Took my Mrs to the Final on Saturday, she has seen all of 3 or 4 games on Sky so her first ever live game. She commented that Wigan looked far faster - with their passing speed and their intensity and going forward with the ball.

This is something that needs to change - we go side to side, very slowly and as a result we are predictable. The only time we do look good, is with quick scoots from hookers, Briscoe or Shaul and when Whiting can get an offload away

Agreed.

from the top tier of wembley, it looked like fc were playing in slow motion compared to a very well drill offensive unit in wigan...
serious work is needed to address our current situation

Where hoping Hock and Graham, we are getting Thmopson and Walker.

I would throw some money at Croker? the centre at the Canberra Raiders. Also unlikely but would love to see him at Hull, Jason Nightingale. Maybe more realistic would be Sam Perrett. Croker/Perrett partnership would be a cracker.

i know people think we should'nt be getting players from the likes of cas and so called lower placed clubs to challenge for the top 4 and whilst i agree some of the signings are not going to take us to the next level i do think there is some real quality out there at the lower end.heres a few from teams below us who i feel would really improve us whilst not costing megabucks.
wakefield-amor,poore,kirmond,collis,c?@kend (don't like but better than crookes)
london-kaufusi,baily,dixon (better than crookes)
cas-chase (had to put him),hauraki,shenton,carney (def better than crookes)
salford-broughton (better than crookes)
widnes-handbury,j mellor,hock (tech wigan but up for grabs),joseph (always makes impact off bench what we lack and would be on small wedge,maybe a jamie thacks kind of signing)ah van (kicks goals and better than j.c)
bradford-manuokafoa,bateman,foster (kicks goals and i don't need to say it)
i expect alot of people will not agree but all the above always stand out when i watch them,even against the top teams.whether gentle is the man who can take good players and make them great remains to be seen.a 2013 version of brian smith would be perfect

so, threepennysyander doesn't rate crookes, have I got that?

Which is why fans shouldn't hope for players who are completely unrealistic. Another case of people playing Fantasy RL, I'm afraid.

So what your saying is: there are a lot of better players than Crookes?
With Briscoe leaving I do think a winger needs to be brought in
Cockayne, Carney, Dixon - for me NO
I liked Foster while he was with us, to be honest I didn't really see why we got rid of Will Sharp to bring in Crookes
Wigan signed two players last year from clubs below us for their 6 and 7, just one example and i agree with you that there are good players in teams below us.

i thought that might come across but i don't not like the lad and am prepared to give him my full support.it just happens when i was looking at the teams below us they all contained a winger i would be happy to swap him with.carney would be my choice as a out and out winger,he would def provide some entertainment for the fans.however foster would probaly be the one i'd go for simple for his goal kicking (d.j's just not up to it and if he's injured)

Been told we're getting an NRL forward (no names), Thompson and walker and that will be it. Was also told we'd sounded out brown from rovers but decided against it

Seems poor as we're losing Briscoe, galea, o'meley, lynch and tickle, all of whom must be on a big whack

i think the signings depend on the game plan gentle wants to play.for me its a total contradiction.i would always imagine you would play a expansive game if you had a light mobile pack.abit like cas have for a fair few years.always getting dominated by bigger packs (especially away on bigger pitches) but throwing the ball around and playing some really exciting attacking rugby.we have the pack for that game plan yet play the flattest slowest and most clueless attack i'v seen in the league this year.the drop off move sums it up for me,works for the likes of giants,wigan,warr as they have size and ball speed.we lack both

A lot of players in improved contracts, apparently. Still don't buy it, like you say we should have more return for the players leaving if that is all we have coming in.

I like Walker at Rovers, he seems a right handful. Rovers look a different side when he's on the pitch, makes good yards with the ball and hits like wrecking ball. But too players from the land of make believe might not be to everyone's taste. I also like Hock, I like that he's dirty, we could do with a bit of that in our boyband pack.

You're right, we are dreadful with the ball in hand. HAlf the time it looks like some of the players lack even basic passing skills

It's not Adam Walker that is coming, it's his brother Jonathan from Cas.

i really want gentle to be the man but most teams who i see always look to have a better attacking structure.i wonder some times if its lack of bottle.by that i mean it takes alot more balls to be the one to make that pass or play than it does to make that tackle.as a team they all seem happy enough to defend all day.going into a tackle with your team mates for the 10th,20th or even 30th time is easier than been that player to take charge and except that responsibility.i feel thats one of the reasons we've missed horney so much.no matter how much stick he's had he always been willing to take the line on and have that ball.for me whiting looks one of our most confident players with ball in hand.he reads the game and makes the run knowing if he can get the ball away a break/try is on.if only more players wanted to be involved as much as he does.at the moment though the team looked scared to make a decision without the ball in their hand ie dummy runners.this is what keeps nagging me about gentles ability to take us to the top.every week we all see it yet nothing changes.you don't need your regular/starting 6 and 7 to have a deep attacking line and dummy runners.

I heard we may be getting someone else from Rovers apart from Paea.

Lovegrove, isn't it? Perhaps part of their "ongoing cost-cutting measures".

That's what I heard.

We badly need a player who can't tackle

That's why we're releasing Lynch. 627 tackles, 10 misses 98.4%. Oh, and top club metre-maker. Again. Playing most of the season off the bench. "Shocking" this season, apparently.

I completley agree thats what I meant people get downcast when we sign these players that where never gunna come.

Rovers have now got 2 backers, and I don't mean the new board members. There won't be any cost cutting at Rovers now

Indeed.