Re: RD 11 | Catalan Dragons (A) : Sat May 11, 2024 9:26 pm  

Watched the cronulla Melbourne game this morning.. absolutely superb. Cronulla went into without their best player and at a ground that’s a graveyard for away teams and won with great simple rugby. They changed the way they play because of no star stand off (Hines) and kept it simple and played with high intensity and a power game. Brilliantly coached. Total opposite of what Leeds do time n time again

Re: RD 11 | Catalan Dragons (A) : Sat May 11, 2024 10:53 pm  

Apparently Corey Johnson got a couple of minutes to say Well Done to him for applying himself as he has the last few weeks. That’s patronising and insulting, this is not a primary school and there are no gold stars. It’s obvious that CJ was on the bench purely to cover for an injury should one happen, which is poor strategy in itself given the condition and need for forwards to rotate, but it’s also a kick in the teeth for TNW too. This has gone on too long, Smith must be relieved of his role, he’s not got a clue.

Re: RD 11 | Catalan Dragons (A) : Sat May 11, 2024 11:31 pm  

Apparently we were 'in the battle' again. Not sure 0-26 is being in the battle, except Italy WW2 style.

To go back to the opening of this thread we're now 'just' four points off the top. After next week likely six. Then we'll start talking about being level with fifth. Then we're two points, four points, off the play offs. This is exactly the same rubbish we heard last year. The only way to turn it around is to win games, and we look miles away from doing that except against other garbage teams.

The performances are the real worry. That was dire, end of season stuff from us. Some reasonable effort in defence at times but error-ridden and utterly clueless with the ball. Cannot argue with Wilkin at all. Its starting to feel like the 'playing group' (another godawful term) is losing faith with the coach. If that continues then it won't matter what any fans think, Smith will be gone.

Re: RD 11 | Catalan Dragons (A) : Sun May 12, 2024 1:56 am  

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Once were Loiners wrote:

Apparently we were 'in the battle' again. Not sure 0-26 is being in the battle, except Italy WW2 style.

To go back to the opening of this thread we're now 'just' four points off the top. After next week likely six. Then we'll start talking about being level with fifth. Then we're two points, four points, off the play offs. This is exactly the same rubbish we heard last year. The only way to turn it around is to win games, and we look miles away from doing that except against other garbage teams.

The performances are the real worry. That was dire, end of season stuff from us. Some reasonable effort in defence at times but error-ridden and utterly clueless with the ball. Cannot argue with Wilkin at all. Its starting to feel like the 'playing group' (another godawful term) is losing faith with the coach. If that continues then it won't matter what any fans think, Smith will be gone.

Just re-watched the game and defensively we did well but still passively which nullifies our attack. Put Newman, Gannon, Momirovski, Fuisitua, Bentley, Croft, Donaldson, Holroyd in and we might pull a result.
What is more disappointing is that we don't look like scoring. Even adding the above we would have probably still have lost and wouldn't have won convincingly.

An aggressive defence is needed so badly. When did we last see a big shot in defence? The Tetevano one off a year ago?

Re: RD 11 | Catalan Dragons (A) : Sun May 12, 2024 4:44 am  

The basic skills of catching and passing were atrocious.

Re: RD 11 | Catalan Dragons (A) : Sun May 12, 2024 5:56 am  

Once were Loiners wrote:

Apparently we were 'in the battle' again. Not sure 0-26 is being in the battle, except Italy WW2 style.

To go back to the opening of this thread we're now 'just' four points off the top. After next week likely six. Then we'll start talking about being level with fifth. Then we're two points, four points, off the play offs. This is exactly the same rubbish we heard last year. The only way to turn it around is to win games, and we look miles away from doing that except against other garbage teams.

The performances are the real worry. That was dire, end of season stuff from us. Some reasonable effort in defence at times but error-ridden and utterly clueless with the ball. Cannot argue with Wilkin at all. It’s starting to feel like the 'playing group' (another godawful term) is losing faith with the coach. If that continues then it won't matter what any fans think, Smith will be gone.

This. No matter what, the excuses will never end from the Smith Cultists.

Eventually, he’ll have been in charge so long that the cultists will regress into sunk cost fallacy thinking.

Re: RD 11 | Catalan Dragons (A) : Sun May 12, 2024 6:23 am  

Smiths supporters are dwindling fast , Chris is too busy to post and Jim is even starting to question one or two things

Re: RD 11 | Catalan Dragons (A) : Sun May 12, 2024 7:22 am  

We were tough and gritty but clueless with the ball to the point where I actually couldn’t work out what we were trying to do with the ball. I really like Cam Smith but thought he was indicative of part of our problems yesterday, too many people just passing the ball on.

I thought our two best were Sinfield and Roberts. Sinfield was the player who stood out in our expensively assembled spine. He also stood up to the defensive test better than I thought. Not perfect but not a glaring issue either. Roberts was far better in the centre and made a couple of good defensive reads.

Feel bad for likes of Handley and Martin (who looks injured to me) who are running their blood to water.

Did Johnson get on? Made 0 sense having him on the bench and unused subs was something that Mac got crucified for on the regular.

Re: RD 11 | Catalan Dragons (A) : Sun May 12, 2024 7:51 am  

That’s the first time I’ve ever seen some line speed in defence from one of Smith’s teams. Unfortunately it only lasted 10 minutes before we ran out of steam. Not surprising when they have not being coached or conditioned to play like that before under his reign. Thought Mik’s first spell was good, running hard and getting through tackles, he’s the only prop that deserves to stay at the club for me. Sangare and Lisone don’t do enough and what they do is overrated. Thought Sinfield showed promise against a decent team and it only underlined the travesty of Smith waiting so long to introduce him when Frawley is such a poor player. Sinfield’s mistake for the killer try epitomised our non existent structure and while it was him who passed the ball it could have been Smith who also threw out aimless no look passes that killed his team mates. His ponderous movement and failure to see the picture are symptomatic of the teams woes.

Re: RD 11 | Catalan Dragons (A) : Sun May 12, 2024 9:53 am  

Another really low quality SL game that Leeds were involved in.
Cats were poor but still way better than us.
And saying 26-0 flattered them is rubbish. That should have been the HT score.

There were some positives.
We actually competed better at times, defensive line speed was better.
Roberts went really well, much better in the centre. He's a strong lad.
Sinfield was good, he is looking ready for a run in the team.
Again, Lisone showing the rest of the pack how to hit the line.

But so many negatives.
I really can't say anything about that performance from Miller. Truly awful.
So many errors, absolutely killing us.
Last tackle plays an absolute joke. Amateurish. Badly missed Croft in that respect.
And again, the selection and use of the bench is dreadful. But that is every week now.

I can't see Saints being as poor as Cats were next week.
Not looking forward to it.