On a positive, the stand under construction looked pretty decent.

I get that, and I am not knocking the effort of the players we have. We need to survive, so give yourself the best chance. In reality, is the squad that much stronger than last season??? If Hughes wants us to stay up, maybe this season we (he) needed to dig deep and fund a couple more SL quality players, maybe then next season some of the younger players will be in a better position to make an impact in the first team, the squad will be better established Will bringing players in mid season be too late, why not before the season started.

This sounds very much like my thoughts.

If there were one position where I feel Hughes NEEDED to spend was on a replacement for Sammut. Didn't make Saturday's game but Walker seemed a big loss. Sounds like a bit of square pegs into round holes is going on - would Dixon have been a better bet at FB, having played there earlier in his career? Why play a great hooker in Cunningham as a half back?

Our squad is small and little changed from last season - one thing I felt from last year's 8s was that we didn't look to have the speed with the ball or the speed of thought of some of the SL teams, although we did beat a couple of them.

I'm not advocating wholesale changes but surely Wardy has to change the 19 a bit for next weekend?

I haven't been to a game in ages due to family and personal reasons. so im not in a postion unlike others to comment here on changes to the team for the Wigan game.

But reading here on what others are saying and from what I have seen of the games played so far, those that go to the games know what they are looking at and can see what is working and what aint, (even the guys on the radio seen to feel some positional changes are needed).

I agree with everyone Cunningham is no SH and needs to get put back in the position that earned him an England Knights call up and lets be honest what other clubs were sniffing about for the back end of last season. Hes far more effective at Hooker and has more impact on our go forward from there, along with Fozard would work much better then Fozard/Pelisser combination is at the moment.

I'm no expert but maybe its best to try changes now early in the season rather then later when it might to late to do it. We brought Morgan Smith from Warrington who plays in this position and who's fans rated highly, so try him now why we can and have games to play with this early. The two new forwards don't seem to be working I saw that for myself on TV(may sound silly but I think you get an idea of how well they are doing by the times the commentators mention their names, all I heard was Battye's name all night). As for Lovell he needs some one on one lessons with Jamie Langley on how to go into a tackle or even hit a line at speed. Try Hindmarsh the guy was playing brilliant last season and he looks like hes bulked up a bit too. It was shame that Adebyi went off early it would have been nice to see what he could have added as the game went along.

If Walker is still out for the Wigan game is it worth giving Gideon Boafo a run out at Fb as this is his team position. Could it not hurt trying these guys out before we all stay asking the club to spend money on players.



Does anyone know what has happened to Butler and Hellewell, are they carrying injuries.



Btw on Danny Richardson, yes he would be brillant for us and as a SL player is going to waste at Leigh (no disrespect meant there.), i did read that Holbrook wasnt happy or prepared to allow him to go to another SL club.

I'm also surprised Hindmarsh has not played but perhaps he is injured.

I think Hindmarsh, Boafo and Meadows played for Coventry yesterday.



Its great saying changes for next week but in reality what do we do?? We are not exactly blessed with great depth. Cunningham to hooker is not a conversation we should be having, he should be playing there any way. Smith then replaces him in the backs. Hindmarsh comes in for ??



We have quite a few players on 1 year deals. We go down this season we lose a few players, need to rebuild a bit again and returned to playing in front of 800 odd people. Thats not progress. I was really excited about the prospect of SL this season, a real chance for the club to make a statement on and off the pitch. As it stands I am pretty underwhelmed with both. The "Marketing", well lets face it, this is the bare minimum that a SL club should be doing, we haven't exactly re invented the wheel.



Anyway, on to Wigan and lets hope the boys can pull a rabbit out

Actually, having had a look



Meadows, Butler and Davis played for Coventry

Hindmarsh and Boafo played for Skolars

Can you tell me who was available to sign as a halfback when Sammut said he was not staying with London. Most of the good players had been signed by the time we won the million pound.

There is always someone available. Behind the scenes players are always available, just because the fans do not know who they are does not mean they are not there.

And you would know because ?????

One played against you on Saturday mate. Jordan Rankin, Cas signed him when Gale was ruled out for the season.

There are a great many players of a good enough standard on the fringes of the NRL who could do the job.

Also, as an afterthought, if Sammut had signed, then decided to un-sign, then surely we could have said to Lam and Wigan he can leave if we can have him back on loan when he's not needed at Wigan?

Whats the visa system like for fringe players?



JS didn't want to leave, it was to head North for family reasons. He's not going to come back!

And Jarrod never signed a new contract.

What we do is not play square pegs!

I remember Walker making his debut, he was what? 17? Looked about 12! Still does! Can't remember who he was replacing but I'm sure he was a full back replacing a full back.

Would rather play a youngster in his proper role rather than a first team winger/ centre as full back or hooker as a half back etc....

Are you sure about that ?

Because it is common sense. Already been proved in another post, Castleford managed it. Always a pointless question when someone asks "who is available then". There may be a few names people can guess at but in reality no one knows who is available behind the scenes. I would bet that if London went out looking for a HB, they would find one. The problem, in my view is money.



My own view is



What should have happened this season - Hughes digs a little deeper into his pocket, funds a few more SL quality players in the squad. The aim, to help the club establish itself in SL for a couple season, get some stability. continue growing our own players and bringing them through. Off the pitch, we market the hell out of ourselves. make sure the world and his wife know about us. Over those couple of seasons, try and grow the crowd base.



Whats seems to be happening - We have an underpowered, short of depth squad. Ward saying he is happy, I suspect he cant really say much else. If you offered him a decent HB and some big forwards, I think he would snap your arm off. The club gets relegated. We lose a couple of promising youngsters (like we did recently with Bieniek and Davis). We continue being a production line for SL clubs, rather than being one for a London SL club. We rebuild the squad again and then try to come top 5 in the Champ next season. Momentum is lost and we go back to playing in front of 7-800 again. The "marketing and Promotion this season has still been pretty poor. Relying on on hundreds of away fans is not really a great long term plan to build the attendence. People will not flood back to watch a team getting beat most weeks.

Maybe he thinks Salford will fold and we will stay up.



They were asking for money form the RFL upfront before a ball was kicked.

As Honklytonk says 'someone is always available' - either here or in the NRL. As another poster stated there was the lad Cas acquired when their first choice was crocked.

Hughes, or whoever it is that is supposed to scout for players, doesn't look very hard if you ask me.

Perhaps he does not want to spend any more of his own money on the club

Maybe so - but did he not want us to get into SL. And stay there?



Makes me think of 'Withnail and I' - (paraphrasing slightly) 'We've been promoted......by accident!'

RfE, I must admit, I do wonder

Adam Tangata has been released it seems. Issued a come and get me plea on Twitter to any club. Worth looking at maybe



Inu and Albert also gone

yes please

Tangata could do a job for us.

Inu have always liked the way he plays, has he gone elsewhere already..

Widnes need to cut there cloth in order to survive the drop from championship but knowing they are not going to be in the promotion slot.