We finished outside the top 2 for the first time since 2005 I think, some see this as poor, I see it more in the normal life cycle of a club. The key is whether we fall into a depression like bradford or Wigan, and skirt with life outside the playoffs, or have a dip like Leeds did, which skirted the lower ends of the playoffs and did not challenge for a few years, but did not panic and turned it around.
If we start chopping and changing the halfbacks each year and sacking coaches year after year, then I'll be concerned. If we bide our time and just ride out the rough form, then we still have a very able team, but the coach needs to earn his crust, we are on a losing run that seams to be catching at present, we are not losing due to terrible performances but because of average performances that then lead to a lack of confidence in holding leads whether they be by 20 points or 2 points. We can't close out a game ( with or without Roby). This comes back to a lack of a leader a general on the field. Graham may have been a shouter and some may not have liked that, but whether you liked his style you could not deny he was in charge and could motivate the team to close out a game.
It's Royce's job to find that general in someone, who can control the game when we are 2points ahead with 20mins to go and call the plays needed for that extra try. Once we are confident we can hold a lead, in a tight game, then we will be more likely not to have such tight games.
