Well with all the transfer activity you can't say the board aren't backing Powell.

I am rather perplexed though and can't see the overall strategy and how the existing players and new players fit together as a team.

It's easy to see we've got a big pack and smaller nippier backs but how Powell plays the younger players will be interesting to see.

Our back row had better start firing.

Ratch is not a no. 6/7. He's a full back for me, but then we buy Dufty and he's down to play in a week.....

No, can't see the overall strategy.
Powell obviously has one.
Let's see (hope?)

Unless Dean kicks on we still won't have an effective kicking game IMO. Ratchford I like but he's never been able to control a game and Williams the same really.

I see the strategy as, smack em up the middle and have whippets out wide.

I'm against Ratch at 6 or was until I'm now thinking Dufty has the pace to join in an attack more than Ratch. With Williams running the show, Ratch is the "just pass it" guy who can still do the odd special thing if the play is broken.

Ratch doesn't seem to strike me as a guy with an ego. He's a yard behind where he was but he's a good veteran and has good game knowledge.

In short an orrible pack, pace in the backs and a intelligent half

Perhaps a season loan move to Wakefield next season?

Already plenty of rumours about Lino moving elsewhere and surely Miller has put up with them enough at this point.

Either way, he'd be in a top Championship team where he might not have to be relied on as much because the team is good enough anyway. Or he'll be in a Super League side every week and gaining valuable experience. I could say the same about Toulouse depending on who might be coming or going. For me, both would be good options.

On the current options for squad selection, I do agree that Ratchford is a better Fullback. But given his age/experience, and experience in the halves over the last decade, he should really be better than what he's shown.

Perhaps he hasn't really bothered too much to manage games because he doesn't know what his place is with so many changes to the starting 13? Although, I don't fully buy that, there could be an element to it of not being settled.

I'd like to think that with 8 games to go, we can start to get players settled now. Dufty at FB, Thewlis on the wing, Ratchford in the halves, along with Harrison and Mikaele contributing to a better pack. And Bullock looks like he's really trying to lock down a spot before 3 new lads come in. I'd start him over Mulhern alongside Harrison for the next game personally.

Dufty could be the Sandow-like signing missed. He did join us mid-season in 2015 and couldn't get anything going but the season after, we had our Briers replacement at last. I think we have the squad to make playoffs. We only need to swing 4-6 points out of 16 available. Even if we don't I'm confident for next season.

I think Dufty will go really well for you. Might not see the best of him this year due to where you're at but he's a super attacking player - quick, good step and has a brilliant flat long pass in attack. His defence isn't the best but he won't be as exposed in SL as he has been sometimes in the NRL, and anyway I don't think its as bad as some make out.

Re his attitude I think a lot goes back to how he left the Dragons - he was still going pretty well but Griffin clearly didn't want him. The move to the Dogs was at the worst possible time, as they were utterly awful until Barrett got the chop. I imagine him leaving has a lot to do with making cap space for the rebuild that's underway under Phil Gould.

Anyway, SL needs more exciting players and hopefully Dufty will be one of them.

Well it's been an unprecedented SL season of comings and goings, which, now the deadline has passed, has come to an end. If we can pick up a win tonight, and against Toulouse, then that should help to remove some anxiety on and off the pitch. We need some continuity and an improvement in our performance, but getting the points in those two games is far more important. Doesn't look like Thewlis will get to play at FB any time soon, which is a pity, but if Dufty helps to make him a better player for the future and makes us a better team for the here and now, then fine.

Hopefully Thewlis on the wing - that's if Powell actually picks him ahead of his mate Minikin.

He has so far.

Thewlis at full back tonight. Minikin on the wing.

Will be interesting next week if he picks Wrench, Thewlis or Minikin on the right wing.

Thewlis at FB for one week only, I would have thought. It's already been flagged up that it will be interesting to see whether Minikin displaces Thewlis once Dufty is included in the side.

for me Minikin should ever be back up and not a first choice

Interesting the views on Minikin. I have not really watched him much. Thankfully, our Coach has seen loads more of him.

We have to be careful what we wish for in terms of playing young players ie. the first two tries v Cas last week were poor defensive efforts. As we're not safe from going down, I can understand Powell being cautious. We can't on the one hand bash him for not playing certain young players, then castigate him when the team concedes 2 early trys as a result of playing an inexperienced player.

Minikin is here to compete for a wing spot. Thewlis and Wrench have deserved it so far, and are rightly being blooded to build up their first team experience. But if any of our backline ends up having a poor run of form I would hope that Powell brings in the back up. It was only a year ago we were complaining about Charnley and Austin seemingly being unmoveable despite having awful performances.

Yes, our board is being ambitious and are on board with the total overhaul. Its why I say we have to do the Arsenal thing with Arteta, you just have to ride out the rough patches and go all in on the coach because you believe he has something. He's bringing in all his own players and you have to let him have a good chance to work with them. If we bring in a new coach next year we'll just have a new coach wanting to do another rebuild which will be difficult with contracts.

I think if a year ago you'd offered me two futures - more of the same where we plod along making the playoffs and getting knocked out straight away, or smashing it all up and starting again, I'd have probably thought I can't face the first one, lets smash it up.

I am a pretty disillusioned fan at the moment especially with the way Cooper has been shunted out but I do have a lot of residual faith in Powell who has done well in different environments and has had teams playing fantastic rugby.

I've watched him in the one game he has played this season, he was atrocious. No way on this earth should he be playing ahead of wrench.

I'm content to watch Darryl's mercenaries for a year or two as long as it ultimately brings long term positive change, and an improvement in internal player development, over the next few seasons (and any silverware would of course be an added bonus!).

He was even worse (Yes, it is possible), in the two reserve games he played prior to his 1st team debut.

No shortage of fullbacks or props for Wire next year then (if still in SL).

Positive article here, apparently he is faster than Jai Field and also Bevan French :- https://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=AwrkMVf ... JeT.A86TE-

Positive article here, apparently he is faster than Jai Field and also Bevan French :- https://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=AwrkMVf ... JeT.A86TE-

Cometh the hour, cometh the man



No pressure Matty

If dufty manages serf to break bevan French's record try tally from a single game against toulouse then I reckon we have a chance of winning that match. I think they will destroy us, the sort of individual performance gives us a shot. I just think our lads will be looking around for some direction and will see absotely nothing of the sort. No pack leader, no leadership or organisation from the halves or even dummy half. Then the board will sack Powell in the aftermath of the game, a month too late to save us from the drop.

We are desperate for an organising half with kicking game and captain credentials. I fear we would have been better with 1 less forward recruited and such a player brought in.