Some Wakefield fans need to get a grip and learn how to lose. I know that sounds odd considering the last 30+ years of our history but what you saw yesterday was a different kind of losing.

We are a good team now, so gone are the days when we could turn up at Wigan and catch them by surprise. They were ready for us this time and they wanted that win for the points and to help set the record straight, ESPECIALLY at home!

Yet despite that we could have won that game with a bit of luck and a less starstruck ref, though I do think over the 80 Wigan were better - but not by much - and that's what matters, not the two points.

If we are to hit top 8 again we must beat the teams below us because that's what good teams do. Beating teams like Wigan, Leeds and Saints at their own place was never easy but now that they rate us, and they do, it's even harder. I don't see us winning many of those games, but then hopefully I don't see them doing it to us on our own turf all that often either.

Fancy wins don't matter as much as the bread and butter games until the play-offs, thats when you want to pull them out of the hat. I accept that progress in the play-off is made a little bit easier the higher you finish but it's not definative. Win most of our home games, pinch a few away games then we are in the mix and that's what matters in play-off RL. To do that you need to play consistantly well all season and in that regard we played well yesterday, just not quite well enough and as ever there can only be one winner.

So as far as I'm concerned you need to live with it, move on, and keep at it - that's what Leeds did last year and Cas didn't and look who's names on the trophy.

like we did last year!

we will never be favs against the top teams away from home - we msut though win our home games against the teams we need to beat to make tiop 8! we should be worried about top 4 only after top 8 Is secured and at the moment we are only 2 loses away from 9th.this Saturday now massively important.

Jog on.

Tbf and it is a point you allude to in your opening post, Leeds' home record was very strong in 2017. Might not have always blown away neutrals with the performances but we went W13 L2 at home (joint best with Cas). If you, Leeds or anybody else get in that region you've got 26 points and one foot in the playoffs baring a Catalans-Esque away record.

And Saints 3 come back with equations when there is enough data to analyse!

That's great but what's it got to do with anything? Leeds did not win all there games and won less than Cas, your home record is utterly irrelevant to my point. Where you get the points doesn't matter, so long as there enough to get you 8 or better job done, you're over thinking it.

Pretty much agree with that Vasty to be fair.

Last year, for example, we played 9 games against teams that were involved in the middle 8's, and out of those 9, we won 8 of them, only losing at Warrington.

If we can beat these teams, and then pick up other wins here and there, we will be fine.

I also agree with some other posters here too, we were only one win away from the top 4, and it just goes to show how tight this league is nowadays.

Losing on Sunday was certainly not the end of the world, and to go to Wigan and lose only by 2 scores is certainly nothing to worry about. We just need to dust ourselves down now, and focus on the next game.

I also think that there is a reality check for some fans out there that the league placings are decided in the opening 4-5 rounds or so. No medals and trophies are handed out at this time of the season. It is a marathon and not a sprint. It is nice to see this good start though, and especially that even though we made the top 8 in 2016 and 2017, in both seasons we had slow starts.

I am taking one week at a time at the moment, but enjoying the progress made

I was just backing up your point in which you said

"Beating teams like Wigan, Leeds and Saints at their own place was never easy but now that they rate us, and they do, it's even harder. I don't see us winning many of those games, but then hopefully I don't see them doing it to us on our own turf all that often either.

Fancy wins don't matter as much as the bread and butter games until the play-offs, thats when you want to pull them out of the hat. I accept that progress in the play-off is made a little bit easier the higher you finish but it's not definative. Win most of our home games, pinch a few away games then we are in the mix and that's what matters in play-off RL."

You talked about winning most of your home games and now you say it doesn't matter where you win. Realistically you're going to have your fair share of away losses so a very strong home record is important.

I'd also point out that this talk of only being 1 point off 4th spot last year. Last year 4th spot was 33pts which is much lower than the 38 and 40 totals the 4th placed team did in the previous two seasons so anybody thinking an extra win on what you did last year will be enough might not be true.

What's he said wrong there? Haha

He's probably right... Look at the current top 4, how many times have you seen us as favourites against St. Helens, Wigan or Leeds in recent years?

Can't tell if he'll be right or not at this bleeding stage of the season. It's also the fact he says it every week and almost wants Wakefield to finish outside the top 8.

I get the fact that he usually seems to disagree with the majority of people on here but I don't really understand what you mean?

He's said we won't be favourites against top 4 teams when playing away from home... I can't remember ever seeing Wakefield as favourites with the bookies away from home at Wigan, Leeds or St Helens... so with what he's said there he's right?

Widnes away is a big game as from what I can gather he's trying to be realistic and isn't forgetting about the fact that a loss this weekend and we'll soon find ourselves further down the table. It's negative and I don't like it but it's true...

Worse than that, he see's finishing in the top 8 as an achievement.
Although top 8 would be significantly better than where we were 3 years ago, Trinity finished 5th last season and every club should be looking at improvement.
Finishing 5th or 6th would be good but, we should at least be aiming for a top 4 spot and not just happy to avoid the qualifiers.

Come on Trin !

Widnes is at home. HTH.

I'd say top 6 is par now. Successful season I would say is one of top four, cup final or new ground sorted. Although all three would be excellent.

Haha should really proof read things!

Top 8 finish after 23 rounds and in touching distance of the top 4 would be a massive achievement. Quality league this season lots of good sides.

Top 8 after 23 rounds and see where the season takes us. Hopefully we can look to improve on where we came up short in the big games last year.

As far expectations go - I expect us to beat Widnes at the weekend, we have more than enough to deal with them comfortably.

My point is he likes to remind us every week if we lose, we'll slip down as opposed to if we win, we will move up. I use the term "we" lightly cos I'm not sure he's a Wakey fan.

The reality is we are 4 from 5 with just one poor half of footy against the pies, in which we lost the game Wigan didn’t win it. The Wigan side was as strong as wane could put out. Having watched the game back on Wakey TV the first half performance was right up there.

It’s early in the season and apart from Stains away I am confident we have the players , coaches, team spirit to go to win every time the guys cross the white wash. We are a good side, most of SL are talking about Trinity in a positive manner , we are a threat to the top 4 so with that comes the right to believe we will be in amongst the mix come Rd 23

The guys are a level headed bunch hense great team spirit, This season will be one to remember that’s guaranteed. We have great depth which I believe is a lesson leant from last season which may see us with a better chance of going one place further.

I can’t be anything but positive after the last 6 weeks.