Re: RD 15 | Leeds Rhinos v Castleford Tigers : Sun May 20, 2018 11:56 pm  

Our league form is starting to have the stench of 2016 about it. Since the win at Sts we've only beaten Wakefield, Salford and KR. Injuries or otherwise thats the sort of form that will see us struggle to stay in the top 8, never mind getting into the top 4.

It'll be interesting to see if BM has learned at all from 2016, when he continually doubled down on the same team that was playing badly week in week out, including picking injured players because of their 'experience' despite the clear evidence being that we were just handicapping ourselves by having out of form passengers in the team. I really hope he starts to make changes in that regard, and maybe the injuries we picked up v Cas will actually give him an excuse to try a few things.

Re: RD 15 | Leeds Rhinos v Castleford Tigers : Mon May 21, 2018 4:31 am  

The days have gone where we can play off the cuff rugby. The players aren’t fast enough anymore. We do have a structure and it goes carry it for 5 tackles very slowly. Give it to moon who will put up a bomb. We will contest the kick but there winger will catch it and make 50 yards because we were out of position.
For me handley should be nowhere near the squad. Get jimmy back at centre until sutcliffe is fit!

Re: RD 15 | Leeds Rhinos v Castleford Tigers : Mon May 21, 2018 5:35 am  

Our worst performance for a long time. As BM admitted afterwards, we were soft and showed no desire to do the tough stuff required to earn the points.
The season started with some promise imo. We did appear to be playing with more structure and Myler was creating space and opportunities for the threequarters. A mixture of injuries and loss of form have taken there toll and we are a long way off a top four team atm.
We are the experts at doing "just enough" in the regular rounds before hitting form at the end of the season. With a fully fit squad we would still be capable of that but too many are missing, especially in the front row for us to challenge atm.

Re: RD 15 | Leeds Rhinos v Castleford Tigers : Mon May 21, 2018 6:29 am  

By too many do you mean Garbutt and Singleton? With all due respect, we shouldn't be flailing around lacking two props. Whilst we had injuries during the game that was close to our first choice backline (Handley possibly excepted).

I went to the Broncos-Roosters game on Friday, and the energy and verve shown by the young players the Broncos brought in during a genuine injury crisis just highlighted how flabby we look, and how sadly lacking our youth development has been. If nothing else I'd like to see the overall energy of the team way, way higher.

Re: RD 15 | Leeds Rhinos v Castleford Tigers : Mon May 21, 2018 6:46 am  

I actually felt a bit sorry for McDermott today.
Whilst we might have only 2 props missing I would also count the likes of Mullalley who might not be brilliant but adds size to the front row.
Galloway who hasn`t been with us all season but should have been replaced.
Then we have the likes of Peteru, Abblet, Delaney, Dwyer and Ward who have all been out for 4 -8 weeks at some time.
I keep hearing we have some good youngsters coming through but not sure they could make much difference played week in week out.
Saying all that I do think it is time for a change the old guard need moving on and the coach has probably done all he can do.
GH needs to start putting something in place for next season and that means a new stand off and at least 3 strong running forwards.
Moon must be the worse SO in SL at the moment and needs to move back to centre the only option would be to play Lilley in the halves and he will be playing behind a beaten pack week in week out.
By the looks of it we will also have Watkins, Parcell and Peteru missing this week and the Leigh pack will have a field day against inexperienced players.
Put this season down to rebuilding and hope GH does the right thing.

Re: RD 15 | Leeds Rhinos v Castleford Tigers : Mon May 21, 2018 7:24 am  

Garbut
Singleton
Galloway (rtd)
Mullaly
Peteru also went off injured, and Cuthbertson isn't fit. So long think most would struggle in that situation

Re: RD 15 | Leeds Rhinos v Castleford Tigers : Mon May 21, 2018 7:40 am  

Charlie Sheen wrote:

Garbut
Singleton
Galloway (rtd)
Mullaly
Peteru also went off injured, and Cuthbertson isn't fit. So long think most would struggle in that situation

No they wouldn't. And people can not keep mentioning Galloway, he hasn't been here all season, and the club could have took the option to replace, but went with Oledzki instead. Oledzki has not been a let down, and was one of our better performers on Saturday, far better than others.

Garbut is the big loss, and probably the only loss, but plenty of teams are getting by with several missing, never mind one big one.

On the stand off issue, there is an option even now. Sandow is crying out for an opportunity across the globe. Tell him to come over and prove himself, and if a success then he gets a contract, otherwise the worst that can happen is he puts himself in the shop window. That would also relieve Moon back to centre. Although, and I am far from an Handley fan, I think he has looked much better than anything Suticliffe and Keinhorst could have given us.

Re: RD 15 | Leeds Rhinos v Castleford Tigers : Mon May 21, 2018 7:49 am  

Remember last season chaps.

Re: RD 15 | Leeds Rhinos v Castleford Tigers : Mon May 21, 2018 8:54 am  

I'm not singling him out explicitly, but I'm really surprised that nobody has mentioned Myler - I thought that was his worst game in a Rhinos shirt at least. At least a turnstyle would touch the attacker, he didn't even try! He was behind a well beating pack in attack so no comment there, and I am aware he took a fairly heavy head contact.

We desperately miss a leader in the forwards when Singleton isn't on the field - we just stand and wait for the attack to come to us.

Re: RD 15 | Leeds Rhinos v Castleford Tigers : Mon May 21, 2018 8:58 am  

West Leeds Rhino wrote:

I'm not singling him out explicitly, but I'm really surprised that nobody has mentioned Myler - I thought that was his worst game in a Rhinos shirt at least. At least a turnstyle would touch the attacker, he didn't even try! He was behind a well beating pack in attack so no comment there, and I am aware he took a fairly heavy head contact.

We desperately miss a leader in the forwards when Singleton isn't on the field - we just stand and wait for the attack to come to us.

I am more surprised nobody mentioned Hall. He seems immune from critisism on here. He was far worse than Briscoe, whom I have seen critisised. Hall dropped the ball three times in the first 10 minutes of the match, and we were lucky one of them we got a penalty for. We talk about starts on the back foot, well that is one of your reasons there.