I think some people too often equate quality with good to watch and so we occasionally get the silly posts of so and so from 20 years ago would walk over so and so of today. When of course they really wouldn’t.

However I’d definitely agree the game isn’t as good to watch, and I’ve said this for a few years so it’s not just because Leeds aren’t at the top anymore.

We seem to get 1 or 2 teams a season who can play rugby that we would call entertaining. I don’t think that’s enough to sustain the sport. I think we actively need to find ways to make the game more open and expansive. I was watching some old games from 2002-2005 the other day, some of the defence on show was awful by today’s standards however the game seemed faster and more open and was much more entertaining.
I don’t know how we can take the wrestle out of the game but that’s a part of it I’m sure.
I’d also bring in 2 very simple rule changes that I think could open the game up more almost immediately.

1 - change the rule where an attacker goes into touch from a scrum to the defence to a play the ball where the attacker goes in touch, a bit like NFL.

We are struggling to find space on the pitch yet we have this rule in place that effectively shrinks the pitch by 5m on either side. How many times would wingers try and take on the outside if there wasn’t the danger of losing possession? It would also open up possibilities to attack from your own half.

2 - change the rule for when defences can move up after a play the ball to when the acting half back picks the ball up.

Something else I’ve noticed from older games that appeared more entertaining was the amount of time and space the halves or first receivers had on the ball was massively more than now. So let’s give attackers more time and space, it might only be a small change but it should help at least.

HIM- sorry but if you don't think the Leeds Saints Bradford teams wouldn't walk over the teams of today you are delusional. Of course we factor in that those sides would be better conditioned with the times but in general they were just by far better RL players. This current Leeds team would take an absolute hiding at the hands of all three.

His recent interview in the yep sounds as if he knows hes not getting another deal, and with the recent signing of the hudds back rower it looks like hes a gonner.

The time to talk seriously about relegation is with less than 4 games to go IMO.

The fixture list is fairly kind to us hull kr play London twice before then and our points difference is in our favour

Watkins going when Ward is due back keeps some quality in the second row for us.
Echo some other posters here; I’d put McLelland in at half now. The lad has lots to learn but he defends quite well for his age and he is a better field kicker than anybody in first grade IMO.
Myler is done for me. Agar and KS both played in the halves and they can’t be blind to how abject he is on last plays. I know he’s playing under pressure but this is Leeds, you have to still perform.
Some of the distribution from dummy half and half was terrible tonight - not SL standard.
Probably a case of two steps forward and one back; we are certainly defending better than we were and that’s a positive. There are just too many players still not delivering time after time and I hope KS has his broom handy still.

If ever there was a game that showed how desperately we need a 6, 7 and 9 it was tonight.

Thought Merrin was spectacular as usual, proper forward, Big Ava ran well and Cuthbo did ok off the bench. The pack have a right to be disappointed tonight with our poor our halves was. Really poor.

Having said that there was too many errors and too many penalties to win a winnable game.

The priorities have be a new number 9 and 2 halves. You cant bring a new half in and expect him to be able to do the job with Dwyer at 9 it's impossible for any half. I'm sorry.

Is there really any quality halves available at this time of year anyway? I suspect not really.

Really frustrated with that tonight. The effort and endeavour was there for all to see and the game was there to be taken and we didnt get the job done. Just not good enough this team right now.

I thought cuthbertson went ok aswell.

Id be offering Salford a big amount to get Hastings in for this season,
They are short of cash and would surely be open to a transfer fee rather than letting him go for nothing at the end of the season, if he wants an NRL get out clause as long as its a non mid season one then so be it.

Again watching it back Merrin was outstanding and AVA went well, were a half back short of being a decent side IMO

Edited no were a couple of half backs of being a decent side

I think we are more than a half back short Chris but i take the point that a good 6 would help the team if they get the ball when and how they want it. There is no point signing a Hastings or Maloney and then having them set a play up only for Dwyer to run across the park 15 yards like a headless chicken or put a kick in for himself.

We badly need a 9 to go with a pair of halves really to make us a half decent team.

We will have a lot of cap space available at the end of the season to bring in quality players but it has to be quality because these are key positions in any team.

Three out of four years near the bottom without a decent halfback. One year with one won the comp. Not the only issue but that speaks volumes.

I personally would keep Parcell, I think he’s the best hooker at the club but it looks like he’s gone.

I like Dwyer but only as an impact player, I do think that were only a fe players from being a decent team though, I think We’ve seemn a fair bit of improvement since Furner has gone its not really translated into wins though but I think it will, we seem to have gone back to basics a bit, which I’m fine with the issue is our halves aren’t capable of doing the basics, I would as I say go all out to get hastings in for this season barring that I would give mcclelland a go alongside Myler, as poor as Myler has been we have actually looked much worse without him.

What is frustrating is we actually have 2 of the best centres in the league but they are getting terrible service, Newman IMO is a star in the making but he’s getting poor ball and he’s constantly trying to make something out of nothing, which In fairness he’s doing.

If we don’t get another half back for this season and this may be unpopular I would actually play Tui at 6 as he was signed to be, he has got a great passing game and he won’t be as exposed as at full back, if Walker continues to be injured give Golding a go

I realise Ive totally contradicted myself in the post above regarding the halfbacks, I blame the Brandy ive just had

I agree with a lot of what you say Chris. Parcell is a better 9 than Dwyer but hes not doing it and for quota player to be playing 20 mins a week when available its not good enough.

The one thing I disagree is on Tui, who has more ability than people give him credit but he cant defend and therefore cant play 6 and his kicking game is as poor as the rest.

There has been a big improvement in spirit and effort since Furner left which is why tonight has left more frustrated than other performances.

That was so frustrating its yet again highlighted how desperate we are for HB's.
It's also sickening seeing the lads bust their guts out only for Myler Sutty or Lolohea waste it.
I've also had it with the Agar experiment yes spirit & effort has improved but those are what any pro Team should have irrespective of Coach.
Ferres yet again gets picked cheap penalties & brings nothing else.
Merrin Ava & Newman were my top 3 oh & how Kendall can be classed as a FT Pro Official shows you exactly how poor that part of the sport is at the moment.

I usually defend Myler but he was absolutely dire tonight, not a Singleton fan either but he was better tonight. Everyone raves about Dwyer but he runs around like a headless chicken far too often, give me Parcell anytime .

Might we need to replace Parcel to free up a quota spot? If that's what it takes to get a halfback sobeit.

Thought Newman went backwards last night. Not a bad thing as needs to learn, and will do. Definitely top three were. Merrin, Singleton (yes Singleton, best game in a long long time), and Ava.

Also, I don’t want Agar, but give the guy some credit. He has definitely done what was asked of him, and got the team playing together at least and showing some desire. I really couldn’t have seen any other coaching appointment have improved on that with how we were. Now we have that, we need the next step.

At least we got ourselves in good positions in that second half. First half I actually thought for the most part we would never score a try. Defensively for the most part we were strong.

Doesn't happen very often, but I agree with all that

Kendalls the worst official in superleague and imo he has a clear bias against Leeds. In 30 years of supporting Leeds iv thought a lot of refs have been useless, but iv never once thought one was bias, i do with Kendall, every single time he refs us. I know its not the popular thing to say, but thats how i feel.

Having said that, we have got some of the worst players iv ever seen play for Leeds in this squad, 2 of which are our starting halfs, they are without doubt the worst halfback pairing in superleague and would be middle of the pack in the championship, disgraceful effort from both again last night. Our spine last night was Dwyer, Myler, Suttcliffe and Lolohea...Thats why we lost. Add in Ferres who is by far the worst player in superleague imo, whos every contribution hurts the team, we are exactly where we deserve to be, a very real relegation scrap.

Thought Ava and Trent were both very good again, Singleton went well aswel. Hurrell gets used like the big kid in u12's, we really need to use him better, his ball security is a massive issue when he's chugging it up into traffic in our own half, good ball in the right areas and he'l terrorize teams, again though, our halfbacks wouldnt know good ball if they fell over it.

Thing is we are almost in the top 5 shows how poor the league is at the moment bar saints and wire not the sort of season I'd expect as a wigan fan and same for you lot I guess

Absolutely agree. Put two good halves in the team of ours last night we win by plenty

The player that disappoints me is Cameron Smith - this would be an ideal opportunity to stick your hand up and really show what he is made of. All we are getting is minimal contribution at a pretty low performance level. It would appear that all the hype was misplaced and like his brother he will be yet another journeyman. Something is wrong in the development of talented youngsters at Leeds.

I agree with a few on here re Dwyer plenty of effort but runs around like a headless chicken too often. Hes a decent impact hooker but we need better long term.

I lost count of the bad kicks myler put in near opponents line.. the kid is shot to pieces.

I think he has next year to prove what he can do, but I agree he’s been underwhelming this year. Doesn’t help that he was in at 6 and dummy half last night at times.

If I remember well, you never wiped the floor with the Super League team you met in the Challenge Cup Final at Cardiff.

Infact I believe you lost, if my memory serves me better than yours.

You really need to re-read what he posted.

you still dining out on that one ? aw !

still nothing like a giant killing memory to look back on