Re: Play off chances : Sun Aug 04, 2024 8:34 am  

I don't really understand how Smith gets praise for getting rid of substandard players when the squad is still full of substandard players. Removing poor players and then replacing them with poor players isn't a positive. It's just more of our continued cycle of never moving forward because our decision making is so poor.

Re: Play off chances : Sun Aug 04, 2024 3:51 pm  

Well London have just done us a massive favour!

Re: Play off chances : Sun Aug 04, 2024 6:19 pm  

tomlufc wrote:

I don't really understand how Smith gets praise for getting rid of substandard players when the squad is still full of substandard players. Removing poor players and then replacing them with poor players isn't a positive. It's just more of our continued cycle of never moving forward because our decision making is so poor.

I agree and I have posted this on another thread:

The Biffs Back wrote:

This shows just how bad our recruitment of the head coaching role has been since Brian Mac left the club, and also the players that they have then signed during their head coaching role.

Our transition started after the 2015 season IMO and although we won a GF in 2017, we also had to endure 2 seasons in the "middle 8's" either side of this triumph

So our transition period is now in it's 8th year,which is absolutely ridiculous for a club with our resources

Both Leigh and Salford have been far better sides recently than we have been and that is despite them not having an academy system to feed players into their first team squad

So in reality these 2 clubs have made good head coaching choices and that they have also recruited players from rival clubs and this has enabled them to finished above us

Re: Play off chances : Mon Aug 05, 2024 6:15 am  

Even with all the other problems, if we'd focused strongly on developing juniors over that whole period we'd be in far better shape today. Quite ironic given that the success of the 'Golden Generation' was built on homegrown players.

Re: Play off chances : Wed Aug 07, 2024 11:00 pm  

Once were Loiners wrote:

Even with all the other problems, if we'd focused strongly on developing juniors over that whole period we'd be in far better shape today. Quite ironic given that the success of the 'Golden Generation' was built on homegrown players.

Couldn't agree more. Leeds have never bought a sucessful team, buying bigname players destroys morale of the academy lads and the best look elswhere.

The trouble is if you don't give the lads game time they will never improve. Jack Sinfield springs to mind as a case in point. Being kept out of the team by bang average players on a huge salary and the coach must feel obliged to pick them.

Re: Play off chances : Fri Aug 09, 2024 11:50 am  

I think the loss at Salford was fatal to our Play Off chances. I think Salford and Catalans will pick up at least 6 points each from their remaining fixtures which means 5 wins out of 7 would rely on points difference. Getting 6 wins is probably the requirement but that is a very tall order. I think the plan has got to be let’s keep improving under Brad for the remainder of the season and give it a bloody good go, starting with Wigan tomorrow.

Re: Play off chances : Fri Aug 09, 2024 6:24 pm  

Once were Loiners wrote:

Even with all the other problems, if we'd focused strongly on developing juniors over that whole period we'd be in far better shape today. Quite ironic given that the success of the 'Golden Generation' was built on homegrown players.

Maybe we’ve not had the required quality coming through the system ? There has been a lot of false dawns with youngsters coming through touted as heirs to the throne of the golden generation. From Baldwinson to Lilley, walker to Tindall, and even Cameron Smith if we’re being honest, they’ve just not been good enough. If they’re not good enough or tough enough it’s hard to blame the club for not nurturing them. In comparison to the quality that has come through the Saints and Wigan systems over the last 7 or 8 years it’s not hard to see why our youngsters haven’t given us a springboard to success. Those two clubs have also added top quality signings from down under to elevate them even further above us. If we’re missing Ellery Hanley’s and Jason Robinson’s on our own doorstep that’s a different kettle of fish, but I don’t think there’s been a lax attitude to youth development at Headingley. I think the poor overseas signing have excaserbated the lack of quality coming through the system.

Re: Play off chances : Sun Aug 11, 2024 7:01 pm  

or possibly signed potentially great players but the pathway, or more likely, poor coaches have ruined their chances.

Re: Play off chances : Mon Aug 12, 2024 6:15 am  

Agree with the above comment regarding the Salford loss being fatal. Our play off chances ended right there and then unfortunately.

Re: Play off chances : Mon Aug 12, 2024 9:03 am  

Win our next 4 games then we give ourselves a chance.

They are all winnable if we back up the Wigan performance.

Warrington
Catalans (4 pointer)
London
Hull

We need Wigan and Hull KR to help us out at magic