He isn't escaping criticism from me. Thought he was poor and the game effectively went when Moa and Ogre departed first half.

I like Washy, good squad player

it came as no surprise to me that we went to turd when Moa and O'Meley went off, Dowes and Radford haven't been a "force" for a long time, we should never have given Radford two seasons.

If we don't recruit a real top notch prop next season we're in trouble, Warrington were swatting us off like flies at times last night.

Our kicking game was terrible again as well, like I said the other week, beating Cas and the likes is one thing, but when the big boys come calling we're hiding in the attic playing with Barbie Dolls.

I said exactly the same thing when they went off at the same time. We lost all of our push.

Delete Obst from that list and replace with Radford.

Good, you can have him in your squad then

The Rovers squad for next season has a stench of averageness without Washbrook.

Just a note on Washy. Our backrow next season will be Tickle, Manu and Westy. What happens if one gets injured? We need squad players which is what Washy would be.

I would, he is a player who can slot in a few positions and do a decent job. He's abit like Scott Murrell just thinner

I'd like to see Whiting hit the Ginsters in the off season, put two stone on and then be interchange back row for next season. I have always thought he would probably go best in the pack. A versatile player he is (which has also been his downfall) but a winger he is not. Lets have him somewhere he has the chance to make an impact in, or influence a game, not left holding the baby when Turner is missing in the defensive line.

I agree. If, as rumoured, Washy has taken a pay cut on a, presumably, low salary anyway then it's a good deal. Just look at Wire's team tonight; Riley, Grix and Blythe. Not star players but do a job for the team.

We need to have more specialist players, less utilities and use young players as back up and not carry players on decent salaries just in case we get injuries.

Agree about the dummy half. I know houghton is a local lad and puts in 100% every game, but he isn't a top class hooker and we've missed one of those since swain left. I think heremia will be a massive signing for us and show us what we've been missing.

Fitness and strength conditioning need to improve massively too. wire looked fitter and stronger than us all across the field and their defensive technique is much better. Hopefully a new coach will bring about the improvements in the simple areas we should have been doing all along and pearson can find the cash for us to assemble a squad capable of challenging the likes of wigan and warrington

We'd be better off bringing someone better in to play off the bench and using the youngsters as the squad players after that. We should only be keeping Washbrook if we can't get anybody better, but on saying that if we can't it's a worry. I'd actually rather keep Lauaki for another year to see what he can do under a better a coach.

As for the general thread, there are 2 categories of players we have to look at: Those we definitely need to replace, and those who it may be worth seeing under a new coach before deciding. IMO, the former group is Radford, Washbrook, Dowes, Phelps, Obst, Gleeson, and the latter is Sharp, Horne, Lauaki, Turner.

He can play in a few positions, but he only does a decent job in one of them.

Agreed. It's worth carrying 1, maybe 2, but the rest should be kids. Whiting is by far the best of our utility players so he should get the nod.

The problem is, we've earmarked him for the backrow a couple of times in preseasons and he seems to have struggled to put the weight on. I agree though, if he could put about a stone on it could be his best position. I've maintained since the Sharp days that he should have been our replacement for Chris Chester.

Kent/Cunningham/Green should be our squad players.

I thought your pack did okay last night!

The guy is a waste of space you could effectively replace him on the pitch with a bear trap in defence as he has zero movement and is only ok if somebody comes within arms reach, even then he will inevitably end up falling off of the tackle to the side taking him out of the next play.

That's our problem being ok just doesn't cut it.

Have we

Washbrook still has potential and maybe with a better coach he could get back his early career form, as a squad player I don't think it's a bad move.

Whiting shouldn't be on the wing he is too slow and when he plays against a quick winger with good feet he gets stood up like last night a few times this year.

Again hopefully Gentle and his coaching team can improve Sharp or Lyne to play on the wing.

I'd use Whiting as a backrow forward if we get injuries.

Also if we can sign a good centre like Bridge then that will help Sharp or Lyne, Sharp looked much better with Gleeson in the couple of games they played together.

Don't get me started!!

Good post, agree with all of that. Especially the first sentence.