Re: RD 11 | Catalan Dragons (A) : Tue May 14, 2024 3:22 pm  

On player form, with the new spine, it's clear we no longer know how to implement Cam Smith, who looks a bit lost to me this season.

Last year, despite over-playing at lot, was clearly out most influential player. Croft has been astonishing, given what he has to work with in terms of assists. He has no right to be top of the SL charts the way we've played.

Ackers has been average, again, probably due to the way we play and lack of domination.

There's too many players trying too hard when they play. Holroyd and Bentley are definitely in that mould, and Miller is the same. Miller for me needs to play the most simple game possible. Focus on good kick returns, playing the ball properly and being in good defensive positions. At the moment he's trying too hard to make something out of nothing and putting us under pressure.

Re: RD 11 | Catalan Dragons (A) : Tue May 14, 2024 4:18 pm  

I think Newman has been solid but I think he has a lot more to offer than we have so far seen. Likewise, Ackers.

Whilst I think Oledzki has been better this season, I again think he has more levels in him. I just hope we eventually see them levels.

Agreed with Miller. Just do the fundamentals and he will probably look a lot better for it.

Re: RD 11 | Catalan Dragons (A) : Tue May 14, 2024 4:24 pm  

chapylad wrote:

Not sure I agree that Newman has been good this season.
One or two nice touches granted but overall I think considering he is an England International centre he has done nothing to suggest he will keep his place in the England 17 next time around.

Newman is one of the best athletes we have (when fit). We have shown absolutely no idea how to use him in recent times, he should be an absolute weapon on the flanks, but we see him running inside jinking across the line more often than not. All comes from not making enough metres in the forwards and missing quick PTB's to effectively spread the ball against a defence that isn't set.

Re: RD 11 | Catalan Dragons (A) : Tue May 14, 2024 5:11 pm  

batleyrhino wrote:

Newman is one of the best athletes we have (when fit). We have shown absolutely no idea how to use him in recent times, he should be an absolute weapon on the flanks, but we see him running inside jinking across the line more often than not. All comes from not making enough metres in the forwards and missing quick PTB's to effectively spread the ball against a defence that isn't set.

And this is exactly why i was critical of the reliance on 'trick plays' earlier in the year as the fundamentals of creating space in good ball are non existent. And i still think that the off the cuff approach to practice and how we play has been detremental to that because rather than the opposition being kept on their toes by an early shift play option, its become so easy to defend because weve nothing else and its even more exposed when Handleys been missing.

Re: RD 11 | Catalan Dragons (A) : Tue May 14, 2024 8:24 pm  

exiledrhino wrote:

On player form, with the new spine, it's clear we no longer know how to implement Cam Smith, who looks a bit lost to me this season.

Last year, despite over-playing at lot, was clearly out most influential player. Croft has been astonishing, given what he has to work with in terms of assists. He has no right to be top of the SL charts the way we've played.

Ackers has been average, again, probably due to the way we play and lack of domination.

There's too many players trying too hard when they play. Holroyd and Bentley are definitely in that mould, and Miller is the same. Miller for me needs to play the most simple game possible. Focus on good kick returns, playing the ball properly and being in good defensive positions. At the moment he's trying too hard to make something out of nothing and putting us under pressure.

The whole team looks under pressure to me, too many individuals trying to make miracle plays and solve things individually, rather than looking to put a team mate away instead.

Re: RD 11 | Catalan Dragons (A) : Wed May 15, 2024 7:59 am  

KaeruJim wrote:

The whole team looks under pressure to me, too many individuals trying to make miracle plays and solve things individually, rather than looking to put a team mate away instead.

Completely agree. One might even conclude coaching has something to do with that....

Re: RD 11 | Catalan Dragons (A) : Wed May 15, 2024 8:10 am  

Seth wrote:

And this is exactly why i was critical of the reliance on 'trick plays' earlier in the year as the fundamentals of creating space in good ball are non existent. And i still think that the off the cuff approach to practice and how we play has been detremental to that because rather than the opposition being kept on their toes by an early shift play option, its become so easy to defend because weve nothing else and its even more exposed when Handleys been missing.

Correct

Re: RD 11 | Catalan Dragons (A) : Wed May 15, 2024 8:25 am  

exiledrhino wrote:

Completely agree. One might even conclude coaching has something to do with that....

One could also conclude that coaching is one of a number of elements that has something to do with that.

[Ex-Swarcliffe Rhino]

Re: RD 11 | Catalan Dragons (A) : Wed May 15, 2024 9:45 am  

Good coaching can negate a whole host of those factors.

Re: RD 11 | Catalan Dragons (A) : Wed May 15, 2024 9:47 am  

The forwards aren't laying a platform - a complaint we hear a lot in RL, but it is as true of this Leeds team as any I have seen.

I'm not sure why Leeds didn't address this in the off-season. RS bears some responsibility here. Given the limited pool of players available I suspect we gambled on blowing a lot of our forward budget on Ackers, who is obviously a better 9 than O'Connor, but it has left us weak up front.

I'm not sure if any of our front or back rowers really scare the opposition. You know the feeling when the likes of Satae, Walmsley etc come on - Leeds are going to struggle to contain these players. Do we do that to opposition teams? Probably not. They are scared of the likes of Miller, Newman and Handley breaking from deep but it's not our forwards that inspire fear.

There's Lisone, I suppose. He can have impact but I wonder if he's the best use of an overseas quota space.

It's a problem that the club have struggled to deal with since the days of Peacock, Leuluai and Cuthbertson in their prime. The likes of Prior and Seumanufagai stemmed the tide but their homegrown replacements haven't matured enough yet. Tetevano was a disappointment but he would walk into our pack if he was available now (pre-health issues, of course).