STEVE P

Yes, picking out the positives won't have taken long, and will have required a very small pin. If you stretch a point you could say that the fact that our kicking game seems to be based on powder puff kicks straight down the throats of the defence doesn't really matter because nobody bothers chasing the kicks anyway. That's a bit of a positive spin. Oh, and you could say that if we get a wetter than average summer, our lightweight pack won't get as bogged down as other, larger units. You could also note that the lack of depth in our attacking line, (we were flat as it is possible to be on Boxing Day), means that smaller areas of the pitch are being worn at any given time. Just one more positive, I haven't bought a season ticket yet.

Agreed.

Watching the first test on Saturday made me wonder where all the footballers go when they grow up. Watching my grandsons play through all the age levels I've seen some cracking naturally talented lads. The ball sticks to their hands, their kicking game is clever and well measured and their awareness of what's going on around them is like a sixth sense. What do we do with them when they grow up? What is it about the way the game is played in this country that irons out talent and natural skill? At any given time Australia had 13 potential play makers on the field, whilst, for most of the game, we seemed to have none. Take the 2 tries scored by their number 11. He had the nous to run into the gaps, so then all that was needed was somebody clever enough to make sure he got the ball as he went through. Looks easy but demands skill all round. They had it in spades. I don't watch Super League, either on telly or in real life, so I don't know a lot about the development of the players as it happens, but what have they done to Jack Welsby?? He came on to the scene as a teenager, looking like the best prospect we've seen for a play making stand off in a generation. On Saturday he didn't even look like a good full back. You could wish for a new Roger the Dodger, but they would probably decide to re-invent him as a prop forward if he appeared. Rant over.

'Cept this time we didn't buy their old shirts. I remember the ones we took from them in the sixties had been washed so many times the red, amber and black band was pink, cream and grey. Less of a throwaway society in those days.

Whilst I have no sympathy for the plight of those who spend money they don't have in pursuit of something they will never achieve I take no pleasure in seeing clubs whose teams I have watched playing Dewsbury all my life disappearing from the game. It pains me to see the current state of the game I have loved all my life.

.....and Coates has another 2 year deal. Everything on the play making front starting to shape up for next year then.

True, and yet the other day, in another sport, somebody thought it made sense to spend well over one hundred million pounds to get someone to dress in their kit and kick a football about. How long can these things be sustained?

What Nick says makes sense. Wanting to win just for the sake of winning isn't an unusual ambition. I was looking to see what happens if you do get into Super League and it seems that there is no pot of gold to be had there either. Last year every club other than Leigh posted a loss. Leigh showed a profit largely due to sponsorship and cash injected by backers, but not on trading. Rugby Union fares even worse, with every club in the Premiership posting a loss in the 22-23 season, one club suffering a loss of over 5 million pounds. It seems both codes of rugby have outgrown their available revenue by a long way. The days of clubs being able to run on the money raised from folks tipping up their one and nine pence at the gate and buying a cup of tea and a pie at half time are gone forever. You have to fear for the future of the game.

Just a question, probably best answered by a deep thinker like BSJ. Will the idea that SL is to be even more of a closed shop mean that Championship clubs will be less likely to spend big money trying to get in and ultimately lead to a more equal level of competition in the lower league? Just searching for a possible plus that may come out of the changes for next year. Bit desperate eh?

The try they scored down the left side in the first half was an absolute cracker. Great handling and timing.

Missed this myself too. Was in hospital last week until Friday night, so thought 2 hours standing up and bawling might be a bit too much. Besides can't have a pint at the moment either. I'm getting to the age where I need to be sensible. What a pain in the bum that is.

Beat them 30 - 4 on his own.

Don't you sometimes wonder if some hasty signings might come ready-crocked and it somehow slips their mind to mention it?

For us it's quite simple. Be on our best behavior having put out our best team and win 2 games against seemingly out of form opposition and we finish in the top four. Problem is that the season may then be benchmarked as a success, and do we really want that to happen?

I still think that the forwards have the makings of a good pack, and given a chance the three-quarters could be a lot more effective, but the choice of half back we keep starting with is woeful. I think a good coach could take Hookem and make good use of the talents he does have, but I'm even more sure it wouldn't be at scrum half. Whenever I've seen Coates he has looked to be out of his depth, even when we are on top, but we can't rely on Paul Sykes for ever. The Chancellor has it in for the old people. If she finds out about him she'll put his taxes up. I saw Paul March coaching at Shaw Cross and I wasn't unduly impressed then. Too many favourites guaranteed a game in key positions, and not enough respect from the players. I've heard it said on the terraces that Paul March is a really lovely man. Maybe that's the problem and we would be better off with Nasty Paul who used to be the player coach at Hunslet. So, if not a new coach, at least a different attitude to the job. Add to that a decent pair of half backs and they will start to look a better side. Easy, eh! I'll put it on my Christmas list, but I won't hold my breath.