NickyKiss wrote:You'd have to think the only people who can stop them winning more is themselves. They won't win everything, every year but you can't see how there won't be more success given the talent in the squad and the average age of it. I just hope some of our fans don't get in to that mode of expecting to win every single trophy and calling out anything less as a failure.

Personally I feel like I can enjoy future finals/big games more going forward now. Saturday felt really pressured because I was desperate for us to go back to back. The Grand Slam on top just made it an opportunity that you don't want to pass up because it might not come around again.

NickyKiss wrote:You'd have to think the only people who can stop them winning more is themselves. They won't win everything, every year but you can't see how there won't be more success given the talent in the squad and the average age of it. I just hope some of our fans don't get in to that mode of expecting to win every single trophy and calling out anything less as a failure.

Personally I feel like I can enjoy future finals/big games more going forward now. Saturday felt really pressured because I was desperate for us to go back to back. The Grand Slam on top just made it an opportunity that you don't want to pass up because it might not come around again.

Mark_P1973 wrote:as fans we can hopefully look forward to a period of success. The foundations are there with the long terms contracts. The last time we looked like having a period of success, all our players wanted to move on and it never happened.

Its now up to the club to manage those contracts and ensure we have a production line of talent to replace players as contracts are expiring alongside some shrewd signings

next year it is likely we will now have Isa and possibly Faz (although he may o again in 26) retiring, so Junior and Walters need to be ready to be our 1st team 2nd row. I think we all agree giving Isa an extra 12 months as a squad player has been good business for next year. Then we have Keighran who is out of contract too, so do we promote Eckersley if he is ready for regular 1st team, so some decisions to be made in the next 12 months

Zig wrote:And/or etend AK's contract.

Mark_P1973 wrote:as fans we can hopefully look forward to a period of success. The foundations are there with the long terms contracts. The last time we looked like having a period of success, all our players wanted to move on and it never happened.

Its now up to the club to manage those contracts and ensure we have a production line of talent to replace players as contracts are expiring alongside some shrewd signings

next year it is likely we will now have Isa and possibly Faz (although he may o again in 26) retiring, so Junior and Walters need to be ready to be our 1st team 2nd row. I think we all agree giving Isa an extra 12 months as a squad player has been good business for next year. Then we have Keighran who is out of contract too, so do we promote Eckersley if he is ready for regular 1st team, so some decisions to be made in the next 12 months

Zig wrote:Funny you raised that NK, I am usually very nervous on match days particularly when we are contesting a final (ala Steve Hampson) but, at the CC and GF I was totally relaxed and felt confident that we would win. Either that or I am getting too old! I agree this season was a bonus winning all four and we shouldn't get too carried away however we should lap it up and milk it for all it is worth. I think we will win the LLS again next season, the rest comes down to winning knockout matches and they can be unpredictable.

I am looking forward to seeing the documentary it should provide plenty of insight into what makes the club and players tick, as well as highlighting the highs and lows (not too many of them). It would have been terrible if the documentary had finished with a GF loss!

Cherry_&_White wrote:I'm fairly relaxed about our succession planning for the first team. You're doing well if you keep all four outside backs fit at the same time for a decent period, so we should be able to fit Eckersley in even if Keighran deserves a new contract.

The thing I'm a bit concerned about - and how good is it to be in the position where this is one of your main problems? - is where our depth will be. I don't watch enough of the youngsters to know which, if any, will be first team ready in 12 months time, and we've given out a few big contracts recently, so I'm not sure what room we'll have to bring in more bodies at centre or second row.