About as long as Warrington's.

Did those Salford boys stretch your ringpiece?

Well they're probably committed for this season at least. Next question?

Castleford 46 Salford 6

If you take away the Papua-New Guinean John Wilshere and the Kiwi painter Robbie Paul, then Salford would be losing most games by 50 points.

You are without a shadow of a doubt the biggest bellender on RLFANS.COM.

The inimitable Kiwi painter Robbie Paul sets up a Salford try for the Irishman Fitzpatrick. A consolation score.

Castleford 46 Salford 12.

Welcome back Albert!

Are numptys with [size=200NO[/size RL knowledge allowed on RL Fans

No don't answer that

I'm so tempted to stop this thread.

Why?

Because it's so negative.

Tonight's result, for instance, to me suggests that Salford are where Cas were this time last year.

Yet that seems to being ignored on the basis that a well-known troll has started this thread.

I tell you what – Ignore the troll and have a real discussion about progress (or otherwise) under the new system.

And if Albert (or anyone else) causes a severe disruption, I am perfectly prepared to ban him. Again.

...........worse still is Warrington's plight. Salford were always going to struggle and despite the OP's hang-up with the Manchester side, their start to 2009 isn't the worst out of the participating clubs. I can't see Warrington winning until the 22nd March which will firmly plant them at the bottom.

Fitzpatrick the Scotsman

Don't worry, you've got Leeds next week. They'll be knackered after the WCC. Even Castleford managed to beat them last year!

If you can't beat 'em in that, then you might want to worry!

For the briefest of moments there it felt like my team was back in Super League again

Oh look, another one.

Why were they though? They have known since 22nd July last year that they would be in SL - the same as everyone else. It's not like they found out in October when all the best players were tied up.

You could apply that to all the teams though. A few teams are going to be favourites, a few mid tablers and a few bottomers - based upon the signings they've made and their financial clout. I merely judged that their standing in 2009 would be at or around the bottom of the table based on their squad at the start of the season. However - Wigan, Warrington and Bradford have put my theory (so far at least) firmly on it's a[irs[/ie.

There is no need for Salford fans to be overly depressed after this weekend's performance.

Let us not forget that Salford were playing Castleford at the Jungle, which is a known graveyard for visiting teams, and the Reds were up against two of the in form Super League players in the persons of Shifty Sherwin and Ryan McGoldrick, not to mention the extraordinary talent of Dean Widders (who formerly played with Sydney Roosters and Parramatta along with David Solomona, and later with South Sydney).

After a somewhat disappointing start, Salford definitely showed some improvement in the second half. After losing the first half 28-6 they only lost the second half by 24-10. The veteran Australian coach Shaun McRae -- an amiable man if ever there was one -- will surely take a lot of positives out of that.

Fitzpatrick is not a Scottish name, but there are lots of Scots Irish

Taxi for McRae then?

my friend you could not get a more irish surname than fitzpatrick

[iextraordinary talent of Dean Widders [/i

now there is a group of words you rarely hear uttered together!

I'd go along with that apart from Wigan. I can see Warrington and to a lesser extent Bradford getting their act together sooner or later cos they have a team full of good players, but Wigan to me don't look any better than the majority of squads in SL and consequently they'll continue to enter games against the likes of Wakey, Cas, Harlequins etc with at best a 50/50 chance of winning.

Yeah, I agree with all of that, however, the 'Young Professionals' aren't really what you'd call 'targets' for the club...the only rugby they are aware of isn't played up north, if ya catch my drift...but, the possibilities of increasing gates and revenue are, as they say, infinite.

To be sure, to be sure.

Except he is from W1g4n

His parents probably immigrated to Wigan, trying to escape the arduous diet of haggis that the Scots Irish are forced to eat in the highlands.