Yes we also missed out on Holbrook by hanging on with Smith throughout 2017. Saints were in dire form early 2017 under Cunningham (like us) then Holbrook got them to within a golden drop goal point of a Grand Final.

I’m not convinced Holbrook could have done much with the team he would have inherited from Smith. In fact I think Price was the ideal solution to fix the problem we had with that squad. Unfortunately he couldn’t then go on to build a better team and one that had both great defence and a sufficiently clinical attack. Nor did he bring in an on-field leader to provide a bit of psychological backbone.



Watson is a funny one. He’s no doubt a very good coach, but I wonder whether we’d be in an identical situation now if we had him instead of Powell. Watson had a stinker of a first season at Hudds and had a bit of a clear out himself. His saving grace was less pressure and lower expectations at Hudds. I’ll be interested to see how our board reacts to the current situation and whether Powell can turn things around in the off-season like Watson has.

The same year Powell would have a GF win on his cv if hardaker had any brain cells that worked!

Totally agree and said as much at the time, the axe should have fallen on steve price at least 12 months before he finally left but really 2 years sooner would have worked better for me.

With the selection of Minikin for our 1st team, on the back of two very poor reserve games and his freezing out of Dean and Longstaff, I am moving nearer to the "Powell Out" camp.



Longstaff`s reward for a hat trick in last weekend`s Reserve team, is to be despatched to Hull FC, yet Currie and Holmes stay here. If Powell wants Longstaff to play SuperLeague football just give him a game here.



Why do we want to help out Hull FC anyway? I cannot recall them doing us any favours.



You just couldn`t make this up.

The Minikin signing was, I suppose, due to us letting Lineham go. However the youngsters have stepped up. Playing Minikin was a strange decision IF Powell knew before the Reserves game that Williams would not play. If the plan was all along to play Peanut in the halves and leave Dean in the Reserves having recalled him then the decision making is suspect.

It just all seems so desperate at the moment. I think i know how Mad Nad feels. She gazes longingly at Johnson expecting against all the odds that he will come good…

Ey up I once bought a Wire shirt in your club shop, I’ve told this story before, short memories and all that.

This is a really good point. Sir Alex Ferguson was nearly sacked after 2 years of little progress too.



If we bring in another coach at this point, this playing group who've under performed for 7 odd years will win and the complacency culture will continue.

I agree with your sentiments Gaz, but Powell isn`t helping himself currently is he?



Selecting players based on reputation and favouritism is deluded.



Instead of using the young players, who could help him deal with the challenge to his changes by senior players, he is alienating them too.



Longstaff should be playing in our 1st team on merit, after his performance last weekend, not Hull FC`s

I`ll be at the game on Sunday, and if you give me the shirt, I will take it to the club shop and get your money back.



Even the Wire fans won`t wear them currently.

Actually it was a scarf, it was hung in the Spring bank tavern for years amongst other rugby league memrobelia, till my friend Tosh sold his pub.



The lady in the Wire clubhouse questioned if I wanted to burn the scarf

I was in my sixties then, so l told her it was to deter bricks coming through the coach window as we went home, good idea she said lol.

I totally agree with all of this. Powell has been far from perfect and I think even he would admit, stubborn as he is, that he would do things differently.



But I'm still backing him to eventually turn things around, even if we face some twitchy moments. Given all the changes and nature of this upheaval, I don't see things settling down until mid next season at the earliest where we'll hopefully see some signs of his attacking authodoxy.



We have to stick with him now given the radical changes that have already been made - the horse has already bolted - hopefully to a better stable where we can shut that door!