Maizo’s wife heavily pregnant so not worth the risk and Hall sick are the 2 changes
40 minutes to save the season
It’s not going well
Fax played the ref better than us and again poor kicking cost us
we need a ball playing stand-off and a grizzly prop
next week why not play Bailey and Irwin to actually see what they can do ?
next season it is then
Never mind at least the players show pride and effort. I was not at the game to comment but every time I have seen Widnes play I feel we are better throwing the ball about rather than taking teams up the middle. Maizen speed at fullback would be missed and Hall aggression possibly in the pack? We are not a million miles from being a regular top 4 side, but looks like need 2 big props, quality halfbacks and a centre otherwise we will keep floating around 6th to 9th position every year. Hopefully look at a bigger squad even if 4 or 5 extra players and use dual with a decent club.
Lets move on and heads up and play rugby flowing and entertaining against London.
The season was lost weeks ago when we couldn’t put Doncaster away at home, and the last few weeks have just helped people forget how bad we’ve been for the majority of the season. We was poor in attack and defence today and seemed to chose the wrong option near enough every-time, the ref certainly didn’t help he was awful. Gilmore poor again Patton not much better we really need some new halves next year as we create absolutely nothing in attack we’re so predictable and easy to defend against it can be painful to watch at times.
Enjoyed every minute!
So much different as a neutral!
The sinbinning just before the interval was a brain fart. Ref had no option!
The proverbial game of two halves. Another five minutes you'd have won it, but c'est la vie!
Were you worth a draw? Possibly.
Just playing for pride now next week with the play-offs now gone. Will Coleman experiment with his selection?
Spelly.
Bent should never start gregson is so frustrating!! The basis of a team is there though but selections baffle me at times ?!
need a running 6 a centre that can beat a man and we play better with jj at loose forward as we then have both him and foz on the park more and our ball movement is far better
so frustrating watching us with the handbrake on
On balance where we are just outside the Top 6 would probably be about right for the season we have had- some great results against Toulouse and a good run over the last month- but equally some dire performances (Barrow, Doncaster at home).
Assuming 2-3 of the better teams go up to make up the new 14, we should be in with a shout at winning it next year providing we sign well.....
Important we win next week IMO to have a bit of positivity going into the off-season.
The season was lost weeks ago when we couldn’t put Doncaster away at home, and the last few weeks have just helped people forget how bad we’ve been for the majority of the season. We was poor in attack and defence today and seemed to chose the wrong option near enough every-time, 1) the ref certainly didn’t help he was awful. Gilmore poor again 2) Patton not much better we really need some new halves next year as we create absolutely nothing in attack we’re so predictable and easy to defend against it can be painful to watch at times.
1) We were stood with mainly 'Fax fans, and they were moaning as well, so...............
Does that mean he had a decent game? As a neutral (which you and they weren't) I thought he was OK.
2) Patton in my opinion, performed reasonably, and that con just before the hooter was summat special.
All the goals today came from former Lions!
Your SL application? If I'm honest, I'd say you're far more likely to have us on your fixture list next term than Wire!
Spelly.
Another disappointing result in another disappointing season.
Probably finished higher than most thought we would a few months back. Failing to beat the 11-man Doncaster team was the killer.
We can only now look forward to the October 16, but I suspect that will be a disappointment too.
We could well be playing one of the Panel picks for promotion to SL next week. What a joke.
Bent should never start gregson is so frustrating!! The basis of a team is there though but selections baffle me at times ?!
need a running 6 a centre that can beat a man and we play better with jj at loose forward as we then have both him and foz on the park more and our ball movement is far better
so frustrating watching us with the handbrake on
I fully agree. Selection baffling. I would add Roberts to Gregson & Bent. All too small & add those 3 to Fozard & Gilmore gives nearly half the team being slight in build. It is ok at scrum half & hooker but not in the pack! I think we could do with 2 running half backs but one is essential.
Discipline also let us down today.
Another disappointing result in another disappointing season.
Probably finished higher than most thought we would a few months back. Failing to beat the 11-man Doncaster team was the killer.
1) We can only now look forward to the October 16, but I suspect that will be a disappointment too.
We could well be playing one of the Panel picks for promotion to SL next week. What a joke.
1) Hand on heart mate, and I openly admit it's an unfair question, but do you really want a "Yes" on decision day?
There's no Beaumont / Davy characters currently walking down Lowerhouse Lane (or Heywood Road for that matter) waving a cheque book, so...................
If you were to be successful, and join the big boys, would it not be nigh on impossible to compete?
I've mentioned elsewhere that a "No relegation in 2026." clause may be brought in, which'd defo help for next season, but what about 2027?
How would I feel if the Lions were in a similar position to you mob? I'm honestly not sure, and whilst the grass is always greener on the other side, the prospect of being stuffed week in, week out, would be in the back of my mind!
I repeat, it's a (very) unfair question, but could I politely ask you for a simple "Yes!" on "No!" to Do you want a favourable nod from the SL hierarchy on 16 October?
Spelly.
If we have a Beaumont or a SOC character waiting in the wings, ready to put in £1 million per season on top of the Sky money to sustain a competitive full time squad then the answer is yes.
If we are going in as we are, the honest answer is no. Our head coach has openly admitted we can't compete with the likes of Oldham, Bradford and York in terms of squad budget in the Championship so SL would seem a step too far at this stage without investment.
Better to have a team to watch than no team at all in a couple of years like Salford. I've heard rumours of investment, but that makes no sense as with investment already we could have been in SL like Leigh and Wakefield and most probably York.
I repeat, it's a (very) unfair question, but could I politely ask you for a simple "Yes!" on "No!" to Do you want a favourable nod from the SL hierarchy on 16 October?
Yes
I am not sure why the Club would want to put in an application for SL, if finances were not in place and plans to have a competitive team.
Outside Wigan and Hull KR and possibly Leeds, there are no really class teams in SL with consistent form throughout the season, despite the hyperbole of Sky commentators. I think the Leigh bubble will burst eventually.
I am not sure how many of our current squad could play at SL level, or would even consider going full-time, so clearly we would have to substantially strengthen the squad.
With SL funding and sponsorship in place, I think we could have a team capable of competing with the likes of Huddersfield, Castleford, Catalan, Warrington, Hull and Wakefield. We would expect to get a consistent core support of around 5,000 and bigger crowds for our derby games against Warrington, St Helens, Wigan and Leigh.
In reality, I think Salford just cannot be allowed to continue in SL in 2026 - although Hull basically did the same in 2024, when they deliberately cut playing costs and wrote off the season knowing they would not be relegated. York should be promoted and I guess they will be joined by Bradford and London. SL will then be a closed shop for maybe three seasons, if not a permanent franchise arrangement. The rest of the semi-professional game will simply wither away through lack of funding, unless they become feeder clubs for SL.
In my view, the RFL are killing the game of RL in its heartlands for the dream of building a national and international presence for the game. That is never going to happen.
The game would be strengthened if there were two competitive leagues, with a fairer distribution of central funding and promotion and relegation based on performance on the field.
The RFL Board could still dream of world dominance in sport, with teams around the World and sales of Bradford Bulls shirts flying off the shelves in Peking, Tokyo, Moscow, Sydney and even Cleckheaton! Let them dream while the rest of us enjoy watching the wonderful game of rugby league.