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.

Hopefully less injuries and a chance to rotate the older players more.

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

Incidentally why "Tauranga" ? Serious question..spent a year living there with my family in 2006/7. Do I know you ?

It's where i'm from.

small world.....actually spent first three months at the mount before moving to bayfair. ...maybe bumped into on the stand sometime or was that you in the hot pools mooning at the ice cream parlour across the road ????

Your just fuc**ing boring pal. Same song over and over again. You've got nothing of any interest to say, and you're as witty as herpes so why should I be fu***d?

So why bother replying then ? I have learnt this site is just somewhere to have a little light hearted fun. You really should try to do the same and not take life so seriously. No one really cares what others might have to regale us with...or at least they shouldn't as for resorting to apparent real attempts to insult...that is pretty sad.

Oops ! Lost my way with punctuation towards the end there....almost as bad as the imperious DHM's misuse of ' your ' instead of you're.