I have been a season ticket holder for 10 years (& I am not 12 12 refers to my DOB) and I am dumfounded how McDermott cannot see the problems on field.

Just one of them is Zak Hardaker is a great player and his winger is our best try scorer as evidenced by the last 2 seasons but Hardaker is unable to pass to his left and cuts in every time hence Ryan Hall has to go looking for scraps.

If McDermott does not change things soon the crowd will start baying for his head again

The very same fickle ts baying for his head again will be worshipping at the 'Temple of Mac' when he coaches the rhinos to another SL title from 5th or 6th. These current losses and poor performances don't matter.

I hope your right Saints and Hudds I can put up with but the cows were worse than a conference side, which puts it all into perspective. Worst game I have watched in 20 years last Friday!

So far Mcdermott has won us a trophy and we're still in with a shout of 3 more, no need to panic.

They aren't even close to serving up the level of garbage they managed last year and look how that turned out in the end? Yes, it was a lousy game on Friday completely devoid of any skill, nous or game plan from either side. Awful to watch and disappointing that Leeds were beaten by a poor side who had nothing to offer in attack apart from speculative Ben Jeffries kicks on the last tackle. Worst game I've seen in the last 20 years? Not sure due to lapsing memories but it does qualify for inclusion among the worst.

ok then with this problem i would move hall to the other wing were Watkins has no problem passing to his winger hall
would get a lot of ball and give Jamel Chisholm a go on the other wing

Australian centres are well good at passing to their wingers. We should look over there for someone.

Agreed, and no point getting someone who is young and learning the game. A nice 30+ year old Aussie is what we need.

Tahu

Jamie Lyon

Paul Bell?

Like Brett Delaney you mean

Do Sheffield have anyone?

Bring back Keef

No, there isn't, and yes, we all know we won it from 5th last year. This doesn't mean we just drift along happily believing that everything will sort itself out in the end.

I share the OP's frustrations about Hardaker's reluctance to pass to his winger, and the line trotted out that he hasn't had much opportunity does not wash anymore. Ablett, as a makeshift centre, gave the ball to Hall at every opportunity last season. We've all seen what Hall can do even in tight spaces. I know it will likely come in time, but just a few weeks ago I watched an interview with Ryan Atkins saying that it was Tony Smith that gave him the belief that he could actually pass! What a sorry state of affairs for English Rugby League that international centres don't believe in their ability to carry out basic skills.

If the switching of Hall to the right wing is so difficult....in all seriousness is not worth switching Hall and Hardaker against London?

It could work I guess, but then we don't know if Hall's passing is up to scratch either. I guess there's only one way to find out these things. I was going to say I'd be reluctant to move an international class winger into the centres, but it wouldn't be the first time. Meli at Saints has done it with some success for a start.

My thoughts exactly. Hall's passing will be surely easier to master owing to his greater ability to break the tackle and then to make a relatively [imore[/i simple pass ( no having to skilfully draw the man with a more astute, accomplished fast pass ).

Much as I would be reticent to see Ablett back at centre, I have to agree he was/is a better passer to his winger than is Hardaker.

You may joke but I think we're now seeing his value in his absence, even at his later stages of past his bestedness. Ask Ryan Hall if he'd like Keith inside him right now (ooh eeer).

That said, these are the teething troubles of a young kid learning a new position and as a poster who wanted Hardaker to play the much more difficult position of stand off I thought you would be the first to show some patience and understanding as the kid grows into the role.

Let me make this clear to those not so erudite or insightful: it will be a huge retrograde step to even consider the return of Senior for a moment. His best days are long gone and probably much more so now after his major injury at the age he is.

I have every faith in Hardaker long term...yes, even at stand off, where I see him emulating the (playing) career of Garry Schofield. I would categorically not move him from centre for Ablett either. However, it cannot be denied that we are wasting the talents of Hall at the moment. My immediate move would be to put him on the right wing where his partnership with Watkins would be formidable - providing they get some ball of course. Hardaker is scoring plenty of tries and his defence is better than Senior's at least; he just needs to practice that passing. He and BJB (or Chisholm) need to be pursuing that ideal at every opportunity on the training field.

In the same vein of being entirely serious I would without a doubt now make Ward our first choice 13 for the foreseeable future ...and Hood should be starting at least every game as bench interchange hooker. Burrow looks to be the best first choice no.9 for the present; McGuire without a doubt our best first choice no.7

I've got to say I agree with all of that, and it's not often I've been able to say that

.

We all saw how good Hall was for England on the opposite wing, so to put him outside a centre in the form that Watkins is in could only be a positive step. It's a less drastic step than moving Hall inside Hardaker and allows Hardaker to continue learning the centre position.

The "Hall switch" is a possibillity but that would only break up the decent understanding Watkins has with Bjb and we'd be strating from scratch as it were.
Now i know i've called for Chisolm to come in and be given a chance at Bjb's cost which adds to the same thing initially but Bjb has the potential to make FB his own when Webb departs imo despite some questionable performances there in the past.
I do think that Hardaker will make LC his own and Hall will get good service eventually but i also don't think the pass to Hall has actually been "on" that many times and bombed especially against the Giants ,last friday and of course ST's away.
I do agree wholeheartedly Ward should be 13 when our 7 options return and for me he is now a 1st team regular and should remain so.