If people didn't feel that the situation was going to turn around then their patience ran out before yours. I was getting to that point myself being honest, no upturn in at least performance before the end of this month and my faith would have ran out. This could still be a false dawn by the way, as enjoyable as it was.



There weren't many shouting about the good times before this afternoons game BTW, Gazwire for sure, anyone else? How could anybody possibly claim that they were convinced at all that things could work out before a positive sign? Today was the first seriously positive sign.

As one who has seen in his faith in Powell slide in the last few months, I hope we do look back in twelve months and wonder "get rid? What were we thinking?"



More importantly though, I hope we're not back here in a week lamenting a huge step backwards. Excellent though it was, there was still plenty to work on, and this will count for nothing if we don't back it up in the coming weeks.

If Powell turns out to be the real deal, then I'd be delighted, and couldn't care less whether anyone judges me to be silly in 12 months time, as my thoughts at this point in time are from very good reasons.

tbh, when i saw what he was doing.... i tried to imagine the scale of the actual problem he is up against... he obvioulsy isnt making so many drastic changes for fun is he?



you HAVE to give a coach at the very LEAST 12 months to try and re-build and chnage the mentallity of a whole rugby club... infact, its more like 2 years... but 12 months is when i would probably feel justified getting annoyed at him.



people calling for a new coach, when the new coach is culling the old overpaid, underperforming squad... is, well... its a bit embrassing tbh.

no... if you're shouting for the coaches head now on a public message board, after 4 months into a rebuild... then you want him to be removed so you can say 'i told you so'.



thats why you're posting it.

I agree with you regarding the rebuilding job that Powell needs to do. However, some of hisw decisions are very questionable, and his recruitment so far has not been a success. I have not stated anywhere that I believe he should be sacked here and now, but am concerned that there will be a tipping point should we be further drawn into a relegation battle, where the board will consider his appointment. Ateotd, it's their decision to make, not mine, yours, or anyone else on this board (unless board members post on this forum).

Absolutely spot on this.

ok fair enough... i havent read all the thread, so presumed from your defensive post you are in the 'get rid' category.



there will always be a tipping point... but it CANT be in his first season.

I'm not for sacking Powell for the sake of it, and can take the poor start to his reign as long as things improve here and now, as we really should not be in the mess were in now even with the clear out. Todays win has been crucial for him, as it puts some space between us Wakefield and Toulouse. I would expect the board to act should there be a necessity to avoid relegation, and would be surprised if they allowed us to drop into the championship, just to keep Powell as head coach. It was a good performance today, but against the poorest Catalans team I've seen for a while. Main thing, job done and something to build on.

Great move bringing in 18 year Nicholson after one weeks training. If you're a forward, especially a second row, there's nothing like a bit of potential embarrassment when a nipper comes in to outperform you. Both Currie and Holmes must have really smelt the coffee, especially Holmes who was benched.



Regarding the introduction of young players or lack of in the case of Riley Dean and Longstaff: they have to earn their place. People dismissing Powell for the omission of Longstaff aren't privy to training sessions. Despite the poor form of Currrie and Holmes, it shouldn't automatically entitle a player to promotion to the first team or there's a danger of replacing bad with bad.



Powell has shown that he's willing to promote young players, but not for the sake of it. It won't help the team and certainly won't help the player if they're not ready and suffer a psychologically damaging experience as a result.



Yesterday showed signs though that Powell is taking a grip of this squad and 50/50 players are perhaps siding with him more than the clique of experienced players who were perhaps unwilling to change. I think it's no coincidence too that the introduction and efforts of Michaele, Harrison and Nicholson, in our underperforming forward section, are setting examples for others to follow and as a result, pressurising other players to up their game.



Catalan were obviously below strength, but we convincingly beat them 36-6 with a team that's hardly played together with a large contingent of young players playing some cracking rugby. That last try: would that have been scored under Price? Would we have had three, running supporting players, expecting 3 offloads in that manner? It was basically just 5 drives and kick under Price, the only creativity supplied by the players, on occasion ad lib.



Interesting too that Cooper wasn't playing and everyone seemed to be putting in 100% for the first time this season, aside from the Stains game. I'm not sure how much to read into that though, it maybe just a change of scene in Newcastle. It maybe that 3 new arrivals in the forwards have put more effort in than the combined efforts of the rest of the team over the whole season in two short weeks.



So many permutations, but hopefully a turning point, and shift in power balance towards Powell's higher expectations over the underperforming old guard.

Good post.



We didn't miss Widdop*, Cooper, Philbin, King, Charnley in the slightest. That tells us something. Five "nailed on" starters in Feb 2022.



I hope Currie and Holmes have had a kick up the backside. Nicholson had a superb debut.



*Obviously wish him well in his recovery.

There's a few on here coming across as rather sanctimonious as they bask in the glory of one good performance in 4 months.



Perhaps it would be prudent to wait for the upturn to produce a consistent run of performances [iand wins[/i before they hog the morale high ground.



We were spiralling out of control - the look of relief on Powell's face was as clear as that on any supporter.