and they have a coach who knows what he is doing

Having had time to reflect on the performance it seems to me the coaching is not where it needs to be. The attack lacks any kind of structure or cohesion. Cameron Smith must have been tackled with the ball a dozen times he stifles the attack. The whole backline lacks spark, speed and power. The game was dull and very one paced - not a spectacle of quality.

On a positive Hooley was much improved.

I reckon he just doesn't want to bag players in front of the cameras. He was smirking through some questions which says to me any b******gs are going on behind closed doors.

I think the bedrock of the squad is solid. This is evidenced by the fact that we've managed to be competitive in most games this season, often losing (also winning) by small margins, and being on the back end of few blow-out scores.

On the flip-side, our spine is terrible at the moment, all the more so given exits through the season, and current injuries. It doesn't bode well when Sky highlight Cameron Smith as our main attacking threat (and they weren't far wrong either!). Rohan Smith also alluded to this. Some proper investment in the spine, and we could easily be a different team next season. The problem is that it will probably be a case of too many wholesale changes in one go, even if the players are better than we might expect at this point in the recruitment cycle.

Looking at the squad, I think we're okay outside the spine. If Newman is back we have a lot more threat in the backline, allowing Martin to return to the forwards. We might need another prop, and a more explosive back-rower, although we have Gannon to return there so the picture isn't bad at all.

Spine is the key priority.

Myler at full-back gives us continuity next season and decent attacking threat, but not a long term answer. Hooley looked a lot better but let's not kid ourselves he's the next Slater or even Webb. I'd be tempted to trial Newman in this position to get his hands on the ball more often in what remains of the season after his return, and perhaps the friendly games next season (one area that I think Smith got wrong this season that cost us early doors).

The halves are a big black hole right now. Sinfield might be a long-term answer but this is the #1 priority area for recruitment. So much is resting on this. I actually think we miss Leeming more in this area than at hooker, even if the ball didn't go wide enough.

Hooker is a bit of a conundrum. Perhaps O'Connor will be fine if the rest of the spine is filled with quality signings, with Johnson as back-up. O'Connor is developing a more full hooker's game but I'm not sure about having two very young players in this role. Certainly O'Connor seems to have too much responsibility on his shoulders and I'd like to see more of Johnson than 10 minute cameos and long stints at stand-off in what remains of the season.

I'm not privy to Hetherington's plans, but I agree that the squad has been poorly managed from Leeming's departure to Austin's spat. The most surefire way of making a signing that will count is to be prepared to make a large transfer fee to sign the right player from another UK club as we did with Schofield, Hanley, Harris and Peacock. We might pick up a French or Field if we're lucky from the lower grades in Australia but it's time for the club to show the fans and the rest of the competition its intent IMO. Over to you, El Presidente

A lot of it feels like the 80’s. Players in and out and most average and worse. Agree Newman apart we have little threat and he is a pure runner rather than any footballing class. Bits of the early 80’s were awful in terms of quality, I think the worst I’ve seen ( I did not see much of 1996) but I must admit I get very little enjoyment or excitement watching this team, which I believe is not just an age appropriate, grumpy old git response. However, my son may disagree.
Every match just seems like a 95% replica of the last one. To be fair that applies to most teams.

Yes. Early 80's when the likes of Holmes, Hague, Dyl, Dick and Pitchford were all over the hill together was pretty turgid. At least by the mid 80's we had genuine superstars, even if they were on short term contracts. Remember Grothe scoring a hat trick on debut against Leigh. Just awesome. We were still pretty hopeless though.

I’d kill for a Cliff Lyons now, or a Garry Schofield…

Mark McGaw was a piece of work. Went on to play for the Kangaroos, as did ET, Currie and Lyons.

I hate it when these threads turn all nostalgic, it's always a sign how sht things are.

Yes, yes, quite right. On with the moanathon.

Ditto Sam Backo and Craig Izzard.

Give it a year and you might kill for Garry as a coach

Bring back Dean Lance

We don't need racial cleansing adding to the list of problems.

I bet Paul Sterling is still faster than our two winger even at 50+

couple of leeds players in that team told me it was them didn't want sterling in the team. not well liked at all by all accounts.
and by picking other black players week in week out id say it was sterling playing the race card more than lance. not that I rated him as a coach mind

There is always two sides to every story

Back to the game, and I have to say the biggest let-down was the pack. We'd lost two of our playmakers, and were always going to struggle to play with any fluency as a result. Leigh were a week from the cup final - the first for most of their squad. The way to play that game was make it as physical as possible. It won't work every game, but I reckon if the pack (plus our bigger backs like Macdonald, Martin and Roberts) had really aimed up in both attack and defence some of the Leigh players wouldn't have wanted a bar of it.

As it was we were our usual passive selves up front. Leigh must have felt it was Christmas.

The reason this worries me is because I don't see the lack of fluency with the ball changing much before the end of the year, or at least until Myler is back. That means the pack has to take on more responsibility as a group to give us a real chance of winning games (along with a strong kicking game), and I just don't see the current set doing that.

Same questions not answered by the pack the previous week against a Saints team missing Walmsley, Paasi and Matautia. TBF the pack did enough to keep us in both games. We just don't have any game changers in the team to take advantage of field position when we get it.

Even the nostalgia isn’t what it used to be.

Cameron Smith kills any fluency the attack has - his involvement in the attack needs to be curtailed and quickly. He is an excellent defender but his delusional state that he is the next Kevin Sinfield needs extinguishing.

On the forward Oldeski has been a huge disappointment this season - his attempt to stop Amone or lack of it was embarrassing - leaving Hooley to deal with a man 5 stones heavier than him two metres out.

Both of these players are sacred cows on here so their actions or lack of them are excused or ignored.

I agree that Smith stifles the attack at times but I think part of that reason is that our half backs have been so poor. They either don't want to take control or offer nothing when they do. I thought Gale and Lui were a better option than Sezer and Austin.
What makes you believe that Smith thinks he is the next Sinfield?

It is obvious he sees himself as a ball playing loose forward in the Sinfield style. He wants to be involved in every attacking move without the skill and guile to justify it. He came with a huge reputation i.e. the best youngster of his generation - sadly that early promise has not materialised.

One of the reasons the half backs can't operate properly is because of Smith's involvement. He is a bit like Dwyer - a loose cannon who cannot contribute to the attack in a positive fashion.

Great defender who gives 100% everytime he gets on the field - just reduce his involvement in the attack.

I think there have been multiple games Smith has had the balance right this year. The last two he has got it well wrong but I’m inclined to say that’s because the half backs aren’t stepping up consistently enough and feels like he has to.

Mik hasn’t looked the same this year I’ll agree with that.

I thought Smith was the best British forward for the first part of the season, with the possible exception of Havard. His loss of form has coincided with him trying to do all the creative work of the team in the absence of anyone else. Sinfield had the luxury of Burrow & McGuire around him.