People can shoot me down if they want, but last season papered over the cracks with the top 4 finish as I think we looked lethargical for a big part of that season. Yes we got wins, but rarely seemed to play at the intensity of the other top sides. Yesterday reminded me of the same, but without many of our senior players we couldn't get the points that we would have got last season.

We have Murphy at fullback- creates nothing
Larne at LF - creates nothing
Hinchcliffe at 9- gives us a quick ptb -but unlike when we have robbo or Woody there neither leeming or Hinchcliffe are creative players.
Our attack is non existent and our defence was all over due to Leroy/Jerry having a bad day and the rest of our line not knowing where they were supposed to be.

We had Connor - who's played two games at SL level in the halves and Ellis who went off.
Where were we supposed to create anything from that game????

Once Ellis left we were all over defensively and equally all over offensively- Leroy and Hinchcliffe were both trying to play at dummy half and getting in each other's way - that happened several times at the ptb.

it was the exact same team that started against wigan

we were beaten even before ellis went off injured

the attitude was wrong, same attitude as the fans with the quiet atmosphere

fans only seem to want to get up for wigan or leeds games nowadays ..on friday nights

Give the opposition some credit too, Widnes were far better than Wigan were.
but we were poor across the board, but like i've said let's have some patience and support the lads.

So Connor and ??????? Don't like the idea of Hinchcliffe- that won't create anything against Leeds.
Get Farrell in if brough or Woody are not fit. Yes another kid- but I'd rather play an unknown entity who at least is a real half back than another makeshift player filling in.
Bet robbo feels frustrated right now- he will want to help put things right!!!

I agree about the attitude not being the same, it took us 20 minutes to show anything but by then we were more or less out of it. Bit mystified at Patrick playing loose forward, maybe swap him and Ukuma round? Patrick is a runner not a ball player but the coaches know this so. must have a reason for playing him at LF. As has been said we have to stick by the team and when we get players back look to go on a winning run. I have advocated giving the kids a chance, but not as many as this at a time!! A steady introduction yes, but this is not the best way. Will be at Leeds, hoping for a performance........and two points!! And maybe the opposition, venue and atmosphere will give us the lift and get the players at it.
Also agree if we have half back fit let's play him.

You have to go back a fair while to the team where we had a ball player at LF! Kevin brown played there a few times under NB didnt he???
I'd rather play taai there though TBH- he's a stronger runner, larne is more elusive and has more pace so for me we'd be better off using him running out wide.

The way some people talk on here is mystifying sometimes, it's not like this situation was chosen and the team put out was the grand plan. We are putting out who we have available. We are unfortunately in the mire, we just have to get our heads down and get through it as best we can till players come back. We might have lost 3 but we haven't been hammered in every game. Like has been said patience.

Apart from Sam wood who are all the kids we are playing? Johnson mason and Roberts can't be classed as kids

And if you saw Farrell play for 19's on Saturday you wouldn't be calling for him to step up

Brown played there a bit but if I remember right he just played down one side...I like to see your creative players near the ball...this may sound a bit off the wall but I think when all are fit could Connor make a go of it. Seems a yard short on pace at half back but has ability with the ball and is a decent build...and I'm not sure they know where his position is yet! Obviously if the idea is to play a runner or tackling machine there it's a non starter.
As for the team selections at the moment I think we all realise how limited the options are and fully support whoever is out there, my query 're Patrick and Taai wasn't particularly a criticism just something that seemed could work better the other way round.

not so much kids, but just lack of experience at this level,
Mason, JJ, Connor, Leeming, Roberts are, in effect, still kids in experience terms and are still learning the game.
it's a good but vicious learning curve at the moment.

regards Farrell, i can't see it myself, even Thorman says he is miles away in terms of development, it would be unfair to throw him in in a game against Leeds, but, if there is no one else then who knows?