We need an ipitch at wire.

How good we look on the hybrid artificial and real grass turf.
Wembley also suits your running game, another ipitch.

Most of the tries from our right edge!

Couldn't go or see the match but just commenting on a number of peoples comments -

1. 'When the pitches are firmer it'll suit us better' or words to that effect.
It's been used year after year and I don't buy it. It may nelp js but it'll also help others. And dont forget the GF is played typically under less firm conditions, or with higher humidity.

2. 'The true test will be against Stains and Pies' - too true, but a bigger point for me how we respond in the following games if we do get a bloody nose from playing them. Are we brittle or able to retain self belief and confidence?

3. 'Right edge defence still an issue' - fully agree but it needs to develop and if we 'break a few eggs' in makimg an omelette, so be it. If it doesn't improve throughout the year then we have options. If/when Sam chooses to pull the trigger will be a test of his judgment.

4. 'We need Stef in the side for kicking and he can do a decent job in most positions' - Agree with the latter and I think that when he plays he could be our kicker, however Sam seems to have made his mind up that he is a squad player rather than a 1st choice in the 17. I'm sure we'll lose a few because of the this BUT it's the overall team that matters first and foremost, and that includes youngster development.

Interesting times.

We were missing Williams and Currie who predominantly engineer our left attack.
So no surprise really.

Williams is playing on our right edge this season.

Fitzgibbon is our left-side second row, Currie has played right-side second row or loose forward.

My point was that the right edge are more than capable of scoring when given the opportunity,and good to see as will give them confidence.

I certainly don't think anyone's getting carried away, especially after last year's flying start to the season and how that ended up. But at the same time, there are definite signs of progress and improvement, both on the field and culturally (in terms of player development, and giving youth more of a chance), and we look a happier and more dangerous team. Right now, I am enjoying watching us again, and that's a start. Of course, we need to see how all of this stacks up against Wigan and Saints, but let's embrace the challenge.

Although Ratchford shooting in didn't help, Wrench still made the wrong decision on who to tackle. After Ratch shoots in it leaves 3 on 3 with Holyroyd, Wrench and Thewlis against 3 London players. Davies runs an angle towards the posts. He is running in the direction Holroyd so Holroyd should pick him up. Even if they are playing a sliding defence then Holroyd should be covering across to tackle Davies. Campagnolo doesn't hit Davies though, but passes out the back to Miloudi and Wrench has just drifted into no mans land, leaving massive gap for Miloudi to run into. At that point Thewlis is lose/lose, whichever man he takes likely results in a try.

It wouldn't concern me at all but it's happened in every game he's played this season. The 2nd try HKR scored against us was the worst example of it. I know we need to give him time to develop. He seems pretty much there in attack already but over the 4 games he's played I've seen no signs of his defensive reads improving and it's a little bit of a worry. I really hope we

This is what we had last season with Peanut. He read the attack wrong lots and it meant our right side shipped in a lot of tries that were possibly preventable.

Can’t argue with any of your analysis but having him in and out of the team will not help him. For balance, he had a hand in at least 3 tries. If we replace him with Ratchford, we gain on goal kicking but would have 2 of the slowest centres in Super League. If no improvement then Tai will come in.

This^

Some sniping about Wrench on here, who is an exciting attack player who does need to improve in his defensive reads, which will come with experience and coaching.

King however looks very ordinary and is anonymous in attack a lot of the time.

Not seen Tai play for us yet, but if he is goes OK, it should be King who should be under pressure to retain his position.

quite surprised the the king criticism has come so early, i dont think he's doing anything different to what he did at wigan last year(nor was he doing much different at wigan than he'd done here, 2022 notwithstanding)

He definitely had a bit more room at wigan due to defences being terrified of french and field's pace.

Much like us doing ok, he's doing ok so far, especially in light of our 4th/5th different half back pairing this year.

I still want him in the team. As you say, he offers a lot in attack and he is still only 22 so we do need to bare with him. I'm just saying that it's a minor worry that he hasn't shown any improvement in this area of the game. Same mistake 4 games in a row that have all resulted in tries being conceded. The problem when playing centre is that you make that bad read and it's a try conceded almost every time. In a close game those tries being conceded or not, matter.

Yeah not getting the Toby King bashing at all just check the stats he's making meters, he's breaking tackles and is up there with the best centres in the league. He might not be catching the eye as much but he is doing the tough stuff well. I'd only caveat that by saying our fixtures have been kind.

For me it's Wrench and King in the centres, as much as Stefs goalkicking is amazing I think Connor brings much more in attack. Tai has a lot of work to do, he came in unfit and he has to really fly in training to get near the team as I'd sa the Ratch and Lindop are before him for me.

Wrench is making the odd mistake, but it's his first extended run in the first team in his preferred position, even if Ratchford / Tai would come in and do a slightly better job, we just need to stick with him and allow him to develop, we'll probably lose some games due to no Ratchford goal kicking, but it's a necessary evil I think. Hayes too, even if he was playing at a slightly lower level than Drinkwater atm - which he isn't, he looks much better IMO - he should be kept in there for the long term this year, see how they both do, otherwise how can we see if they are likely first choice players in 2025?

The only reason they should come out is if poor performances could knock longer term development or if physically it's decided they need a rest.

King is doing fine, he's doing the job I expected, excellent in terms of his yardage gains and pretty solid defensively, but still not worth the salary increase we gave him, at least the £50k marquee cap is useful here. I'm hoping Lindop is after that shirt by the time 2026 comes along, he'll be almost 20 when 2026 kicks off.

The one handed pass from wrench to Holroyd for his second try was brilliant. Considering Wrench was running in the direction of the corner flag it would have been a really difficult skill to execute. It went largely unnoticed and if the director realised how skillful it was I am sure we would have seen more of it.

A lot of teams have a dominant side of attack and that is usually the left edge. I think last year nearly 50% of Leigh's tries were on the left 1/3 of the pitch. So no surprise that Thewlis, Wrench and Holroyd see a bit more traffic and probably executed to a higher standard and I think they are doing ok. Considering we are picking up wins and we are "Earning whilst learning" it is really valuable experience.
Just so happens that at the moment our dominant side is our right edge. I think that will even up as the season progresses and King and Ashton will get their share of success in attack.

It’s no secret I was always a fan of Ratchford.

However 1st pick a centre for me is King and Wrench.

We cannot simply carry a player be it Ratchford or a Botica reincarnation who may get you between nil and 2 kicks a game more than a half decent kicker.

You get your outside backs to run the ball in a little where there is the option to do so.

Bottom line is, a kicker missing kicks isn’t really going to loose you a game, however a very good one can pinch you an occasional win, but throughout a season, you could probably count on one or two fingers how many games he has.

For that very reason, we cannot carry Ratchford if he isn’t playing centre or halfback as good or better than any other squad player.

Just to say for the king critics. He's got into the voono team of the month, whatever that is... https://twitter.com/WarringtonRLFC/stat ... HvgAw&s=19

Just to say for the king critics. He's got into the voono team of the month, whatever that is... https://twitter.com/WarringtonRLFC/stat ... HvgAw&s=19

Quote ="Fantastic Mr Cat"Just to say for the king critics. He's got into the voono team of the month, whatever that is... https://twitter.com/WarringtonRLFC/stat ... HvgAw&s=19'" Voono is one of two fantasy league games supported by the RFL And although you wouldn't know it from my match day predictions on here. I'm currently top of the global league so have won Challenge Cup tickets, Super League + passes. Thanks in no small part to the form of Dufty.

Quote ="Fantastic Mr Cat"Just to say for the king critics. He's got into the voono team of the month, whatever that is... https://twitter.com/WarringtonRLFC/stat ... HvgAw&s=19'" Voono is one of two fantasy league games supported by the RFL And although you wouldn't know it from my match day predictions on here. I'm currently top of the global league so have won Challenge Cup tickets, Super League + passes. Thanks in no small part to the form of Dufty.

Quote ="Fantastic Mr Cat"Just to say for the king critics. He's got into the voono team of the month, whatever that is... https://twitter.com/WarringtonRLFC/stat ... HvgAw&s=19'" He is a centre though not a forward. How many line breaks, assists and tries ?

Quote ="Fantastic Mr Cat"Just to say for the king critics. He's got into the voono team of the month, whatever that is... https://twitter.com/WarringtonRLFC/stat ... HvgAw&s=19'" He is a centre though not a forward. How many line breaks, assists and tries ?

My view of King is that he looked fairly ordinary on sunday. Yes he takes the ball up a lot but i haven't seen much creativity from him. ie line breaks, offloads to his winger, running decent lines. If we want him just as a battering ram we may as well move him into the second row.

And who's gonna do the effective battering ram stuff that he does from centre?

Cos he won't be doing those things, he'll be taking a breather

Also this stinks of recency bias from this week. We tore kr a new bum hole down the left last week, that wasn't down to king, but it didn't need to be as long as he ran his lines hard.

Line breaks 3
Try Assists 1
Tries 2

All of which stack against his peers, again easy opposition, and also he does well in tackle busts and offloads. As well as doing a job defensively.

We have won 4 on the bounce and IMO we have improved week after week so far. I know yesterday wasn't a great barometer to judge defensively but we were ruthless in attack missing a number of players. I don't understand why we are bashing our own players? Why are we looking for faults in Toby King? I get the concerns with wrench, I have the same but I think he played well yesterday and he has improvement in him still.

Dudson deserved some criticism for appalling stats, but none of the players who have played in recent weeks deserve any flack.

We shouldn't get carried away because we have seen wheels fall off quite a lot in recent times, however we should all be enjoying the commitment to the cause and effort of the players at the moment. The results are favourable of course but there has been a lot to like in our performances too.

I cannot criticise King in any capacity this season.
It’s fairly obvious that no bridges were burnt between King with any of the board or coaching staff outside of Powell and Sheridon.

King has been muted about his away days and his return and so not aggravated feelings on the season and a half ordeal.

I’m far from being a King fan, and if offered Wardle instead, I wouldn’t need to be asked twice, but without standing out this season, he hasn’t done anything worthy of flack.

King has been solid as has Currie, perhaps in part for players being coached as a team, and restricting individualism for unity. Less being more.

Only Dufty having the blanc carte to capitalise on the opportunities that having a strong uniformed threat right across the team creates, by stretching defenders instead of localised threats like we’ve had for a few years. No longer can teams flush out our limited strengths and predictability, and now this gives Dufty an attack platform, and he is now for us what French is for Wigan.