Sidlow for me. We need someone to give the team a bollocking on the field when the going gets tough. Half the reason we've lost so many games this season. We've had no leader on the field to calm the players when needed, or kick them up their backside when needed. Thats why we've look so weak when the goings got tough and are in a dogfight.

Sidlow is still relatively quiet, but out of everyone, he's the best IMO

Sidlow is too quiet for me. There we times on Sunday and in other games when the pack has ambled to a scrum when we're behind or allowed the threequarters to make the tough carries and I've thought we need a forward to get a grip of the pack here and instil some fight.

In the past we've had people who can do that (Peacock, McDermott, Fairbank, Grayshon). I know we couldn't compete for their equivalents nowadays but there must be some reliable forwards around in our league we can bring in who can provide that leadership?

I also agree that Leon, experienced as he is, is no way captain material.

The problem with that logic is that Sidlow has been captain for most of this season (while Purtell has been out). And he hasn't done any of that. He will have been captain against Fev too when it needed someone to get the lazy feckers motivated.

Is Chisholm still too new to the squad or could he be a contender in February?
Not Leon. Who would tell him what to do when he goes AWOL in a game when it gets tough as it undoubtedly will.

He nearly didn't have after the match against Whitehaven,

The fact that nobody stands out says it all.

Smith needs to bring someone in like a Graeme Bradley type who can kick some ar5e on the field and inspire the rest of the team.

^^^
This.

The lack of a born leader on the field is another of our recruitment failures. All the best teams have leaders on and off the field.

What's Olivier Elima doing these days?

Would be a great signing.

Never took a backwards step.

Our of whom we currently have absolutely nobody stands out.

Er... That was the joke.

When was the last real "born leader" at the Bulls? Peacock? Lowes?

I really can't think of anyone of note in the past 10 years - not even Robbie. He wasn't a born leader, he was just brilliant at playing the game.

Retiring at the end of the season

Our born leaders have all been sold. Bateman, Whitehead and the Burgess boys. All potential homegrown leaders now plying their trade elsewhere.

Agree Re leader.Oh for a smales,harkin,grayshon,seabourne,wolford,stephenson,fox,bradley, etc etc.How the fooook have we ended up here?Nilled by part timers in a do or die game. FFS!
Smith apart(he hasn't had time yet)I would sack everyone in the management team (including RP i'M SORRY TO SAY) and most of the players and start again.That's how I feel.This club is run like Fred Carno's.

What has Robbie got to do with the fact that the players were crap?! The off field running of this club is hugely improved from previous regimes. You can blame the players for that loss as they where the ones on the field but you can hardly blame Robbie.

Err,we are on the point of being wound up and not for the first time either.Maybe the Tea lady is to blame.

Never mind next year - considering Purtell has been out the majority of this season, who has been doing the duties in his absence? Reiterating the same point many have already said but I haven't had a clue all year (may say more about me though!)

Perhaps the added responsibility might be what Leon needs to keep him focused during a game rather than going missing as people accuse him of. I like Sidlow for what he brings to our pack but he isn't my idea of a Captain. I don't think he knows the rules too well himself so he isn't going to be in the ear of the referee when we might need him to be. Welham or Pryce look like the stand out candidates in the squad so far.

I think it's been a toss up between Welham and Sidlow this year.

And the club has explained it's self about the winding up order and after last time I've no reason not to believe them. I personally think the main reason for failure this year was down to recruitment, losing arguably the best Fullback in the championship and replacing him with Mathers is an obvious example and that can only be down to one man... Green should probably take a little criticism for not getting rid of him sooner.

On the captain front there's only one really viable contender in Wellam, as others have said Sidlow seems a bit too quiet. I've not seen enough a Chisholm to know if he's captain material or not. Another option could be to maybe go with a leadership team rather than a captain?

.

In terms of someone making a decision and being 'blamed', then bringing in Richie Mathers is on another level, and though it clearly failed, I confess I could see the idea of a leader, maybe past his best, organising from the back, almost like a captain...so to speak.

There was a chap called mullaney who was a proper fullback iirc. Unfortunately he was made of biscuit.

Yeah, I'd forgotten him. He was pretty good, to be right but as you say did miss a lot games at FB, many times only because he was in at half..

Biscuit or cake? It could be important for the VAT return.

That's it that's who I was alluding to, maybe should have been more specific.