It's not just his form that is poor, I haven't really seen a captains role either on the pitch or under the sticks when we've conceded. I wanna see fight and pumping up the other guys, not been there for me the last few games, looked useful early days but not recently for me, there is no ' team' ethos at the moment, the body language and team mentality of the first half a dozen games seems to have gone.

I think they're other players in the team who need singling out more than Southern. Vince Mellars is atrocious, a terrible waste of a centre berth. Perhaps he can ask Paul Sykes how to pass and how to draw a man in before doing so.

I thought he made alot of tackles last night. Maybe too much pressure being captain and not on field long enough would give captain to Aiton

Well he must be planning on staying around a while as he's bought a house near flockton

Whatever is going on in that household - we should not be suffering for it - the club comes first otherwise there would be no club for them to be employed by!

If he's 'going through a rough patch' then taking the captaincy from him is not knocking him, it's supporting him by relieving him of some responsibility. It will also help his team-mates as they can focus and get behind their leader.

Aiton is PNG captain - give him the job - even if it is only temporary until the Southern family get sorted, one way or another.

Failing that, give the job to Raleigh!

He's moved there - that's a different matter to buying.

Aiton is deffo a better candidate for captain. PNG captain, more go forward, fitter/on the field longer - makes more sense

now I'm a fan of his but not sure he's much of a talker, more of a doer. Aiton for me as he was already PNG captain and does long minutes. For me we need 2 half backs who can create, 2 centres and a prop. Kyle wood could be one of those half backs given the chance and I'd day jarred sammut in place of smith at the end of the year.

He has been the most dissappointing signing for me, i expected more from him. He looks unfit, offers nothing going forward and puts the ball down way too often. I'd be prepared to give him time to come good in his true position of 2nd row but it would be no great loss if he went based on what we have seen so far.

Been reading the fall out from
Cas and agree with most of what has posted. However what about matty wildie in the halves with wood and give the captancy to him? Local
Lad who loves the team and is on the field for the full 80 and lets face it he would do no worse than tim smith or issac john not to mention at leased he would put the effort in!

#letsgosouth

As I only played at school, how important is the role of captain?

You need a leader of men, someone who inspires.

After seeing how he leads by example I'd pick Amor but he's been injured more than not lately.

Extremely important. Lets cast our mind back to the game V Bradford (at Odsal) in the final few rounds in 2006. The relegation survival year.

JD retrieved a kick through in his in goal area and beat 4/5 players to get out. The rest of the team was buoyed and lifted their game, That is an example captains action.

JD was more than just a 'action' captain. He was a leader of men. He had a positive effect in the dressing room because people respected him. The more respect you have for someone, the more you are inspired by them. The players saw how much Trinity meant to JD, there captain and followed suite. It is simple as that really?

What were people expecting with Southern, he has been crap for years. English clubs really need to stop signing NRL garbage.

a captains role can't be over stated. for me jd is one of the best examples. watched him at wakey and at keighley. watched him lead by example to inspire the rest of the team and watched him lay down the law at the back of the sticks when needed. there was no one talking at the back of the sticks last night or at lindon. the body language was abysmal. for my money there are only two players that might fit the bill of captain. one is obvious, highton because he is already doing the job with png team and the other one may be a bit controversial, its a player over the years i have not seen eye to eye with but he is local, has a big heart, even bigger b.lls and leads from the front. he definitely has a passion for wakefield. ben cockayne imo would be the guy for the job and it would probably make him twice the player he already is.

Thanks for those replies frogcat and kingsway cat. Odd to stick someone as captain who is a new signing from overseas then, and obviously not a Lewis/Langer level player.

Didn't he play at 2nd row last night?
Or should I say, named in 2nd row. Play is not really the right description!!!!!!

Some people??!!

How anyone can be singled out on the last 2 performances I do not know?? Apart from Fox and Cockayne they have all been below average at best!
In some ways at least Southern has an excuse whats the rest of the sides problem??!

If he is to be relieved then I can only see Washbrook or Aiton as options.

See where you are coming from but it could also make him try and do more, make more mistakes and start to get the crowd on his back. Aiton for me

From the Widnes game to last night, Southern looks a completely different player. He's definitely out of sorts. Whether it's off the field or not, something isn't right.

I sincerely hope the club are giving him and his family the help and support they need if this is the case.

Ideally we get a fit and happy Steve Southern back on the field ASAP or worst case back on a plane home (:

Bottomline for SS - his family have to come first

Steve Southern should be dropped on form from the 17 as should Paul Johnson for the next couple of games. If he has issues he needs supporting & time off. This along with injuries to Lauititi and Kirmond represents an opportunity for a revamped pack for the next couple of games.

Put in Walshaw,Mariano,James and Trout and see how they go.

Give the armband to Paul Aiton until Kirmond gets back and play him at loose forward and Ellis at 9.

Let him go and get Frankie in the team.