The Salford game is a nightmare to watch whether at the game, highlights or just reading the scoreline.

I don't however buy into the trend that all the players couldn't be bothered or that they are all rubbish or that the coach is rubbish.
I think the stats show us where the problems were quite clearly

Of the 13 tries scored
3 from kicks that could have been fielded, positional play from fullback was key to one, from wing for the others
1 was a well worked overlap that was just a good try
5 were direct one on one missed tackles by Minns
2 were through the gap left by Croft and Lineham
2 imho were referee errors.

When you look at the stats
Minns attempted 20 tackles, missing 5. All led directly to tries
Croft attempted 18 tackles and missed 7.
Most telling for me is Lineham. Attempted 1 tackle and missed it - yet 4 tries were scored on his wing

In the forwards, Butler did not carry the ball once!

However,
Whitbread made 28 tackles and missed none. 8 carries with an average gain of 7 and was unlucky not to score.
Batch made 25 tackles missing none
Pitts made 23 tackles missing none
Hood made 21 tackles missing none.
Fifita made 27 tackles and missed one.

Not everyone on the field was giving up the ghost. Some were working hard and being let down by others.
Clearly we didn't have much ball so the carries were low numbers but to me it was a mix of players trying hard and players just not good enough.
We are clearly not going to beat Wigan but if we can get Hall back and put Batch back to centre (and probably put Max at 1) I think it makes for a much better chance at magic.

That's the point so many miss, it's a team game and if one link fails it caused problems but when a large number of links break that is a disaster. Doesn't matter what the rest of the team do, when 3 or more players are malfunctioning then there is little anyone can do. The scoreline then depends on how quickly the opposition spot the problem, Salford were pretty quick on the uptake.

It also works the other way around, when all the players are playing at the top of their game, even the mediocre ones, the team becomes almost unbeatable.

I'm not shocked by Minns who I just don't get, or Gaskel who is simply blown and Lineman who has only played well once against Warrington and is taking the mick, I'd love to see his missed tackles for the season.

The only one who shocked me is Croft who I've always rated, but I suppose he was rusty and unlucky to be paired with Lineham. I'll forgive him.

The other three shouldn't play for the club ever again. I don't think Gaskell is taking the mick I just think he's shot.

What though really worries me is that Poching must see the same stats as you and I suspect they read very much the same in other games, so why is he picking these players? Baffles me.

The only theory I have is either Poching is a poor coach or that he knows exactly where we will be playing our RL next year. If it's the latter then a bit like the Soviets in WW2 he's throwing his men against the enemy and accepting losses to see who can and can't cope. It's a massive long shot but it's the best I have.

Dont want to bad name players but its obvious what the biggest problem was yesterday going on that so yes batch back to centre hopefully hall fit and max in fb and for me kyke evans onto wing who has been outstanding for the reserves

Yep, I have to admit I'm amazed he hasn't had a run. Murphy has been outstanding but Lineham has managed one half decent effort so I can't see whats stopping him. It's not like the bloke is some rookie either, he's plenty of experience to won't be overawed.

Jeez...some shocking stats there (good work PT) which clearly show where it all went pear-shaped yesterday and the obvious fix is as per Luppy's solution (assuming those players are fit ??).
Do we know why Hall didn't play ??

My guess is he needed resting. He's pretty young so two weeks off will have done him some good. Again I have a nagging feeling that all clubs know exactly where they will be next year so are happy to experiment unless they have a real top six chance, which we don't. It's just a feeling I have, I don't have any inside info.

Can you explain what you are eluding to please?

They are really damning stats from our back line, especially the Minns ones which resulted in 5 tries. Even the best miss tackles, Dane Gagai has missed 18 tackles in the first 2 SOO games, though he’s up against some of the best on the planet. Also he has quality to cover him on the inside and out, we don’t. You simply can’t play 2 lads, one who hadn’t played in 2 years at this level, and Minns who unfortunately isn’t SL standard, it’s not fair on them or their team mates. Think it just goes to show what a top job Lyne and Hall do

Stats pretty much confirm my impression at the game at one point following a missed one on one by minns thought Pitt’s was going to deliver some natural justice !

Personally think we have answered the question re minns and club should terminate his contract or send him on loan.

Croft there is a big question mark about

You’ve only to look at Lineham to question wether he’s actually a full time professional sports man

Gaskell is cover would be very worried if he’s a starter next year , we really don’t need someone to run at the side of opposition players on the way to the line.

Our view on the day was down the middle we were pretty solid, but with exception of miller and Murphy rest of backs would have been better left in dressing room

Plenty of those missed tackles I saw the player actually had contact with the Salford player but just fell off. But to me the criminal stats are from Lineham as he did not even get to make contact. Also did you notice his total lack of pace compared to the Salford backs.
I have heard Lineham is a bit of a practical joker and general fool about. His efforts seem to verify that as he certainly has made a fool of our club. Never mind he will have the last laugh as he was handed a 3 year deal.

You can only speculate but we wondered the same and also as we are getting to point of offering contracts for next year wondered if Willy was having a look at minns and crofts with a view to that decision

I would say he picked up injury or unwell minns had initially been selected to play in reserves

Sure can.

I think there will be a new league structure in place this year or the year after and the teams know where they will be. So long as we don't finish bottom we will be ok.

Again, I'm only speculating and may be a million miles out, I often am

SL1x10 and SL2x10 for year after next is an open secret

Yup. I'd speculate that it's between us and Cas who gets the SL1 spot. On performance it's obviously Cas at the moment but on facilities they are about to drop way behind us. So if we perform well next year we have a chance. Hence this year 11th will do just fine, risky though it could be.

Again pure speculation, open secret or not.

Terrible stats. The only stat I don’t feel is a fully fair reflection of the game is Butler. Watching the game, it was clear he was putting himself in positions to receive the ball and make a carry, but nobody bloody passed it to him.

I’d be interested to know what the possession stats were for the period of the time he was on the pitch… also - what were his stats for tackles?

I agree with you I am not sure we had the ball during his first stint as the began wiping the floor with us.

There are stats for Butler on is subject ,Do not seem that good until some one said he was only on field for 15 mins .Talk about putting the boot in before he is given a chance.Same thing happened to Whitbread who now looks one of our more better performer's

While stats are very good reading it was painfully obvious at the game it was our backs/ centres where the issues were. These stats just back up my thoughts while watching it unfold.

The forwards matched Salford and did their job only to be let down by a few individuals in the backs. For me the forwards did their job. We desperately need Hall back (what happened to him btw?) and Batchelor back to centre. I would give Evans/Kershaw a go on the wing vs Wigan too.

I feel a bit for Croft being a young wakey lad but he looked completely out of his depth as did Minns.

I am not a big fan of Croft and dont honestly think he will make a decent SL centre, but he will make a decent championsip player. I did not go to the game but from those stats the kid needs a bit of slack. He had a bloke outside him him earning three times what he earns who did not make a single tackle in the whole game. How many of those missed attempts were as a result of the poor kid trying to cover for the joker on his wing.
Having said that , if poaching allows Lineham to pull on a shirt next week after those stats i will be amazed

Watching the highlights Croft shot out and messed up some tackles but equally Lineham also did the same leaving a ton of space behind him for a kick (not the first time).

I’d seriously change things up next week if possible. Don’t think we can run with the same centres/wingers of at all possible. The only back for me who came out looking half decent was Murphy.

I think you may be a bit out with that Vasty, the SL1 X 10 will consist of the teams who finished 1 to 10 at the end of 2023 season. The bottom 2 teams will drop into SL2 to join the top,7 championship teams, the 10th team will be decided by a play of system between the lower 5 championship teams and the top team of league 1.That is my understanding from listening to various RL programs, but this is rugby league and we know how things change unexpectedly, I also believe that the IMG group will have the final say on any changes, but at the moment there is no indication of franchise or licensing it’s the on field performances that decide the teams. It may be that in the future, IMG will want Bigger cities both in the U.K. and Europe, if that did happen at the expense of teams like Trinity, then I would not support the game any longer.

I think you have seen the same League journalists speculation as I have. Toulouse to stay up and to be joined by Fev and Leigh making a 14 team league. each to play home and away plus the Magic game. Leigh and Fev aren't risking all that money on winning the million pound game but on ensuring they have a competetive squad for super league next year. sounds good in theory to me as theres less chance of a team that comes up going straight back down.

But that’s exactly what I said???

2023 is the season that counts.