=#8040FFNo because that starting 17 was good enough to finish 5th and the defence was shocking most of the season.

That being the case, how much attention was paid to that by any of the tipsters who had us down for a below play-off finish before the season started? And indeed, as Shifty and Raz were out injured for a major part of the season, the starting 17 didn't play much either.

TBH, Bradford and Warrington had much stronger squads than we did, so did Leeds, Saints, Huddersfield, and Hull. Where a finish of 5th comes from, I really don't know, but from squad strength I really can't see it.

Give your head a shake, that squad performed well above expectations to get in the play-offs and you are saying we should have finished 5th? I am utterly incredulous, just face the facts, you don't like the man instead of coming up with BS statements like this.

So where were you predicting us to finish at the start of the 09 season?

=#8000FFAt the start of last year I predicted Cas 5th. This year I'd expect at the very least 7th, but if the defence is as good as the Leeds game most weeks 4th isn't out of reach.

It is. It reeeally is.
We'll see

If you lot finish 4th then Matterson should be given a limo for day to day duties

I struggle to believe anyone, even the most rosed-tinted Cas fan, would predict the team that finished bottom to come 5th the next year...

Anyway, there isn't a single coach in the world that would have got last year's squad to 5th position - imo anyway.

^ I agree. When your scrum half and hooker are out for most of the season it's going to be an uphill struggle. We did well to finish 7th. I'd be delighted with 8th this year too.

=#8000FFBut they weren't injured when I made the prediction

I knew Chase would be one of the best players in the league after seeing him play in the NRL while some fans were complaining he wouldn't be as good as Dorn

. The weakest part of the team last year is the same this year - depth, if the squad can stay fit then they should improve on last years 7th.

I do think we can improve. I certainly don't think the squad is weaker, and the young team playing together again means they'll grow together without needing time to gel.

The problem, like you say, is depth. But I don't think that is TM's fault, and I believe that he is getting the best out of what he has. And to say he's taken over an NL1 team and turned us into a playoff side in four years without the financial backing that someone like Justin Morgan has had speaks volumes about his ability.

=#8000FFHis inability to sort the defence out in them 4 years is what concerns me about Matterson, it was good for the most part against Leeds, so if they can keep that up most of the year then I'll call him a good coach, but making the playoffs with a negative points difference was quite poor considering, get rid of the hammerings would be a good start though.

Well maybe if they'd of stayed fit then we might of achieved 5th....

Cas did really, really well to finish 7th last year, that was a fantastic result given the strenth of the squad we had (a mid table squad, no where near top 5!). I predicted 9th last year, I'm gonna predict 9th again for this year. We're no weaker in most departments but a lot of teams have recreuited really well, but our stability should see us surprise a few of the bigger teams.

Cas' problem is depth as some others have said

So, to answer Gaslight:

You said, [of a team built by Terry Matterson



and when someone pointed out that Sherwin and Raz had been out most of the season, you replied:



Is this really the legacy over four years of a coach who is, in your words



or one who is







You say


This is not all the fault of the coach. A lot of this is down to finance as well.

In truth, the team, with its lack of depth which you knew about at the start of last season did a remarkable job to attain 7th place, above stronger squads on paper such as Bradford and Warrington despite the injuries we got. Yes we got some hammerings but you must admit, it's been our most consistent season in SL for years. To say that the coach who built the team and guided it, injuries and all, to 7th last season is "clueless and inept" or "crap" is incredibly harsh on someone who has given a lot of us a lot of things to be proud of.

Well said.

I think 2004 was your most consistent season

=#8000FFSo just because the team finished 7th you're happy the team had a hopeless and in a few games borderline pathetic defence? it's amazing that league position makes people forget on field performances and some crazy tactical choices - McGoldrick at full back? seriously? he doesn't organise the line and he doesn't have a clue positionally. Or playing Widders in the centre when there's young centres in the squad who deserve a chance.

To say Matterson was the one who built the team is a bit off the mark too because (as bad as he was) Mick Robinson signed a number of players in the squad, so it wasn't all Matterson.

Yes he's a good attacking coach, and SOMETIMES he sets out a good game plan (like sending Ferres through Tim Smith last year) but he leaves people scratching their heads more then thinking "that was great coaching". Like I said in another post, if he can beat last years 7th with a paper thin squad then I'll start to rate him but so far he's got a team relegated with a fantastic pack, a team promoted but didn't look brilliant for parts of the season, finished bottom of the league and scraped into the playoffs with a negative points difference. Let's also factor in the amount of players he's fallen out with over his time at the club - Mason, Dyer, Blanch, Brough, Boyle, Faumuina - that is too many and to think a player from last years squad said the team "treat him more like a mate then a boss" shows he doesn't have too much control over the team as well (backed up by players being banned from Xscape).

The problem is, you're putting words into my mouth.

I never said I was happy that the team got hammered in some games; nor have I said that all of Terry's decisions are spot-on.

However, you overlook the facts that when we got relegated, we had more wins than any other relegated team in SL, that we were the only team ever to be relegated from SL by not finishing bottom, when we did finish bottom after our promotion year it was because everyone knew that any possible relegation that season would not depend on league position and rather than spend lots of money chasing players after the NL1 Grand Final, the club decided to give more of the up-and-coming players at the club a chance to bed in, as well as getting hold of better players later on.

It's interesting that you make a point that Terry got a team relegated, which was a team that he had little choice with the signings, as he was appointed when the majority of the team had been put together. However, although TM has been at the club for 4 years, you're giving credit for last year's squad to Mick Robinson, despite him leaving in October 2008. Since he left, the club has finished higher up the league than at any time during his time involved with the Tigers.

If the team "treat [Terry more like a mate than a boss," how come Mason, Blanch, Dyer, Brough, Boyle, Faumuina ended up leaving? To believe that any style of management works for everyone is simply naive. It's clear you don't rate him as a coach, but to brand someone who has overseen a period of improvement at the club and brought some stability, got us playing some attractive, attacking rugby as clueless and inept is simply wrong.

Would you brand Mal Reilly as clueless and inept (Huddersfield finished bottom under him in 1999), Ian Millward at Wigan (how heavily did they get hammered during his short reign there?), John Monie at London Broncos, Alex Murphy/John Dorahy at Warrington?

TM maybe isn't the best coach in the world - but he's not the worst by a long chalk, either.

Plus you're having ago at playing Widders in the centres....I agree not ideal, but one of our best victories last year was Huddersfield away 13-6. Dean played centre for near enough the whole 80 and had a stormer of a game. The thing is with people like you, you choose to just see the negatives and refute any positives. Good thing you're in your minority.

I agree, definitely the most consistent Cas team I've ever seen

Check the stats Gaz, it was 2007

Erm...?!!

Could anyone tell me what the weather is like in Cas and has it been raining today?

Thanks