no you couldn't and you're certainly no expert. It was awful conditions, a good bomb kick which wasn't run down to put pressure on the kicker.
Anyone could have dropped it.

When he is not dropping bombs, he is a turnstyle.

i can't believe the garbage im reading. We lost at Saints again, get over it. Players make mistakes in wet weather (yes even Billy Slater has been known to knock on) and until we create the full back robot i'm happy with Richie or Riley. Why not give credit to the kicker, i remember years ago GB first choice full back Graham Steadman used to have a mare every time Jiffy Davies hoisted the bomb as it was unplayable. Did that make him a bad player or is Davies a great kicker?

Totally agree with you here mate. Utter crap being spouted.

Paul Wellens wouldn't have made those mistakes. In fact, he took one amazing ball when he slid across the ground just after he'd been clattered. Best defensive full back in Super League still.

no chance, dream on, was., a long time ago.

He is positianally just so bad.

Didn't Riley knock on and gift a try to Bradford and make a mistake against Saints leading to a try? Give Mathers a break or at least pretend he is Warringtonian by birth.

Oddly, your nemesis always used to think that Warrington born players/coaches got more stick than out of towners. He used to cite Mike Wainwright as a prime example and I also remember him saying it was difficult to take stick when you're out buying your morning paper or having a meal with the missus.

Warringtonian or not, you're absolutely right - if he is having a sticky patch (and I don't think he is) he deserves our support, they all do - especially when people from other clubs are queuing up to have a dig.

How things change. In counter you could argue that Riley has a lot more ability than Wainwright ever did and perhaps Wainwright did split opinion.

Point of order though PC wasn't my nemesis as such, I just recognised quite early that he wasn't up to it. Events proved me right sadly.

Andy Gatcliffe is more your nemesis, isn't he? Lack of ambition?

Ha ha very good

Thought this would come back. I believe the club (under his stewardship) showed a lack of ambition before the arrival of Smith. Remember it was Smith at the last home game last season who said "next year we are going for both honours". Not the CEO. Before that we had "make the playoffs and a good run in the cup" mantra whilst rewarding underperforming coaches with knee jerk contract extensions (PC twice, Lowes).

As always, I will make the point that the Chief Executive's role is to make sure the company is run well. He has undoubtedly succeeded.

It appears that way in the main. Some improvements are still possible in respect to the operation of Wolfware and Heathcotes concourse offering in my view.

Core business is run well.

How are Warrington fixed with the salary cap and overseas players? There are a few NRL fullbacks being touted around, with Wrexham trying to sign them all at the moment. Sammut is a good player.

We are at the limit of 6 overseas trained players.

I would be disappointed if we utilised an overseas spot on a player of Sammut's abilities.

I dont think Mathers is a bad player, but i have been disappointed in his recent appearances. For me both Reily and Mathers are good, but both fall short making at least one screw up each game. And in tight games one screw up is far to many.

big difference for me is that riley has played a handfull of games at FB for the first team.

Richie's been playing FB first grade for nearly 7 years now.

If you think they're both performing at a similar level than thats damning on mathers.

And ex ones, aren't they close to getting Clinton Schicofske. (Sic)

I'm not sure how old he is, but in my head I've got him at 32/33. I used to like him at Canberra.

34.

At least Mathers wants to be at the club and plays with pride in the jersey.

Would you rather we still had Gleeson and Mathers was at Wigan?

Cat - you're bob-on with that statement chum. Can't knock what Mathers brings to the team in regards camraderie and passion, but Riley makes more breaks than him and he's a great deal younger. I'd still probably prefer Mathers as the last line of defence, but then if you were chasing someone down you'd go for the Ginge every time.

It's quite damning that a great many opposition fans who turn up on the Wire board speak out about really rating Riley, and from big clubs like Leeds, Saints and (sigh) Wigan. I can't recall one opposition fan who has ever mentioned Mathers in anything like the same esteem.

All rival fans - who would you have in your squad or team? Riley or Mathers?

This is an awesome thread. Fancy bashing Mathers! First of all, he wasn't helped in anyway shape of form by our lazy house defence who gave whoever was about to kick the ball an eternity to do just that! And second of all, the weather was so horrendous that you'd think atleast one of the players would have realised that we need to apply 80% more pressure on last tackle kickers, or atleast the coaching staff would have got this message out at some point. I was amazed by the time and space in which we allowed Eastmond (of all people) to direct play. Well, actually, I wasn't that amazed!

For me, and sorry for the negativity here, as soon as Eastmond walked through for try number one, I realised that another defeat was only 70 or so minutes away. And whilst we rallied very well in the second period, this game was essentially a couple of steps back from us because the same simple flaws in our defence which allow them to win every time were evident once again.

I just hope theres a big response on friday.