Asgardian13 wrote:
The two statements are entirely consistent. TS loves the game of rugby league but is disillusioned right now at its state. He clearly points the finger in these remarks at Red Hall and many would agree with him.
End of the day, TS is pointing fingers at dead rubbers but if championship teams matched the intensity of SL teams then there wouldn't be as many dead rubbers would there? Having a qualifiers is a good idea IMO and it allows teams who are able to compete to rise to the top. Look at Leigh. Yeas they've been beaten but in the majority of games they've been beaten by a Try or two, they've given teams a game. they've not just been whipping boys, they've matched established SL teams and took them all the way.
Now, had leigh been allowed to come straight up two seasons ago when they finished top would that have happened? no. they'd have been battered every week. when they went into a middle 8's all cocky they had the shock of their lives when it came to matching SL intensity week in week out, rather than 3 or for times a season in the championship.
Look at the top 8 now, Hull, Saints, Wigan & Wakefield are all battling it out for 3rd and 4th. That's incredible, we're down to the last week of the regular league season and its gone all the way to the last round of fixtures to decide who contests for a GF spot.
Its not the system that's broke, the system works. 'Every minute matters' and it does, because had we closed out the magic weekend, or been smarter at Wakefield and Huddersfield we'd be in the Top 8 sitting in 6th place when it came to the split and we'd be a team competing for a semi final place.
So no. I don't agree with TS's comments and if he had addressed the dire situation that everyone could see, he'd be in charge and we'd be excited for a chance of scraping into a final and looking forward to next season.
His own stubbornness has been his downfall. He has his favorite 'undroppables', he always has. Players who come back from injury and just walk straight back into the team. Failure to communicate with the fans and address the problems. After our 5th straight loss changes should have been made. Matty Russell was a turnstile, Hughes couldn't catch a cold, Dwyer inability to create anything around the ruck, Sims ran with the intensity of a toddler... It needed addressing! signings needed to be made but it never happened because Tony Smith was to stubborn to admit that the team he was picking was S&$*. It was insulting to turn out and show the fans the rugby we were playing. He brought in his mate Agar and ever since our creativity and look of enthusiasm within the team has completely vanished, It was never addressed. He can moan and whinge all he wants but all the current problems within our team have started with a decision by the man in charge. Smith.
I can never thank him enough for what he allowed me to witness as a fan, Webley, League leaders, Grand final appearances... It's been the stuff of dreams. However good all that was though, the fact is his shelf life expired in 2013. The club clanged on and on, hoping something might happen instead of growing a set of balls and making a change. so, as a result, we have this season.
We need a new coaching set up (assistant coaches, backroom staff, the lot.) and a complete clearout, top to bottom.
