4 from 5 and top of the table. I think we would settle for that at the start of the season.

Very enjoyable afternoon. Ruthless but playing with smiles on faces.

Too right..delighted the younger lads are getting game time..and doing well

Hope Burgess sticks with Wrench. His defence has room for improvement but we need players other than Dufty who can break play up and make things happen. He can and has a step, pace and those 2 fast passes he gave Thewlis the room to get in at the corner. King lacks pace and is not opening up many opportunities for Ashton. Long term it needs to be Wrench and Lindop both from Warrington and the Academy.

It will be tempting to put Ratchford in for his kicking in the big games. I suppose it depends on just how good Wrench plays.

Professional job that, not without fault, but got the job done.



Interesting proposition is that the difficult work is on the coaches. Hayes is looking the part, but Williams is ready to play and Drinkwater must be close if not ready.



Currie will come back in, as will Fitzgibbon when back and ready. Walker needs a spot too.



We’ve been resilient so far as to jot drop the kids when the names are ready, but something has to give. Fortunate, I guess.

Hayes & Holroyd have been the two great plusses for me ... you'd think they'd have been in the team for years. It would be very handy if Rodrick Tai proves himself too.

You can only beat what's in front of you.

Well done, Wire. Onwards and upwards.



By the Lord, there are some 3 teams in SL

All this does is mean that every player has to, rightfully, fight for his place. Imagine Matautia under Burgess? We’re a fair way from the top boys but we’ll get there with this culture.

Have to say I was impressed with Joe Philbin in the second row!

Much better balance in the squad this year. Last season we were desperate for centres and back row forwards.

I get all the positivity, but three of our four wins have been against basket cases. I think there's something in this team (and coaching team) but we've had false dawns before ( only twelve months ago even!)

Agree with this. Saints/Wigan would be turning us over, I’d like to think the way we’re set up would give us a snif and we’d not get a kicking….but still LOTS of work to do and we’ve had a fortunate fixture list so far.

Although, I should add, neither Wigan or Saints terrify me.

Interesting to see how much better we looked on a faster pitch, too. Can't wait to see Dufty in the summer. Hopefully Lindop too.

Said this at HT today. The acid test is still the pies and the stains. They nullified us every time last year, even that cup game with the extra man, we just didn't look a threat. So we'll see what's changed once we face them.

We need an ipitch at wire.



How good we look on the hybrid artificial and real grass turf.

Wembley also suits your running game, another ipitch.

Most of the tries from our right edge!

Couldn't go or see the match but just commenting on a number of peoples comments -



1. 'When the pitches are firmer it'll suit us better' or words to that effect.

It's been used year after year and I don't buy it. It may nelp js but it'll also help others. And dont forget the GF is played typically under less firm conditions, or with higher humidity.



2. 'The true test will be against Stains and Pies' - too true, but a bigger point for me how we respond in the following games if we do get a bloody nose from playing them. Are we brittle or able to retain self belief and confidence?



3. 'Right edge defence still an issue' - fully agree but it needs to develop and if we 'break a few eggs' in makimg an omelette, so be it. If it doesn't improve throughout the year then we have options. If/when Sam chooses to pull the trigger will be a test of his judgment.



4. 'We need Stef in the side for kicking and he can do a decent job in most positions' - Agree with the latter and I think that when he plays he could be our kicker, however Sam seems to have made his mind up that he is a squad player rather than a 1st choice in the 17. I'm sure we'll lose a few because of the this BUT it's the overall team that matters first and foremost, and that includes youngster development.



Interesting times.

We were missing Williams and Currie who predominantly engineer our left attack.

So no surprise really.

Williams is playing on our right edge this season.



Fitzgibbon is our left-side second row, Currie has played right-side second row or loose forward.

My point was that the right edge are more than capable of scoring when given the opportunity,and good to see as will give them confidence.

I certainly don't think anyone's getting carried away, especially after last year's flying start to the season and how that ended up. But at the same time, there are definite signs of progress and improvement, both on the field and culturally (in terms of player development, and giving youth more of a chance), and we look a happier and more dangerous team. Right now, I am enjoying watching us again, and that's a start. Of course, we need to see how all of this stacks up against Wigan and Saints, but let's embrace the challenge.

Although Ratchford shooting in didn't help, Wrench still made the wrong decision on who to tackle. After Ratch shoots in it leaves 3 on 3 with Holyroyd, Wrench and Thewlis against 3 London players. Davies runs an angle towards the posts. He is running in the direction Holroyd so Holroyd should pick him up. Even if they are playing a sliding defence then Holroyd should be covering across to tackle Davies. Campagnolo doesn't hit Davies though, but passes out the back to Miloudi and Wrench has just drifted into no mans land, leaving massive gap for Miloudi to run into. At that point Thewlis is lose/lose, whichever man he takes likely results in a try.



It wouldn't concern me at all but it's happened in every game he's played this season. The 2nd try HKR scored against us was the worst example of it. I know we need to give him time to develop. He seems pretty much there in attack already but over the 4 games he's played I've seen no signs of his defensive reads improving and it's a little bit of a worry. I really hope we



This is what we had last season with Peanut. He read the attack wrong lots and it meant our right side shipped in a lot of tries that were possibly preventable.

Can’t argue with any of your analysis but having him in and out of the team will not help him. For balance, he had a hand in at least 3 tries. If we replace him with Ratchford, we gain on goal kicking but would have 2 of the slowest centres in Super League. If no improvement then Tai will come in.