Only two out of St Helens, Wigan, Leeds, Warrington, Hull (what I assume are the big five English spenders) plus Catalans can win a trophy each year.

Yep.
I do get a bit fed up with the silly idea that we are the only ones spending top money. It is total rubbish but it keeps being regurgitated.

Yet that was still not good enough for the fans, even with the best coach in a generation at the helm. Powell needs a fast start, and needs to spend wisely. He’s already put himself on record for being solely responsible for signing players, the buck stops with him next year. New hand picked coaching staff, relatively blank slate with an open cheque book to start again, with a number of key players (Cooper, Currie etc) locked in.

The pressure, unless we crash and burn this year, will be massive. The best he can hope for is that we stumble and fall this season playing in a poor style.

Yep, Lam will be gone if he doesn’t win a trophy this year. 3 seasons without a major trophy is far too long.

Some Wire fans I speak to seem satisfied just making the playoffs, going out in the first round to a Salford/Hull/Cas standard team then watching the 2019 cup final on repeat all offseason.

That’s alright the Warrington board are too hence why Price is still here.

Rubbish. I don't know any Warrington fans who are not fed up with not winning the Grand Final. And I can only imagine that the Board feel precisely the same, but they are realistic enough to know you can't knee jerk into changing the coach every time there is a poor run of results or even if a small number of fans on a forum don't like the style played by the team.

We’ve had 2 coaches in 11 years. There wouldn’t be anything knee jerk in replacing the coach.

And you know what? We are.

Yes 2 seasons to late because he wants to go home.

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So, when you wanted him to go was end of 2019 season? Only two years after he arrived and having just won the Challenge Cup. He'd led the team to three finals at that point. You just don't like him, do you? Or you've got a personal beef against someone high up in the club. Or you are just a glass half empty type of person.

Our form after the CC win was abysmal and unacceptable. Relegation form in fact. People forget that because of the cup win. That cup win was a fantastic performance and it gave me one of my best days as a Wire fan but does that 80 min performance make Price untouchable?

You mention getting to finals but theres literally no achievement in getting there unless you win them. What you should say is we’ve won one final and bottled the other two.

I don’t mind him actually. He seems like a decent bloke and I believe the players all get on with him but he’s just not a very good head coach in my opinion. His record in Australia shows that, our attack the last 4 years shows that (despite having two marquee half backs), and the fact that his tenure will end with 1 trophy in 4 years will show that. Do you think that’s a good enough return for this squad and facilities?

No, I don't and I agree it is right he is going.

The Catalans final performance was abysmal, I agree. On the other hand the victory against Saints was as massive underdogs.
I personally wouldn’t have given Price his extension ,but why harp on about Price? He will be gone at the end of the season. The decision is made. Shouldn’t we now be doing what supporters are meant to do and support our team?

I think we have a great squad. Pricey looks like he’s no longer walking on egg shells knowing he’s going, and isn’t afraid to drop a player. I’ve good reason to believe he wasn’t allowed to drop a marquee player before the Powell announcement.
Believe me as it’s not silly a remark as you might think.
Anyways, with Bentley out and Clubb likely out, we’ve even less of an excuse not to win the CC & GF and finish top.

I'm not sure the absence of Bentley and Clubb makes a significant difference to our chances.

If we had Clubb on our books and lost him for a spell I don't think that we'd suddenly think the games up and concede the CC and GF

I’m not saying these are game changing players. However, Bentley is a first choice backrower already, and playing at 13 I think. Isn’t Matty Lees out now long term again, that cuts down Saints mobile backrow forward roll significantly.

With Wigan, Clubb is in the first choice 4 of props for Wigan, wether stating or bench, that leaves them light.

In a season where the best teams are separated by a small margin, small squad depth losses can make greater differences.
I expect to see Saints and Wigan begin loosing games.
I’m going for Hull to over turn their tight defeat to Wigan now. It was the forwards that gained Wigan that win. That’s what a small margin change can do. That UR is how losing Clubb can lose you the CC.

bentley plays right second row.


CLubb, meh, he's their one senior prop(excluding mitch clark which lam does) other than that, its the kids

Yes he normally does but pretty sure he’s been at, or switched to 13 his last couple of games. Either way, it makes little difference, the loss of a backrower is still there.

If Wigan lose against Hull in the Cup (I hope that they do but won't lose any sleep either way) it won't be due the loss of Clubb. He might be a senior player, but that's it, just an age thing IMO.

Your not twitching fearing the worst when he's warming up, or relieved to see the back of him. In fact and I'd welcome the view of any visiting Wigan fans here, because we only get to see him against us a dozen times a season, but it might be them twitching and relieved.

BTW I think Hull FC are missing a few although probably not as influential as good old Tony

having spent a fair bit of time on the wigan board, most of them are amazed that 'ten minute tony' got a new contract for this year, and is part of their ongoing problem of below top level props

Well if any of our players were found guilty of racism I’d want the club to sack them on the spot.

Hopefully Wigan do the same with Clubb.

Clubb didn't come back on after his replacement last week, so any perceived weakness is limited. Singleton is their senior prop in my view but the whole group of young kids - Harvard, Partington, Byrne, Bullock (not so young), Smithies - give them a lot of aggression in defence but little go forward. Their forum is full of fans bemoaning the lack of go forward.

St Helens won't miss Bentley that much. Yes, he's good, but they've got people to cover.

100%. No ifs, no buts. If the Disciplinary Panel find him guilty, then bye bye.