Re: RD 20 | St Helens (A) : Sat Jul 29, 2023 8:23 am  

No way should we use a Quota place on Fusitua, totally unreliable and hit and miss when fit.


I understand we arnt privy to everything and we may have something big lined up recruitment wise (Doubtful) but optics are important, and currently, from top to bottom, we look shambolic, we do not act like a club desperate to be the best and havn't done for years.

Recruitment has been poor, we pick up the players left over after the ambitious clubs have finished. I admire the optimism, but the clever moneys on another sh*tshow, all this cap space We've been "building" towards and so far we'v got an undersized forward, who, while a solid enough player, does not move the needle in terms of us improving in any significant way. all these good British players who have switched clubs over the last couple of years, Nicholson to Warrington, Clarke to Saints, Dupree to Wigan, Johnston to Catalan , Wardle to Wigan etc, we just seem asleep or not interested...Not sure which is the bigger failure.

For a club who allegedly discuss recruitment and retention every day, we dont appear to have a clue on either front...Not unlike a moment in last nights game when on last tackle, while the 9's about to pass the ball, Austin can be seen asking someone else, probably Sezer, whats happening, as he didnt appear to have a clue either.

Like i say, outside looking in, it does not look like we are a club desperate to be the best, I just really hope they prove me wrong in the coming days, weeks, months etc

What i do know is that this season has been an abject failure, even by the now seemingly accepted standards of scraping into the playoffs and a decent cup run.

Re: RD 20 | St Helens (A) : Sat Jul 29, 2023 8:26 am  

tad rhino wrote:

yesterday was the 10th anniversary of the death of graham Murray.
he would have won the league with this set of players

A very sad anniversary. Only two years at Leeds but possibly my favourite coach. That said, I think you are massively over estimating the potential of the current squad if you think any coach, past or present, has them winning the league.

Re: RD 20 | St Helens (A) : Sat Jul 29, 2023 8:29 am  

the standard is awful. he would have this pack dominating. he would have organised, inspired and got them playing as a team. there would have been set plays.
everything that's not happening now

Re: RD 20 | St Helens (A) : Sat Jul 29, 2023 8:30 am  

tad rhino wrote:

I love your totally blind faith christopher.
believe

It’s not ‘blind faith’ its a pragmatic view of where we are but also not throwing the baby out with the bath water.

We are currently not good enough as a squad but I don’t think we are as far off as is being made out, and people wanting wholesale changes is just not realistic.

Re: RD 20 | St Helens (A) : Sat Jul 29, 2023 8:33 am  

we are worse than last year. gone backwards at a rate of knots. I agree with the right recruitment and coach we will be fine. I have no faith in either

Re: RD 20 | St Helens (A) : Sat Jul 29, 2023 8:37 am  

Leeds remind me of where St Helens were when Cunningham was in charge. That all changed in one season when Holbrook came in.

Leeds are too big of a club to be where they are now and it won’t be long until you are back challenging.

Good luck for the rest of the season

Re: RD 20 | St Helens (A) : Sat Jul 29, 2023 8:45 am  

tad rhino wrote:

the standard is awful. he would have this pack dominating. he would have organised, inspired and got them playing as a team. there would have been set plays.
everything that's not happening now

The standard of the league debate isn't really relevant. It is what it is and I doubt the fans of Leigh, Catalans, Salford and Hull KR would agree. If you stick Iestyn Harris in the current Leeds we win a lot more games. Smith does not have the luxury of such a player. How many games did the 98 and 99 sides win without him? Murray was a great coach and a charismatic leader, but my point is that real talent on the field generally sets teams apart. Not much of it currently on show in the blue and amber.

Re: RD 20 | St Helens (A) : Sat Jul 29, 2023 8:47 am  

TheWarringtonWolve69 wrote:

Leeds remind me of where St Helens were when Cunningham was in charge. That all changed in one season when Holbrook came in.

Leeds are too big of a club to be where they are now and it won’t be long until you are back challenging.

Good luck for the rest of the season

I disagree on the cunningham comparison, at least we’ve shown we can play attractive winning rugby, saints were just dire all round under cunningham IMO.

Also did Holbrook coincide with Ben Barber signing who totally changed that side

Re: RD 20 | St Helens (A) : Sat Jul 29, 2023 8:47 am  

I did say when leeds signed sangare that I just don't see a top level prop in him and I stand by that, I certainly don't think he's earned an early extension.

Re: RD 20 | St Helens (A) : Sat Jul 29, 2023 8:49 am  

ArthurClues wrote:

The standard of the league debate isn't really relevant. It is what it is and I doubt the fans of Leigh, Catalans, Salford and Hull KR would agree. If you stick Iestyn Harris in the current Leeds we win a lot more games. Smith does not have the luxury of such a player. How many games did the 98 and 99 sides win without him? Murray was a great coach and a charismatic leader, but my point is that real talent on the field generally sets teams apart. Not much of it currently on show in the blue and amber.

I was thinking this last night, with Newman being injured all the time we are totally lacking an X factor player, most if not all the sides above us have one or in Wigans case 2