: Mon Apr 20, 2009 11:41 am  

Coaches have been suggesting the fixture following the Easter weekend is the most difficult of the season, especially for clubs with small squads. If you factor in our injuries, the quality of opposition (who were actually welcoming back top players fresh and raring to go) I think you could argue the situation was by no means typical so should not be taken as an indicator of future results.

Half the players missing yesterday were injured during last Monday's game and their work shared out amongst those who then had to turn out against Saints. A lot of fans leaving the Wire game were voicing concerns about how we would back up having witnessed such a massive effort so many of us were half expecting what we got.

The quality of this years squad is better but runs no deeper than last years so I predict more heavy defeats dotted in between more successful spells. That I'm afraid is the consequence of re-building after consecutive relegations from SL.

: Mon Apr 20, 2009 12:00 pm  

I still feel our squad is nowhere near big enough

Wakey have had some terrible injuries this season, however they have a big enough squad to deal with this. We simply don't have the numbers

: Mon Apr 20, 2009 12:15 pm  

For me, we are still developing but we are getting better. Injuries are exposing the lack of quality depth at the mo and perhaps the balance in the first team isn't quite bang on, but we're still right to give our promising youngsters their shot at Super League. The only really disappointing result for me so far was the Wakey game - not for the loss itself but for the manner of the defeat against a team we could have competed better against, and for the fact that it was in front of a near full house.

I think we need to remember that at the start of this season most of us said we'd be happy with 9th or 10th spot. That would still be considered progress, even though I admit I've since reassessed and would really like to see 8th or better. If the guys can deliver some play off interest this season that would be awesome, not least because it's franchise point for 'adding value to the competition'.

: Mon Apr 20, 2009 12:32 pm  

Disco wrote:

I admit I've since reassessed and would really like to see 8th or better.

But reassessment based on the form shown by our 18 "frontline" players should not see lads outside that 18 criticised for failing to meet those revised targets. I can't help thinking that some people who were jeering the players yesterday now have irrealistic expectations for the season.

: Mon Apr 20, 2009 12:38 pm  

i dont believe that there are 8 or 9 teamas better than ours though

: Mon Apr 20, 2009 12:39 pm  

StuMain wrote:

I can't help thinking that some people who were jeering the players yesterday now have irrealistic expectations for the season.

Not our greatest performance yesterday, but we weren't allowed to play for much of the game either.

Sick and tired of the moaners......

agree : Mon Apr 20, 2009 12:51 pm  

WRE wrote:

i dont believe that there are 8 or 9 teamas better than ours though

I actually agree with most of what's been said, interesting how some people see this change as inevitable, some people think it is purely injuries. But whether we like it or not, expectations have been raised - so I will take out the comparison and the analogy and the emotion - but I stand by what I said then:

This period (I described in my original post) I believe will be the one that defines our season, Terry’s time as our head coach and our eventual position in the ladder…..

: Mon Apr 20, 2009 1:21 pm  

StuMain wrote:

We were always dependent on a lot of good fortune with injuries to sustain our start to the season. We have 18 (?) frontline players backed up by the younger players (in experience and development terms if not age), Boyle, Clayton, Massey, Ford...

Yesterday we simply showed the effects of the heavy recent schedule, the injuries taking out a number of key players and facing the best side in the league on a nice sunny day, suitable to the running game they play.

If I were TM I'd pay little attention to the game and try to get some bodies back on board, maybe ask RW for 1 or 2 loanees? We need to put it to one side and focus on next week. There's no reason we can't target winning our next 3.

Very true, I expected little else other than a heavy defeat with our injuries, although I was still dissappointed with the amount of tries they scored. However, we were playing without a doubt in my mind the most potent attacking force in world rugby, when on a roll they are literally unstoppable. Not enough credit will be given to Saint Helens for the way they played, as they were red hot.We won't be the last team to feel the force of that over the hot summer months with dry, hard grounds.

It was a mis-match, when you look at the forwards. Puletua was probably the most dominant forward I've seen play for some time, we couldn't deal with him. Then Graham was supporting him, and Cunningham running things from acting half. Then, if they got jaded, they'd bring on Fa'asavalu and Roby who cut through us. We had one hooker who although very impressive, is our second choice. We had Nathan Massey- a young prop who has played 3 games in Super League, most of that time was spent on the bench, Ryan Boyle, our 5th choice prop, and in the second row, Ryan Clayton- a man who would probably also be 5th choice in his position and who hasn't played for 10 months who was expected to hold his own against Jon Wilkin- something not many players do.
It was a poor result, but it is not the end of the world. With a full strength side I would have expected us to be more competative, but I feel a Saints win would have still been on the cards.

: Mon Apr 20, 2009 1:33 pm  

The Doctor wrote:

Fa'asavalu

Felt sorry for Massey when Fa'asavalu was rampaging towards the line and he was expected to stop him. The hand off demonstrated a complete mismatch.

: Mon Apr 20, 2009 1:47 pm  

StuMain wrote:

Felt sorry for Massey when Fa'asavalu was rampaging towards the line and he was expected to stop him. The hand off demonstrated a complete mismatch.

I feel sorry for Massey period....looks nowhere near ready for SL so is constantly targetted both in the defensive line and for big hits when in possession. Also faces the catch 22 of only getting a game in a weakened pack rather than being eased in thus eroding confidence.