Like you I'm not getting too giddy yet, however crucially for me we finally have a proper Head Coach who has vast experience at the highest level in the todays game. Cartwright Snr is one of the best bits of business the club has done in years, a tough competitor with a will/desire to win, knows how & when to communicate to his players and staff.

We are also starting to see the benefits of the structures that Cartwright has implemented with his staff something we haven't had for years.


I'll admit I was dubious to say the least when Sezer was signed but so far I'm happy to have my doubts proven unfounded.


Sure there'll be bumps in the road as we go through the season but the difference in the whole club in 6-7 months verses the past 6-7 years in huge.


 

I'll admit I was distinctly underwhelmed/unsure when Sezer was announced as a signing. I didn't really see his performances last year for Wests, so couldn't comment on those, but throughout his four years in SL with Hudds/Leeds I always had the impression he flattered to deceive too often, not quite living up to the reputation he arrived with. Like you say, sometimes a narrative forms around a player and it sticks like glue no matter what, and maybe this was colouring my impression of him, particularly at Leeds where, as another poster points out, their somewhat off the cuff style under Rohan Smith didn't suit Sezer.


It's still very early days yet, only five games in, but all the indications are that this could be right player at the right club at the right time. Sometimes certain players fit like a glove into a club and their circumstances and so far this would seem to be the case here with Sezer and us. He seems to be revelling in the responsibility of being captain, leader and midfield general, looking every inch the player his reputation states he is.


He also appears to have almost instantly formed a considerably fearsome partnership with Asiata. They look as if they have been playing together in the same side for the past ten years. They both seem to have an understanding of each other's roles and are feeding off each other giving us that midfield direction that we have been missing for a number of years. This in turn is then providing the foundation upon which the rest of the side are thriving, young and older players taking their lead from this midfield base.


In his post match interview, Cartwright spoke about the half-time discussion being 'player led' and I'll bet it was the Sezer-Asiata axis who did a fair amount of the talking, Sezer certainly gave that impression in his post-match interview. We've barely got started yet in 2025 and it may still all go horribly wrong as the year unfolds (this is Fc after all!!) but Sezer, Asiata, Hardaker, Briscoe all seem very committed to putting this club back on an even keel and sending us forward at long last. As said, with Sezer in particular, maybe this is right player, right club, right time, let's hope so, more games like the last two is going to put a bounce in everyone's steps as we roll along.   

As you say Chris, the appointment of Cartwright has been the key moment in the rebirth of the club, and it really is beginning to feel like a rebirth, we look like a club that has re-found its historic identity. All the good signs that we are seeing so far would seem to emanate from the coach's attitude and application in how a modern day RL club should be run.


Watching his post-match interview on Saturday night I was struck by the quiet authority he radiates when speaking, the way he shifted the praise for the win onto the players, downplaying his own considerable contribution to what is happening around the club since he arrived, not wishing to put the spotlight on himself too much.


Listening to him speak gave the impression of a man who commands huge respect in the dressing room from his players without the need for him to be heavy-handed in any way. I suspect that when he speaks, the players listen as one. These are the type of coaches that can get players to run through brick walls for them, even if the players don't even realise they are running through walls. I reckon if he told me to get running I would be shifting my aging legs into gear as fast as I could (not very fast these days!!!). 


A little over six months ago we were humiliated by London at Magic weekend in a performance so pathetic it had many of us wondering if the club was about to disappear through the floorboards and into oblivion. Like you say, the difference in every single aspect of the club in just six months is nothing short of incredible, and a significant amount of credit for this about turn in fortune has to go down to Cartwright and his ability to get the very best out of who he is working with.


Still an enormous amount of work to do for us to be right back where we all want to be, along with the usual bumps in the road, but we increasingly look to have found the right man for the job ahead. Never underestimate the quiet man who knows all along exactly what he is doing is right. Fingers crossed, we would appear to be on our way upwards once more. 

One thing that Sezer has some is developed his game, gone from a running half to a controlling one.


Although have to say I'm impressed with his running game, looked really good in the 2nd half, think he could be a threat near the line, as he is pretty strong.

Thought one of the major aspects of the comeback on Saturday was Sezer's running threat, especially 20/25 yards out from the Wigan line. It made their defenders very wary of him and had the effect of pulling Wigan's defensive line closer in the middle, hence creating the space out left for Martin to exploit, as he did wonderfully!!
Sezer was running very close to the Wigan line, especially in the last twenty minutes, continually committing the defenders, putting doubt in their minds.
 
Like you say, close in he is going to have defenders caught in two minds, will he run or will he go wide. One of our biggest faults in recent years (amongst our plethora of faults!!) has been the sheer predictability of our play close to opponents line. It has been so telegraphed (and slow!) that the entire ground has been able to read where we are going (nowhere usually!!). Our attacking structure has unquestionably been one of our most significant progresses in the season so far with Sezer at the heart of it, whether running or directing the ball.    

Have to say, I thought we had that all sewn up in the first half and I have not seen us throw away a lead like that and not see the game out in a long while, you really showed us how to deal with adversity and come out on top, we changed too many things round and then became too complacent, thinking we were in control and we weren't.


Credit to Hull as they saw our weaknesses and exploited them like a good team should, you wanted it much more than we did and our experienced heads should have been getting back to basics to see the game out, instead we didn't respect possession or field position, we made stupid decisions and game away silly penalties, good luck for the next rounds.