I think your team are well past the stage of laying blame at the feet of Ivan Cleary.
As you yourself said almost half your team now are players drafted in by your current coach and it is a major concern to be leaking as many points as you have in the first four games even allowing for the tough opponents.
The Eels were not overly convincing today despite which they scored seven tries. It is a major concern and some of your defence was seriously lacking in intent and commitment. Yes there are easier games ahead but some of those sides may be up for it therefore on the evidence of today I’m not sure there are any gimme two points even against some of the struggling sides.
I think there’s still a bit of an Ivan hangover, but I accept that it’s a bridge too far these days to mention it anywhere but in dusty dispatches.
Madge is not in charge of recruitment. He gets consulted. Adam Hartigan is the boss, he’s written about it. Madge is delivered players and its job to bring them to optimum, all at once on game day. As you say, serious questions are there about his ability to achieve this.
It’s not about the result but the play. It must improve.
I totally agree with you about the defence, although somewhat absurdly, other wt fans think it’s attack.
The resilience was there against the knights which was a good sign, but you don’t want a question mark on which team turns up on any given day.
I think an extra pair of ears and eyes now could help put together the missing pieces. Cashed up which is good and it seems the better players locked in. So a long term affair I guess.
But a few discrete steps now may help us win those critical games we should (must) win as you point out.