Well said Captain Hook

'Just as I thought' bit weird that.

In any case. the point being was that 'that TS takes a backseat and lets his assistants do the work'. So, when you look at the training pitch and notice you can see the assistants doing all the work and TS watching. You don't have to be a nuclear physicist to work out from that situation that:

A) TS takes a backseat role in training.

and;

B) The assistants do all the field work with the team.

Anything else that you would like clearing up?


Or perhaps you'd like to inform me of how you know this doesn't happen and that the training is spot on and that we just aren't getting the rub of the green. Perhaps the endless sets of scoots and unforced errors are actually us going in the right direction.

I'm not a super league coach but you don't have to be Wayne Bennett to realise that since Agar came to the club we lost all the flair that made us an entertaining team to watch.

My original point asked for a discussion on whether assistants have more direct influence on the team than we'd like to think. this was supported by Poaching being at two different clubs and their style of play and winning ratio improving dramatically. Not once did I suggest that TS turns up and does nothing. Merely asked a question on whether he's taking more or a back seat role than usual. Because since Agar has graced this club with his presence, we have been awful to watch.

I think Tony can take the credit for when we played well and takes the criticism when we are not - like now. We stink.

So in your view what blame for the current predicament can we fairly lay at Smith's door?

W71 my response related to a post suggesting that Smith didn't do anything. As for "blame", I've always considered that a fairly pointless exercise. BUT the factors that account for our current predicament? In no particular order injuries, loss of form, loss of confidence appear to me to be major issues. Part of the coach's job is to try and instill confidence and maximise performance, to whatever extent Smith has not done so then that is where he can be criticised.
You will realise I have not mentioned player recruitment/retention. This is because I have no idea what constraints are placed on bringing in new players apart from the obvious and highly significant Salary Cap the effect of which can not sensibly be ignored.

We demolished Brisbane at home with a 100% completion rate in the 1st half. How does a team walk away from a game like that with 'loss of form and loss of confidence'?

Between that night and the Cas game something happened in house and the team still hasn't recovered from it.

Previously I have also suggested that the Brisbane game was seen as an "end" rather than a means to an end.Perhaps what happened was similar to post Final blues. I say "perhaps" because I don't know for sure and wouldn't pretend to have a definitive answer.

Ps I'm really hoping for an upturn in form soon as I'm spending far too much time posting on here...

Yes I could use a better word than blame - maybe "What responsibility should Smith shoulder for our current predicament" would be better.

I agree balancing the salary cap is a key skill and it takes time for a coach to allow churn and new talent recruitment to get the squad he wants, but we are into the 8th season now under Smith. Typical playing contracts are only 2-4 years long.

So let's look in detail at one of our key failings - that being the last tackle attacking option. It's so clear even rival board members post about it on here.
Now then do you think this is because the players are well schooled in attacking play options and have lot's of ideas on how to break down a defence but it's just their confidence preventing them doing so? e.g.) Does Evans posses the ability to beat a man but has crippling lack of confidence? Is confidence an issue with Cooper who has just come back from the toughest league in the RL world?

You mentioned form. If true why are we playing out of form players? It is clear that Jack Hughes is way off, yet has been an ever present. Is it because we don't have the succession?

Injuries - all sides get injuries. Even those at the top of the table.

In a nutshell, yes. In support of that look at the first half v Hull. However I can see merit , where there is a loss of form/confidence in reverting to a simple, relatively risk free form of basic attack to get the win and let confidence develop from a winning habit. I would suggest that last Friday showed signs of that.
But as my "signature" says these are my opinions, I don't suggest for one minute that they are any more valid than any others, I try to support them by showing my reasoning (which may well be flawed).
Truth is the only opinions that ultimately count are those of the Board.

I feel a bit dirty saying this, but...

Am I the only one feeling a bit jealous that Saints have a much-plaudited young Aussie coach who likes an attacking style of rugby, while we seem to have missed out now?

The longer this saga goes on the more I'm leaning towards a whole new fresh start... it's a risk but it surely can't leave us any worse than we are now?

Any new coach is a risk and previous successes don't guarantee success at a new club !!

To be fair ont thing smith has got right tonight is his interchanges and timing !! Let's see how the game pans out whilst we didn't get a great start saints have not for one minute looked unbeatable tonight.


I also feel if the club had any inclination on getting rid would have done so by now based on the short term results and would have brought in new coach for the start of the season giving him a year to asses players and see who of the many out of contract are worth retaining and who he would prefer to replace any deemed not good enough or does not passes the abilities the new coach was looking for as that did not happen I don't feel the club is looking to replace him any time soon

Had you heard of Justin Holbrook before 2 days ago?

You never know, maybe this time next week Saints fans will be jealous of us for parting company with Smith and bringing in Bruce Didgeridoo, highly rated young coach of Coogee Dingoes 3rd grade who likes playing open expansive rugby.

We've signed Bruce Didgeridoo?! How come no one had wind of this before... he's the Messiah...

Fantastic news! Is this the same Bruce Didgeridoo who coached Kookabura Screechers under 18's to the Baramundi Cup win in 1997?

5 wins from the last 6 for Agar, no doubt the happy clappers will be trying to give TS credit for Agar's success.

Another great win for the superleagues form team, seven players missing and still able to drop forty points on people like it's nothing, four points behind Wigan isn't a bad place to be.

Things could be a lot worse. We have clawed our way to the fringes of the top 8, not wonderful but a distinct improvement.

Enough is enough

smith out

Love to hear the happy clappers try and defend that shower tonight.

Should not use the words hapoy clappers i got ripped for that by the hapoy clappers lol.

Me too......

So what do we make of the new sports car and team motivation?

Ah, that was taken from the start of the season in early February I believe.

Well, from our new imports; Brown, Cooper, Crosby and Savelio I would say I have been disappointing. You would expect on paper that they should have strengthened the squad. Crosby has only played 6-7 games of course but has not showed his GF form. Brown looks slow and I think needs runners to work off. He had a hand in most of the tries in the recent England game v Samoa so he can deliver, but clearly that is not happening at Warrington yet. Savelio is a strange one. He certainly put in plenty of work in the early part of the season and impressed with a couple of tries, but he looks like a lightweight prop playing in a BR position. Cooper has been my biggest disappointment. I don't really watch the NRL, but I had expected to see a top class forward return to us and apart from the Bronco game where he steamed into the opposition, he has just looked like the old Cooper that left us.

From the existing squad I have been very impressed with the progress of the younger lads; Livett, Julien, Philbin and Smith. I think Toby King will come good also but he has had a very disrupted year to date. I worry that Patton is going to be another GOB and fail to make that last jump to top class.

From our stalwarts, Ratchford has been good, also Westerman and Atkins. Clark and Hill have been 'ok'. Gidley has slowed considerably and even though he knows what to do his reactions are simply not there anymore.

Matty Russell is not a footballer and I think it's a tactical mistake to use him to plug the problem in the forwards. Rhys Evans is mostly good in defence, but we need an attacking centre. I think Brad Dwyer has not progressed. I would release all three together with Matty Blythe.

Team motivation ? I would say there is certainly the intent there with the squad, but it seems to be undermined by all the errors, and that of course leads to a lack of confidence.... which becomes a vicious circle. Losing games becomes a habit just as much as winning games does, and suddenly the whole team looks incompetent. But that is the responsibility of the coach, its what TS is paid for, and he needs to turn it around.

Better to wait for the season to actually take place though, before writing off the team and the coach ?

It isn't fair to include Crosby as a disappointment but it's difficult to make an argument against the other signings.
I've probably been most disappointed with Cooper in return for all the pomp around his return, he is the one without any excuse.
Brown is in the position for most critic but he in fairness, he came without a pre season and returning from injury.