I have one hope before I die and I am now 73 that we will get into a grand final even if we do not win it it will still please me maybe with Tony Smith in charge we might get there or there about some look at what Salford did if they can anybody can

I hope you get your wish.

The club has come on massively in the 21st century, after the profound and nearly terminal difficulties of the 1990s. The last few SL seasons, the team has been... ‘substandard’ might be a bit harsh or unfair for some years, but only a little bit.

Obviously, Salford’s run to the GF is framed as a feelgood story of a plucky underdog now, but as a Rovers fan it is striking that they did it following a path that we, and clubs like us, were told was wrong by Phil Clarke, Jamie Peacock and other experts who spent their playing careers with successful clubs with lots of resources - and good cultures too, i’m sure... but the money was key. As it was for Rovers in the 80s when we were breaking the transfer record and suchlike.

Salford are unlikely to sustain their 2019 level of performance, but I think it has probably helped shift perceptions in a positive way for them, and they had some fun. I never managed to get my head around Rob Crossland expressing regret that Rovers had finished 4th in 2009, as it raised expectations too far. The thing is, it also provided memories that made the pratfalls that followed easier to bear.

I’d love to see Rovers in the GF or just reaching the play-offs. That’s probably some way off, but as a first step, i’d like to see us actively and immediately, trying to make the best of our circumstances at the first team level. The squad now is the way it is because of those circumstances rather choice, which is some consolation - we haven’t just been stupid at least.

I don’t agree with ‘dreadful’, although missing Parcell for the opening round does leaves us looking a bit weak across the pivots. We’re favourites for relegation for a reason, and i’d be astonished if we finished better than 7th, but I don’t think there’s a chasm to the rest of the league. There’s not much room for error or bad luck, mind you.

Exactly as i see it. Even under Sheens and a terrible injury list we fell just short in umpteen games last few year.Ok a league table won't lie over a season but hearing how we barely trained and player power ruled we still could have took more league points Smiths tougher regime combined with squad depth could/should see us holding our own. No real expectations but just a general feeling we are finally on right track.

I hope so and, as always, there are plenty of things that we can interpret positively at this stage of pre-season.

The attitude and mindset that I hope Smith can engender could be key.

Match day results set the tone and shape perceptions, but I think we lost other important stuff this decade too. Bringing in somebody as downbeat as Sandercock when shifting the focus from the team to the club, the Chairman losing any enjoyment he’d derived from the role (losing hundreds of thousands a year will do that, I suppose)... everything felt a bit low energy... until Peacock and everything imploding. I wonder if i’ll ever get over that. Desperation at least woke us from torpidity for a year or two under Sheens, but it re-emerging in 2019 was dispiriting.

So, do you think you'll beat us

No better time for you to be playing wakey- they looked massively undercooked For the season on Wednesday night and then lost their first choice FB.
They were Soft and slow down the middle and lacked any creative spark.. I reckon hit them fast and hard early with plenty of offloads, in defence close them down quick so they can’t get the ball out wide and you will see a win.

And 10 players out

I'll happily finish 11th, as long as Hudds finish last. Deliriously happy.

So would the KR fans - some common ground for us all on Friday

It’s true (not the Hudds-specific bit), but it feels a bit deflating. We had at least hoped to get the starting line feeling like 7th or 8th and breaking the cycle of struggle-struggle to recruit-struggle might be realistic.