Locke off to Scottish Rugby Union. Gareth Hock set to be released. Koukash has poured millions into our club yet our fan base has barely increased. We're two games into the season yet it feels like we've just been relegated. We should be more than capable of turning it around but it just feels highly unlikely. The club spent thousands in the off season promoting us on the local buses and on prime sites near the East Lancs and main roads yet the Saints game has now brought all that crashing back down. We were told in the off-season that the players have had the "toughest pre-season ever" yet Scott Taylor looks like he hasn't exercised in 6 months and we were far from fit in our first two games. With Locke and Hock being let go that should free up a large section of the salary cap but who can we spend that on so early into the season? What is the clubs plan of action now? Two games in and we shouldn't be reading into any results so far yet the messages coming out of the club you'd have thought we'd been relegated. What is the way forward now?

Hard work and a huge emphasis on building genuine team spirit, then hopefully the players will show their true potential and we will see some progress on the field.
As someone wants asked me - If you have gangrene in your leg what do you do?

The Championship.

I agree with what you're saying and there is no doubt a culture problem at our club, but does the fact that we're getting rid of Locke and Hock after two games not seem a bit reactionary?

Do you really mean reactionary?

Definition: A reactionary is a person who holds political viewpoints that favor a return to a previous state

The last thing I want Salford to do is return to its former state - I remember the meeting at Pendleton Church



I think maybe you mean "knee-jerk" and I certainly wonder what the hell is going on, how have we reached what seems like crisis decision time just 2 games in?

Never a dull moment following Salford eh?

It's very difficult to comment unless you know all the facts and we don't. However if these rumours are true about Salford wanting to release a player of Locke's potential ability then I can only assume the club must have a damn good reason. Is it financial? Is it injury related? Is it something else? We don't know.

You can tell I dont have to have a good vocabulary in my job



And I'm wondering the same. Surely if we kept things as they were and we beat Hull everything would be back to normal wouldn't it? Surely Marwan didnt expect us to beat Warrington and Saints?

Can't see it being money related, if I were too guess I'd say that the Doc is frustrated by Lockes pretty much constant injured status and the fact that Evalds doesn't let anyone down, is home grown and seems much more robust than Locke.

This isn't a Evalds love in but you sense he has the certain something, think if we give him the number 1 spot he will soon become one of the best youngsters in SL, I also feel that the Doc maybe has a signing up his sleeve and freeing cap/quota wriggle room is his aim.

I think with Locke its a case of 'If we dont make the most of Scottish Rugby Union's interest now we'll never be able to get rid of him'. I'm not sure I agree with that but its the only thing I can think is going through the head of Koukash.

I'd be more concerned if we were getting rid of the Walnes, Theo, Evalds and a couple of the other very exciting home grown players.

I'd be happy if the Docs recruitment policy changed slightly to us trying too find the best young lower league talent and drip feeding them into the first team squad, bring in the odd barn stormer in a crucial position as a leader but make the club a place young players think is the place too be. I personally would go after Brierley, if Leigh want Hock offer him as a swap.

Of all the positions we need strengthening, Halfback has to be the last priority.

Quote ="MarioRugby"Locke off to Scottish Rugby Union. Gareth Hock set to be released. Koukash has poured millions into our club yet our fan base has barely increased. We're two games into the season yet it feels like we've just been relegated. We should be more than capable of turning it around but it just feels highly unlikely. The club spent thousands in the off season promoting us on the local buses and on prime sites near the East Lancs and main roads yet the Saints game has now brought all that crashing back down. We were told in the off-season that the players have had the "toughest pre-season ever" yet Scott Taylor looks like he hasn't exercised in 6 months and we were far from fit in our first two games. With Locke and Hock being let go that should free up a large section of the salary cap but who can we spend that on so early into the season? What is the clubs plan of action now? Two games in and we shouldn't be reading into any results so far yet the messages coming out of the club you'd have thought we'd been relegated. What is the way forward now?'" Can someone ban this div. Seems to have an obsession with Salford and it's getting tedious now: https://twitter.com/wiganfaithful

Quote ="MarioRugby"Locke off to Scottish Rugby Union. Gareth Hock set to be released. Koukash has poured millions into our club yet our fan base has barely increased. We're two games into the season yet it feels like we've just been relegated. We should be more than capable of turning it around but it just feels highly unlikely. The club spent thousands in the off season promoting us on the local buses and on prime sites near the East Lancs and main roads yet the Saints game has now brought all that crashing back down. We were told in the off-season that the players have had the "toughest pre-season ever" yet Scott Taylor looks like he hasn't exercised in 6 months and we were far from fit in our first two games. With Locke and Hock being let go that should free up a large section of the salary cap but who can we spend that on so early into the season? What is the clubs plan of action now? Two games in and we shouldn't be reading into any results so far yet the messages coming out of the club you'd have thought we'd been relegated. What is the way forward now?'" Can someone ban this div. Seems to have an obsession with Salford and it's getting tedious now: https://twitter.com/wiganfaithful

Where do we go from here? Forget the rugby, we remake a movie called Locke, Hock and Two Smoking Barrels and get Russell Crowe to direct it.

Quote ="Talent Spotter"Can someone ban this div. Seems to have an obsession with Salford and it's getting tedious now: https://twitter.com/wiganfaithful'" Its got to be mario rugby surely

Quote ="Talent Spotter"Can someone ban this div. Seems to have an obsession with Salford and it's getting tedious now: https://twitter.com/wiganfaithful'" Its got to be mario rugby surely

Quote ="Talent Spotter"Can someone ban this div. Seems to have an obsession with Salford and it's getting tedious now: https://twitter.com/wiganfaithful'" I thought identity was a taboo subject on here Mr Andrew Walsh?

Quote ="Talent Spotter"Can someone ban this div. Seems to have an obsession with Salford and it's getting tedious now: https://twitter.com/wiganfaithful'" I thought identity was a taboo subject on here Mr Andrew Walsh?

I think experience shows that actually a genuine "team" rather than a group of individually good players usually proves to be the better option. Team spirit can and does play a massive factor in sport.
I think getting rid of Hock will do you a massive favour in that respect.
Not sure about Locke, but I guess he frees up a space on the quota and with his and Hock's wage to play with you could bring in a genuine quality player. However, as stated above that player needs to be someone who can fit into your team ethic and not just another talented mercenary.

I think Marwan Koukash is quickly realising that rugby league games are not won on paper, but through a collective and hard working team effort. Gareth Hock doesn't provide you with any of those qualities.

Absolutely. Salford's 2006 squad had a hard work ethic under Karl Harrison and team spirit in abundance, we finished the regular season in 5th place. On paper this team looked inferior in ability to our squad today but it had something that year that money can't buy.

It's a fickle thing though team spirit and it can be quickly lost. The following year with a few changes in personnel we finished bottom and got relegated.

LOL. Not a bad guess but sadly incorrect.

I'll give you a clue: You follow me on twitter.

Send me a DM on there when you've worked it out.