This season looks impossible to predict to me. I reckon its between Wigan and saints for the top two places and after that anyone could finish anywhere. If GS wants to have a go at a prediction table then good luck to him because he will need it.
Not sure why people are upset by the prediction, all the bookies, pundits have us, Hull Kr and Leigh to be the bottom three. From recent form over the last two seasons Hull Kr and us obviously should be predicted to be at the bottom. Leigh as with all promoted clubs also have to be predicted to be at the bottom. Looking at signings I don`t think an impartial judge would see to much at the three clubs to suggest they are not going to in the bottom three. ( think our signing of Nora does give us a better outlook than when GS made his predictions ). It would be considered madness if a pundit or a bookie predicted / gave odds for us to finish above : Saints, Wigan, Warrington, Leeds, Catalans, Hull, Cas or Hudds. Going on recent form the same pundits / bookies would quite rightly add Salford to that list, Grand final and CC final speaks for itself. It will be interesting to see how losing Watson effects them, most judges feel that Richard Marshall has been a great success in all his previous coaching roles, has served a good apprenticeship and should do well. So it leaves us with Hull KR, Leigh and us. Like others have said I like it when we are tipped to fail as its the only time our players seem to play well, as soon as I hear players start talking about top 6, that they are looking up etc it seems we always end up in the million pound game. Pundits and Bookies will look at Tony Smith and in their minds see a top coach so I think they will see him as the difference and tip Hull KR to finish above us. I thought Hull KR had a poor squad last season it has improved, they did play an expansive game which I think is not ideal for a relegation battle. So the pundit / bookie now has to pick between us and Leigh, they look at us over the last two years leaking 20 plus points a game, we have the better squad, will Leigh be more determined, will coach Duffy be able to get a desire and camaraderie going in the squad like Andy Kelly did with us, like Ward did with London . Will Last and Poaching be able to improve our defense, our structures .Will we be fit. So many questions. All that been said there is always one team that exceeds expectations, proves the pundits and bookies wrong lets hope its us. Overall I don't think GS should be criticized for his predictions there is an argument that they make sense. For me we have the players to prove the pundits wrong.
Not sure why people are upset by the prediction, all the bookies, pundits have us, Hull Kr and Leigh to be the bottom three. From recent form over the last two seasons Hull Kr and us obviously should be predicted to be at the bottom. Leigh as with all promoted clubs also have to be predicted to be at the bottom. Looking at signings I don`t think an impartial judge would see to much at the three clubs to suggest they are not going to in the bottom three. ( think our signing of Nora does give us a better outlook than when GS made his predictions ). It would be considered madness if a pundit or a bookie predicted / gave odds for us to finish above : Saints, Wigan, Warrington, Leeds, Catalans, Hull, Cas or Hudds. Going on recent form the same pundits / bookies would quite rightly add Salford to that list, Grand final and CC final speaks for itself. It will be interesting to see how losing Watson effects them, most judges feel that Richard Marshall has been a great success in all his previous coaching roles, has served a good apprenticeship and should do well. So it leaves us with Hull KR, Leigh and us. Like others have said I like it when we are tipped to fail as its the only time our players seem to play well, as soon as I hear players start talking about top 6, that they are looking up etc it seems we always end up in the million pound game. Pundits and Bookies will look at Tony Smith and in their minds see a top coach so I think they will see him as the difference and tip Hull KR to finish above us. I thought Hull KR had a poor squad last season it has improved, they did play an expansive game which I think is not ideal for a relegation battle. So the pundit / bookie now has to pick between us and Leigh, they look at us over the last two years leaking 20 plus points a game, we have the better squad, will Leigh be more determined, will coach Duffy be able to get a desire and camaraderie going in the squad like Andy Kelly did with us, like Ward did with London . Will Last and Poaching be able to improve our defense, our structures .Will we be fit. So many questions. All that been said there is always one team that exceeds expectations, proves the pundits and bookies wrong lets hope its us. Overall I don't think GS should be criticized for his predictions there is an argument that they make sense. For me we have the players to prove the pundits wrong.
Cant argue with any of that Belly, although, Schoey ALWAYS tips us to finish bottom, even during our good times (when we were genuine play off contenders, something that we seem some distance off at present. If Watson at Huddersfield can convince his squad and his many new signings that they are a decent outfit, they could be the surprise club this time and they will be pushing for a play off spot.. Mind you, it will be tough to get in among Wigan, Saints and Wire, plus, maybe Catalan. Dont see either Hull or Cas being in the mix so, Leeds or Hudds pushing the top 4.
With our best team on the park and the wind in our sails we are a match for anyone on our day.it’s when the injuries start to bite into the squad ,but that goes for quite a few clubs where they don’t have huge squads .Look on schoey’s comments as motivation to prove we’re not the easy beats .For my mind it’s consistency that has always been our Achilles heel ,and eluded us for far too long .I’m hoping that with the coaching set up we have in place now we can start to chip away at this monkey on our backs and really kick on this season .Stay injury free and put some good performances in and you never know where we might end up.As I’ve said we have the roster to trouble most when fit and on the park ,we just need Lady Luck on our side and I’m positive we”ll be up there amongst the so called big boys.
With our best team on the park and the wind in our sails we are a match for anyone on our day.it’s when the injuries start to bite into the squad ,but that goes for quite a few clubs where they don’t have huge squads .Look on schoey’s comments as motivation to prove we’re not the easy beats .For my mind it’s consistency that has always been our Achilles heel ,and eluded us for far too long .I’m hoping that with the coaching set up we have in place now we can start to chip away at this monkey on our backs and really kick on this season .Stay injury free and put some good performances in and you never know where we might end up.As I’ve said we have the roster to trouble most when fit and on the park ,we just need Lady Luck on our side and I’m positive we”ll be up there amongst the so called big boys.
Wind in our sails is a great way to put it.
Truth is all the signings in the world are not worth a good start to the season where we are concerned. That and some luck with injuries.
The talent is clearly there and if Lino fires then I see no reason why we can’t challenge.
But in fairness to the negative nellies, there is no doubt that it’s on a knife-edge. Get ourselves in a rut as in the last two seasons and we are in serious bother. Normally I'd have a customary ding dong with Belly on this and accuse him of posting the same old stock doom and gloom he does every year. He is the ultimate boy cried wolf but for once I'm not willing to put my neck on the line for this team just yet. The mini-revival last year was nice but even then they didn't seem to have the minerals to take it all the way, something was still definitely lacking for me.
Of course, that applies to many teams but this current squad has shown an alarming lack of resilience on occasions. Not a Trinity trait usually and one made even more concerning due to the fact that IMHO this is a very talented team.
It’s a worry, everything should be right but that’s not seemed enough of late.
What I am hoping is that the vastly improve coaching set up will help but at the end of the day if the players haven’t got the guts it won’t help much.
We the fans and those who run the club have done our best to keep the team together in difficult times. Now the players need to step up, it’s down to them and only them.
Gary Schofield couldn’t pick I winner in a one ticket raffle in my opinion. Now looks like he’s backtracking a bit in the LE.
Apart from singling out a number of star players In lauding TJ and surprisingly Hampshire. It’s not that I don’t think he’s a star player but due to the arrival of Lino you wouldn’t immediately think of him. This to me shows how little thought he puts into his comments.
What he did get spot on was his appraisal of Fifita.
According to him Dave is on the highest contract Wakefield have ever paid out. Yet since receiving it he’s not exactly shone. No idea if the first bit is right but the second bit is. He thinks Dave is the key to Trinity playing well and that certainly was the case a few years back
He states and quite rightly imho that Fifita owes the club and Chester in particular. They showed great faith and ambition in re-signing him and even taking injuries into account it’s been a lousy return so far.
So for me this is one of Gary’s better insights, if Fifita starts to deliver again he says, it will be the main reason he’s proved wrong. Hard to argue with in all honesty. Let’s hope the big bopper see’s it that way.
I imagine Tanginoa has replaced Fifita as our go to player and to ward off the apprent interest of Saints(?) el al I suspect he became the highest earner.
I imagine Tanginoa has replaced Fifita as our go to player and to ward off the apprent interest of Saints(?) el al I suspect he became the highest earner.