Everybody is a bit down at the moment, but overall we have done well this year. We set a goal at the beginning to get into the top-six and reach the semi-finals of the Challenge Cup. It looks like we aren't going to make the six now, but we have achieved one of our goals.

We started off well and we've had some good wins and some good performances, but at the moment we should be playing better than we are doing. We know we have let a lot of people down, the way we have performed the last few weeks.

We are getting closer, but we are still a long way off. What's letting us down is individual errors and silly penalties, especially on the fifth tackle.

At this level, you can't be tackling for four tackles and then giving a penalty away and then having to scramble for another five tackles. If you do, it is going to take its toll eventually.


People have been saying we played well against Wigan last week and it was an improvement, but they were down to 12 men and we should have beaten them, it's as simple as that.

We go to Catalans this weekend and then play Leeds at home and we want to finish the season on a positive note.

Catalans are going to finish third so maybe they'll rest a few, but we have just got to concentrate on ourselves and start doing the things that worked for us earlier in the year.

It will be our second trip to France this season and I love it. It can work one of two ways, either you can be intimidated – because the crowd over there are very vocal and passionate – or you can go and enjoy it.

The fans there are fantastic, they give you a bit of stick, but after the game they all want to chat and have pictures taken with you. It is a great experience.

The weather should be a bit warmer than it is here and it's also chance to meet up with our old mate Olivier Elima, who is playing for Catalans now. We are good friends, he was my weights partner at Wakefield and we like the same music, so people used to say we were like brothers.

He has tried to teach me a few words of French, but all I can manage is bonjour. I have enough trouble with English.

Going to Catalans is an adventure in itself. We are setting off tomorrow morning from Belle Vue, flying from Blackpool to Barcelona – or somewhere like that – and then travelling by coach to Perpignan. It's chance to do a bit of team bonding and it'll be a good break for the lads who are married and have kids.

It's chance to have a bit of a laugh on the journey and the cards will be coming out, but once we actually arrive, the game head goes on.

You certainly get well looked after over there. They always put a lot of food out before the game and it's always really tasty stuff. I think they do it on purpose.

We are going to play with a smile on our face, believe we can win and hopefully give our fans something to smile about at last.