You can't sack a player if he gets injured whilst playing or training for the club.

However the attitude of the club to an injured player who still has an injury when his contract expires may well be rather different.

Whilst I agree to a point, as in, sometimes it just comes down to luck 'on the day' or the bounce of the ball, what worries me is I've yet to see us convincingly close down a game this year. We seem skilled at throwing them away. See Cas in Newcastle, last week's debacle, the effing CC Final, and many others. You can't rely totally on luck, and when it comes down to it we're just not ruthless enough. When Flower walked on Friday and a few minutes later Tomkins had his hissy fit, we should've smelled blood and put them to the sword.

I still think we're missing the winning mentality of Morley, Hodgson et al. Yeah, even a few years down the line. There's fewer and fewer players in our squad who are used to winning big games, IE finals.

The last i read was that Wheeler was joining the Canadians for next season along with Laithewaite.

thats correct, which is a big bloody gamble by the canadians, eh.

For me, Friday was worse than a 80-0 hammering.

I've never asked for the sacking of TS but I did on Friday.

I'm also not a huge fan of Kevin Penny but it's clear to see that Russell and Evans on the wings are not effective as Lineham and Penny were early on.

Ratchford is as brilliant as he is awful, in equal measure. I actually think he has cost us the LLS and Cup with his abysmal handling.

I'm finding it very hard to pluck up the enthusiasm to travel to Hull.

I believe free coach travel is being offered to Hull.

Yeah, I know, but I can't help my optimistic disposition. It's the losses against the big teams that do worry me though. What we did to Wigan when Mossop ended up throwing the ball forward at one point and Atkins scored the try through his legs (same match, I think) is how we need to put them to the sword. We haven't done it in a game that matters though...

I agree, that was worse than the 80 nil, it felt like being kicked repeatedly in the nuts with stupidity.

We all knew that despite that one cock up against Catalan, he had an 8/10 performance but he wouldn't make next weeks team.

It makes you wonder why he's been reluctant to go back to what was working so well at the purple patch, start Of The year, julien in the team, revans at centre shutting stuff down really REALLY well, penny playing brilliantly out on the wing with his best mate sandow being super creative(i still think this may be why Sandow isn't playing as well, he's ed off at Penny's daft exclusion)

I'm not going this week, I was going to, at ten pm on Friday I'd already got the day off for an early start, the more I've thought about this over the week end, I've the repeated kicks the balls have took effect, I've seen us slide to the end of the season before and it will take a monumental effort by what players we have left to change things around, And I'm not convinced it's at all possible.

Roger if you're reading this, we've done our bit for the #hardwired family this year, the set of players and coaching staff have failed.

PS what happened to the hardwired fluff from the start Of The year, no dj, no lights, no selfie section, no interviews pre match, there's no saxophonist, I've not been any Of The walking beer pourers again. Has it all gone away? Or am I missing it?

Sorry if my post came across all wrong. I am not proposing we jettison an player the moment he picks up a big injury simply saying that if we know we have a couple of forwards that are likely to be out for the best part of 12 months then why take additional gambles.
When it comes to the pack we went into the season with Laithwaite and Harrison unlikely to be available until at least July. Dodds was recovering from surgery after the NRL grand final and B Evans was struggling. All forwards with question marks against them. We then pick up Bailey and Cox who even the most optimistic would say there was a gamble there.
There was no spare capacity in the pack. Currie and Hill have played a big number of games.
Lets get it right. jullien only played a few games earlier in the year because Hughes had broke his arm. Philbin is only in the 17 because Westwood is out. They are not given a chance on merit and / or to give somebody a rest, they are thrown in as a last resort.
Like I say though. Easy with hindsight. I just feel like the transition from the cup winning team has not been the best and when you have the likes of Leeds and Saints that are also in a similar transition we have missed an opportunity to have a period of relative dominance. Saints and Leeds will not be below us for long.
Sorry. Just having a whinge. I hate losing to Wigan like that.

Julien was playing off the bench from the start of the year,

Great post I rekon that's how most feel, I had a good think over the weekend but I've deceided not to bother going to Hull I honestly see this game following a similar pattern as the challenge cup final and also the other occasions we have played Hull this season.
Very close for long periods and also we will be the better side at certain points but we will ultimately lose due to poor game management and square pegs in round holes coming back to bite us again.. So that's another kick in the balls I can do without so it's the TV on mute for me Friday night. (According to the Facebook Barmy Army page that's me not a true fan

)
Funny you should mention the pre match #Hardwired razzmatazz stuff ,you're right that seems to have disappeared as quickly as our game management ... Not only that but I don't remember hearing a peep out of Rodger Draper since before the cup final..

Not that we've got any choice...but we'd be much better off losing on friday. Wigan away with them missing three first choice props is preferable to saints at home

We (i.e. Leeds) are bloody light years behind you mate. Not for me to say whether TS is the right coach to lead you but I think you've still got a decent chance for that spell of relative dominance. The losses of the likes of Briers, Morley and Westwood (albeit temporarily) leave an experience gap though.

It was Cullen's team TS had the success with!

It's a bit hard to have a light show when it hasn't gone dark!

Sunset has been half 7 for the last week, nothing stopping them doing it at half time, or just before kick off.

How many years have we been waiting for the league to be like this? Leeds reign of terror finally over and falling down a bottomless pit. Wigan totally clueless, boring and unable to score at will. Saints, No free flowing entertaining rugby played 'the saints way' with a defensive like as about as effective as a chocolate fire guard.

We've been waiting god knows how long for this moment and now when its finally come, we aren't ready.

Why do you care what other people think of you? Let them think what they want, it matters not.

Wigan sign players from all over the place, the one thing they all have instilled is an absolute desire to beat their rivals. They will not lie down, Sts are similar when they play us.

TS has got a team that have to stick to the game plan no matter what, against lower level opposition it works but when its a fight we are doomed. Getting 10+ pts ahead should signal a win.

Charnley and Tierney both got in the corners in a tight squeeze with players around them, both got the ball down (regardless of Thaler's decision), they should have been in touch by weight of numbers alone, the fight within them to score outweighed our meagre efforts in defence due to lack of fight.

Shaun Wane maybe many things but he can sure get a player motivated through passion and desire.

Over to you TS!!!

Spot on. We've not known which Worriers or Stains side is going to turn up, each week. The worst Leeds side in 2 decades, and a Hull side which is punching above it's weight, and we decide to get a dose of Delhi belly, and pooh our collective pants, each time someone threatens a 3 converted score lead.
Picture the scene, chez Goldblatt, 17 days ago. We go into an 18 point half time lead in France, and I'm a happy bunny. The Indian's ordered, and the Shiraz is breathing. We let in one try..... Typical Wire. The second try, and I'm treating it like the car is in for MOT. The 3rd, and I'm like an expectant dad on a labour ward. They take the lead, and the cat' 's cowering in the corner, and I' m sweating like Gary Glitter at a disco.
Do they do it deliberately?
Is it part of the Grinning One's master plan to do Rope-a-dope in reverse, and THEN hope we come out on top?

To use another boxing analogy, and we're looking like your typical Frank Bruno fight from the mid 80's.Hope we've got them out of sight by Round 4.Start to panic the longer it goes on, and then, pray like mad when you get to the last round.

With my usual realist head on, lose on Friday, we might as well forget about the week after's semi. We'll be punch drunk.

What a dick!

Round Pegs in Round holes, Square Pegs etc, etc, Full Back playing Full Back, Centres playing Centre and Two recognised Wingers actually works then. Was good to see the wingers, not only scoring the points but having the pace to get back and pull off try saving tackles when it counted.. Looked like a real let off of pressure from Lineham after his second try and was great to see the reaction from his team mates, also fair play to Smith for his post match comments regarding Lineham, well done to all concerned tonight, hopefully we can "kick - on" from here.

The delayed return of lineham seems to have paid off the determination on his face in everything he did was clear for all to see. Fantastic man management skills from tony and appears that Tom is fresh and has learnt lessons. As others have said the celebration of his tries with his team mates was great and shows he must be a popular member of the squad.

If i was tony smith it would be penny giving me the most headaches in terms of selections. He would keep his place for me and I would throw ratchford in as interchange 9 as unsure on brad dwyers fitness

Penny made enough errors to allow Russell back at wing if enough players make a return to force a change.
I am a fan of Penny but he miss out, I can't drop Lineham after that performance.
I hope Penny gets the chance to put up pressure on Russell and Lineham.

leave the back line as it is..half backs the tricky one do you drop young dec and move ratchford for sandow and gidley..the pack more or less picks its self..for me id start with sandow and gidley and give declan a spot on the bench..