: Mon Jul 13, 2009 1:48 pm  

Saddened! wrote:

It was stated to be the 21st July on Radio 1 when Leeds failed to sign some Aussie centre last week.

Perhaps Bradford will loan us Sam Burgess, they have no use for him now do they.

We'll loan you Crossley. Burgess plays better in SR/LF anyway.

: Mon Jul 13, 2009 1:54 pm  

From a different angle, weve always gone into the playoffs having played too many games and looking physically shot and mentally drained.

The likes of Longy, Cayless, Cunningham and Maurie will give the squad a huge boost come play off time.

: Mon Jul 13, 2009 1:56 pm  

Saddened! wrote:

We got lucky with the injuries to Morley, Briers and Hicks.

True, but we started without 2 of our first choice front rowers, our best back and the Lance Todd Legend and lost players to injury during the game.

We still won, because the young lads in the team are good players. There's no reason at all why we can't get past Huddersfield with a similar team and in all likelihood we will be stronger with KC and Gidley back.

It's not all doom and gloom.

: Mon Jul 13, 2009 2:03 pm  

FearTheVee wrote:

True, but we started without 2 of our first choice front rowers, our best back and the Lance Todd Legend and lost players to injury during the game.

We still won, because the young lads in the team are good players. There's no reason at all why we can't get past Huddersfield with a similar team and in all likelihood we will be stronger with KC and Gidley back.

It's not all doom and gloom.

It's not all doom and gloom but I have to say the game has come full circle and once again we are in a period of RL history where you REALLY need good props and we are VERY short now.

We really could do with an extra body in that department.

Recent history suggest's that you need a string of good props. Remember Darren Britt carrying us until he got injured and then we went down hill!

: Mon Jul 13, 2009 2:24 pm  

WidnesExile wrote:

It's not all doom and gloom but I have to say the game has come full circle and once again we are in a period of RL history where you REALLY need good props and we are VERY short now.

We really could do with an extra body in that department.

Recent history suggest's that you need a string of good props. Remember Darren Britt carrying us until he got injured and then we went down hill!

Absolutely agree, just saying that we're not a lost cause without Maurie.

: Mon Jul 13, 2009 2:37 pm  

FearTheVee wrote:

Absolutely agree, just saying that we're not a lost cause without Maurie.

Agreed but it just gets harder and harder as we loose one squad member after another.

Now we have TWO props missing and Jammer - although he was great against Wire can only play so many minutes - we DON'T want a Fielden on our Hands!!!!

: Mon Jul 13, 2009 2:48 pm  

I hate to be a pessimist, but Props mean pots.

We are now looking at our four Props on matchday being Jammer, Hargreaves, TP and Clough - two of whom are 2nd rows, one is a squad man at best and the other is going to be falling apart at the seams if he carries on with his current workload.

Are there any SL props currently out of favour and not getting game time??

: Mon Jul 13, 2009 3:09 pm  

This is very bad indeed. We are now in a similar position to what we were in 2003 when Darren Britt, who had been carrying our pack all year, was injured for the rest of the year. After that we just couldn't get forward. Obviously we have more in reserve these days, but we're going to have all sorts of trouble living with packs like Leeds, Huddersfield and a full strength Warrington have.

What can we do? I'm not sure - maybe if there's a grizzly prop in the championship we could sign then that might help, but then again it may not, and we don't want to be picking up mediocre players out of desperation.

I guess we're just going to have to rely on Bryn and Cloughie to really play above themselves in the front row, and occasionally look to Frodsham or Emmitt to fill in where necessary.

Tricky times ahead.

: Mon Jul 13, 2009 3:15 pm  

Offside Monkey wrote:

I hate to be a pessimist, but Props mean pots.

We are now looking at our four Props on matchday being Jammer, Hargreaves, TP and Clough

To be fair, their aren't many teams with better props than that. TP can easily do a job there, although we'll need him to step up - he's capable of that. Clough, although a second row, is a metre machine. Add in Wilkin, Flannery, Roby, KC (on his return) and we've still got a capable pack if we fear the worst and assume Cayless and Maurie don't return.

Ashurst and Dixon fighting it out for the bench spot. Jobs a good 'un. Wow, I'm feeling positive today. Any more injuries in the props though, and I'll happily agree we're stuffed.

: Mon Jul 13, 2009 3:25 pm  

Offside Monkey wrote:

I hate to be a pessimist, but Props mean pots.

But not a plagiarist.