You're right there mate, the defence seems ok until you are defending in the red zone and then panic seems to set in and there seems to be a lack of communication between some of the players. What is your opinion of Dobbo, Its a bit late for me to say it but I thought he would disappoint this time over here and he still hasn't done any thing to prove me wrong. Didn't think I'd be able to make it tonight but glad I did. Thanks to all of you that came over and hope we can repay that at your place. Did any of you stay back for the rendition of "Sweet Caroline? Its been another great idea of our CEO Steve Gill. Just wondered if you have any thing similar and if you had any ideas what would be a good victory song for you as it really adds to the after match atmosphere

You got tonights lottery numbers too?

Dobson didn't play many top flight NRL games last year and then he got the injury. He didn't have a proper pre season because of the injury and then he picked up another injury in our second game. Personally I fully expect him to improve significantly with a few more games under his belt but we are going to have to be patient.

Shenton played.

It's not quite panic stations just yet. Sure, it's frustrating but we're about where I thought we would be before the season started. In fact, table wise, we're higher up than I thought we'd be.

However, I've started to get the feeling that something needs to give for the team to move forward. We have the personnel on the field to be performing way better than we are, and our consistency issues are just as fragmented as ever. There is something not right with the mental attitude, or the instilling of a proper mental attitude. We also seem to be off the pace fitness wise, which also is having an effect on injuries received. This to me points at problems in the backroom staff. Maybe it's Harris not being experienced enough, or the wrong people in the job. Maybe it's not enough people in the jobs required, or too many. I don't know. There's plainly something wrong with our off-field preparation regardless. As there's simply no reason why this group of players should be under-performing, defending so badly, and giving away far too many penalties. Too me, it points at poor fitness, poor training, and poor drills. That's the job of the coaching staff and they are currently failing in their job description.

I know it's ultimately down to the players, but they require the very best input off the field to give them the very best chance to succeed on it. To me, they are not being provided with the right tools and preparation to fulfill their end of the bargain. They try, and they are certainly not shy of talent, but that is simply not enough to succeed these days.

I'm not saying that Harris should go. Not yet anyway. But the responsibility ultimately lies on his shoulders and he needs to work really hard and have a long hard think about methods and attitudes to put right the wrongs that the team are turning into habits at the moment. Stamp out the penalties, and tighten the defense sooner rather than later, and he gives the Club a good chance. Let these bad habits fester, and I can see him out of the job sooner rather than later.

We were saying something similar last night. If you look at the results in black and white we're probably ahead of what I expected due to the draw in France, however, it's the performances that are a concern.

Last night felt much more convincing than a 14 point defeat - with 25 minutes to go we looked like we'd already decided the game was lost and were just going through the motions. Cas displayed more urgency throughout and in the last 15 minutes looked more like the team chasing the game.

I feel the same.

We've been fortunate so far with our wins, they were certainly not convincing enough to say we bossed and played our best. Results around us have also been fortunate for us, and has given us an elevated sense of importance at the moment. If we are still in the top six after the next six games I'd be very surprised. We've been far from the real deal performance wise, and it's this rather than results which concerns me also.

We're constantly told how good prep, and winning become habit for good teams, I'm concerned that our current failings are also become habitual and will be difficult to shake off if we don't start to gel cohesively as a unit very soon.

Interesting debate I went last night & concur with the thoughts of those posted!
I would like to add to me it looks like square pegs in round holes, the selection of players looks unbalanced. Having attended all but the Catalans games I am far from impressed. Last nights game flattered us only going down by only 14 points, our defense is woeful & any team getting into our half looks like they will score especially out wide.
I picked up one noticeable point in the second half, we had a scrum on our 20 metre line with about 10 minutes to go & we were ambling to form the scrum to stop the clock, when Josh Griffin ran across the pitch having a go at the players to form the scrum to stop the clock, that's when I released this team as already accepted defeat.

I think a thorough review of the whole situation internally is long overdue. Big sit down meeting for the entire staff to discuss under performance is required. Perhaps a few home truths need to be aired because I can only recollect one 80 minutes performance in the last two years. It's not panic stations just yet but it needs addressing now because something is obviously not right and it's impacting negatively on every team performance.

I was very disappointed last night. I did not expect to win, though I thought we should have been capable of running Castleford close at least. We seemed to lack intensity and looked lethargic at times. That worries me.

Perhaps it was because Castleford had eight days to recover from their last game and we only had five. Perhaps we put too much into training sessions without recovering sufficiently before games. Perhaps it's because we're not as fit as we should be. I don't know enough about what goes on during training sessions but we have to find a way of energising the team more for games.

On a positive note, I thought Michael Dobson showed signs that he can become more influential.

Widnes play Sunday and then Thursday ( which I thought the RFL had discouraged ) so it will be interesting to see if we can out-energise them next Thursday. It would also be nice to watch a quality Salford win!!!

Don't forget that Salford enforced changing the game to Friday rather than Sunday though.

Probably a good tactical decision to ensure we have a better chance of claiming the two points on Sky against Widnes on Thursday.

We did the same when we had Huddersfield last Thursday. Fat lot of good the longer recovery did us there!

Quite surprised at some of the comments of you Salford fans I thought you played OK made us work very hard for the result you looked very organised we was just bit more desperate for a result so proberly wanted that bit more plus remember you lost a player in the first 5 min.

Huddersfield had the same recovery time as yourselves though.

I think it was just a bad day at the office for Cas.

I've been impressed with all your performances bar the Huddersfield one. I think you could have easily picked up another good couple of results by now.

It goes to show in your points difference being +10 and you've only won 2 out of 6 games this season.

Always liked Castleford I hope you get a new stadium sooner rather than later though it was like going back in time on Friday evening.

I thought the first half was a belter it was quick and played with high intensity.
That try at half-time and BJB dropped ball killed the game off. It looks like most teams at home will win more then they lose.
Overall Cas were worthy winners i thought Carney was outstanding along with Gale!
Hauraki was easily our best player.

Castleford wouldn't of been on our line in the minute hadn't Tommy Lee kicked out on the full! That for me even on the stroke of half time was the game over. Our game managment is poor and not having a proven hooker again, will be exploited throughout the season. I understand the benifits of kicking from DH, plays everyone onside, catches defence out, however if that's a tactic, let Chase or Dobson jump in at the PTB. Lee has played quite well but last two games he has been shown up, that woefull DG attempt against Wakefield when Dobson was hanging back all the set. Also the kick out on the full just before half time. It's those fine margins that make all the difference.

I think most of us prefer raw, unchoreographed passion, to be honest. Nothing stage-managed.

The performance was, as a number have said, worrying. Silly forward passes, silly knock-ons, silly kicks out on the full... And the tackling really beggared belief. It's strange how we can look decent one moment and like a side who's never played the sport before the next. Something needs sorting. Quite what, I can only speculate over.

Your take on it is?

I think the coaching is wrong, not just at Salford but more RL in general. I remember at school (back when pictures where black & white) that if someone ran at you the technique was go low and wrap the legs up and they fall over the top of you. That way there was less gang tackling and less likelihood of infringement.
Today it seems less about the tackle and more about slowing the play the ball down, with 2 less tacklers committed for me the speed would matter less and create a better spectacle for fans.

I also think there is a chronic issue at Salford with fitness, I suspect we are concentrating more on power than cardio fitness, it's all well and good being able to lift the heaviest weights, but if you can only do it once it's kind of redundant for a rugby player.

Just want to drop in and say thanks to your travelling fans and the Doc for a entertaining game friday. That Evalds is really something, hold on to him and you've got a star. Good to see some of the bad blood from last year between the two clubs disappearing. I think if you get your fitness sorted out you'll have some good performances this year. Dobbo doesn't look that intrested though.

I think it's definitely a technique problem, although sometimes I'm unsure as to whether or not it's an effort problem as well. The amount of tackles you see the opposition bounce out of, or just skip past, is scary. There were plenty of 'tackles' on Friday that just didn't happen, as well, as defenders stood back and watched. Whether that's down to the lack of effort or poor technique meaning they can't get into a proper position in time, I don't know. Judging by the amount of offloads we give up, it's probably as much technical as anything else.

Good point about the fitness, too. We don't seem to have the legs for 80 minutes a lot of the time.

Ricky Stuart said it best when he was head coach at Sydney Roosters. Responding to a question in a press conference about whether Adrian Morley had a poor tackling technique after yet another high shot, Stuart said: ‘No. I want him to tackle the ball.’

You can interpret that in two ways. Either it was a thinly veiled admission that Morley was being employed as an enforcer, or he was indeed being told to tackle the ball.