we've been on the opposition line many times and often failed to unlock .... lilley has been very consistent and is basically organizing everything ... but we lack a half to unlock. Robbie, put your boots back on haha ... or Paul Harkin, or (insert nippy halfback here)

I've said it on here before, but I don't think Tom Holmes has quite found his form this year. Which isnt surprising given the lack of proper pre season and all he went through. Not sure if having him with Lilley would solve all our weaknesses but it would provide another option.

When we had McGowan we had a bit of pace, but he wont be back now Robinson is in charge at Giants. You can almost see it now, Gaskell will return in a few weeks just start finding his form and then pull him hamstring again just before the end of season.

If we are to improve on last season, we are going to need to solve that issue.

The halfback options are:

1. Lilley & Ott - This isn’t working against the top sides and we’ve struggle to score points against the top teams. It seems to be EOC’s choice at the moment.

2. Lilley & Holmes - Holmes has been in poor form at FB and a move to the halves could hopefully see an improvement. Moving Holmes leaves a gap at FB now McGowan is back at Huddersfield. You are then having to move the wingers around to accommodate Holmes at 6.

3. Lilley & Gaskell - This is a nonstarter really as Gaskell is made of chocolate.

4. Lilley & Balback - Finley Balback has been named multiple times in the 20/21 man squad but doesn’t seem to get a sniff. Maybe now is his time to step up.

5. Lilley & Keyes - See if our wonderful neighbours down the road fancy letting us have young Joseph earlier than we agreed.

if im wrong ... 7 games to go and looks like they should all be winnable (apart from sheff away) ... as it stands and win all, I think we will still end up at toulouse away in the playoffs then wakey away

Gilmore outclassed us today. Sides were fairly even in the first half but even when we held Widnes to their own half Gilmore kicked them to safety. Compared to our end of sets which were punted too far to chase and caught without pressure. Happens time and again.

Second half it really showed as the past few weeks caught up with us. It was always coming and someone was going to take us apart. Onwards to Barrow next week

On Finley I think he was practicing his kicks before kick off. Nailed a few from the touchline too

What’s Sammut up to ? If we need an emergency half back?
The only thing I’ll say about Lilley is Widnes hit him late after a kick and injured him early in the game. Clever game management I suppose

I don't remember any yellow cards being shown?

Lilley is a durable little competitor but we are surely riding our luck expecting him to go through the season without taking a knock. I know he has his critics but lose him from this current side and the whole season could suddenly look a lot differently.

Shows where we are doesn't it? Without Gaskell we're lacking quality at halfback in terms of game management, particularly when it comes to the kicking game.

Not surprised Holmes is looking a bit tired given his health problems earlier this season. Even if he was firing on all cylinders he's a runner and it's a game manager we're lacking. Lilley always gives 100% but his kicking game isn't good enough (kicks to Gill aside). Ott is good defensively and can put a player through a gap but he's too slow for halfback and doesn't look comfortable there which is understandable since he's really a hooker.

I would maybe bring Balback off the bench rather than starting him in a key position at HB/FB away at Barrow. We know what sort of game it's going to be up there...

I don't think it would be a bad idea to blood some youthful enthusiasm in the forwards however.

It's a tough period at the moment but I think we just need to survive this, get the wins over the next couple of weeks, and then hopefully with Gaskell, Butler, Arundel, Baldwinson, Lawrence & D. Smith to come back towards the end of the season along with the suspensions, we should be pretty fresh going into the business end of the season.

I still think we'll finish third. We've played Wakey, Toulouse and York in the second half of the season, whereas Widnes have played Halifax, Dewsbury and Swinton. It's not only the likely win difference, but the amount of energy it will take out of Widnes playing those 3. We've just got to fight our way through the next couple of weeks and try get some energy.