7 Games in : Sat Apr 06, 2024 9:18 am  

So where do we stand?
For a start I think our current position is a truer reflection of where our team is than last years 7 from 7.
I am mainly seeing positives at the moment, I don’t think we have seen enough to suggest we are title contenders just yet but we are heading in the right direction.
Young players for years we have been screaming for youth to get its chance and we have certainly got that this season.
A breakout year for Leon Hayes. He has looked comfortable from day one, he has had various half back partners and taken it all in his stride. Last night at one point Lisone struggled to pull our l pocket battleship down. His kicking is doing the job and no doubt his running game will develop with his confidence.
Thewliss and Wrench are works in progress but are being given game time, we always said we would rather persevere with youngsters than import “journeymen” to fill in. Some on here are more patient than others.
Signings
Fitzgibbon has been a major success so far and there is an awful lot of “fondness” for him on here. Musggrave is developing nicely
and the only question mark is Tai who was signed as a development project. Sam Powell has been a decent signing as well.
Established players
This has been the major area of progress in my view. I presume it is largely down to SB but no doubt other coaches have played their part.
Ben Currie has been a revelation and is turning into the player we all wanted to see. Moving him to LF was a master stroke. Jimmy H has continued his development. Dufty in attack has generally hit new heights and Ashton is now a fantastic all round winger ie attack and defence.
Team spirit
They genuinely seem to enjoy playing together
Ratchford epitomises this in my view, plays where and when and no sulking!

Finally I would just mention a point raised on Sky last night where Tomkins and Cunningham said our tries were all due to slack defence.And yet we are the top point scorers and have yet to see a settled half back or centre combination. Hopefully a lot more to come.
Most importantly I’m actually enjoying watching the team again, it’s been a while!

Re: 7 Games in : Sat Apr 06, 2024 10:18 am  

Generally agree CH, but I wonder if under Burgess Ben would be as effective in the 2nd row given the way we are playing. Could well be, but he gets more ball at 13 and prefer what he brings there.
I do love the short interchange passes between the alleged 'grunt' men. It's catching the opposition out.

Re: 7 Games in : Sat Apr 06, 2024 11:16 am  

In terms of results we’re probably a win or two higher than I expected. At the start of the year I expected us to lose both games vs Catalan and at best win only one at best of Leeds or Hull KR away. We’ve won both.

I’d echo the sentiments of enjoying season much more this year, we’re playing some decent stuff and whilst we aren’t sweeping everyone in front of us, we’ve competed throughout and that’s been with a fair degree of disruption throughout the team.

Seeing the younger players get some game time has been really pleasing, much rather that than shoehorning experienced players in to other positions.

Wigan Saints Catalan (in that order) seem out in front at the moment, with us and Hull KR next up. To take the next step it’s our defence and especially our intensity in defence that needs to improve.

Pleased with how it’s going though.

[Winslade's Offload]

Re: 7 Games in : Sat Apr 06, 2024 11:18 am  

For me the biggest plus is your last para; team spirit. We all know what impossibilities a team can achieve with determination, hard work and team spirit. After all, I would say we are carrying quite a lot of unwanted players in the squad atm. We should be in a much stronger position next year.

Re: 7 Games in : Sat Apr 06, 2024 1:48 pm  

Winslade's Offload wrote:

For me the biggest plus is your last para; team spirit. We all know what impossibilities a team can achieve with determination, hard work and team spirit. After all, I would say we are carrying quite a lot of unwanted players in the squad atm. We should be in a much stronger position next year.

Who do you recon the “lot of unwanted players” are who we are carrying?

King?

Already gone’ish.
Dudson loaned
Green loaned
Dwyer loaned

Re: 7 Games in : Sat Apr 06, 2024 3:01 pm  

I don’t think anyone expected us to win anything this season… we wanted a team that puts the effort in.. one that has a good spirit.. one that’s good to watch… we wanted our club back.

Burgess has given us that.

Turning the morale around in this squad, so quickly, has been the most pleasing…. The players seem to love him…. That’s half the job being a RL coach.

7 games in… well happy with how it’s going.

Re: 7 Games in : Sat Apr 06, 2024 6:29 pm  

rubber duckie wrote:

Who do you recon the “lot of unwanted players” are who we are carrying?

King?

Already gone’ish.
Dudson loaned
Green loaned
Dwyer loaned

Drinkwater in addition to King, I would think? Burgess hasn't thrown anyone under the bus at the start of the season, but he's made no secret of his desire for Hayes and Wrench to become first choice in those positions. I have no idea what King thinks he's doing, but I guess the ball is in his court. He'll still get paid the full whack until the end of 2025, and then will probably just pack it all in. His workrate was pretty good the first few games, even if he wasn't creating too much as a centre.

Re: 7 Games in : Sat Apr 06, 2024 9:46 pm  

I said last year, Powell was a hatchet man. He did what was needed at the time, what did we have, 17 off contract? We needed someone to come in and shift most of them on.. it's hard to do that and then build a new squad when their mates have left. I also said his downfall was Peanut and I'm not going to bag him off too much, but most could see he wasn't cutting the mustard and Powell publicly backed him whilst putting people like Dean in the stocks.

Burgess has been in and around the NRL systems for a decade and a touch more. He knows the standards to expect and i genuinely think the respect he commands as an ex top RL player helps people appreciate him. He's also not getting carried away, he's level headed and pragmatic.

Burgess has settled the ship and allowed the rugby players in our squad to play rugby, Currie spoke about the human side he's got in his post match interview. He strikes me as a man who will try and promote the players natural abilities and piece those elements together rather than force them to play his system.

Re: 7 Games in : Sun Apr 07, 2024 6:19 am  

Sooner we get rid of King and his face like a slapped booty every time he plays, the better. It's pretty obvious that he doesn't want to be here, and the excuse of him having a "soft tissue" issue doesn't wash. Send the lazy **** off to London on loan for the rest of the year or he can **** off back to Wigan and we'll take Keighran instead since Wardle has just signed a long term deal.

Re: 7 Games in : Sun Apr 07, 2024 8:56 am  

Only 7 games in, so let’s not get carried away by a run of fixtures which were kind to Wire.. I agree the small adjustments and progress made by Burgess are a step in the right direction.. but let’s see how good of a coach/ man manager he is when Wire hit a sticky patch..