No, we thought we would finish above Leeds. And we are still right about that!

I do hope so. Smith has definitely changed the point of attack and I can see it working if the guys can pick it up but it will require quicker passes.
I remember when McDermott first came to Leeds he changed their system and they looked all over the place. When they got it they beat all comers.

Time will tell.

Which system would that be? I've yet to see any form of system, that is worryingly, the actual point.

A.Toupou looks have good hands and maybe has played at 6? However, he was knackered after the warm up on Sunday.

In fairness, theoretically Finn/Miller could compliment each other really well. I'd be interested to see what they can do if we manage to get a bit of space to operate up the middle, not really had a platform so far, playing behind a beaten pack in both games, particularly at the Cas game.

Not sure about Hall, if he's gonna go at 7 then we need to be sure he can focus for the whole game instead of drifting in and out which was his MO last year.

Bit early to talk about relegation, however I admit it doesn't bode well! But it does make me cringe when people take to social media after a couple of games, calling for the sacking of the coach, getting rid of players and general short sighted moans. All this negativity rubs off on the players and is bound to contribute in letting their heads drop, when we need to keep the positive buzz going that we had in pre-season if we are to get anywhere.

Mate, are you being serious?!! You are suggesting that players read stuff on social media, then that affects their performance on match day?!

If they can't take criticism, and that includes the coaching staff, they should seek alternative employment. They are paid way more than the majority of people on this site, and are supposedly doing a 'job' they love. Why are there so many negative comments on here? Ermmm that will be mainly because their 'performances' on the field are of a negative nature, unless of course you think generally over the last 18 months the performances and results have been positive?

I am being serious. We're two games in, and people are banging on about bringing John Kear back, our imports are garbage (even though they've barely got going), we're doomed etc. If things are still like this a month or two down the line, then fair enough.
Considering alot of the players are on social media, then yes they will read stuff. I'm not saying a player reads a mean Tweet and that sets them up for a bad game. I'm saying the whole vibe of being lambasted by constant negativity can't do anyone any good, no matter what job you do or how much you get paid - a positive morale has a big effect in any team. I'm not saying they don't deserve criticism either, what I'm saying is lets not jump on the bandwagon before it's barely got going.

So where is the positive morale being shown in the team's performances on the field then? Surely this is 'created' by the coaching staff and the players themselves? Pre-season you would hope to gain some valuable 'bonding' time, even though I hate to use that word. If we had performed better in the first two games, not necessarily won them, but actually looked like some progress was being made, then there wouldn't be as much criticism? Although I agree that some will do that no matter what. Most are simply responding to what they see unfold in front of their eyes, so if they perform better, then comments will be generally more positive?! Surely the way the players perform dictates what kind of media reaction will follow?

I thought unlike most if the team his defence was very good on Sunday.

Junior Moors and Ben Roberts were pretty shoddy for about the first 15 rounds of last season whilst they got used to the conditions and style of super league.

People saying "they've had a whole pre-season" is a little unfair on your new guys

Just watched Superleague show on iplayer and after the second week of the season our task looks daunting. All teams around us have streanthened really well this year and all I can say more and more I am convinced its down to money. Money seams to be more important year after year and this year we seam to be left further behind. Last year at this point we had won 2 games and finished with three wins, this year in all honest I can not see where the wins will come from I hope the lads prove me wrong starting on sunday against HKR.
But looking at all the pros and cons I do think if we are to survive long time in superleague we defo need a big injection of money but where that's going to come from your guess is as good as mine.

Perhaps wasting money on failed Super League players and past it exNRL players. Kear recruitment policy of Championship players and hungry young NRL rejects went a hell of a lot further. If only we never rejected what works for us.

Kear had a Rugby Committee keeping him on the straight and narrow when it came to signings

There's no room for rational comment on here, just over reaction and panic !
Mind you, this board is quite calm compared to the Rhinos board,
They think their coach is crap and that's on the back of a treble season, talk bout gratitude

IIRC He also had the lowest ever SL budget in his final season at Belle Vue and we still avoided the wooden spoon.

After having a couple of days to calm down after Sunday and having had time to think things over I still feel the same pessimism. I wish I could feel more positive but I honestly can't. I can see some improvements to come maybe in the forwards but.....even if they do have we got the half backs to take advantage. I don't think so , Miller had a handful of decent games but mainly against championship opposition and Finn is and always has been a championship standard player.

I've said it before and I'll say it again; since John Kear left we've had three different coaches and several different teams but the style of rugby just DOESN'T CHANGE. It's as if there was a permanent curse over the club.
You can judge Wakefield Trinity thus:
1) No creative half backs
2) No one with a decent sidestep.
3) No one who can create a gap
4) No on who can run at angles.
5) No one who will back the man with the ball up with any regularity (come back Sam Obst).
6) Too slow around the play the ball
7) Poor handling and daft mistakes


Give away too many penalties
9) Do not "meet" the attack, but stand back and wait for them.
10) no one with a tactical kicking brain

Once we put all these things behind us we might be able to compete.

So we were too slow around the play the ball last year.
Well we had Mcshane who is now at Cas so they must be now really slow.
Ben Jones Bishop regularly tore us apart , surely he has not suddenly lost all that.
The two tries against Widnes were well created where A Tupou gave a telling offload with Lynne finishing really well and then Finn created space for BJB to run onto the ball and finished off by Sio.
So it can be done.
I live in hope and will be there Sunday.

We do make the same mistakes game after game . The 2 worst being continuously turning the ball over in our own half and the other is the complete shambles that is our last tackle play. Surely even players that have even limited ability can protect possession and get themselves organised. As for penalties that is often at the whim of the referee. Eg we were offside and cas had good line speed and half of our penalties against widnes were given by the touch judges because Mr Bentham didn't "see" them

I think it is all to plain to see one of the major problems we have is the fact that we aren't creating anything. Overall I don't think we are being out muscled in the forwards.

We need another half back, but a really good one, which would cost us. Maybe Miller would play better alongside a better partner, who is up to it at super league level.

We don't have the money is what people are saying. Is it a case of that there is no room on the cap, or, can we just not afford to bring in another player.

I don't think in the long run, professional sport is not a guaranteed profit making business.

Sometimes you have to speculate to accumulate as they say.

Think of it this way, if we brought in a really good quality half back, publicised it, potentially we could put another 500-1000 on the gate each week. Think of the extra revenue that would bring in.

Also away supporters may come more, as they think the game will be closer and more entertaining. I have spoken with away fans in the last couple of years, and some stay away, as they feel it is a guaranteed two points for them

This is Wakefield you are talking about. Wally Lewis didn't put a 1,000 on the gate.

It's early days but it's apparent we need better h/ b. Not sure it will increase the gates but people are more likely to attend to watch a winning team.
With regards to the pack they got pushed off the tackle far more than I would have expected but that can be worked on.
Our half backs on the other hand are slow, and do not seem able to create much. The kicking games well below standard.
Splash the cash or suffer the same kind of results.
We may be in good company on zero points at the moment but the other teams look stronger and at this moment in time more able to drag themselves away from the bottom of the table.

Long way to go and i'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt...for now. We do though need to see improvements soon and just bobbing along until the middle 8's is not acceptable, this is a results business and supporters will not stand two consecutive seasons of chronic underperforming. Last year has left some deep scares on many and goodwill is thin on the ground, it's time for Brian Smith and his coaching staff to start getting the best out of what we have. All the soundbites pre-season were that this was the best squad we'd had in superleague and according to MC certainly the most expensive. For me they have until around easter to start proving that on a regular basis. By early April, 9 weeks away, we will have played everyone once, if there is no signs of an upward turn by then the tough decisions may well have to be made to avoid the season turning into another right off. I still have confidence that it will come good, starting with a depleted Hull KR this sunday. It's a good time to play them and a fancy us to turn them over and hopefully start the improvement ball rolling.

Could be wrong was the last SL team we beat was hull at home ?