Totally out-coached there Pricey by the legend Sir Tony Smith. Not for the first time, but thankfully the last. What a mediocre 4 years that was. Onwards and upwards……#alwaysouryear

He's been out coached by far lesser coaches than Tony Smith. I don't blame Price for sticking around he's tried his best it's not a good fit and it's not been anything like good enogh, it's not been a happy union at all. He should have been put out of his misery ages ago but we have an inept CEO.

It's a good moment for TS.

He's reached that twilight zone of a former top coach's career, where the bigger clubs will always see him as yesterday's man when a job comes up and he will spend the rest of his time in the game trying to manage limited resources and keep an eye over his shoulder for relegation.

Guys like Shaun McRae, Brian Noble, Mal Reilly have all had to go through various humiliations at the end of their coaching careers.

In Smith's case, he's shown that he is still a good coach and the game has not passed him by. Players listen to him and respect him and he does improve players.

Vaguely condescending. Name me one better coach in SL in 2021, not based in history but based on getting the best out of his squad.

Powelly?

Very true. A lot of coaches would have been dicing with relegation with Hull KR.

I didn't mean to be vaguely condescending, perhaps I try to actively dial down my praise of TS so as not to come across as 'that guy' but if I'm honest I would take TS back as coach straight away, now he's had a break and both parties have moved on a bit I would like to see him return. I'd also happily get his brother Brian in either as coach or CEO like he was at Bradford in the early days of SL.

I’d take Maggie Smith over Price.

We should have snapped up Mr Agar when he became available

It would be a great story if he managed to get another result this weekend. Catalan have been incredible this year, but as 2011 would have taught him, it means nothing in these games.

What odds a Smith v Agar Grand Final?

In a perverse way (or is it) I think I'd prefer Agar winning it with Leeds than any other outcome. If it's a new name I want it to be us but hope it's not Saints if that makes any sense?

In order of Merit (and anyone but Saints) this is my ranked preference.

Catalans
Hull KR
Saints
Leeds

I'd really wouldn't like Leeds to win it after how abysmal they were at the start of the season. They'd be the lest deserving team to win it ever IMO, it would rankle that much that I would genuinely rather Saints win it, at least they've been good this year.

It will be refreshing if Catalan break the Leeds/Wigan/Saints GF monopoly next week. However, would it be a total 'one-off', or will it inspire other 'nearly-men' clubs that they can win it too, leading to some more new names on the trophy over the next decade? The monopoly has been waning over the last 10 years anyway, so hopefully it won't be long before it breaks anyway. From 1996 to 2010, only Bradford, Leeds, Wigan and Saints had finished in 1st place. From 2011-2021, we've seen Wire (x2), Huddersfield, Castleford and Catalan finish 1st. We've also seen many more teams make the GF in Wire (x4), Castleford, Salford and now Catalan. Thoughts?

Those clubs need to start winning it really. I think new names on the trophy would be good for superleague as those clubs attract new sponsors and more fans etc.

There are tough times ahead IMO, if we do go to 10 and 10 then the playoffs can only be top 4 surely? That alone would mean the in season games count for more. I'd also like the points system reshuffling. Like they have in Union with losing bonus point for tighter games and tries scored bonus points. If its a draw 2 points each and if there is a winner in golden point then they get an extra point. Attacking rugby is then rewarded and teams would be less likely to just give up. Heaven forbid the game may actually become more attack minded and entertaining. For the first time in my life the other code is a better watch than league at club level.

I'd take Smith over Price any day of the week, however, as last nights game showed, it's more difficult to beat a team who do not make 20+ errors in a game.

Yep and I would take Smith over Price as well. But blimey our "fans" gave him & Agar so much stick towards the end. I cannot remember a positive word written on here about Agar unless it was a reference to his squash.
You do not win games if you make 21 errors.

That's probably because there wasn't much positive to say about Agar, during his time with us. Hull fans said exactly the same. Despite a CC Cup win, last year, Leeds fans aren't exactly enamoured with him.

(iirc) we jettisoned Willie Poching, when we were playing sensational rugby, to shoehorn Smith's mate into the coaching set up. Part of the start of our demise (again, imo)

Didn't Agar and Smith get criticism because the results were poor?

I wondered what Poching had done wrong at the time. If it wasnt broke etc.

Didn't like playing squash?

20 20 hindsight is a wonderful thing for all the support I gave Smith and I do still like the guy and for all the bashing that Agar got from every angle I understand that at the end of their tenure Smith had almost given up was definitely in need of that break and it was Agar that held us together.

Yes it was a poor period for that management partnership but to simply say all the other clubs that Agar has coached think he's poor so it must be true is a little simplistic IMO

In the case of Agar, people made up their minds that they didn't like him, so any success that Leeds get will be explained as being down to something else.

Its like nobody will consider the idea that Steve McNamara might actually be a good coach. Catalans won the CC and are now in the Grand Final, who is that down to? Must be the 'new world order' really pulling the strings behind the scenes...

Don't be silly he's McBanana, and is rubbish because he didn't do well with England....like a certain Mr Bennett. I struggle to think of a worse appointment we could've made than Price...even Duckie's Kear would've been preferable.

McNamara is obviously a very good coach and he’s actually won a trophy. Why wasn’t he approached?

With hindsight…
I’d have said TS and Agar tenure under the new CEO was the issue.
Removing TS right to manage the cap, flaunting so much money on Sandow and Gidley and Roberts and disrespecting the importance of a large quality pack.

As far I can see, no club has ever won any major trophy, just a hubcap, with marquee halves. ??

PACKS WIN GAMES

Always refreshing to see Duckie having a rebrand, with his 'PACKS WIN GAMES' slogan.

I was worried that he would become more subdued in his posting, since his 'Dec Patton for Man Of Steel' campaign has seemingly hit a dead end - However, this new direction and rhetoric is something that Duckie will no doubt now push with genuine relish in the months and years to come.