You're defending Powell yet saying a lot of HIS signings are poor players.

Yes that is ambiguous.

It's interesting how the makeup of results can alter your view. If we'd started the season having won four and lost four, and then won six straight, everyone would be happy and positive.

I'd guess most people before the season would have been happy to make the playoffs and we're almost certainly going to do that.

This week doesn’t really matter, the result especially. The hard yards have been done to get in a comfortable position and you’re never going to go a season without a dip in form.

The Wigan cup game is important. A cup run would be useful right now.

The concerning elements is that the revolving door continues. Mikaele gone, McGuire as good as gone, Dufty rumoured to be on the way, Clark widely reported too. Matautia looks like he’ll be going at the end of the season too. Would be good to get some positive news out about who is coming in to replenish these players.

I can't subscribe to this toxicity theory. Is the Wakefield dressing room toxic? Or Castleford or Toulouse last year. Or are they just not good enough?
The club has made some poor decisions.
Not offering Hill a contract he found acceptable was one example.
Dudson has always been a loose cannon so it's no surprise he's been banned again.
Clarke not starting and apparently considering a move to Saints. He can go there, likely win something, and be the best hooker in the league again.
Dufty homesick. Really? Well he can't blame the bloody weather!!
I remember attending one of Paul Cullen's end of season Q&A. I started my question with "We support Warrington. We don't expect to win anything" and went on. Anyway we now do expect, or at least consider the prospect, to win something. But it doesn't look likely just now.
If the season fades away to nothing again, I hope Powell will be gone. And it's not easy or clever to ask that someone lose their livelihood.

Personally I will not be happy to just make the play offs. If that's judged a successful season I don't know why we didn't stick with Steve Price. Powell was brought here to win the Grand final(not that I think he's capable of it)

Well this period now is where Powell can really earn his corn and prove his coaching credentials. Is he going to fire his team up to rediscover their early season form in the face of a little adversity or is the form going to really drop off a cliff and he ends up reaching for the bad luck we’ve had as an excuse?

The former would be the actions of a top drawer coach the latter would be that of an also-ran.

Well I disagree about Hill.
The saying better to lose a player a season to early than a season too late has come to fruition…not once but twice. Hill and Cooper.
I don’t think either of those would have pushed out Michalea Vaughan Kasiano Bullock and Harrison.

I have a hunch that Clark and Dufty both being dropped to the bench, may have fuelled a (rumoured) desire to leave the club. Up until those 2 points, the lads were happy, Clark was open to contract talks and the club had said they were in talks. It was only after being dropped, we started to hear the rumours from Clark himself, and from Rushy who simply said they got him on a fraction of the money Wire offered, and said he just wants to play 9. Not 13 or on the bench.

Yes, and it is a 3 year project that he's 1 and half years into.

Unless this season disintegrates into a total disaster, then there is no chance that Powell is leaving, success or not.

At what point does he get an extension or do we look for a replacement though? Bear in mind that Price, like him or not, was replaced in April of his final year, so we’re actually only a few months away from those decisions being made.

Realistically, waiting until the October of year three to plan for the next year isn’t going to happen. There needs to be some tangible improvements to earn that contract this season and early next.

You could argue those improvements are evident from the results to date, but if these rumours are true about McGuire, Dufty, Clark et al all on the way out, another mini rebuild is needed and there could be a problem with the leadership/spirit.

But, and it’s a big but, is finishing in the 6 and coming out without a trophy enough this year? Or are we just back to we’re we started with Price and have an all or nothing on the project in year three.

Why do we immediately jump to a rift with Clark? Walker is designated our future 9 at a much lower cost. It’s a sensible decision, it doesn’t have to be negative, it’s just sport. If Saints had an able hooker coming through who they thought could do the job, do you not think they’d be given a shot?

Remember the days we'd call someone 'Judas' if they signed for a rival, thinking back to Scully etc. Just a thought. Clark running off for the bigger bucks and the chance of winning something. I'm sort of torn about it, because I fully understand why he'd want to. But still, why's it got to be THEM?