Oh well, another season over before its even begun. Personally i`d write this season off after last nights result and start the rebuilding for 2011, the first big game we play and we fall at the first hurdle. We should use the rest of the season to have a look at the squad to see where changes need to be made for next year.

what did you think of atkins last night rob?

I didn`t go the game mate so i can`t comment on how he went last night or how the team went, from what ive seen of him in the past he seems a very direct player, strong and hard to put down with a decent step and turn of foot. I think we`ll be stronger for signing him as i`m not convinced about Mat King`s centre skills, he doesn`t beat the first man often enough and doesn`t really create that many openings for others with ball in hand. Where King is strong is close to the line, he is powerful and hard to stop plus his height is a huge advantage to have from kicks.



On the centres for this season its a tricky one, i don`t rate Chris Bridge as a high calibre centre, he`s just solid and does the basics fairly well. He`s certainly no Bateman, he also won`t do a lot of what Martin Gleeson used to do at his peak where he easily beats his opposite number on a regular basis. I`d have Atkins as the left centre with Riley as his partner, i`d be tempted to start with King at right centre to partner Hicks. Its just my opinion, Tony Smith will know whats best as he see`s them a lot more than we do.



I don`t expect to get any pats on the back from the Chris Bridge fan club but thats how i view him, he didn`t exactly shine for England, he will do well ok against weaker backlines but i don`t expect to get many match winning performances from him like you`ll get from Gidley and Senior on a fairly regular basis.

Think you're spot on.



The next game against Wigan will be my first of the season and I still expect to see a Wire win even after last night.

Doesn't count as it wasn't a SL match, Wigan were only there for our lads to practice on, a bit like crash test dummies but thicker.lol

nice run out for the lads i think ... we just didnt seem to want it

doesnt matter though we will prove em all wrong when the real thing begins ... come on the wire !!

I know he played in super league last season and I genuinly want him to be the next andrew johns. My points are that last season he didnt have the price tag he has now and theres alot of players out there who cant wait to bring him in line, We played Leigh when he scored the tries and looked good and I put most of that down to hard work in the forwards. Im a life long wire fan and dont want the penny syndrome to hit myler.....You know the 1, Hes great penny ,better than Offiah .....Hes f#$^ng crap Penny shouldnt be in a Wire shirt.

Have a look at his assist for the Riley try. That looks top class to me.

Yeh that was good centre play which i agree with, its standard centre play though to draw in your opposite number and slip the pass to your winger. How many games in the past can you count where you would say that Chris Bridge was the difference in us winning and losing ?



If you look at the big clubs down the years that have shared the bulk of the silverware they all had at least one destructive centre who was always a danger when ever they touched the ball, we had that in the past with the likes of Davies and Bateman, Saints have had it with Newlove, Gleeson, Lyon and Gidley to name a few, Leeds have had it with Senior, the Bulls had that with Hape before injuries set in.



I`m hoping that Ryan Atkins can be our destructive centre, he has the ability to beat players with pace and power, he`s also capable of long range individual tries. I don`t see any X factor with Chris Bridge, i seem him as solid rather than having that special play in his locker where he creates something out of nothing on a consistent basis.

Bridge on his game can outfox anyone with his step and footwork.

This will be the first time he has started a season with us knowing what position he will actually play, I would reserve judgement until the season progresses. I think his balance and footwork ARE special.

here here,