"Let's be havin ya' " as the prophet Delia Smith once said.

Occasionally I like a bet. I won big on the FC match this weekend.

Will FC get 60 points start when they play? Thankfully we get a week off and they don't.
Is that a good thing? At least Grix gets time to know the players more.

Worryingly we have Leeds after Saints, then Warrington. Oh, then London away.
We are in so much shoite it's hard to see us winning again all season. I don't see where we win next inc London.
This isn't a Smith out thread but looking at Saints and the next few games the team are in the real mire
and only a change of coach can change our fortunes in my opinion.

The fans who travel to Saints will be as famous as the Huyton gang in the late 1970s

With whom would you suggest we replace him and how long would you allow the new encumbent to change fortunes?

Yeh we all get that never mind the little issue of the sourcing of the money to pay him off, we all know too that its so much more than just the Coach but that's what a lot grab onto in such situations, its far wider than that its something that's been endemic in the club for at least 6 years its about ideology and most importantly the philosophy and intentions of the whole organisation.

As far as I underatand he's out of contract at the end of the season so the payoff gets lower by the week. Id like to see a disciplinarian come and give the squad a good boot, does Neil Warnock know anything about RL?



We do need someone to sort the 'culture' and that will take time, but laid back Tony isnt the man. Im increasingly convinved he only knows how to manage teams with money.

One thing is for sure. The state we're in St's away is no time for throwing too many youngsters in, it will destroy any confidence that they might be building. Select all fit, well paid players (it's not like we don't play people out of position anyway), give them a simple game plan to execute. While some go with more hope than others no team goes to St's EXPECTING to win but surely our top paid pros can go there and leave with a modicum of respectability....... oh, hang on!

A disciplinarian with a bit of guile, though, because I remember Len Casey coming in and destroying Gary Pearce, whose rugby brain was as good as most, so definitely need that but someone who also knows where and when to lay down the law.

Shaun Wane

Sao and Brown banned.

No idea what the 17 will look like, anyone due back?

2 weeks to possible sort out a couple of loan players.

Jack Walker is the only one i can think of that's due back, maybe Mitchy also.

With the rumours of Sam Royle last week, wouldn't be shocked if there was players brought in.

There was a game a couple of seasons ago where Catalan fielded pretty much an all french team against Wigan with lots of youngsters in, they got battered, but now Catalan are top of the league and for 72 mins on Saturday had an all french spine. Maybe it's worth trying something like this for the invaluable experience it'll give the players and the long term benefits?

Running short of forwards with those 2 banned and Ashworth and Staveley missing through injury.
Wonder if Fash will be back in contention in a fortnight?

Otherwise forwards will be from
Pele
Ese'ese
Okunbor
Cator
Lane
Gardiner
Laidlaw
Scott
Severs?
Jebson?

Either way it looks horribly weak.

Smith talks about rebuilding players in the reserves but how does he do that when we constantly have half the team missing through injury and bans?
Might just have to bite the bullet, drop some under performing players and field a really young side and see how they go.

Bombshell - no Hoy either !

Hodgson to debut, looked fantastic in the reserves, worth watching the highlights of the game to see his passing and running game.

Smith would rather play Houghton with a mobility trolley

I bet Saints are sh177ing themselves now , New coach effect

Hull will get 48 start at the bookies and I’ll be taking a chunk at that !
Let’s see which players are capable of playing for their place.
It’s a shame we have so many players that are great when it’s going great and shoite when it’s going shoite

Gaz Ellis wasn’t one of those type of players and we just have way too many

I wouldn't take that bet, think the club will write this game off and be looking at the Leeds game, players back, new players and maybe a new coach. Think it will be a very young side

Moy
Tindall
Mcintosh
Sutcliffe
Martin
Smith
Charles
Pele
Cator
Ese ese
Okunbor
Scott
Lane

Balmforth
Gardiner
Laidlaw
Litten

Won’t Walker and Houghton be back?

So we'll be playing a St Helens team coming of the back of two straight defeats and being knocked out of the Cup. Great.

We've got the new coach bounce. Easy victory for us

Sironen probably missing

Game week then. Will Saints be missing Sironen and Walmsley?

Not sure how we line up, we're scraping the barrel with the recent suspensions and player exits.

If Houghton is back I think we need Balmforth or Hodgson on the bench. Think Walker could be back too

Walker/Moy/Litten
Martin
Sutcliffe
Mcintosh
Tindall

Smith
Charles

Ese'ese
Houghton
Pele
Lane
Scott
Cator

Gardiner
Laidlaw
Okunbor
Balmforth

Wonder if Latrell and Cody Walker will sign in time to make their debuts?

Houghton going to be playing jabbed up I hear

I know I sound like a broken record, but will be really interesting to see if Balmforth, at last makes the squad, different eyes to Smith, Cummins will know he better than anyone.