Only time will tell. I just think our players look knackered. The forwards look knackered, mcguire and burrow look jaded (mentally as well), webb still not right after his injury and we are very low on confidence which is contributing to the knackered look.

loads of people seem to be sh*tting themselves and beefing but we'll get our mojo back eventually.

Another example of club coaching and having to hold the attention of and motivate players for 40-odd weeks of the year being differenent from short hits in representative tournaments?

Perhaps McLennan has truly run out of ideas?

Why can't people just see it for what it is, a low on confidence team in a bad run of form.

There's always got to be some ''big reason''.

- blueys run out of ideas
- his influence has worn off
- teams have us figured out
- our squad is too weak

Blah blah blah.

The reality is that we can't get it together at the moment, but it will come back, sure enough.

How can you be so sure? Is it a given that Leeds will be up there at the end of the season?

I personally have little faith in McClennan and haven't since last season when I was saying the same thing.

The reason why we're playing so badly in his opinion? We're not contolling the ruck.

So, because we aren't controlling the ruck our defence is poor, our kicking game is non-existent, we're dropping the ball, we aren't backing up and we aren't offloading.

Right, ok Bluey, whatever you say.

So if you're Brian McLennan, you shrug your shoulders sure in the knowledge that it will all come right eventually?

The truth is you can never be sure, it isn't a given that leeds will be up there at the end.

But this team has been there and done it before. 3 titles in 5 years and 4 grand finals in 5 years. So those facts alone should give us some faith.

We've hardly played well all season, yet we are what, 3rd on points difference?

If our form picks up abit we should be able to nail 2nd place and thus once again be in a good position for a grand final appearence.

Controlling the ruck helps the game to flow your way. You find gaps easier because the defence is on the backfoot and when defending, your line has chance to set and smother the opposition. Controlling the ruck is a big part of the game.

The kicking game is a mystery. It has been very poor but we've all seen how good it can be, look at the grand finals. But when you are on the backfoot in a game it's much harder to get a decent kick in and that's what we are finiding.

I'm not Brian McClennan, though.

It certainly is in Rugby Union

Are you on the right Forum?

Its just as important in rugby league.

I've been critical of the Leeds performances on here since the Warrington away game (was Eastwood's visa turned down back then?) and I've seen nothing much since to convince me it's time to lighten up.

Maybe I'm just naturally a pessimist and maybe supporting Leeds for over forty years there's a reason for that.

feel free to post a link that shows a "ruck" in Rugby League

Deosn't matter if you call it the ruck, PTB, breakdown. All means the same.

:2mpqp3zj
I'll quote from my book of the laws of the game if you like.

:2mpqp3zjSECTION 2
GLOSSARY:2mpqp3zj

:2mpqp3zjRUCK.pdf

Try page 7



I believe my work here is done.

Really, what does the rule book say?

Quote ="BigRob"I'll quote from my book of the laws of the game if you like. SECTION 2 GLOSSARY RUCK - is the area, at the play-the-ball, between the player playing the ball and the marker. www.widnesrlreferees.btik.com/at ... book_2004_[1.pdf Try page 7 I believe my work here is done.'" Although if you wanted to be pedantic, that would be "the" ruck, as opposed to "a" ruck.

Quote ="BigRob"I'll quote from my book of the laws of the game if you like. SECTION 2 GLOSSARY RUCK - is the area, at the play-the-ball, between the player playing the ball and the marker. www.widnesrlreferees.btik.com/at ... book_2004_[1.pdf Try page 7 I believe my work here is done.'" Although if you wanted to be pedantic, that would be "the" ruck, as opposed to "a" ruck.

i feel for ya mate, u just keep digging

Never spoil a good story with the facts

Graham murray's thought's... www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/l ... 5211066.jp

Graham murray's thought's... www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/l ... 5211066.jp

RUCK - is the area, at the play-the-ball, between the player playing the ball and the marker. shock:

You know, he's absolutely spot on...... There is a ruck in Rugby League!

It's not actually part of the game like a try or a knock on, or even the play the ball ..... but a couple of feet of grass and several cubic feet of fresh air!

Whilst I'm happy to raise my hat in the general direction of Big Rob.....just how would you actually control this space?

Big flymo?

A major problem at Headingley since Esene's retirement.

Point taken - it will have some effect on the game, but dropped balls? One man rugby? Would it reduce our gameplan to basically nothing?

We may yet do it this year, but it would take one hell of a turnaround - more so than in any other year.

I'm not holding my breath.

dropped ball is hardley a coaching issue though mate!! im pretty sure thats not in blueys game plan

Hardly a coaching issue?

Dropped ball is exactly the sort of thing the coach should be eradicating in training. If a team consistently drops the ball it's the coach that should do something about it.

I'm sure it's not in Bluey's gameplan as well but the fact we're doing it so much shows that something's not right.

Either players aren't familiar enough with plays (the coach's fault), the players lack confidence (partly the coach's fault) or the players can't be ar5ed (the coach's fault).

Quote ="rhinoms"Graham murray's thought's... www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/l ... 5211066.jp'" Doesn't mean much tbh.. i'd like to see something come from Mclennan or Hetherington. It's been a bit quiet from hq since the quins loss....

Quote ="rhinoms"Graham murray's thought's... www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/l ... 5211066.jp'" Doesn't mean much tbh.. i'd like to see something come from Mclennan or Hetherington. It's been a bit quiet from hq since the quins loss....

Or maybe we're dropping the ball because the backs are under more pressure from defences due to the forwards not doing their jobs and so are trying miracle passes and offloads?
IMO its much more a mental thing than a lack of skill.