A dreadful game tbh. Both teams were poor. If we are been honest we have been on the wane for a few weeks now after looking really good after Smith initially took over. It will take a massive upturn in performance to progress beyond next week, that said I still believe they are capable of winning in France.

Forwards apart from Leeming and Prior played well today.
I think what it is with Leeming is either he is frustrated that our halves do not create anything so he wants to do it on his own.
Or he is taking over their role and they have to take a back seat.
Not sure other than he needs to paly as a hooker not a half back.
Looked to me we were knackered after playing in the French heat.
We should be acclimatised by Friday


Interesting to read Mat Shaw give 4/10 to both Tetavano and Gannon

Thought it was Tets best game in the middle for a while after a couple of good performances on the edge. Gannon was good, was involved in this miss for their try but as much on Leeming as him.

I actually like Austin’s contributions at the minute, he’s not afraid to roll his sleeves up when things aren’t going our way (Loved his attitude to get up and go again when he got belted on the 20m restart). I think Sezer on the other hand too often goes missing for periods.

Yep i think Austin is playing well, i was worried about his defence when we signed him but he’s been putting in some really big hits recently

Only blip for gannon was that daft kick through but i can forgive him for stuff like thst as hes only 18

Totally agree about the halves. If ever there was a game where both of them needed to do some telling and get a grip that was it and neither did.
We are massively lacking in leadership. The tank is now empty. If they win in France it will be one of the best ever. I’d be amazed if it happened

The playoff win at Catalan (can’t remember what year) is probably one of my favourites. The one with the Bailey 60m run off the kick off knocking Henderson over twice.

A win next week would be as big of an achievement.

As an aside, probably for the first time in a while, we pulled off a comeback without any ‘Dwyer Magic’. Smith hopeful he’ll be ok next week.

Yeh I forgot about the kick, at least he chased it and made the tackle.

I thought both halves were poor. They have been in the main disappointing all season and today summed it up, anonymous for most of the game. Offered no direction or leadership.

Out of interest how many games this season have Austin and Sezer started as our halves?

I forgot Sezer was playing until he scored.

awful game. dreadful.
I think smith has one eye on next year. yes he wants to do well this but its next he is building for.
need some quality coming through the doors though

Austin and Sezer are a big part of the problem of moving us forward next year, they're not a pair that wins a GF.

Austin’s certainly giving his all but is what he’s bringing to the table what we need from a stand off?

I think our halves are passengers for too many of the games. They should be calling the shots on the 3rd or 4th in attacking sets but it’s just not happening for some reason.

Shaw gave Tetevano and Gannon 4/10? Merely confirms what most are aware of !he is a click bait waste of ink!

What was todays attendance?

It worries me slightly, the players we’ve been linked to are not exactly established quality players, anything but tbh.

We’ve got a fair few players leaving, the players coming in need to raise the overall standard of the squad.

Tbf I thought Sezer started well, we had a couple of half chances down his edge, when we were well on top, only for a knock on to stifle it. But when it got tough he was nowhere to be seen.

Austin is really gritty actually but I get what you mean in terms of is that damning with faint praise when talking about a 6.

This, along with obvious cap space is why I think we have 2 starters to come yet, a Centre and a Prop or Back Rower.

We need to raise the quality of the 13 that take the field at the start of the game.

Agree we need to improve, I just don’t like the idea of signing our way to it. Every single time we bring in a name or a player with a reputation it doesn’t work. The list of players we have signed who are going to improve the quality of our 13 and haven’t done it is endless.
Seriously who was the last big name or player you felt was going to immediately improve the 13 who has come off?
We need to grow and develop our own players, that is what made us successful, that is what will make us successful again. We need to focus on bringing some younger players in and letting them develop for a couple of years. Getting a more balanced squad, we can then think about adding the Sparkle with a big name quality player or two.

Today showed me a few things, I think people have covered many above.

1. Leeming isn’t a captain or shouldn’t be the captain. I thought we looked better with O’Connor at 9 when leeming was injured to be honest. He just doesn’t direct us well enough. It was clear as day we needed to punch in behind the ruck before we went wide and despite being captain and 9 he didn’t seem capable of doing it.
2. Sezer just isn’t it for me. Goes missing, looks disinterested, doesn’t control the game. Great he scored but his overall game management isn’t good enough.
3. Austin has a go but just isn’t a top quality 6. That May he because Sezer goes missing so you want some level of control from him but I just don’t think either are really good enough.
4. Prior shouldn’t be in the 13 and if everybody was fit I’m not sure he will be in my 17 next year if he remains. Doesn’t seem to offer anything and looks completely shot.
5. Martin looks like a leader, he was the guy talking in the huddle post game. He has really improved and seems settled and like he can make something happen. Super impressed with him this year.
6. We miss handley and fusitua when they aren’t playing. I hope fusitua is back next week, didn’t look great for handley.
7. Mik is an absolute beast, god forbid if he gets an injury

Agree with almost all of that. Only slight point of contention would be that Sezer & Austin are powerless in terms of controlling the game when the ball keeps getting dropped before tackle three. If we had more strike in the centres (think Newman & McDonald) our expansive style would bring greater rewards. Rohan has got some stuff on his plate, but I wouldn't bet against him getting through it.

Looking at how upset handley was and on crutches if say he’s done for the season which is a real shame along with Martin hes been outstanding all season - on Martin, he should be captain next year.

Agree. We hugely miss Newman and Fusitua. Austin was playing on one leg. No where near fully fit. We showed great grit today. Didn’t play well at all but we know how to win. Hopefully a big prop or two to come in and a good centre.

What was attendance today? Seemed a big crowd

We look like a team running on fumes. The suspensions and injuries throughout the season have meant some players have had to play too many games while others have sat on the sidelines, and we've just played six games in less than a month with no margin for error. The attack has been faltering for a while, and we've only averaged 17 points in the last three games, compared to over 28 in the 13 games before that after Smith arrived.

It looks like its all caught up with us and I'd be surprised if we win next week. Certainly can't afford Catalans to get another big lead.

I can see your point. I think for me Sezer waits for the game to come to him, he is passive. I want a big name 7 from the NRL to make the game come to him, to grab it and say this is what we are doing and I am going to make it happen because I am the main man. I do accept the point about ball dropping etc but some of that stems from him and the fact the ball is being passed around despite us being unable to keep hold of it.
He goes missing and doesn’t do that enough for me and that isn’t about strike players it is about attitude and personality on the pitch. On the other hand I like the attitude from Austin he gets stuck in, he seems to want it and try hard. I am just not convinced he is actually good enough, however cannot fault his effort.

Leeming was playing some lovely stuff before his injury, since he's came back in, he's been woeful, by far our worst player over those 3 games imo.

Defence has been soft, distribution rubbish, randomly kicks possession away early in sets when no one else seems to know its coming...And yesterday, the dumbest 9/captain performance iv ever seen, we were killing them through the middle the few times we went there but he didnt have the intelligence or patience to focus on exploiting it. Really poor, hope he finds his pre-injury form in time for the weekend.