I think Rob is pretty much spot on with his observations. We could do with two new half backs, we definetly need to replace Monaghan, his passing is shocking.

We need a prop to replace Rauhihi.

Hopefully King will want away at the end of the season, coupled with johnson leaving, we will need a couple of new faces in the backline.

Chris Bridge better or worse than Gleeson? I'd say both. He's a far better individual threat but is guilty of sloopy defending at times.

Not overly worried about the hooking situation but a strong running second rower would be good.

Your one eyed crusade to 'prove' points is tedious. You seem to have completely forgotten the fact that in a game breaking moment on Saturday, Bridge made a difficult try saving tackle.

No credit for that then?

you have got to be taking the pi$$....................





for about 12 months solid Sensible Wire fans have said this about a certain Wire player and you chose not to get involved in any discussion about the technicalities of defence...... but here you are talking about a Non wire player being left out to dry by his co defenders......





the mind still boggles after all this time............

Rob, you don't remember it, because it didn't happen, they weren't behind Hicks, or King or anyone else.



As for the 'defence' of Bridge, I knew you'd hide behind that angle because you looked foolish making a daft point. You're criticising a bloke for his work he did filling in on the wing (which our head coach has acknowledged & praised since in a press release), and you're passing this off as criticism of him from his work at centre, when he's been excellent when he's performed there.



I'll defend any player on here, if folk are making daft statements about their performances, like I do with Briers for example, just ask LWF.



So far this season if you analysed Bridge, you'd have to say :



Stand Off : Poor, very poor at times. Any good work he's done from there was playing in the centre channel.



Right Centre : Excellent, Huddersfield home & Bradford away he was very good, especially Hudds at home when he was Gleeson-esque.



Left Centre : The team was playing badly, he was one of our better players, at Wakefield away, he was solid, when the rest of the team was leaking like a sponge.



Wing : Did his best, in an unfamiliar position.



Is he the answer at right centre ? I'd like to see more of him before making an informed assesment. The signs were that the could well be, he has all the attributes.

Its alright coming up with an idealistic wish list, but player ability, transfer fees and salary cap will all interfere with that. Also, as sally cinnamon says, we should be working to bring players through the lower ranks. Bridge may not be as good as Gleeson ( at his best ) but he does look promising at No 3 ( and has done some good things already - so its not all for the future) and, we already have him, so let's leave him be.



I'd give Briers another year, but if Barrow offer him a 3 year deal on good money he'd be sensible to take it as he'll never get offered 3 more years here. As for King and Monaghan, NRL players going home early are few and far between so they'd probably still be here next year. Gasnier is probably earning more that we can pay in France owing to French RU's lack of salary cap.



As for other forwards, unless we can find a real star I'd keep bringing the youngsters through. Rah will definitely retire this year but we've plenty of good young props on the books.

I'd pretty much agree with all of that.



Rauhihi you'd think will retire, I think there's half a case for Cooper being in the side in his place now anyhow, not every week granted, but I did feel a little for Coopero n Saturday that he found himself out of the side having been excellent of late for me.



The Bridge thing for me, is simply, what doesn't he do that Gleeson did ? In the couple of quick glances i've had of him at right centre, he's tackled strongly, he's put Hicks in with a flick pass, he's drawn a winger and put Hicks in, he's stepped and gone himself, he's pretty much done everything that Gleeson did, so I'm not sure he's any sort of 'poor mans' version as I don't see what he can't do.

Gasnier's deal was reported in the Press as one million dollars (Aus) per year. I appreciate the ridiculous speculation in the Press is usually way off the mark, but, the cash being thrown about in French RU is mind blowing. Just take a look at the players heading over there in their dozens, be it RL or RU players.



I can't see how we could remotely compete with them.

Effort commitment and drive to play for the Wire. Which in my eyes makes him a better player than Gleeson.

Scrum Half - Orford / Myler

Stand Off - Craig Wing or similar

Prop - Fielden? (Will get shot down here but still think he has something)

Right Centre - Shenton (I know - he's currently playing left)

Loose Forward - Sinfield (If rumours are true)



In that order

Full back - we are fine here with Mathers. Hopefully he will continue to prove the doubters wrong. Riley and Hicks can provide backup.



Wing - An embarrasment of riches in this position, with Hicks, King (his best position), Riley plus Penny and Williams from the reserves.



Centre - I would give Bridge a new contract and play him at right centre, and sign a specialist left centre, ideally Michael Shenton. Grix should also get a new deal and along with King provide cover for this position.



Halves - If Briers and Monaghan leave we need two new halves. Myler / Orford for the SH, but a new stand off is a more difficult one. Ideally Briers will stay another year or two and play alongside our new scrum half. Have to wait and see what happens with Monas as he is contracted until 2011.



Hooker - Higham isn't bad as an impact hooker, but would prefer a different starting number 9 to Clarke. As he is tied up until 2011 though, I can't see any changes in this area at the end of the season.



Props - With Rauhihi set to leave, I reckon one more prop as a direct replacement, possibly from overseas. Pickersgill should go, and we should retain Mike Cooper as he is the better prospect.



Second Row - Honestly don't feel we need anyone in this position, with Mitchell, Blythe, Harrison, McCarthy to support the first choice pairing of Westwood and Louis Anderson. Paul Johnson should not be given another contract.



Loose Forward - A definate priority. I reckon Vinnie Anderson might go, and Harrison is more suited to the second row. Sinfield would be ideal, either that or a big offer should be tabled for Joe Westerman.

How is this ideal





Briers isn't fit to lace the boots of many Half-back's going round today, there are quality halves all around and if we want to progress we need one of them.

That might well be true LWF but yet again, we would not have won without him on Saturday night.