Doh!

Our backrow is above average for the Championship but below average for SL. It shouldn't be that surprising that they struggled against Wakefield.

Without Ferguson, I think our back row lacks some punch. Pitts and Olbison are grafters but not really big enough against the SL packs.

Agreed but I think Olbison and Pitts would be better if they weren't playing along side two props who are having to put in 70 minute shifts and two from the bench who have zero impact. For me our backrow is solid enough. Get two props from the bench who provide some reall impact, then Pitts and Olbison will go better. Don't want to be going through wholesale changes.

The O'Brien deal was all signed. We agreed to rip it up when Warrington offered him another year. Nice to know that when he was released he came to us, sorry I meant went and signed for Salford. Just goes to prove the saying "No good deed goes unpunished"

Indeed.

Was Offerdahl all that good anyway. I realise that my sideboard would be a better prop than Lauaki but I don't recall Offerdahl being that much better than the likes of Samir, Crossley etc when I saw him play for the USA..

He looked very raw when we saw him a year or so back, I guess we'll never know.

In terms of the backrow i really can't see us making many changes. It's good enough to get us in the middle 8s.

To challenge a SL team we need Ferguson to be fit snd in form as he's our best bet for breaking the line vs SL teams. The others are a little bit lightweight even though Olbison has improved.

I have high hopes for Mellor as he matures.

I know it borders on sacriledge but we need a lot more from dummy half.

I think one or two older heads are needed in the side. We've a very young squad, I think the average age at the start of the season was only about 24. So with the proper management, this could be the core of the team for the next 5-6 years or longer. But we need a few guys who been there and done it to help get those young lads on to the next level.

We need a lot more from halfback in general. To be honest, I don't think acting half would really be a problem if the incumbent hadn't been flogged all season.

I've always enjoyed it when we've gone with two hookers, normally one old school hooker and one 'live-wire'. So for example Terry Newton knackers everyone and Ian Henderson comes on to exploit the gaps. Similar with Diskin and L'Estrange.

In Halafihi we appear to have a similar counterpoint to O'Brien if we'd care to use it.

Clubman of the year as well, so attitude can't be faulted.

If we sorted out our props and got a decent bench impact we'd be on the front foot and be able to threaten more from DH.

As things stand we'd struggle with Cameron Smith at DH with Lauaki and Crossley doing 3 hitups each and relying on tired starting props.

I'm not sticking up for Crossley, or even Lauaki but they can't do hit ups from the bench. If they're only worth 15 minutes (which is what Lauaki sometimes gets) then wtf is Tahrouie doing at Keighley. If the starting props are being made to do 60 minutes a piece whilst coming off 2nd best then why is Lauaki getting the shirt in front of Fleming who at least appears to know which direction the opposition line is?

He gives Halafifi a 2 year deal and picks a centre in front of him who's barely played all year and got outclassed by Scott Moore.

In Jimmy we trust.

No M@islebugs is spot on, it is more accurate to say that "in Jimmy we trusted but on the occasion of the MPG he could have done better"

Jimmy didn't exactly do bad at the MPG, it is just that we got soooooo close and I believe just a couple of things done differently and we would have won it.

But we would definitely be in SL now anyway if Addy had kicked those 2 goals and so Lowes would rightly be taking full credit for that. Cruel world.

How Lauaki got picked for the MPG after the game he had the week before still mystifies me.

If that wasn't enough to get dropped I dread to think what is.

Samir got dropped after one average performance away at Batley.

I don't know what goes on in training but as far as actual performance is concerned I thought Samir was hard done by.

Ok I'm going to say it and then shut up. We have a Grand Final, Challenge Cup winning, ex Great Britain coach doing Joe Louis style meet and greet at Caeasar's palace in the hospitality, in between trips to God knows where the Broncoes now play to pat Andrew Henderson's hand. Meanwhile nobody in the ground has a clue what our coach is hoping to achieve, greeting the teamsheet with collective shrugs as each performance appears odder than the last (good ones included).

It seems nothing short of weird.

I suspect one of those coaches costs considerably more than the other. That might have something to do with it.

I'd very much doubt it if London can pay him and it looks an awfully expensive economy now.

Think he was scared off when associated with the Dark Knights attempted takeover.

I've thought this for a while. When we first went down - I'd have tried really hard to ask Diskin to go round one more year. Can understand why he didn't but he's the kind of savvy player we need. Couple more like Ferguson wouldn't go amiss either.

I don't think Diskin could have done another year even if he had wanted to do so.

We have lacked proper leaders on the field since we lost the likes of Lynch, Morrison and Menzies.