Re: RD 8 | Huddersfield Giants (H) : Sat Apr 20, 2024 12:07 pm  

Having been at the game and watched Rohan’s post match thoughts. I thought his description of what happened was pretty accurate. But, the point surely is that though this demonstrates his skill in reading a game, he is actually employed as the coach not as a Rugby League analyst. So, fans are naturally left wondering about how he can’t translate his knowledge of the game into improving the performance of the team - particularly during games.
It is accurate to say that the collapse coincided with Fusitua and Newman leaving the field, and though Martin is an experienced replacement as a back, McDonnell was brutally exposed by Swift on our right hand side. But some of those tries in the second half were terrible to concede.
What Leeds did well in the first half was to keep possession and not engage in daft offloads, and just focus on field possession. This wasn’t exciting but for most of the first half seemed effective. Once the game started to swing back and forth in the second half, Leeds went into giddy mode (when they had the ball) and they started to doubt that they could win out by re-focussing on possession.
A bitter defeat like that is not necessarily a fair place to be drawing broader conclusions, but there are some weaknesses that go back to Rohan’s approach to roster management. Part of his approach is to pick up fringe players from other teams and hope he can improve them. And as usual with any coach in any sport he shows loyalty and support when fans may not feel it’s justified - e.g. Fusitua was having a decent game, but he is very injury prone and fans did question the sense of earmarking a significant part of the cap on a part timer.
And there is also the debate about the balance of accountability between the coach and the players, when things go wrong as spectacularly as they did last night. The startling piece of evidence we have is that Rohan firmly distanced himself from the bonkers idea of the short kick off by Miller near the end (never mind it’s comedic execution). So, why are supposedly experienced players making repeated daft decisions - the answer has to be that this makes the coach look weak, and perhaps unable to stand up to senior players.

Re: RD 8 | Huddersfield Giants (H) : Sat Apr 20, 2024 12:37 pm  

he started out as an analyst. he should go back to it

Re: RD 8 | Huddersfield Giants (H) : Sat Apr 20, 2024 12:44 pm  

I think Smith could make a very good club manager, in the sort of role Hetherington has played for decades. Or in a central role at the RFL looking at the game as a whole. Suggesting he doesn't know his stuff when it comes to RL is ridiculous. But its really looking like he's not going to work out as head coach.

Just on Miller's kick, to me the responsibility is the half backs. Both Frawley and Croft can kick. Everyone knows Miller is flaky under pressure. They need to push him out of the way and take ownership of the situation. Miller to me reverts to his 7s days under pressure - high risk and all or nothing plays. The way to stop that mattering is to take the decisions away from him.

Re: RD 8 | Huddersfield Giants (H) : Sat Apr 20, 2024 1:18 pm  

Once were Loiners wrote:

I think Smith could make a very good club manager, in the sort of role Hetherington has played for decades. Or in a central role at the RFL looking at the game as a whole. Suggesting he doesn't know his stuff when it comes to RL is ridiculous. But its really looking like he's not going to work out as head coach.

Just on Miller's kick, to me the responsibility is the half backs. Both Frawley and Croft can kick. Everyone knows Miller is flaky under pressure. They need to push him out of the way and take ownership of the situation. Miller to me reverts to his 7s days under pressure - high risk and all or nothing plays. The way to stop that mattering is to take the decisions away from him.

I agree with most of this. We lack leadership in these critical on field moments in games. Either it's the captain, the halves, or collective trust in everybody executing the game plan.

Regarding the captain, Smith is probably a good clubman and he's got a good RL brain, but he doesn't seem to be a good leader. He might improve with time, but we've had much younger captains who have been better (e.g. Iestyn, early 00s Sinfield). In fairness Stevie Ward should be doing this job. I don't have much more confidence in Handley, especially given his positioning on the wing, although he's a better player. Maybe Martin, Ackers or Croft would be better choices? Croft needs to be more involved, and maybe this is the way to do it.

The halves need to exert themselves more on the game and their teammates.

Croft summed it up nicely in his interview when he said the players need more belief. There isn't the collective trust in one another not to make errors in possesion, not to make silly defensive lapses, so about half the team are going into their shells and trying to do individual stuff (or take short-cuts) to get us out of trouble. The coach has some responsibility here, but we're lacking that mental resilience to carry into the last 15 minutes of games, when the pressure to crack and revert to lost sheep is at its greatest.

Re: RD 8 | Huddersfield Giants (H) : Sat Apr 20, 2024 4:04 pm  

Once were Loiners wrote:

I think Smith could make a very good club manager, in the sort of role Hetherington has played for decades. Or in a central role at the RFL looking at the game as a whole. Suggesting he doesn't know his stuff when it comes to RL is ridiculous. But its really looking like he's not going to work out as head coach.

Just on Miller's kick, to me the responsibility is the half backs. Both Frawley and Croft can kick. Everyone knows Miller is flaky under pressure. They need to push him out of the way and take ownership of the situation. Miller to me reverts to his 7s days under pressure - high risk and all or nothing plays. The way to stop that mattering is to take the decisions away from him.

Cameron Smith is the captain he should have got the ball gave it to Frawley and said wang it down field. Miller should not be making those decisions.

Re: RD 8 | Huddersfield Giants (H) : Sat Apr 20, 2024 4:14 pm  

The player taking the drop outs will be decided before the game, and although it may not seem like it, they practice them regularly

Re: RD 8 | Huddersfield Giants (H) : Sat Apr 20, 2024 5:08 pm  

Miller made a couple of big mistakes in the game - he has made mistakes in most games before this too. That’s on him, stop blaming the coach.

What we can blame RS for is leaving two injured players on the field for way too long… but then our cover players got found out too. Can’t remember ever seeing a right centre and right wing have to get subbed at the same time before.

RS had to get these signings right for 2024 and I’m not convinced he has.

I think we’re still 2-3 star quality players short of a confidently good side. GH has made most of the big decisions behind the scenes to this point. He’s frankly too old and set in his ways IMO: the world and the game has moved on and so should Leeds.

Re: RD 8 | Huddersfield Giants (H) : Sat Apr 20, 2024 6:56 pm  

Whilst I`m not a Smith fan you do have to feel sorry for him, sort of.
Newman and Fusitua both coming off and McDonnell at centre with Mom on the wing was an attackers dream.
Miller not able to kick the ball from a drop out.
Oledezki making a break and throwing a wild pass to nobody.
Sangare off loading when everyone could see he needed to keep hold.
McDonnell was it giving a soft pen to get them up the pitch just before HT.
Kendall missing a knock on for their last try and possibly not penalising Huddersfield for the tackle on Miller resulting in a drop out.
We get the above our way and we win the game reasonably comfortably.
Maybe Smith has run over a black cat as I did think first 35 minutes we had turned a corner.
Oh well.

Re: RD 8 | Huddersfield Giants (H) : Sat Apr 20, 2024 7:07 pm  

amazing people are still finding excuses for smith

Re: RD 8 | Huddersfield Giants (H) : Sat Apr 20, 2024 8:12 pm  

Tad don’t you rate Smith then?