He was also bemoaning Leeds not blooding more youngsters and Ambler not getting more game time.

I haven't identified Fielden at all mate. I said that he would probably be the guy that Peacock would choose as the perfect foil for him, and as he is available, the better option over Mason. He certainly would not be my top choice. I actually said in that same thread, that personally I would have gone for Sargent for a couple of years, but the club are too late with that one.

Is Calderwood past his peak? I'm not so sure, but on form and the in the right team (like Leeds, IMO he is the best winger in Super League. That's all I am saying. What Donald sadly lacks, enthuisiasm, bottle, and not 5h1tting himself under a bomb, Calderwood's got in abundance. Do we need Calderwood? No do we hell, it would just be a nice replacement as far as I am concerned.

And as usual you jump in and don't read the thread fully. Why did you miss this?



I have said I would have not resigned 4 players and with Eastwood going , would have replaced these 5 players with 4. I further said that given the option I would have got rid of a further 2 players, which would be replaced by internal players. Even further stating that Ambler, Pitts, and the introduction of Ward should be happening next season.

Therefore I think you will now agree, that what I have said previosly, I have followed up on again here?

Jumping in?

I'm just wondering how we would give Ambler more game time (And I want Ambler to get more game time) by bringing Fielden in?

I don't know, you tell me, because as I said above.



But regardless of that there should be 4 props in the 17 along with general rotation between props anyway. Even if you brought a new prop in, why would that mean we still can not give Ambler the game time?

Absolutely. We should give all the present winning squad ten year contracts and continue to look to the glory years as vindication of sound decision. Players getting progressively older each year should not be a consideration at all. They are all as good as they have ever been and always will be. Feckwits.

Ah...11 months ago. The passage of all that time has not dimmed those distant memories for me. I still lift a glass of wine by the log fire and recount the tales of those halcyon days. Ah....the warm glow has faded somewhat with the passage of the eons, but as long as I hold off the onset of Alzheimers those heady days, all that time ago will still seem as fresh as if they happened only last year. People will not belive me, they will say "do records still exist of these marvelous times?" and I will simply smile and raise a toast to memories..

Lets dismantle a proven very successful side as soon as they lose a game, if only we had done this in early '07 when most were writing us off as usual.

That wasn't even a knockout game, let alone a final on neutral territory.

The difference in magnitude of the 2 games is enormous.

So let me get this right...only knock out games at neutral venues count.....and we are talking about the squad who have just won 3 grand finals on the trot....is that correct?

Can't speak for others in 2007...but when do you think a good time would be for dismantling ? Or are you an advocate for papering over the growing cracks in the once solid foundations ?

That was one game in a season we finished 2nd.

When does knee jerking not become knee jerking?

do we have to play poorly for 2 or 3 others before we talk about it?

The cracks of a first CC final in 5 years with probably our worst season for injuries in over a decade?

we had worse injuries in 01.

we had to play very young inexperienced players and we finished 5th.

this year with injuries not as bad and experience proven team we could finish 6th.

I concur... Even the immediate future is very scary. Resting on our laurels for far too long has got to be reet good... Let somebody else make the tough decisions to keep things fresh, inspirational and pioneering. Better to impercetibly slide ever so gradually into the oblivion of decline whilst looking though those rose tinted spectacles.

Out of interest why is it that you and others have a complete disregard for the patter of performance each season? yet at the same time always hark back to previous triumphs?. I am not having a go, I just can not understand how been rational, which I have no doubt you are, why you can not accept a dwindling of performance and conditioning in players, compared to last season, and then again to the season before that. Or do you just not accept that there has been a decline in performance?

Ive been away from this forum for a few years and now Im remembering why.

The actual point of the thread was to say that the squad is showing some signs of age, whcih was only highlighted by our season which includes the CC final.

Therefore, what are peoples views, now the dust has settled a bit, on how we progress further? Every squad needs freshening up, ideally yearly - Im talking one or two new players where they add value, not wholesale changes.

If we dont add a little this season then I can see us having to bed in four or five players the season after which is always difficult.

Because to be honest I don't think it is declining to the extent that some others do.

It's not been the best year but neither was 2006, Webb & Kylie did not win the last 3 grand finals by themselves.

We have good youngsters in the squad like BJB, Watkins, Ambler, Pitts who should be here for a long time to come.

What has the decline in conditioning been? because Davidson has been with us since 2006.

I think that we should have got one of the props that Saints and bradford have got..LMS or Bryn Hargreaves,we need reinforcements in that position ,both are British and with youth on their side(all 3 qualities together are hard to find at the mo)Having Watkins and BJB back will obviously help but maybe Senior has to go permantly into the 2nd row to spice it up abit,but that doesnt give us much in the centres as Delaney(at best) is steady!!!

I don't think Hargreaves would offer us anything we don't already have and I must admit that whilst hearing plenty about LMS I have only seem him play a handful of times so couldn't say either way.

I think most would agree with this and i think/hope Brian Mcdermott will also add a freshness and bring more steel to our Defence and pack but we do need 1 or 2 additions imo.

What the hell ! Is that the best you can do ?

Spot on, but there are some reasons to be a bit optimistic next season:

1. Lowest expectations for 7/8 years. Apparently Wigan Stains and Wire are nailed on to fill the 1st 3 places with us fighting for 4th. Less to lose, more to gain?
2. Brian McD trying hard to show he's worthy of being 1st team coach for 2012.
3. Much less complacency in the side - the players should be keen to show that this year's form was a one-off. For match day motivation, just put a picture of the Wembley score line on the dressing room wall.
4. Having BJB and Watkins back will be like 2 new additions.
5. JP will benefit for having a long time off - 1st clear off season for years.
6. Clarkson, Pitts, McShane and Ambler bigger, stronger, more experienced and will contribute more.
7. No distraction of having to get ready for the WCC as soon as the season starts. A gradual increase in intensity as the season develops should benefit the whole team.

Any others?

Oh dear. What a dick.

You castigate him then post a boat load of smileys in reply, you gloit.