Getting dicked 32-6

Nothing nuch else to report.

What teams have you both put out?

Warrington started the match with the likes of Chris Riley, Grix, Solomona ,Jon Clarke,but also a lot of reserve and fringe players eg, Matty Blythe,Craig Harvey, Evans, Rhys Williams, Lee Mitchell, O'Brien etc. Widnes started the match with something like Craven at fullback, Gardner and Flynn on the wings, Tangi Ropati and Ste Tyrer at centre, Thackeray and Coyle at halfback, Kavanagh, Netherton, Heckenburg, Leuluai,Kelly, Haggerty. As I say Wire started with a handful of 1st team regulars, but a lot of fringe and reserve players. As the half wore on, they did bring on Myler and Higham. It seems to be the Dave Solomona and Craig Harvey show in the first half. Briers, Ryan Atkins, Monaghan, Monaghan,Westwood, King and a lot of the main big guns did not feature at all. Final score, I believe was 48-18.

Go on the wire

48-18........... better than we managed last season, well done Widnes against 1 of the best teams in SL with a lot of internationals in their squad.

Of course, the likes of Monaghan, Morley Westwood, Harrison, King, Hicks, Briers etc all played at Leigh last season. They put almost a full strength squad out to destroy us on the back of their warm weather training abroad. None of the above featured today, but obviously Hicks has moved on.

Mullally the monster needs to feature this season

Hold on there Jay. Wire turned up with their fiull first team last year when they played us. Widnes were woefull today against a far inferior team and should have cut the offloads down after the first four. Two things the Widnes 2 has pace and their 18 is a big lad and a handfull. As for Wire, Matty Blythe went well and the try he set up for Myler was a great break but the final pass was a mile forward. The young 18 foir Wire was excellent today and got through a mountain of work. Whoever we put to mark Solomona has his work cut out, personally I would try to steal the ball every time with him and if you get away with it it's a bonus because he will offload with 10 men on his back. Coyles try was a good one but he kept loosing concentration and not paying attention when the ball came free from his own players. He and some other were trying to set up the next play before one was complete and the ball would come free with no one watching. I think Wire will find it a bit more difficult to break down our defence as easy as they did today. One last word I think Wire took their foot of the gas in the last 30 which made you look better but far play you began to give it a go. You have a lot of work to do there but good luck for the season Widnes.

They've got 12 months to get a new squad ready. If they don't want to get "dicked" every week in SL they can only do this by exercising SOC's cheque book. Yoof won't count a fig in 12 months time will it? It will have been useful in getting them into SL but it'll be the old cheque book that'll make them competitive from 2012 onwards. SOC knows this - he aint stoopid.

It seems clear that the ‘yoof’ policy is something the club is very keen on, particularly SOC. This will definitely carry on, should we get to SL. I would think they would be also looking at bringing them through alongside players of a much higher quality than we have now though.

If they try to do it the way we are doing it now, with crocks poorish players under 25, then yes we will get ‘dicked’.

Was that your full strength team today? If so I'd be worried. We probably even outnumbered your fans.

I would say if the attendance of 3758 is correct then 2000 of those were Wire fans.

No.


Although, our starting backs were probably something like our strongest players, our pack was weakened by about 5 players – and it showed.

We also went through many interchanges and the side was mostly made up of our academy lads.

Todays outing has no bearing on how we will go this season, some are reading far to much in to todays match its probably the 2nd time they have all been on the pitch together, it was a training session nothing more

I'd say more than that, the stand holds 2500, it was near enough full from what I could see.

for a side which wants to be preparing for Super League this time next year, there is a hell of a lot to be done over the next 12 months, both on and off the pitch. I was also in Widnes for when you played Leigh, and for your local derby the attendance was shocking. You need to bring the crowds in as well as players, otherwise you are going to find yourselves the laughing stock of Super League.

Also, how old was your number six, I think he was. He only looked about thirteen.

[iWidnes in not having SL crowds in the championship shocker[/i.

Of course they will never have super league figures whilst in the championship, but you rarely have above 2,000 home fans. To be respected in SL you are going to need attendances of at least 8,000 every week, where are you going to get that many fans from all of a sudden?

Warrington brought a lot for sure... thanks for that.

Not too bothered by today's scoreline especially considering we have had one session of ball work since returning to training... anyone turning up expecting anything else today must have had a screw loose.
However the impact that some of the younger players had on the side was exciting.
I know it's not the done thing but I would have liked a friendly or two against the likes of Swinton etc which would have been far more useful from the conditioning point of view and possibly less demoralising.

2000 home fans? Our average last year was over 3500 with no away support most of the season, we will increase being in this league for so long with no promotion and no atmosphere through lack of away support has took its toll I have no doubts that we will see the supporters come out of the wood work they didn't all just disappear off the face of the earth when we took the drop I'm sure the majority are still living and breathing

No we rarely have below 2,000 home fans.

You did today.

Are you unfamiliar with the word 'rarely'?

Just pointing out the facts.