[quote="Mr. Zucchini Head":1j3fqbmf]I'm fine with that tbh. It's just a reflection of where both teams are at the minute. They are a top quality team with class in every position. We are a team at the start of a long transition. We might have done a little better with our best players on the field, but in the end we tried hard and were outclassed by a much better team. As others have said I thought Salabio showed glimpses of being an astute signing, Sezer played well again, the wingers continue to impress, and I thought Briscoe did a lot of good things. I am very much warming to him at centre. He certainly put himself about and I think he can make an impact. I think Cartwright got the selection wrong though. Fash and Chamberlain on that right hand was a always a recipe for disaster and the two of them were chasing shadows all night. Not to mention we got them some really good ball at times and they just didn't have the quality to do anything with it. It had to be Rapana at centre and Chamberlain at centre, with Moy at FB. Fash on the bench for Gardiner. With all the will in the world I just don't think Gardiner will ever be good enough.[/quote:1j3fqbmf] Agree think we have to go with Moy FB, Rapana centre next week

Wigan were excellent, particularly for a Round 2 game. Rock solid, very powerful in the forwards and Jai Field looks twice the player he was this time last year. I have a suspicion he's trying to put himself in the NRL shop window but we'll see. Hull tried hard and there were no overly soft tries conceded unlike last year. The short drop out was a bit daft. No getting around it though - unless the luck with injuries improves it will likely be another tough season. A real shame there are so many so early - not just with Hull but across SL. Ese-Ese, Sezer and Rapana looked decent and good to see Barron give Jai Field a run for his money.

Rapana is our full back. So no need to move him. Moy will just have to wait patiently. Shouldn't be to long a wait with our injuries luck. Our strongest three quarter line right now looks like the one that started last week at Catalans. With Chamberlain, Westerman and eventually Litten as back up. It'd be crazy to move your best full back to play at centre.

I like Cartwrights straight to the point interview style ""We played against a really classy team who played some really classy football. "We had to be at our best physically and tactically and unfortunately we were nowhere near the mark. "I felt we were hanging on all game. I thought some of our kicks at the end of sets were pretty poor. Look, they are a very strong team who will be there at the end of the year come Grand Final time. "They have class right across paddock. It was a bit of that and a bit of we weren't where we needed to be."

I was surprised with barrons pace. Any other full back in the league and he'd have scored. It also looked like field made contact with his head when he tackled him but that was watching from the east stand

Don't see the problem with short drop-out. What do we do, weere 18 points down and need the ball. In truth it was a bang on the money kick from Rapana, manage to knock it back but aren't alert enough to regain it second-ball. What's the alternativ, punt it downfield with the likelihood of them scoring with a full set anyway? Think we'll be big underdogs away at Giants but these are the games we need to compete in otherwise it's gonna be 2024 deja-vu.

I always feared that apart from Herman, there just isn’t enough size to win the forward battles up front.

Not much more to add to what everyone else has said tonight. Score was a little disappointing, but it was men versus boys out there. We don't have the firepower to be able to compete with a high-quality side firing on all cylinders as Wigan were tonight. They would have been way too quick, slick and clinical for virtually every other SL side tonight let alone against a club struggling to put itself back together out of the rubble of recent years. We stuck at it, everyone kept working right to the end and they didn't let their heads drop or start feeling sorry for themselves which is a big improvement on recent years. We ran headlong into the best team, by some margin as well, in the competition. We all said before the game this wouldn't define where we are or how the season may pan out, and that view still stands. Dust ourselves down, pick ourselves up and go again next Friday against Huddersfield. But we really could do with some good news on the injury front. Our thin squad is already, two games in, starting to look threadbare. Think we have no choice but to tough it out over the next few weeks unless we can bring in some decent reinforcements, but who exactly is the pertinent question.

[quote="Jake the Peg":1mqp1xyj]I was surprised with barrons pace. Any other full back in the league and he'd have scored. It also looked like field made contact with his head when he tackled him but that was watching from the east stand[/quote:1mqp1xyj] Looked like Field had done his hamstring trying to keep up with him but he recovered OK.

[quote="Jake the Peg":1x4aomfo]I was surprised with barrons pace. Any other full back in the league and he'd have scored. It also looked like field made contact with his head when he tackled him but that was watching from the east stand[/quote:1x4aomfo] Definitely contact with head, Field went high but completely missed by the officials... wouldn't have changed the outcome, but very frustrating some players seem to get things overlooked. Probably pick a 1 point at disciplinary on Monday.

Makes you realise that was some performance from Leigh in the opening round.

[quote="giddyupoldfella":3v8uyvx8]Rapana is our full back. So no need to move him. Moy will just have to wait patiently. Shouldn't be to long a wait with our injuries luck. Our strongest three quarter line right now looks like the one that started last week at Catalans. With Chamberlain, Westerman and eventually Litten as back up. It'd be crazy to move your best full back to play at centre.[/quote:3v8uyvx8] we dont have any choice now but to play Moy and move Rapana to centre unless another centre is brought in next week Hardaker is out for several weeks I dont think Westerman would have done any worse than Chamberlain tonight but i understand the coaches reluctance to play him and Moy tonight.against such quality opposition. Have to find another second row rapidly.Chamberlain offers nothing but a body either in the centre or second row

[quote="WIZEB":26gx8v46]Makes you realise that was some performance from Leigh in the opening round.[/quote:26gx8v46] Yes and who's coming next to the MKM...

You talk about how good Leigh were to beat Wigan , then how bad were Dragons to lose to us ? A sobering reality and the dangers of recruiting players over 30 comes to mind. We won’t be at our best until the end of the season - Carty has a big job on his hands but he will sort it

[quote:2pq0xck4]You talk about how good Leigh were to beat Wigan , then how bad were Dragons to lose to us ?[quote:2pq0xck4][/quote:2pq0xck4] Just for context, Catalans weren't good enough to make the play-offs last season, whilst Wigan ended up World Club Champions. [quote:2pq0xck4]A sobering reality and the dangers of recruiting players over 30 comes to mind. [/quote:2pq0xck4] Mainwaring to Pike, 'You stupid boy.' [quote:2pq0xck4]We won’t be at our best until the end of the season - Carty has a big job on his hands but he will sort it[/quote:2pq0xck4][/quote:2pq0xck4] A little trepidatious, but I'm waiting with nervous anticipation for the, [i:2pq0xck4]9 game barometer.[/i:2pq0xck4]

[quote="pmarrow":khttzuv1]Overall I wasnt that impressed tonight, whether the personal we lost impacted the drop in intensity ill never know. However I wasnt expecting much from the game so we move on. I really thought we would have lost our first two games so to have won 1 out the 2 is something. Move on dont dwell, ive still seen enough to think we will be better then last year. Far from being a boo boy yet, long journey ahead which we all know.[/quote:khttzuv1] Several factors I felt contributed to a loss: injuries, missed go forward in Ashworth, then Sao, so injuries are an issue including Hardaker. Wigan were just really good - strong, fast agile, well drilled, inventive, thinking on their feet, etc, etc. I did feel that we have potential in that we have quicker distribution a decent spine, some young talent, some valuable experienced players and a close up look at where we need to beafter 80 mins against a top outfit. I do see now that perhaps apart from his defence Fash is lacking, not sure about Gardiner. Thought Lane was ok. We missed Cartwright big time. Need another prop and back rower but that’s not a new idea I wasn’t happy about the tackle on Ligi. Didn’t Asiata get in trouble for similar tackles a season or two before? This is a developmental team, we all know it. Last nights result is not the end of the world. Bye the way I think our discipline was better too. S So let’s stay positive and aim for lower mid table. Don’t see anyone but Wigan winning the GF

[quote="WIZEB":kyzgg1qo]Don't see the problem with short drop-out. What do we do, weere 18 points down and need the ball. In truth it was a bang on the money kick from Rapana, manage to knock it back but aren't alert enough to regain it second-ball. What's the alternativ, punt it downfield with the likelihood of them scoring with a full set anyway? Think we'll be big underdogs away at Giants but these are the games we need to compete in otherwise it's gonna be 2024 deja-vu.[/quote:kyzgg1qo] Agree it was a gamble worth taking. Should have done some line out lifting

Pretty much agree with what's already been said. There's definitely some promising signs with our attack. Sezer looks quality and Salabio looks like he's a good signing. Runs and hits hard. Makes you realise just what big losses Cartwright and Hardaker are on that right edge. I know it's easier said than done but we desperately need to try and bring in a couple of forwards ASAP

Lacked energy and spark from the off last night and only had a glimpse of it early in the second half before the ridiculous decision to go for a short drop out. Line speed was everything. We were static for most of the game and Wigan (with the usual aid of the dip in the middle) were blistering. Sezer looked fantastic, even behind our beaten pack (which has to be one of the weakest in the league) and the two wingers continue to impress. Despite the contrast in quality and the missing players I expected a lot hungrier performance last night. It was almost like last week's result created to much pressure for them to handle. Flat and ultimately disappointing. I really hoped these sort of performances were behind us. As others have eluded to, we probably need at least two or three new players if we are to have a better season this year (of Sezer's quality too). Just don't know where they're coming from. The quality and depth just isn't there and despite the rhetoric, pure hard work doesn't always cut it. It's early in the season and I'd have been happy with one from two when the fixtures were announced, so despite my current mood, it's time to suck it up and move on.

[quote="TnT":2ialscwu]Several factors I felt contributed to a loss: injuries, missed go forward in Ashworth, then Sao, so injuries are an issue including Hardaker. Wigan were just really good - strong, fast agile, well drilled, inventive, thinking on their feet, etc, etc. I did feel that we have potential in that we have quicker distribution a decent spine, some young talent, some valuable experienced players and a close up look at where we need to beafter 80 mins against a top outfit. I do see now that perhaps apart from his defence Fash is lacking, not sure about Gardiner. Thought Lane was ok. We missed Cartwright big time. Need another prop and back rower but that’s not a new idea I wasn’t happy about the tackle on Ligi. Didn’t Asiata get in trouble for similar tackles a season or two before? This is a developmental team, we all know it. Last nights result is not the end of the world. Bye the way I think our discipline was better too. S So let’s stay positive and aim for lower mid table. Don’t see anyone but Wigan winning the GF[/quote:2ialscwu] I didn't see anything in the tackle on Sao, it looked like he was injured when stepping before any tackle was affected and Dupree (I think it was) to his credit tried to alert the officials to get Sao some help.

It’s a funny old game!!! Not so much Rugby League but more this being a fan business. The word itself depicts a fanatic and so we are all are really, because even after watching the club into my sixth decade I never cease to be amazed by how the pre-season hype, marketing and general talking up inspires me each year and convinces me things are back on track, a miracle has occurred and we will do well in the coming season. Last night we sat there and witnessed a visiting team as good as anything our competition has produced that would hold their own very well in the NRL. I’m not saying Wigan would win it but boy, they’d give it a good go and were they good last night? Stinging after a defeat as they were, it’s unlikely any other Super League club would have beaten them. However biased I am towards the club I love, however much I want a magic wand to have been waved you have to admit that and I have to be a bit more realistic as to just how far we have to travel to get anywhere near that level of performance. Had we kicked on from 2017 we could have been up there but it’s hard to see how our attaining that level again will not take several seasons of building a team and developing the squad. How far we have been allowed to fall is the real disgrace really and yet we pitch up in our absolute thousands full of hope for a new beginning yet with many of us knowing in our hearts, through bitter experience, that it very likely that disappointment will continue to haunt many aspects of the season ahead. I’m trying to not let the disappointment that comes with losing to a brilliant opponent on the night, colour our judgement for there were positives. We hung in, there the resolve to be better was there for all to see, the line speed was OK the ruck was a lot better we never gave up on what was a lost cause, we have tons of potential, we had some bad luck and tough calls but everyone tried. And at last facing a big defeat heads didn’t go down. I can hack it as long as that continues, but it’s a shame for those less case-hardened individuals who want to see a winning team and turned up fuelled by the hype and expectation, one win at a very average Catalan brought and who have not wintered and summered the almost unique experience of being an FC fan ‘till I die’. The team isn’t good enough is it? WE have signed as well as an ailing club could have, but it remains to be seen how signing older players for their experience will impact on out injury situation going forward. That was always a worry for me, but by and large we have recruited pretty well. I also think the coach is good enough (his post-match interview was succinct honest and realistic) and I’m of the school of thought that if he can’t do it no one can!!! I rate our football manager thus far too. In addition, anyone who has had a chat with the new owner will know that he is in it for the long haul really passionate about the club and very realistic about the task ahead. Some players we fielded last night wouldn’t have got anywhere near the 2016/17 squad 1 to 30, but we are building and we have to rely on those less gifted both in ability and size to do their best and let’s face it last night they all did. Brad Fash is a point of question on this front. He’ll never be a second row forward, he’s not tall enough, he doesn’t have the hands and he's short on speed. Nor is he big enough for a prop, but he put his hand up, he’s FC through and through he gave his absolute all and ran himself to a standstill. He’ll probably knows that he’ll be replaced in the fullness of time, but in the mean-time we can really ask for nothing more. I think that can be said for most of the others too, well beaten but certainly not unbowed. How a few more disappointments will impact on that resolve remains to be seen. But last night Wigan were just too good. When power was needed they had, it they showed patience, discipline, had pace to burn and so much skill through their spine. We chased the game throughout and weren’t at the races, but we tried and never gave in and that for me is a massive plus on last season. All we can now do is stick with the team as we always do, but let’s take heart in the fact that a lot looks different now and we have to take that build on it and move forward. It’s going to be a long hard season but the fact the players are hurting because they felt they let us down is proof enough that things have changed. Let’s just hope for a bit more luck than we usually get on the injury front!!

Great post. Reflects exactly my views on where we are and how I interpret what I saw last night

Well last night wasn't as bad as we've witnessed over the last few seasons, we now look like a rugby team at least, but last night was simply a team in transition against the best team in super league, Wigan were outstandingly good. Few points, why do we constantly use wingers to drive the ball in from tackle one, where the hell are the forwards - Wigan don't do it? We used to do it 20 years ago and it worked but we did it once the forwards had put a stint in, now they're stood around and we still use our wingers which I'm is having a negative effect on them, possibly resulting in why Barron got caught on his break. Looking at positives, Sezer is looking a great addition, Briscoe played well and I'm his biggest critic due to his age now, Fash not great first half but actually did better in the second half when I think playing second row. Salabio at times looks lazy, at times looks class, Barron growing in confidence all the time, Rapana you can see his quality but was a bit ineffective imo. Looking at negatives, Chamberlain was poor and doesn't lol a great signing, Aydin and Cust quiet but both got hammered defensively I didn't walk away too disheartened, just disappointed that all these fans who obviously want to support fc witnessed another tonkin, christ I've been taking my sixteen year old for a few years now and hes rarely sees a dominant class fc performance, surprised he wants to come tbh

Anyone know the completion rate and errors for Wigan? Wouldnt surprise ne if they were around 90-100% both halves, plus you could count on one hand the number of errors last night from them, not including penalties either....that how good they were.

[quote="number 6":2w99jxb0]Anyone know the completion rate and errors for Wigan? Wouldnt surprise ne if they were around 90-100% both halves, plus you could count on one hand the number of errors last night from them, not including penalties either....that how good they were.[/quote:2w99jxb0] According to the Super League website they completed at 99% whereas we completed at 66%. They made nearly 1000 metres more than we did.