KEIRON Cunningham reflected on an unhappy Easter period following his side’s 28-20 defeat to Hull FC on Monday.
“It’s not been good and it could have been a lot different,” he said. “We were always going to pick up injuries at some point in the season but we don’t seem to be having our share of luck with it.
“We have had a good start to the season, so I can’t complain, and I feel that the squad of players I am running with is more than adequate to win the games we have been involved in.
“We put in a really good showing at Wigan but I am deeply disappointed with a few individuals in the side today.
“I thought a lot of players busted their bodies for me but there are a few individuals in our side that can thank themselves very lucky we have a few injuries at the moment and maybe we are forced that they have to play in the next few weeks.
“We remain second as a few results fell our way today. We will keep fighting and hopefully get bodies back next week and improve from there.”
He continued: “It would be easy for me to say the Easter period is the worst concept in the world as we have lost two games – but I could be sat here saying we have won two and I would still think it is the worst concept in the world. You talk about player welfare and then you tear it up and throw it out of the window. I don’t want to sound bitter but I have said that from playing to coaching.
“It is ludicrous in the modern game that back up this quickly. We looked tired, as did Hull at times, but I still believe that even without the halves and the back rowers we have out that we have enough here to win that game.”
Keiron said Jon Wilkin will hopefully return next week whilst Travis Burns might have a chance in the next couple of weeks.
“Luke Walsh isn’t far too,” he continued. “He should get the ok from the specialist, that is on the horizon. Jonny Lomax has gone for the year, Joe Greenwood is three or four months away (broken leg) and Atelea Vea (shoulder) is the same.
“It would have been nice for young Jack (Ashworth) and Ricky (Bailey) to make their debuts with a side in a bit of form and under better circumstances. They will improve and get better as they play more rugby down the track.
“Ricky is a full back, but I don’t think he is ready to play full back in Super League so we gave him a shot on the wing.
“I didn’t want him to have a lasting memory of his debut to be that bad.
“I gave him a half and then switched things around and brought on some people who I thought would do better.
“They let us down a lot more than Ricky did. I’m not bashing the kids, it was couple of my senior players who deeply deeply let this team down.”
