Absolutely. People can pretend all they like, but if you get on with your boss and respect him/her, you'll go that extra mile and work harder for him/her. If you don't like them, you won't give two turds.

What's he doing now? Can you have a word with him to contact Green please.

I'd fancy him doing a job!!

Definitely rings a bell with me. I’ve had the pleasure of the company of all the Bulls/Northern coaches since Fox. They all come over as decent men but for me it’s no coincidence that the successful ones (Fox, Smith, Elliott, Noble) were great communicators and had that extra something than made you feel inspired. Fox was the best for that. If I’d been a player I’d have run through brick walls for him.

The last fella we had in charge that came anywhere near was Mick Potter. Unfortunately McNamara, Cummins and Lowes don’t have that same aura.

I heard an interview with Chris Chester last week who said he'd tried to create an environment at Wakefield where the players looked forward to turning up to training. I think the word he used was "fun" which sounds a bit primary school but it's clear that the new techniques are working wonders. It's amazing how a change in coach can energise and completely alter attitudes and application which leads directly to results on the field.

In his book "The Magic of Teamwork," (which inspired thinking in the early days of the Bulls) Vice President of Orlando Magic Pat Williams says the six qualities that effective leaders must possess are Vision, Communication Skills, People Skills, Character, Competence and Boldness. How many of those apply to Lowes?

I think the situation at Leeds is more obviously mental. They have a team on paper, even with injuries, that should be comfortably top 4. What Sinfield & Peacock had above all else was mental strength; they never gave in. They seem now to have a number of mentally suspect players. The games I have seen JJB has been their best player, which is interesting as he is cut from similar cloth to the other 2. With Bradford, I am not sure who they have who the players can turn to as a leader (as I make a rule not watch teams outside the top 7 of SL) when the going gets tough. I am sure Foxy would have an old warhorse to lead the youngsters around & who opposition teams wouldn't mess with. Lowes certainly doesn't seem to inspire players to go that extra mile.

How many of us have just mentally ticked those of for the good managers we've had?

Very accurate

Wouldn't you argue Purtel is this character for us?

With Sidlow injured we've lost our pack leader. In the sub standard performances early on this season he was the one that broke the line and got us on the front foot. Without him the pack is rudderless. In the backs Gaskell is well out of form and Mullaney has gone leaving us with nobody who can create much.

I think Purtell is a solid character but I think he's probably captain purely down to his longevity with the club and the fact that he's played at a high level in the past.

Just looked down the squad and apart from Purtell there isn't really anyone....

Lots of talent and potential - but no other natural leader......never looked at it like this before.

I think you need 2 or 3 in any team to be successful - interesting

Think Sidlow is that character. No coincidence since he's been out that we've hit this slump. Not just what he does on the field in terms of attack and defence. But he definitely makes sure others do their job and tells them when they're not.

We gradually lost leaders in the years 2006-14 and it's showed in performances.

Since we got relegated nobody has really stepped up into that role either apart from Sidlow. We do need a couple of old heads.

I heard Noble speak in a managers thing in a public sector meeting last year. He ticks most of the things on that list. I would offer him anything he wanted at the club if it meant he was involved in squad training

Same here. But would he want the job? If I were him I'd want certain assurances.

I've thought this ever since we've come down - Diskin probably the last real player we had who had "been there and done it". It's also why I wasn't that adverse to the Mathers signing. (Not to open up the whole debate again about the pros/cons of that so far, but I would say there are signs that the rugby "brain" of Mathers is still there, even if it's clear his body is way off the pace). Certainly need a few old war horses - although we seem to end up with a load of cart horses instead.

I'd forgot Sidlow was still at the club when i was typing my previous post. Obviously a big loss.

For me it's the very reason you should not have gone anywhere near Mathers. He has always been mentally weak - he could get away with it in a strong Leeds or Wire side, but was a liability when it got physically difficult. He should have been one of the players of his generation, even with his injuries.

Kurt Haggerty must have some leadership skills if he is such a successful coach, albeit at the amateur level? Just a thought.

Mathers reminds me of players like Paul Sykes or Michael Platt. Capable of something decent from time to time but otherwise average and with the ability to make a complete howler every few games.

He must have had something to play for Leeds, Gold Coast, Wigan and Warrington. However the fact that he was cut by Wakefield and London speaks volumes.

He's one player currently trying his nuts off to create something. He needs other players around him to back him up.

The difference to me is that the latter 2 would always put their bodies on the line & that was often their undoing. They tried too hard. Not something I would ever accuse Mathers of.

According to Wikipedia he's mentoring Andrew Henderson at the Broncos.

People may scoff at it but i'd take sykes as a 6 in this league

Thought that was just til end of last season though?.

TBH suspect part of reasoning for trying Purtell in halves was to get him in a more central role where he could be more of a leader. Not sure he's type of player that's vocal enough though. Sidlow has been one taking that role most.

We do seem to have a gameplan, which in both fax and Sheffield game was working ok for first twenty minutes or so, our problem is once other team scores our confidence and the gameplan goes out the window and we revert to one man rugby. That's the point where the on field leaders should be taking control and enforcing what's been done in practice.

Lowes needs to instil the confidence in the players on the training pitch that they can step up to become leaders. Far from convinced he's capable of training people in a skill that came naturally to himself.

He had a go for sure on Sunday. Until he threw *that* pass he was doing a lot of organising and talking and people were doing what he said. But of course, then everyone collectively fell off a cliff together.