What Are We Missing?

[Kol]

Leeds and Wire certainly exposed us and showed the World we are not invincable.

When I've watched our past few games, we seem to be lacking something...but what?

We are not a 1 man team, so Finchs' injury or Tommys absence is not applicable.

There is something lacking and I can't put my finger on it, can you?

One thing is for sure, if we don't identify it, we can forget the Title and the Trophy.

Your thoughts?

[Sutty]

I think that the farcical Exiles games have ruined our momentum. Obviously Tommy getting injured hasn't helped. But I think that had we not had the exiles games and Tommy had got injured during a normal league match, then us bringing Smith in, we would still be playing well.

If there is anyone on here who plays golf regularly, you will know how much of an importance momentum is to a good round. How many times have you been playing a round of golf, just plodding along and scoring ok, then you suddenly get a birdie, then another and before you know it, you've shot a great score. The same goes for the opposite. You;re playing well, then spank one off the tee, into the trees, end up with a bogey on that hole and then before you know it, you're dropping shots everywhere. You try to tinker with your swing, but you just can't get the momentum back.

I think a similar sort of thing has happened with the rugby, recently. We were playing some of the best rugby that I've ever seen us play, everyone was afraid of us. Then along comes the stupid, pointless Exiles games and our form goes out of the window.

I don't think we're that far off and anyone who thinks that the players can't be bothered are sadly deluded. They will always try their best, that's what ALL elite sports persons do. It's in their makeup. I think that we'll start to play well again, I just don't know when. Something needs to happen. Maybe the return of Pat and Stu will help, then with the impending return of Tommy, it'll kick start things again. We've had a lot of injuries recently and they all take their toll. Hopefully, if we can start to get bodies back for the business end of the season, we'll suddenly click again and start to play how we know we can. Look how poor Fielden was in his second season at Wigan. It wasn't for lack of trying, if anything, he looked like he was trying too hard. I think that's what the majority of the team is doing at the moment. Handling is suffering, wrong options are being taken and all at key stages of the games.

Like I said, with a few bodies back, we'll start to improve and we'll be back to our best (hopefully), just in time for the real business part of the season. Keep the faith

[AdamMac]

The team certainly doesn't have the same intensity as I did pre catalan away.

Our forwards certainly aren't laying the platform they used to and we aren't dominating in the collision.

The leeds game was the first time in a long while I saw us totally out muscled and it happened again.

[AdamMac]

A big response needed against Salford and then the week off is what I would do. Use the free weekend to rest up.It's needed.

[shaunedwardsfanclub]

The players seem to have lost their focus. At the start of the season the players looked like they'd run at brick walls for their team mates, now they look jaded and lacking intensity.

To me the team looks like they've given everything early in the year and now look fatigued.

The players have knocked lumps out of each other in training all year. Full on contact is great when you are getting ready for the start of the campaign, but as the season progresses it can have a detrimental effect both physically and mentally.

Much has been written about Warrington's rotation policy but I would like to bet that the four props who played for Wolves on Saturday have, collectively, played more SL games than Prescott, Mossop, Lima and Eric.

The answer must, therefore, lie in what we are doing off the field inbetween games. I am sure that our medical team will be as good as any in the game, so I have got to dismiss the recuperation from injury as an issue. Bitcom is widely renowned in sport for his training and sports science - again I can't see this figuring as a factor.

The options are therefore limited, yes injuries have played there part and the disruption cannot have helped. Key personnel being injured has further reduced the effectiveness of the team. But for me, the physicality of our training and the change in tactics have been the key factors.

We must get our players fit before putting them back on the park, we desperately need to lighten-up our training schedule, certain players (Micky Mac) need a week off and we need to adopt an Australian approach for our game plan.

Our season is disintergrating, at present, but Waney still has the time to turn it around. It matters not whether we finish at the top of the pile, yes it would be nice and warranted, but OT is more important.

[Southern Softy]

Don't panic might be the motto at the moment.

Agree that Micky Mac needs a break - that was the first really dud game he's had for a long time.

Mr. Lima should be asked whether he intends to play properly for the rest of the season or would he like to go now. He's been one-dimensional and unimpressive for several matches.

Paul Prescott needs to be assessed to see if he's properly fit - didn't look the real guy out there on Saturday. The same goes for Finch, obviously. It's pointless playing half-fit players in desperation - how will the kids ever get their break?

I'd make sure Farrell starts - he's been outstanding for a while recently.

I can't really suggest anything for Lauaki. He seems to believe he's tougher than he really is and just runs at very big opposition forwards - maybe remind him it's a team game not just a macho contest.

It's not like we're top of the league still is it?

[eccywarrior]

micky mc deffo needs a break and we should start having logan or another alternate hooker on the bench as on sat mm looked shattered and micky higham and m monaghan was well up for it as they was being rotated. i do belive if micky mc was rotated on sat then he would have a great game.

[platt-warrior]

[quote="Southern Softy"]

I can't really suggest anything for Lauaki. He seems to believe he's tougher than he really is and just runs at very big opposition forwards - maybe remind him it's a team game not just a macho contest.

/quote]

I think Eric has been one of our most improved forwards,not the same player that was a fight/penalty machines whilst he was at Hull.

[TrueBlueWarrior]

I agree with both SS and PW, I said on another thread sometime ago after the Warrington home game when he gave away the silly penalties that he pretends to be much tougher than he actually is, if he just runs hard then he is a big unit to stop and I think he has become quite consistent for us if not spectacular!

[BriH]

Don't panic might be the motto at the moment.

Agree that Micky Mac needs a break - that was the first really dud game he's had for a long time.

Mr. Lima should be asked whether he intends to play properly for the rest of the season or would he like to go now. He's been one-dimensional and unimpressive for several matches.

Paul Prescott needs to be assessed to see if he's properly fit - didn't look the real guy out there on Saturday. The same goes for Finch, obviously. It's pointless playing half-fit players in desperation - how will the kids ever get their break?

I'd make sure Farrell starts - he's been outstanding for a while recently.

I can't really suggest anything for Lauaki. He seems to believe he's tougher than he really is and just runs at very big opposition forwards - maybe remind him it's a team game not just a macho contest.

It's not like we're top of the league still is it?

Agree with all of this.
The only suggestion I have, is that we concentrate more on defensive play for the rest of the season. This might bring the team together.
We know we can score tries - the For and Against proves that: so let the attack look after itself but make damn sure we stop the opposition scoring and cut out silly mistakes.