For me Rick Stone certainly laid the foundations for this current turnaround of form and should be recognised by receiving some credit.

The side has enough quality to be top eight so was always going to pick up results and form no matter who was in charge.

That said, you don't have a prayer of getting into the top four so you are deluding yourselves if you think you've any chance of that this season.

As far as I’m concerned stone gets no credit. He did nothing to improve us in 18 months that I could see. - he made us into. Worse side with poor preparation - had to have a mini preseason part way through the year - and awful game plans that didn’t suit us at all.
Nice guy -poor coach

I think he is being very clever re: Gaskell, he mentions him everytime he has an interview. He was for me probably MOM last night and deserved praise but has been far from it in other games yet Woolford constantly talks him up. Two reasons for this: 1) Improves Gaskells morale, 2) increases chances he can offload him. He has made it clear we are trying to sign another high quality halfback and made a couple of bids , so why does he need this when he has Brough and Gaskell? Very clever methinks

He needs this because brough is 36!
That’s exactly why we walked away from Hastings as he wasn’t prepared to sign for long enough.

Don’t forget Brough’s age. Replacing him is a matter of urgency, regardless of how well he plays.

yes was saying that lastnight!

some didnt want an unknown aussie woolford as coach i seem to remember

Gaskell has been brilliant since he's been back in the halves. He's never had a settled run because he's always played second fiddle to Brierley or Rankin or Turner. He's finally getting to play a part, especially as Brough is focusing on managing the game too which he hasn't done since his MOS season.

Congratulations, even up to the Cas game I remained unconvinced.

Winning there when it really mattered is very impressive so I hold my hands up and wish you the best in the super 8's.

Since Woolford has arrived in the UK and his suspension ended Brough has turned back the clock 5 years to when he was one of the top players and to have beaten Hull, Wigan and Cas on the bounce is some going.

The fitness level that we seem to have attained since Bumpers arrival helped us lift to a new level when we needed to last night and along with the organisation that we now have we are playing an attractive brand of football in both attack and defence.

Hats off to Hinchy’s tackle on Eden last night as well as 26 tackles off the bench he’s a handful for the opposition and we are mad if we don’t give him another year with an option for a second if he continues to play at this level... he’s a quality player compared to a lot of the imports I have seen throughout this season....

Spot on- esp about hinchy - many naysayers can’t see his worth - now he’s in a side that’s well coached in terms of roles it’s hopefully clearer to them exactly why he was so well though of at storm and how he got an origin shirt. He’s a solid cog in a well drilled machine.

Now we are safe perhaps it’s time to stop playing players that are leaving such as Mamo and if we get any more injuries or rest players then give the likes of Wardle, the Seniors etc another game before season end. If it costs us a few points its not a disaster and I for one would see it as a plus and not criticise a loss in a comp we can’t win for future gain.

Interesting too how the recruitment pendulums swung over these past few weeks.

Do we really need Uate although I can see the attraction of two Gerry type wingers?

The resurgence of Brough and Gaskell under Woolford buys us more time to get our future half backs in place and we sure got the ball across the field pretty quick in recent games and it wouldn’t surprise me if Brough went to 37/38 as the new fitness regime seems to agree with him along with Woolford. Makes not gambling on a short term Hastings look a very wise move

Our props are in place for next year, Matagi, Seb, Clough and English plus one from Ta’ai, Smith and Lawrence all of whom can also play in the back row. That I consider Smith is based on his form since Woolford took over.

Hooker is an interesting one O’Brien has moved in front of Leeming for me and Hinchy filling in at Hooker and Loose Forward a la Sinfield at Leeds gives far more option than just two outright hookers in the team as again seen at Cas on Friday night.

Ferguson has proved his worth for me this season along with an ever improving Mellor my concern is Roberts who needs a big pre season to prove it has been World Cup blues not a decline which at his age on a long contract would be worrying. We need to strengthen here with a big nasty Import even if he has to be marquee.

Loose forward I would rotate maybe Ta’ai or Smith against a big pack or Hinchy or Murphy against a more mobile pack as that has worked quite well in recent weeks.

Murphy I would keep as he can play pack or back useful if injuries occur.

All in all we have a very good base to attack top 8 and perhaps top 4 next season if ‘Jesus Woolford’ can add a couple of missing pieces into the team and from where we were I can’t really believe I’m saying this

Agree with all the above. Spot on post.

Seems like a long way since 57 of us were away at saints and wire didn’t bother opening there away stand either.

Good turnout at Cas from Hudds, although it was in three parts of the ground. We would have got pilloried for a 5,200 gate though.

ryan hinchcliffe didnt play in the new south wales team against queensland.. in the proper test matches anyway

exactly, put that 5200 in our stadium and its empty,. just because cas play in a dump of a ground they get away with it as it looks busy...and nothings said

you now want to keep hinchcliffe?

i know all his qualities... re-signing him is more about at the right price for me.

as for ferguson, always been a big fan of him , he has powerful legs and once he gets going his hard to stop... he is out of contract but whispers he has signed a new deal?

i was frustrated with him and many others during this season with constant injuries but maybe with a full pre season off this time without playing for scotland he can get an op if needed

Which is why I said got a shirt.
Paul Reilly didn’t play in a major test - but he still represented his country!

paul reilly played for england and thats a cap.

hinchy didnt get a shirt from an origin game which some people may have read as he did with you saying getting a shirt...just clearing that up for folk.

but as we know you can argue till death so wll just leave it there!

I just hope we keep him, whoever he played for.

Ferguson been outstanding last two games at prop, but doesn't do it for me in second row....interesting problem as it seems Woolford sees Fergie as a prop...to me looks and plays like a prop and would keep him as such.

Me too the tackle on Eden sums up the attitude that we need.... for me I shall be very disappointed if we don’t give him another year...

fergy actually goes very well in the second row, go back to start of the season he was our best player albeit not very hard to be back then! the injury struck though and put a stop to that, had to fill in at prop with ikahihifo and taai out against wigan and did great... kept his place even with taai back but expect him to revert back to second row.. great to have competition for places

In relation to the thread title...
It's a yes from me!

love when he comes over to clap the fans at the end

can tell him and brough get on really well too which is a good sign! brough wants to play for him, look very similar in build too!!