I guess this is the point I am making when I said "I also like wingers to take on their opposite number, centre and full back and to back themselves occasionally". Riley clearly does not believe he can take on his opposite number when not in diving distance of the line. I do not recall seeing him do this. He has also left some very soft tries in when in a one on one situation.

The Wolves are also thought to have agreed a transfer fee with Featherstone for prop Anthony England.

OK - only just seen this. Rumour or fact?

To be fair, those players play in positions that will get a lot more traffic than a winger so you'd expect a stat like that or are you really suggesting that Riley is a better tackler than Westwood?

Popular video-sharing site, search for 'Chris Riley wonder try v Bradford'.

The reference to Grix, Monaghan and Westwood might have been ever so slightly tongue-in-cheek.

I'm refusing to watch The Wire till Kevin Penny is on the wing.

I'm refusing to watch The Wire until Kevin Penny is on the wing.

What kind of reprobate follows wire and a sheffield based football club?

I follow Sean Bean sunshine!!

I must have been thinking of someone else then

Apology accepted Yed. I would change my avatar to remove the Sheff Utd badge but I believe it is a cracking photo of Bean, one of his best in fact.

Manlove alert

is anyone surprised at the length of joels contract? according to the sporting life website, he is signed up upntil the end of 2017, which will make him 35 and a half. pretty old for a top class winger, even in this day and age with how they look after themselves. granted he has never had blinding speed, but is he going to be moving into the pack or more centre field in the coming years?

sean bean sez "shooz off in t'carpark till mccaybabes gun!"

A lot of people jumped on the defensive over concerns about Riley, but he well and truly had his pants pulled down last night when caught out of position for Widnes' first try. It was clear on TV as he turned in-goal towards the ball he had no idea Owens was about to race past on his outside.

Mick Monaghan celebrated his new contract last night by being anonymous to the point of invisibility.

Contracts should not be dealt with at any club until the final hooter has sounded at Old Trafford then do what the hell you like until the first whistle on the first match of the season. Leave uit be when the season is on

And Widnes 3rd try when he was nowhere near being in position. To be honest its happening almost every week now... His positioning is terrible... To me he offers little to nothing these days. His only saving grace is that he probably doesn't take up much cap space.

Let's be fair though, Joel Monaghan can't escape fault for Ah Van's try. He was equally as woeful positionally.

Real bad day at the office yesterday for everyone though. You know it's not your night when Chris Hill and Simon Grix are making multiple mistakes.

Correct. Hill and Grix probably knocked on more last night than they have all season in total - certainly Hill.

indeed... But Monaghan isn't doing it week after week. If it was a youngster learning their trade then fair enough, you could excuse it. But Riley now has 8 years of SL behind him and he keeps doing it. He should be at his peak now. A reliable winger that knows the game and his position inside out.

It amazes me how some people seem to think he is immune from criticism... people get lambasted for having a go at him on here sometimes... like it or not, he is the weak link in our team. You only have to see how he is being singled out by the opposition every game now, and with great success.... Opposition coaches must sit their teams down and show tapes of him rushing out of the line, dropping off simple tackles, getting run over the top of, being out of position. Easy pickings im afraid.

Whilst I don't think that he is immune from criticism because he's local, presumably cheap on the cap and ginger, do you think that a lack of a consistent centre partnership or even a centre with form next to him is exacerbating the situation?

Riley is not without fault, but, does he know what he's playing with week in and week out? Atkins' form wasn't great before the injury and for me Grix was equally at fault with Riley for the Bridge kick try in the CC semi. Grix dropped the odd one at Cas the other week, one right in front of the try line in an error strewn game and as for Waterhouse's contibution this season, he looks like he doesn't want to be here to me.
This and having to clear up as a back three with Hodgson, or is it Ratchford at FB and I think teams are targeting our style as much as our personnel. Whoever said on another thread, it might have been you, that Hull cracked it (twice which is galling) and other coaches are using the same kicking game plan is spot on.

It is a team game, by all means have a moan about individuals that aren't performing in your opinion, I've just had a say. Unfortunately, in my opinion there are one or two others that need a coat of looking at and I think that there is a link and you know this. BTW I've not been this cheesed off for some time AGHHHH!!!

Stop posting common sense, deckchair.
It has no place on this board

Quite frankly, I'm baffled with a lot of these new contracts

Briers. Offered and accepted a new contract
Morley. Offered but refused a new contract.

Yes, I know these two are considered legends of the club, BUT WE DON'T OWE THEM A LIVING. They have both pulled us from despair, many times, but they are now a shadow of their former selves from 18 months ago, and, guess what, both currently injured.

Likewise MonaghanM. 2 years ago, he's mentioned in despatches for Man Of Steel. This year, more like Man of Blancmange.

The form of the above 3 this year is nowhere near the standards we (or they) require. Hard, but fair.

Riley. His form this term has warranted a place in the reserves, never mind a contract extension. A good job for him, that he only realistically has a certain Welshman vying for his place (calm down, Yed).

The club shows far too much sentiment, and not enough ruthlessness.
It pains me to say it, but we can learn a lot from a certain whisky conked, recently retired, football manager. He knew the right time to say "thanks for all your efforts, but bye bye"

I'd presume they looked at all the options for replacements for Briers/Monas and decided that the best option was to renew. The people who make these decisions aren't stupid.

So there isn't a very good/excellent stand off or hooker available in world RL.

We should have replaced them both. Ruthless, yes. Sensible, ABSOLUTELY