But the Internet message board expert doesn't have to deal with such harsh realities.

All the Saints fans posting on here consider they have a weaker overall squad than us.

I am afraid Sunday had little to do with squad strength, lack of another prop or a right centre. In fact, chalking Sunday up to that is displaying the kind of arrogance Saints fans do when chalking off our GF wins to their bad performances.

Saints 17 played hungrier, harder and better than ours. They were also better coached on the day. Sadly this occurred in a cup game so we're out. There's time to remedy it before the GF and its' capable of being remedied without signings. If we make the right quality signing in the mean time then great. If we don't no need to slit the wrists or lambaste the board.

I do agree, but why were they better coached? We're they out coached 2 weeks ago as well? what about the WCC as well ? Is Mclennan not good enough on a day to day week by week basis in your eyes ?

Who knows? He's had a good start. I seem to remember early last year we were white hot. the game against Hull was a particular high point, but in July we lost our way badly, turning a 6 point lead into a 1 point defecit. Maybe we are trying not to go full tilt early doors, as nothing is handed out now. However you could argue that we have blown it a bit no we're out of the cup.

I suppose time will tell won't it. Yes agree, he could very well be holding them back with it being a long season and being a player down..

In order.

Because they had much better structure, a much better game=plan, much better discipline and generally looked more up for it than we did.

Yes.

No.

I think he's an excellent motivator. I think he's well liked. I think the team has become far too ill disciplined under his tutelage. I mentioned the discipline issues last year and was shot down. I have a nagging feeling that hi rah rah approach may wear off but there must be more to him than that. Overall, I am happy he's our coach but don't think he walks on water like some.

Bluey is a good coach..there cant be any disputing his winning record esp. compared to Potters but.....

His style seems to be very motivational as opposed to a structured (disciplined) one .....which appears to be Potters style.

Bluey can get teams up for the big one off occassions and the evidence has shown that this works ..the WCC apart that is....

The CC has become a side issue (sadly IMO) and a one off crucial (big) game at this time doesnt fit in with Blueys style at this early stage of the season but it was drawn out of the bag and there was no avoiding it.

The up side is we can concentrate again on the main objective without the distraction of extra games.

Get Buderus match fit. Sort out the injuries and some positional issues
and we are well placed to peak at the right time.

Yes In agree that the rah rah approach can wear off after a time and that is a big worry.

Personally I prefer a structured style and the current Saints one is as good as it gets IMHO.


but it relies on consistency both in performance and personel which is more difficult to maintain over a prolonged period.

Bluey seems to prefer building a performance slowly and peaking at the crucial time.

Both are strategies and both have their strengths and weaknesses.

BELIEVE......

Further ahead of last years rivals - Yes

Further ahead of this years rivals - ?

No matter how good or how poor a coach, his job will be made easier when given a fully equipped (as defined by the regulations) squad to work with. The current three quarter line (in their selected positions), Senior apart, offers no threat going forward. The current pack are playing one man, unsupported, ball dying drives. The quality on show is pretty poor and that includes when they win.

Coaching is a concern but it isn't the only one.

Sums it up very well for me.

Yep agree 100% with that. My dad who's watched Leeds for over 65 years was saying it's one of the weakest back lines he's seen for a while at Leeds. It won't stay that weak for long though.. (players getting better ie Hall, Watkins etc)

I'm only 29 and I'd be very confident I would go back a lot less than 65 years to find a weaker one. 1996 should do it.

Yes agree. My Dad's memory not so good these days mate..

he was probably refferring to last 6 or 7 years..

What was that full 1996 back line? I'm struggling to remember.. tend to forget the post Dougie Laughton era....and before Murray came along..

and before anyone says it I did still go down to watch em in thos dark days when it was a good job workington were worse than us...

I was trying to remember that myself. I'm sure Francis Cummins was in there somewhere, then I get a bit stuck.

In 1996 Leeds used a total of 40 different players over the 26 game season (inc the CC run to the semi finals.) So establishing a representative three-quarter line might be more difficult than you think.

Am i wrong or did the hulme bros played for us then as well?

wow..

Francis Cummins, Jim Fallon, Kevin Iro, Craig Innes,
Carl Hall, Marvin Golden, Tony Kemp, Garry Schofield
Graham Holroyd, Neil Harmon, Mick Shaw, Harvey Howard
George Mann, Adrian Morley, Mike Forshaw, Gary Mercer
Barrie McDermott, Nick Fozzard, Esene Faimalo, Phil Hassan
Jamie Field, Mrcus Vassilakopoulos, Matt Schultz, Anthony Gibbons
David Gibbons, Paddy Handley, Alan Tait, John Riley (1 NPS)
Paul Gleadhill, Nathan Picchi, Terry Newton, Dean Clark
Sateki Tuipulotu, Leroy Rivett, Lee Maher, Gavin Brown
David Hulme, Marcus St Hilaire, Adam Hughes, Dean Bell

The kind of squad depth you're pining for now eh?

OOOF!

Not quite as there still needs to be a minimum quality threshold to exceed.

I wonder how many of those would make the first 13 today of the current Leeds side?

Iro, Innes, Schofield, Morley, Newton, Cummins, McDermott, Fozzard??

some blast for the past names in there

Now there was a crap centre

Not that many if you take the 1996 versions that turned out for Leeds that season.