I think the half backs have struggled to gell with the constantly changing combinations of second row-centre-winger that they work with on their respective sides, hopefully with a more settled side we will see some improvements.

It's been metioned before that getting fresh players back later in the season could be a bonus, I also think having a period of adversity after the last 3 years success is no bad thing in the long run. Hopefully it will knock any complacency out of us and renew the desire and hunger to win again.

Really...????

I wonder how ill he was – when I’ve got man flu the world stops turning, there’s no way on this planet I’d be thinking about playing 80 minutes of professional rugby.

Yorkshire Post said he was chucking up before the game.

Who said it was man flu?

re kirke how much of the last few seasons has he missed to return for the grand finals?

Kirke & buderus aside we've been fairly fortunate injury wise last few years and i put ablett down as one of the greater losses for the way hes covered loose & centre in the past.

No doubt his decision (and it was his apparently, not the coaching staff) to play would have been influenced by the options in the 19 to play stand-off if he didn't take the field.