Nailed!!

I have stated elsewhere that credit must be given to McDermott and the club for the so far excellent handling of what promised to be a very difficult transition period....I have nothing but praise at at the meoment.

The young lads S.Ward, Singleton and Sutcliffe (and Cuthbertson) have fitted seemlessly into the make up of the team and I love the faith the coach has put in them....as well as with Handley who also looks 'the part'.
Who would have thought before the start of the season we would see Burrow and now Sinfield relegated to bench positions? Of the golden triangle who would have thought Danny McGuire woud end up being the most valuable to the future coming years of the transition?

Danny is certainly the new leader.The king is dead God save the king

Let's not get cocky about this. We've just witnessed the most successful period in the club's history. Replacing the men who were instrumental in that is going to be tough. It's not just about talent. It's about building a team that works.

Well said GCH we started last year very well and although got the CC our SL form from rd 12 onwards was alarmingly poor imo & going back to 05 we blew everyone away yet failed in both finals.
I still question our depth at Prop should we lose JP or Cuthbo for a period of time even IF Kylie gets fit but thus far the squad & Coach are doing very well.

Well the Challenge Cup will start to rear its head around the corner again as the draw for the 6th Round takes place on Monday and we find out who we play in that. Like I said in the off season though I don't think we'll throw so much focus and attention into that now those players finally won one. The likes of Peacock and Sinfield will be determined to finish with a GF win.

I agree that the Cup isn't likely to be such a target this year but as ever it all depends on the draw & GH for one will want to see us go as far as possible in it.
As others have said I can't believe how well the season has gone for us & how well we've played, something that did not seem likely after the way last season ended.
But it would only take injuries to crucial players at the wrong time to bring it all crashing down around our ears.
The form of JP, Aiton, Ward & Cuthbertson & McGuire has been crucial to our success, losing some of them at critical times could be disastrous.
Let's all just keep our feet on the ground but enjoy while it lasts.

it is interesting how the fixture list has worked out for us. Before the 6th Round takes place we have Wire (H) Hudda and Widnes (A).

Then it's the cup but afterwards the league games are 6 at home, only 2 away (one of which is the very poor Wakefield) and the Magic game.

What's been most impressive about how many games we've won is just how many have been away from home. In a league where even some of the better teams struggle for points or good performances when playing away, we've racked up 12 points from a possible 14, with a few impressive showings to boot.

The injury to Leuluai and the unwillingness to lean on Yates to do big minutes is putting a lot of miles on the legs of JP and Cuthbertson at the moment.

That needs to be addressed as the season goes on, before it becomes an issue. Unfortunately the way the cup is structured this year means there isn't likely to be an "easy" Cup game for the top 8 from last year where players can be rested.

Precisely.

gulfcoast_highwayman wrote:
Let's not get cocky about this. We've just witnessed the most successful period in the club's history. Replacing the men who were instrumental in that is going to be tough. It's not just about talent. It's about building a team that works.

very true and lets not forget the man who a lot are saying leave out led us through the good days so we have to find someone of the same make up.

Indeed. Replacing the greatest captain in the history of rugby league is a daunting thing. Those are some massive shoes to fill.

Don't get me wrong. I am not under any illusion; we might not see such a fantastic 'team' led by such a brilliant inspirational captain again for many years. It has indeed been an exceptional decade.

What I am happy about is the fact that the transition to date has been handled far better than many - not least myself - feared. As I stated elsewhere, who would have believed at the start of the season we would both dispense with Bailey and Kirke and have seen both Burrow AND Sinfield on the bench in favour of the 'lesser status' squad members?

Before the star of the season the club and the team [uhad[/u [iappeared[/i to be sleepwalking into slow inevitable decline, with its apparent reliance on the same old immovable faces signed up for a few more years to come.