What's next for Widnes ? : Fri Mar 18, 2016 5:39 pm  

Really think we've proved our point to the league now that we are the real deal. Far from the finished article, but we are competing with absolutely everything put infront of us. All people have got now is "just wait until they get injuries" but for me that's like any team. Look at Leeds, they supposedly had a depleted team facing us but still has the likes of:Hardaker, Briscoe, Moon, Hall, Burrow, Cuthbertson, Delaney. They have quality to replace quality, except for when it comes to their half backs. Without Maguire they have absolutely no direction and that's been their problem. Watch them tonight against Saints, they'll be like a transformed team. In previous years we would struggle massively without Brown. However with Mellor, Hanbury, Gilmore and our two hookers we still have creativity.

Since the Salford game, every game has supposedly been an "acid test". We came up against Hudderefield and both Hulls and dispatched all 3 with these. That was good enough for me. They are the teams we need to nick points off for me. I wasn't expecting a win last night in all honesty and if we never got one it definitely wouldn't have been panic stations. However we did get it and it's made me rethink a lot about the actual potential of this team. Before last night I'd have felt a lot more comfortable about taking two points at Warrington than Wigan. Now we achieved that last night, there's no reason we shouldn't kick on and give Wire one hell of a game. Top 4 could be a possibility but let's keep level headed. I think the 8 will be nailed on and anything else would be a delightful bonus.

Great time to be a Widnes fan.

Re: What's next for Widnes ? : Fri Mar 18, 2016 5:58 pm  

We have had a brilliant start this year.....I've not enjoyed watching widnes so much in years but I think people seriously need to calm down.God forbid but we will hit a bad patch with a bit of bad luck and some unfortunate injuries .
I'm not a pessemist just a realist I don't think we're top 4 and will just about get top 8 but the teams like hudds, cats and leeds will eventually come good and I think it will be a struggle IMO.

Re: What's next for Widnes ? : Fri Mar 18, 2016 6:22 pm  

jetblack74 wrote:

We have had a brilliant start this year.....I've not enjoyed watching widnes so much in years but I think people seriously need to calm down.God forbid but we will hit a bad patch with a bit of bad luck and some unfortunate injuries .
I'm not a pessemist just a realist I don't think we're top 4 and will just about get top 8 but the teams like hudds, cats and leeds will eventually come good and I think it will be a struggle IMO.

Are you sure your not a pessimist ? Although I'm not getting carried away I think we should focus on our strengths and what we have achieved (the proofs in the pudding) rather than just second guessing every other team in the Comp will eventually come good and we'll fall back down.

Re: What's next for Widnes ? : Fri Mar 18, 2016 7:11 pm  

Pats plastic pitch wrote:

Are you sure your not a pessimist ? Although I'm not getting carried away I think we should focus on our strengths and what we have achieved (the proofs in the pudding) rather than just second guessing every other team in the Comp will eventually come good and we'll fall back down.

I'm not second guessing myself tbf I'm sure leeds hudds and cats have enough for top eight,then wigan stains dire will be top four that leave us cas hull salfraud for the other two spots.....I'm sure 10 doesn't go into 8.

Re: What's next for Widnes ? : Fri Mar 18, 2016 7:36 pm  

jetblack74 wrote:

I'm not second guessing myself tbf I'm sure leeds hudds and cats have enough for top eight,then wigan stains dire will be top four that leave us cas hull salfraud for the other two spots.....I'm sure 10 doesn't go into 8.

But what I'm saying is you've named all but 2 teams in the competition. Forget history and tradition. Things change, teams change. 20 points should see us there or there abouts in the top 8. We have 12 which leads us 8 points off. 4/5 wins. If we can't get those 4/5 wins in the remaining 16 games il leave Widnes and support Warrington.

Re: What's next for Widnes ? : Fri Mar 18, 2016 8:13 pm  

Pats plastic pitch wrote:

But what I'm saying is you've named all but 2 teams in the competition. Forget history and tradition. Things change, teams change. 20 points should see us there or there abouts in the top 8. We have 12 which leads us 8 points off. 4/5 wins. If we can't get those 4/5 wins in the remaining 16 games il leave Widnes and support Warrington.

See what your saying and hope your right but ill wait till its official before I stop being pessimistic

Re: What's next for Widnes ? : Sat Mar 19, 2016 2:05 pm  

This year there seem to be far more injuries at this time of the season than I've seen for a long time.
That is having an impact on how teams are playing.
Leeds / Saints / Hudds / Cas / Hull KR are all doing it tough. (5 out of 12 teams!).
Wigan are affected too but have real strength in depth and they have the personnel on the field and structures in place to beat anyone (in a 'stranglehold' fashion) if they play to their potential. Admirable in one way but boring in another. Interestingly there are some calling for Wanes head (and that of Radlinski and Smith).
Wire (we) have injury problems - Dodds, Wheeler and now Dwyer out, along with Westwood, Toby King, Laithwaite, Harrison and Bailey (8 out of 33!). But we do have strength in depth and so I can't complain - regardless of what happens next week.
We'll probably field the same team as against Cas with either Julien or Philbin coming in for Dwyer.

I actually think Widnes are playing the best rugby at the moment.
The defensive effort against Wigan was impressive, but more so the attitude that even when down heads didn't drop.
Brown was slightly nullified by Wigan but Hanbury stepped up, and the forwards played better than I've seen for a while.

I expect us to try to dominate in the pack next week giving Sandow and Gidley the go-forward to weave their magic.
It'll be interesting to see how we deal with Brown, Mellor and Hanbury.

.

Re: What's next for Widnes ? : Thu Mar 24, 2016 2:46 pm  

Pats plastic pitch wrote:

But what I'm saying is you've named all but 2 teams in the competition. Forget history and tradition. Things change, teams change. 20 points should see us there or there abouts in the top 8. We have 12 which leads us 8 points off. 4/5 wins. If we can't get those 4/5 wins in the remaining 16 games il leave Widnes and support Warrington.

Oh no - never say that even in jest

Re: What's next for Widnes ? : Thu Mar 24, 2016 2:50 pm  

Pats plastic pitch wrote:

But what I'm saying is you've named all but 2 teams in the competition. Forget history and tradition. Things change, teams change. 20 points should see us there or there abouts in the top 8. We have 12 which leads us 8 points off. 4/5 wins. If we can't get those 4/5 wins in the remaining 16 games il leave Widnes and support Warrington.

Oh no - never say that even in jest

Re: What's next for Widnes ? : Sat Apr 02, 2016 10:12 pm