for Bulls last year, against us, but thought he had a blinder. Not the biggest forward but we struggled to deal with him all game.

We all know who it is designed to help the question i am asking are we being offered players and saying no thanks. When are small squad gets stretched by more injuries game on game.

Off thread I know, no doubt there will be some HX36hj to fans blaming thr panthers for their inability to win yesterday, and their subsequent possible failure to reach the playoffs.

How I hate predictive text , then not proof reading! FC Halifax Town !

Off thread I know, no doubt there will be some HX36hj to fans blaming thr panthers for their inability to win yesterday, and their subsequent possible failure to reach the playoffs

Not far off , do you get extra img points for close predictions.

Obviously incredibly disappointing to concede so many second half points - but those calling for Finns head at this stage of the season are deluded. We gambled on running with a very small squad - that's presumably primarily down to financial constraints not choice on Finn's part. Then to lose 6 of our most influential players - not Finn's fault - strip the same quality and number out of Widnes team and pretty sure they'd struggle.
Finn did say this week we should get some players back next week for what should be another tough test - unfortunately dont think that will include O'brien, who i think they've missed more than anyone, but get Crooks, Douglas, Keyes and Eden back at least Finn has something to work with, and would give him the opportunity to replace some players who are not performing.

For me hopefully get a couple of injured players back and the second half today would not be repeated. I feel for finn currently the cards are against him but with an improved hand things will get better. The ups and downs of sport who would have predicted wire to win so convincingly today ? Sometimes teams have an off day very unusualfor saints but it certainly happened. Put it to bed and move on

I feel a little bit for Finn as I believe he’s inherited a squad which in my opinion peaked in 2022 , there’s obviously still some quality players in there but it needs freshening up , recruitment as been inadequate and some players need moving on coupled with injuries , lack of finances uncertainty around the ground and this img debacle it’s gonna be a tough season.

Finn said it himself - Absolute capitulation in adversity. We clearly struggled with their speed and offloads looking at the highlights. Will reserve judgement until the first 10 league games. Looking ragged on the edges however. Looked to be some poor reads from Saltonstall.

Was looking a decent prediction at half time..Though in truth we did say the warnings were clearly there and Widnes wouldnt continue to mess up for the full 80.To me the biggest issue is our line speed in defence and that suggests we either not fit enough or motivated enough or both.Didnt see who put Walker on his lard ass,but the rest could do with following that lead..