: Wed Sep 23, 2009 7:39 pm  

littlerich wrote:

To be fair - you can't go saying "well, we'll consider your application but really, you've no chance". It has to be seen to be a considered verdict. They'll be "mulling over" Halifax's application in 2012. What's the point? It'll be a no. A process has to be gone through - no matter how pointless it may seem.

Would it not be easier to just say if you have been in administration in the last 3 years then dont bother applying. Why can they not do that Mr Accountant dude.

: Wed Sep 23, 2009 7:46 pm  

-VIKINGMAN- wrote:

Would it not be easier to just say if you have been in administration in the last 3 years then dont bother applying. Why can they not do that Mr Accountant dude.

I can't answer that. Perhaps, as this was the first stab at this franchising lark they got caught up in the process. I dunno mate.

As for the next time - i suppose Mr Dalton's words ring as true as any statement.

Chris Dalton wrote:

We need to be comfortable in this league.

So long as you do this - it'll be OK.

: Wed Sep 23, 2009 7:50 pm  

Although I agree we definately need some experienced players, preferably with Super League experience, I think it is about time we gave our youngsters a proper run out. We spend a fortune on youth development yet we only play them if we are desperate. Nash and Sidlow now play for Salford but would they have left if we had given them some game time? Admittely we couldn't have kept Myler as he seems to have turned out to be a little mercinary!

I just feel that with more game time some of the players we have now could really shine but can't get the proper experience playing in the reserves. For the last 2 seasons Warrington have had to play their youth players due to injuries and although they weren't to good to begin they are now and in our league they won't be coming up against as high a quality opposition so should make a good showing as many of them have done during this season.

: Wed Sep 23, 2009 8:20 pm  

At least while they're on about those things, they aren't banging on about how great the sodding Royal Family are, how dangerous immigrants are (in a town mostly made up of the descendants Eastern Europeans and Irish people!) or a couple of football teams none of them actually turn up and watch.

: Thu Sep 24, 2009 2:27 am  

Frothing Viking wrote:

Although I agree we definately need some experienced players, preferably with Super League experience, I think it is about time we gave our youngsters a proper run out. We spend a fortune on youth development yet we only play them if we are desperate. Nash and Sidlow now play for Salford but would they have left if we had given them some game time? Admittely we couldn't have kept Myler as he seems to have turned out to be a little mercinary!

I just feel that with more game time some of the players we have now could really shine but can't get the proper experience playing in the reserves. For the last 2 seasons Warrington have had to play their youth players due to injuries and although they weren't to good to begin they are now and in our league they won't be coming up against as high a quality opposition so should make a good showing as many of them have done during this season.

That would happen in an ideal world, but even before Myler had his debut, everyone knew he was one of the top prospects around. My fear is that Danny Hulme apart, no-one seems that excited about any others coming through. The size of Mullally would make you think that he could be a very good forward, but probably a little early yet in his career to be playing week in week out. Early this season, no-one was trying harder than Ostick, yet everyone could see going forward we found it very hard going. Thats not a criticism of Ostick, if he continues his development he may end up being a very good player. The point is though, if we are going to rely on more youngsters next year, we need players who are ready now.

Just as a slightly seperate issue, I've never understood this recent obsession with very young props in the team - just in the past 2 or 3 years we've tried about 7 (Morrison (Mike), Ostick, Kavanagh, Nash, Sidlow, Houghton, Thompson) and next year we are reportedly getting Davies from Wigan. Although there is the saying if you're good enough then you're old enough, I would have thought in the forwards, you need a rough, tough experienced pack, maybe with one or two younger players on the fringes to come in every now and again. Look at Leeds - Leuluai, Peacock, Bailey, Lauitiiti, JJB, Kirke, Sinfield, Buderus and previously they had Ellis. Sure they've got Burgess as well, but the point is that they don't rely on youngster in the pack - when will we learn?

: Thu Sep 24, 2009 9:14 am  

I wouldn't say that I was panicking just yet but it would be fair to say that I am concerned.

I realise that the season hasn't finished yet but that hasn't stopped other teams from making acquisitions or announcing re-signings. Even if they haven't got stuff coming out of the club there is enough speculation to make it look like there is plenty of activity.

Of the players that we have signed up there is still some obvious uncertainty with there being at least one report that Thacks is trying to engineer himself a move to a SL club and some reports that Webster was a possible target for a move to Gateshead until recently.

Then lets have a look at the players leaving.. Morrison and Fletcher in particular will be difficult to replace but it is reported that Fletcher has been told that we cannot afford to offer him anything due to the reduced salary cap. On the upside this could mean that there are adequate replacements already lined up and we are simply awaiting to make the announcement! If not then I will not feel that easy about our squad until the make-up of it begins to take shape.

The very real reason for me to feel uncertain is the fact that Leigh have shown this season how easy it is to get relegated from this league.
11 teams, 1 already exempt from relegation and 2 spots.
Look at the other teams in this comp
Barrow will be as strong next season, Fax are going for it again next year, Gateshead will be off from the start instead of the bad beginnings they had this year, Sheffield are a canny side and difficult to beat at home, Fev seem to have Barrow's mathematical genius at the club with the signings they are being linked with. Haven are just Haven. Batley came into some real form once Harrison joined and he will be there next year.
So that leaves Toulouse - exempt, the two newly promoted side.. (who knows how they will go) and us.. currently weaker than we were at the start of next season and possibly following this cap 'stringently'. This isn't to say that we will not make any more announcements. I'm expecting a fair few to be made but who they will be and how they will be better than those leaving is a question which makes me a little nervous.


Of course one thing to remember is that the new regime at the club does seem to be fairly watertight in terms of signings and there has been little in the way of speculation previous to actually making signings. The days of knowing weeks in advance who was coming to the club is pretty much a thing of the past in many cases with signings often being a pleasant surprise..

: Thu Sep 24, 2009 10:02 am  

Fairly upbeat commets from Mr O though which have already lifted my morale..

SOC in the Weekly News wrote:

Widnes Vikings: O’Connor vows to bring success to Stobart Stadium Halton
Sep 24 2009 by Dave Bettley, Runcorn and Widnes Weekly News
WIDNES Vikings chairman Steve O’Connor has vowed to bring smiles back to the fans faces following a frustrating finale to the 2009 season.
A roller-coaster of a campaign that saw the club return to Cooperative Championship – and not Super League action, say goodbye to coaches Steve McCormack and John Stankevitch and bring home their first piece of silverware in two years under the stewardship of Paul Cullen, ended in a premature playoff exit to Featherstone on Friday evening.
However, despite the knockout disappointment, the Vikings boss is keen to ensure that next season will provide far greater success.
“I think we have had a reasonably successful season” said O’Connor.
“But I’m disappointed as we budgeted to reach the grand final
“Historically its difficult to do so from fourth and we ran out of steam and can’t argue with the result.
“The fans would have liked to see us win more games but now nobody will underestimate the competition we’re in.
“We would’ve enjoyed another battle at Halifax – but we satisfied the silverware requirement and there’s been success stories like the emergence of Paddy Flynn and Ben Kavanagh and the signing of Steve Pickersgill who will be an exciting talent for us next year.
“Paul (Cullen) will be keen to stamp his own mark on this team and we’ve got other exciting youngsters to come through like Dave Houghton and Danny Hulme.
“We’ll be able to bulk up some of our other youngsters and it will be good to see what a team in Paul’s image will looks like.
“We won’t be resting on our laurels next season and we’ll spend up to the salary cap.”
Speaking exclusively to the Weekly News this week, O’Connor admitted that he dreams of seeing Widnes restored to its former glory as a force in world rugby.
“Winning the Northern Rail Cup and seeing the Stobart Stadium Halton packed for the Challenge Cup Semi Final has really whet my appetite for success, and one day I hope that people will have to wait for over half an hour to get out of the car park for Widnes games!
“We want to earn the right to be in Super League by being the best club outside of it, on all levels from our rugby to our matchday experience.”
He added: “We want to add value to the community, develop a wining culture and if we don’t have six or seven fine young Widnes athletes in our team by 2012 then our investment in youth development will have been a huge failure.”
Widnes supporters have produced a series of specially commissioned plaques in honour of late club chairman Tony Chambers.
The plaques, which will be displayed at the Stobart Stadium Halton recognise how Tony “helped steer the club through difficult times” and how “he will be remembered by all Widnes supporters as one of us- a loyal fan who enjoyed everything rugby league and will be sorely missed by all.”
Former St Marie’s youth team player and current Blackpool Panthers fullback Johnny Leather has been included in the Championship Division One All Star Team of 2009.

: Thu Sep 24, 2009 10:16 am  

Excellent article, Cull will be getting together his own squad and were gonna kick ass, also liked the bit about the youngsters bulking up.

Roll on next year.......

: Thu Sep 24, 2009 10:19 am  

People keep refering to Leigh but what they have to remeber is there squad was cak anyway!

I can't think honestly who at the start of the season we whould of said... Ooo wish we'd signed them... can you?

: Thu Sep 24, 2009 10:26 am  

The so called "cak" at Leigh still did the double over your cak though eh?