We're not. We could have pushed ahead with smaller plans, but we're trying to hold out for a 15k capacity.

Really I am sure all will be revealed shortly

This thing about bigger and better squads. I am a big Tigers fan but I am sorry but anyone who thinks we have got a bigger and better squad than Wakeys needs a wake up call.

I have been saying all season that our big problem this year is our lightweight squad in terms of numbers. We will do all right whilst we keep our numbers intact but the minute we get any sort of injuries or unavailabilities, which all teams at some time or another are going to get, we are going to be in big trouble.

This was borne out on Friday. We had three players out in McGoldrick, Ferres and Jones. The only others we've got apart from them are Ryan Boyle, Ryan Clayton and James Ford and with due respect to the last two named, they are hardly going to set SL alight to say the least.

Out of the Wakey team that comprehensively mauled us were Jamie Stosic, Ricky Bibey, Luke George, Richard Moore, Frank Winterstein, Tevita Latu, Matthew Peterson and Jamie Rooney, eight players who are largely all proven at the highest level.

Yeah whilever we get our best 17 or so out, we will go alright but thats not going to happen. If we want to compete over the whole season and not just the start or certain periods of it, we need another three SL qualitish players.

Wakey I am afraid to say at present, are far better equipped to compete and go the distance than we are.

Again FWIW I think a lot of people and not just Cas fans mistook a flurry of signings as being strength in depth. But that isn't the case, those teams who sign the least players are generally the strongest, because they obviously feel they already have the staff for what they need.

Wakefield only signed Stosic, Snitch and Winterstien in the closed season and they were generally straight replacements.

I realise that is of little concern to you but it's just an outside perspective.

Winterstein signed after the start of the new season..?

Good post, though Scott Grix is missing from your list too so that makes it 9 players! If Sherwin or Goldy or God forbid both get injured then I can see you being in trouble as everything seems to revolve around these two. Chase isn't a bad player but he's more of an individual player than a team player. At Wakey I believe we've got a very well balanced squad and we've already shown we can overcome an injury crisis - at Hull KR the situation was that bad that we had two part time players playing we lost Drew in the first minute and we still gave them a game!

Thats true and the strange thing is I had Grix written down and forgot to include him. Also your right Shifty and McG are extremely pivotal to our season and if one or the other are missing we are going to lose a lot. If, or should I say when both are missing, we will really feel the heat. We have only got Chase in reserve.

Sherwin is massively pivotal to us and he is a player that not only has to be hidden in defence, he is being hidden if you watch closely. This, many people think is because he is advancing in years or carrying an injury, but its also an admission that we need to look after him and keep him free from injury if we are to have a good season and keep the momentum going.

Our threadbare squad is and has been a worry to me and I sincerely hope that if any players of the right calibre do become available, that we make a genuine attempt to recruit them.

Sort of - he was signed before the season started I think but was held up by visa issues. To be honest Frank is a speculator anyway.

Again, a second time....this has been on the cards a long time. I know Joe's injury takes away all meaning of the result, but still, these things happen to an extent and it's just a thing we sadly have to get on with.

what happened today then ?

Several injuries and outplayed by arguably the best St Helens side in a few years, who are hitting the top peak of their form.

Although I agree don't talk to us about injuries, you had 5, we've played games this year with 13 players missing, now thats an injury crisis! Its how you cope with the injuries which determines how good a side you are, you obviously need to steer clear of your fair share as today as shown you will struggle. Hopefully Westerman will get a week or two's rest after his unfortunate injury and with a bit of luck when he comes back fresh TM will start to use him properly, as, from what I've seen this season he isn't being allowed to show his obvious talents. Whether this is because TM is trying to take some pressure off Joe I'm not sure, but, for me to get the best out of him he must be allowed to play his natural game.

We don't have strength in depth, you do. And as said on the thread previously, you have a number of attacking players you can rely on. Nullify Sherwin and McGoldrick in ours and you have no creativity and Saints have the talents to do just that.

When you consider we had Evans, Feather, Jones, Ferres, Hudson, Widders and then Westerman go off today we lost several of our key players.

Give it a rest with the we've had more injurys than you ffs? We've suffered today because of influential players not being there--end of discussion.
As for our use of Westy, he isn't being protected, he's out there as a battering ram and a tackling machine. We are so not using his talents

Fair enough as we agreed before you are buggered when it comes to injuries, hope you steer clear cos a strong Cas and a strong Wakey can only be good for each other, we need you as much as you need us, its a healthy rivalry. If the rumours are true about Houghton from Hull then you've got a good un there and hopefully for you he will take some of the pressure off of Shifty and Goldy.

Grow up this is not a we've had more than you discussion, ffs we've had several influential players out this year but what im saying is that the team needs to adapt to not having these players on board, this is where, quite possibly, the recruitment selection from TM could come under scrutiny. You need players who can adapt to different situations, you seem to have players who have one maybe two positions and roles within the team at most. As for westy agree entirely and for me its totally baffling. If he carries on being used this way he will suffer from burn out quite early in his career much the same as Langley at the Bulls. I hope to god he doesn't because he has quite clearly got the skills to be a potentially great player.

Thanks for your unsolicited opinion. FWIW, I don't thing we're doing too bad in our 'consolidation' season.

I'll never grow up


You've somehow got hold of very average players and made them do a fantastic job for you. How Trinity do this I'd love to know



As for Westy, ffs we agree, not happy about agreeing with a Trinity fan though

The point I was making is that youre excuse for the good fridays game dosent wash with me or the majority of fans.

It takes a good coach to create a good team out of nothing and that's precisely what Kear is.

Never said you weren't! You're doing very well, its just your squad looks a little vulnerable, steer clear of injuries and continue with your good form then you should make the 8.

It does, but its not that simple, everything about the players improves beyond recognition, look at Wilkes as a great example.

Strength, fitness, skill level, team ethic.....can Kear improve all this? He must have a great set up to back him up. Fair play to him, and Trinity.

Paul Broadbent does a lot of work with the forwards, people tend to forget about him, Beans was a top forward in his day and people often forget about him. Our fitness and conditioning coach Colin Sanctuary is also top notch - he regularly has the lads (particularly the forwards) in for extra work before training begins. Credit must also go the players for wanting it so much and having the willingness to go in for the extra sessions and also for listening to what the coaches have to say and and taking things on board.

We all know how bad Richie Moore looked when he was diagnosed with Crohnes but you should see him now he looks as fit as ever, Richard has stuck to the medical advice he has been given re diet etc and he has worked extremely hard with colin to build his fitness levels up, what they have achieved is nothing short of miraculous!

.

broadbent has done wounders with all are forwards, e.g wilkes, moore, bibey ect.