Has the enforced weekend break had the desired positive effect on the squad?

Hopefully, although only time will tell, won’t it?

As I keep saying, we’d have preferred to have been involved in the Challenge Cup semi-finals last week.

But last weekend did enable some blokes to spend time away with their families and get some sun on their backs, while others stayed at home with their families pulling teeth!

Whatever the option, however, everyone came back in on Monday with energy in us and with a very good vibe around the place.

So, judging by that, things do look pretty positive all round.

And is Kyle Wood (long-term knee-injury victim) the only player not available for selection to face Widnes?

Almost everyone has been able to train fully this week.

Ukuma Ta’ai (groin), Antonio Kaufusi (calf) and Jodie Broughton (ankle/foot) have been able to play a full part, while Jake Connor and Kruise Leeming will have benefited from getting a full 80 minutes under their belts for the Under 19s on Saturday.

Getting more gametime was something Jake and Kruise really need at the moment.

When it comes to Leroy Cudjoe (hip), we’re going to give him a little more time to wait and see how he is.

But there’s no doubt we do have some important decisions to face selection-wise this weekend.

Do you feel after Widnes’ Cup exit at the hands of Castleford on Sunday, this could be a good time to play them?

How they’ll react emotionally to losing such a big game isn’t really my chief concern. As usual, I’m focusing all my attention on making sure we’re as ready as we possibly can be to host them.

But I did watch the game on TV with my feet up and hoping they’d knock 10 bells out of each other!

To be honest, even though Cas were good, I reckon Denis (Widnes coach Betts) will have been a bit disappointed over the way they played.

He’ll certainly be hoping for a response from his players against us, which he knows is vital.

Even though they were beaten at the weekend, they’re still in a position to achieve something this year in Super League.

At the moment, they’re three points clear of Hull KR in the battle to secure the final play-off spot, and if Rovers beat Wigan tonight they’ll be breathing down Widnes’ neck.

That would mean they’d have everything to play for when they come to us on Sunday.

Because of this, we’re fully expecting Widnes to give it everything they’ve possibly got as soon as they face us.

After Sunday’s home game against Widnes, they are just three games of the regular season remaining. Have you given any real thought to these games or is it all about Sunday?

It’s all about training tomorrow and how training goes on that day.

Then all our focus is on Saturday, because everything we do is concentrating day-by-day.

It’s important for everyone to rock up and keep putting together a good day’s work, because if you keep putting good days together it gives you the best preparation for games you can possibly have.

If your week’s been good it puts a smile on your face and makes you a bit more relaxed going into games.

And, the more relaxed everyone is, the better it will be.

Finally, do you believe the crowd trouble at the end of the Widnes-Castleford semi-final took the gloss off the Cas win?

The crowd trouble was clearly disappointing, and I’m sure the idiots who went on the field will get what they deserve.

But if anyone thinks that took the gloss off the win for the Cas fans, they’d be wrong.

I live in the Castleford area, and all the fans are talking about is the fact they’re going to Wembley. Nothing else matters to them.

And don’t I know about the fact they’re in the final!

My neighbours are all Cas fans, and they’re taking great delight in telling me they’re going to Wembley – while at the same time asking me what I’m planning to do with my weekend!