I'm surprised you have posted this though I agree with you. This is what I and others have been getting at. This performance was expected , perhaps not getting beat by quite the margin but I have to say that it probably wasn't as bad as some other performances we've seen this season taking everything into account. I asked a couple of weeks ago about the so called platform we were building. I couldn't see it. I still can't see it. The players and therefore the recruitment are not good enough. We have better facilities and gates than most yet we still think we should be expecting to only win the odd game against the "bigger" teams. Now we have a salary cap so the "big" teams can't spend more than us. It has to therefore be our lack of ambition , poor recruitment or poor coaching of the players recruited. Look at Wigan. "Miles ahead " of us and what do they do? They get in three of the best players available for next year having this year got rid of one of the most successful/experienced british coaches to replace with someone they thought could take them forward. Their young players seem to me to be better prepared when they take the step up and yet at junior level our 18's and 20's are often their equal. Ours go backwards , Burnett is an example of this. A couple of years ago he looked as though he might make it now he looks second rate compared to say Farrel and Tuson of Wigan. As you say Wigan have structure and systems and apply them professionally. We don't , instead lifting a performance here and there. It will be interesting to see who we do sign for next season but I can't see that it will be anyone of the calibre needed to move us forward. Even if we start to get recruitment right , the current contracted players and those that we sign and give new contracts to , quotas etc will stop us making any impact for some years.
With Fitz , Ogre , Long and Tickle back we may have a few good performances to look forward to this season but even if we do it's the future that doesn't look too bright. The first thing we need at this club is an attitude that says we should be a dominant force in this competition. Everything is in place off the field. We need sometime soon to see a signal of this intent by bringing in a coaching team of the highest order , no doubt Australian because there aren't any here and changing once and for all that attitude that accepts that there are teams in the league that have more right than us to be at the top of the tree. Only then will we attract the players needed , see them consistently playing to their ability and see younger players develop properly and be ready for the first team when called upon.

What young lads? Other than a kid on the bench and maybe burnett, the rest of the side were all established SL players. Yes we were missing a few but it shouldn't stop those playing from tackling the opposition

Well said. There needs to be a massive change throughout the club if we are ever to compete with the likes of wigan, but I doubt there is the desire to do it

could be worse, you could be Bradford.

You are so right.

At least the Bradford board, have brought in a better coach
for next season.

Not that much better if you ask me.....done a great job at Sts hant he.

Kosh,your quote just about sums it up for me as well.

Did a good job at Catalans.

I'd rather have Potter tutoring our youngsters than Agar.

He did well with NSW U18's

We have been for the last two seasons.

Well they managed to win without Roberts, Phelps, Mcciloram, O' Carroll, Bailey and their coach so they must be doing something right

It's not really the same as having arguably your 6 most important players out though is it?

Funny how it just happens to be your 6 most important players when Whiting wouldn't even get in your coaches 13 if everyone was fit and Tickle isn't your best back rower

You haven't seen Whiting play this year then?

You miss the difference between best and most important.

Long, O'Meley and Fitz enough said.
Calderwood arguably our only natural winger and as we only have 2 at most his fitness is very important to the team.
Whiting's versatility makes him a very important player to our team.
Tickle playing 80 minutes and his goal kicking (although obviously not an issue on Friday) is important to us, him being out the team affects the whole balance of our second row.

So it doesn't matter if your best players are missing just as long as your most important aren't? Hahaha you couldn't make it up

Aren't youre best players the most important?

Yes and what i said was when everyone is fit he wouldn't make the starting 13, a jack of all trades master of none


or Would he??

I said at the start of the year he wouldnt. However on this years form it would be difficult to not play him. He'd probably have to be our right centre.

Not neccessarily. I'd say O'Meley is the best player in our team however I'd say Long is the most important player in our team.

Can you point me to where I said that it doesn't matter if your best players are missing?

Broadly speaking the best players for me are more important. Isolating 1 vs 1 like that doesnt really tell the story.

Long
O'Meley
Fitz
Manu

Our best 4 players for me are definately our most important 4. Look at how poor we are with the top 3 missing.

Quite. He's been one of our best/most consistent players all year, and there's no way he wouldn't make the starting 13 on current form (unless he had a broken arm or summat). He'd be my first choice for fullback. Tansey at 6 or 7.

I would agree in a broad sense. I think losing Calderwood is more detrimental to our team as a whole than losing say Manu because although I think Manu is a much better player we are much better covered to replace him then we are Calderwood.