I think I saw more ideas / inventiveness / moves in the first half than I saw in the whole of '22. Powell really seems to have brought the best out of his players and has got them ticking along. No doubt we will have some 'bumps in the road' but he has been an inspired signing so far.

The clown also says we've had it easy with injuries! They live in a world of their own that lot.

Yep they live in their own world. You venture into St Helens and you think you just landed in escape from New York, I keep waiting to see Snake Pliskin.

Most forums are echo chambers, but the warped vision some of the posters have on there is another level. 2 in particular are outstanding…and Saddened isn’t one of them!

I think what is different this season in that he has a group of players who seem to have bought into his plans and who actually seem to be enjoying themselves playing a very watchable brand of RL - Yes, people will say that will obviously happen when a team is winning and that it could easily change with a few losses, but even after winning the first 3 last season, there was a sense that all wasn't well and that Powell was fighting fires within the camp.

This season's side does remind me of Cas from 2017 - very free spirited and a side given licence to play - I think it's massively helped with the professionalism of guys like Vaughan, Drinkwater, Ratchford and Williams, who are bringing out the best in the younger lads. Players like Ashton, Thewlis and Walker look to have matured massively and then you have a x-factor player like Dufty, who provides that unpredictable magic that makes supporters want to come to games and, at the same time, frightens opposition to death.

Of course, we don't know what will unfold results-wise and it might well just be another of those anti climatic seasons trophy-wise, but, personally, if this level of RL and entertainment continues then we, as a fanbase can't really ask for much more - We don't have a god given right to trophies, but we deserve to see some decent RL and this side is finally giving us that.

Absolutely right. We are looking so dangerous with the ball.

Could argue that we've been waiting seven years.

Nice to be really enjoying our rugby again.

Very well put DSM. The style of play is what we were probably hoping for from Powell. That is as important to me at least as trophies (I’m well aware many will disagree. The point is the coach and team set the style, but there are many variables as to whether you win a trophy or not.
We have coped well with various changes in the pack and hopefully some important bodies will be back soon.
I’m enjoying the ride so far!

I went to college near there and if I ever ventured into the town centre for the bus, the theme music from The League of Gentlemen used to be in my head. I honestly thought I'd bump into Mickey Love or Tubbs and Edward! It honestly is Royston Vasey.

No disrespect here, but Warrington isn't much of a step up on St Helens, so I'm not sure where this cultural snobbery is coming from?...

I'm not trying to lord it up here because I don't like poverty and there are bits of Warrington that could do with some care and attention too, but on all official measures St Helens is a lot more deprived than Warrington.

See here: [exturlhttps://lginform.local.gov.uk/reports/lgastandard?mod-metric=8353&mod-period=5&mod-area=E92000001&mod-group=ADASSRegions_NorthWestern&mod-type=namedComparisonGroup[/exturl

I actually saw the post that I responded to as an attack on the people of St Helens, rather than the look of the place (which, even then, I don't see Warrington has being any much of an improvement), and, visiting Warrington town centre regularly and seeing some of the people who can be found there, it's very difficult to make an argument for us being any better a place than St Helens.

In realty, both towns are your standard northern towns, mainly crap, the odd nice spot, lots of questionable looking individuals - it's just quite amusing to see one town's inhabitants trying to lord it over another.. glass houses and stones and all that...

As for them calling us fickle. Right above the thread about us is one entitled 'cunningham mk 2" discussing whether wellens is up to the job. It was started shortly after they became WORLD champions! But yeah, we're the fickle ones. I'll guarantee saints would not get a 9k average if they ever experience a season like we had to last year(not that they probably ever will).

Well it wasn't meant as an attack on the people of the town, that certainly wasn't my intention. Much as I cannot stand their clubs fans!

.... I'd love to see what you say about people when you are attacking them then!!

There was a bunch of boozy blokes at the front giving the Hull players some abuse, and Sutcliffe started giving it back. The kids that were stood in that area probably went home having learned some new words.

Although you can't condone such stuff, Sutcliffe needs to be bigger than that. He's a top level player at a big club, having moved from an even bigger club where he won trophies. If he's going to let a few boozy fans get to him and affect his game, he'll not get far at Hull.

Thanks, this was my guess. Certainly seemed that Sutcliffe, through his hand gesture, was putting forward a thesis that his interlocutor indulged in a little self-love.

Well worth the seven-year wait since my last home game. Was nervous beforehand just in case I jinxed it, but after that splendid first half, I was able to relax.

Hopefully it won't be another seven years before my next appearance back at the HJ.

Great Scott! Did someone send a DeLorean back to 2015 for all these long absent board members?

Blimey we can expect SEB, The All New Chester Wire and Getdownmonkeyman at any moment.

I thought since I managed to get to the HJ, I may as well follow that up by bringing myself back into the RLFANS fold. It's been a while!

I long for the day Dropkick Murphy makes his reappearance.

I wonder what happened to the original Wire2004 from the old WolfWeb forum? Remember those days? You could post a reply using your 36k DialUp Modem and check back 3 days later to see if it appeared on the board…

i feel like i'm a terrible person, he still posts on here as well