I would love to believe we are on the right track but there is nothing to suggest this is the case. Occasional bursts of brilliant rugby do not excuse that we do not complete the basic skills in the majority of games and play with zero structure. Our forwards have size but don't consistently hit the gain line hard. Is this a mindset or poor distribution from dummy half. Our attack then lacks structure is predictable looks poorly coached and we often take the wrong options. The good teams hit the gain line hard make yards have a quick play the ball fast distribution and the halves have a structured play to attempt to break the defensive line with the FB often the most attacking runner.
It's not a complicated game. Yes we sometimes look devastating from broken field play but that's not the basic requirements.

See this is the problem, a high standard of rugby is a good thing. Unpredictability would be too if the quality of rugby wasn't t compromised. I dont think that's the case.

I agree on that but I can’t see that changing any time soon, personally id still prefer an unpredictable league rather than a a predictable one.

Of course the ideal is 12 teams of high quality and everyone being able to beat each other in their day but im not sure that happens in any sport!

The quality of SL is not going to change unless the clubs and governing body start to get more money in the game, I hope IMG can rectify this a little, another thing they need to do is sort the ruck out its an absolute shambles.

Personally I'd rather see 5 really high quality teams who push each other all year (and weve not even got that), rather than believing its great that Wakefield as an example, can beat a poor leeds side and an underperforming Wigan. Drive standards up not a race to the bottom.

I actually agree with you, id like to see more than 5 though as Im sure you would.

I don’t however want to see yo yo ing bottom of the table teams which is why im all for IMGs proposal

Ask Leigh fans if they are worrying about the standard of the league. Saints beat the best NRL team I’ve ever seen earlier this year. Just sounds like sour apples from a team who can’t get in the playoffs……

Of course I want to see leeds up there, but the reason is because we're poor, and the quality above us isn't that special either. I understand the game shabs been around it for many years, the quality of the game is a concern, that's why IMG were brought in, because its stagnated.

Im not sure about that but what fans do have to realise is that if it is a competitive league (good or bad standard) you can’t expect to be at the top all the time. Again this is a general comment and not just about Leeds fans.

Take Saints snd Warrington fans for example they are just as scathing about their players and coaches as us this year, which is the nature of being a fan but you can’t wish for an unpredictable/competitive league without realising it might mean your club isn’t automatically a shoe in for being at the top or winning things.

Never mind chaps…..another weekend, another merchandise discount offer…..all is well

Saints and warrington have been poor for large chunks of this year, I can't blame their fans, and they're above us! That game last night was awful, from both sides. There aren't enough quality games. Again I don't want an unpredictable league over quality, 12 quality teams is too much to ask but 4 or 5 come on, we've not even achieved that. Leigh are a real credit, Cats have recruited well and Wigan looking to push on outside of that it's not good enough.

And yeah a club with the riches and infrastructure leeds has should not be underperforming year on year like we are. We are pound for pound the biggest underperformers of the lot.

No I appreciate that, and you are clearly very knowledgeable from grass roots up. And you are right, skill levels and excitement isn’t what it was imho. But, part of the enjoyment was to watch a hard but fair game, where the players pretty much policed it themselves. The intrusion by RFL/refs constant penalties /bans is what’s ruining it for me….

I agree Seth, the quality is pretty dire across the board, I don’t thin Cats have been that great at all yet they’re top.

I thought last nights game was really poor quality wise, Saints V Leeds games in the past (maybe not the past couple of years) have been outstanding games full of intensity and skill, last night it was just a case of who was least crap won.

Youre right, the way the game is officiated and then also coached to play to the advantage of the rules is also stifling any quality.

I agree with this, I don’t necessarily watch sport for the quality, I watch for the entertainment, i can go watch a local team and enjoy it, the penalties and bans which has resulted in play acting and milking penalties has really put me off Super league these last few years, I used to watch all the to games, now I’ll only really watch rhinos games now.
I can’t even watch rugby union anymore, as the rules have absolutely ruined that for me.

I just want to watch a game that flows and is entertaining.

Do you see us creating second phase though? I’d like to see Smith playing tighter in and trying to release support players out of contact. We just don’t seem to suck in defenders and offer support play enough.

Winging it around the field laterally isn’t the same thing as keeping the ball alive…

Winging it around laterally is a better description. We need to carry the ball with the purpose to engage defenders and create space, what we do more of is standing still with the ball and hoping to pull the defence on to us then, as you say, wing the ball about.

I think the 2 go hand in hand mostly. I think we'd all agree last night was lacking in both. A neutrals opinion is usually a good indicator of the entertainment with no vested interest I cant imagine anyone was really hooked.

Speaking of which that's how Im feeling about this wigan v leigh game.

What happened to a short pass to a prop at full steam when restarting after a penalty? Now we seem to lob an innacurate 20 yard pass to somebody standing still in midfield. I'm no coaching expert but it seems to kill momentum straight away.

Spot on. At various times our passing line was stood still. Sitting ducks for the saints quick aggressive tackling line speed. Credit to saints that aspect of play was excellent. For me the turning point of the game was the saints try on the stroke of halftime. Poor defending it was a literal walk in.

Yeah I really don't like it, you don't stretch a team with long floated passes, 2 pass plays off the tap can be effective but I'd use that first play to either engage defenders, create momentum or both.

Yep. Also makes prop forwards feel prop forwards. Some of ours look a bit confused.

Yet our coach sees things differently he said we lost the game on the bounce of the ball?

It was only a 4 point loss it’s not the Apocalypse… could have gone the other way fairly easily but just a frustrating and error-ridden performance again. We let them rattle us.