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.

And that's the point in the game where your leaders should be taking charge. We just don't seem to have anyone that takes that role with Sidlow missing.

I think we are all looking at this in terms of success as a club rather than a business. First thing we need to understand that Marc Greene is not a rugby man. I suspect that when the RFL pulled the rug from under the "3 Amigos" at the last moment they thought that Greene was safer from a financial point of view. It would be interesting to know if he was made any promises regarding the leasehold of the ground to get him to agree. Knowing nothing about rugby he then had Ferres pushed in his direction to "assist".
Given that the main aim of this scenario is to avoid the Bulls going into administration again the plan has (so far) been successful. But has the the Topic says "Where do we go from here?". The answer to this is how deep are Greene's pockets, how much does he want to put into the Bulls, and most importantly, despite his repeated claim that he is in it for the long run, what were his initial reasons for getting into bed with the RFL?

Thought Noble had jumped on the Canada bus with Rowleyf

Well it appears today that SF will pursue with rigor a no 7 and that JL is still the man according to the Board.Prudence has to be applauded,but surely alienating the fans that contribute a vital revenue stream, also has to be recognised in decision taking.This is supposedly,an entertainment industry after all.I think the Club need to be more open and issue a statement of intent to appease the supporters disillusionment.Performances don't stack up to that of a slick,well run professional outfit that other clubs should fear.You would be forgiven for thinking,enough is enough,but hey....it's all very manageable right now.Being negative isn't for me,but it's hard to understand recent results.

Correct...

Green has been up-front about the fact he wants to run the club as a business and doesn't want to put large amounts into it; that's to say he wants it to be be self financing. That said, this is a sports club and they have the reputation of being holes, down which money is poured, and he clearly has already put money in and and maybe will again if if needs dictate - after all, I'd assume he won't want to lose his investment, which he would if the club were to go to the wall.

The question is really how far can he let it go. Lose the fans and sponsors lose interest, at which point the finances no longer stack up and we can all work out the end of that particular story.

Indeed. The club is a financial blackhole until we get into a nice smart new stadium and regain SL status. Can't see either of those things around the corner

Rumour [url=http://www.loverugbyleague.com/news_21497-off-the-record-rugby-league-rumour-and-gossip-30.htmlHERE[/url on LoveRugbyLeague that Morrison is being lined up to replace Lowes if things don't improve.

Although they also think Gaskell has another year left on his contract after this season, which I didn't think was correct, so maybe take it for what it's worth.

If we ever do get a new stadium the statue outside should be of Stephen Byers with his balls cut off, stuffed into a Tesco bag for life and hung around his neck.