Re: The Modern Day Leeds Rhinos Cycle : Fri Oct 20, 2023 6:31 am  

Remember the optimism when we signed Brett Mullins, Robbie Mears and Bradley Clyde? Does this preseason feel a bit like that for some?

Re: The Modern Day Leeds Rhinos Cycle : Fri Oct 20, 2023 7:16 am  

Damo-Leeds wrote:

Remember the optimism when we signed Brett Mullins, Robbie Mears and Bradley Clyde? Does this preseason feel a bit like that for some?

The thought did occur to me. But then I read through the list of departed players someone posted and decided the risk of disappointment was better than definite disappointment.

Re: The Modern Day Leeds Rhinos Cycle : Fri Oct 20, 2023 11:27 am  

And you forgot Tonie Carroll who signed that season as well. He was probably the best of the bunch in terms of service, although was inconsistent.

At one point Carroll and Senior were our centres - what a terrifying prospect for the opposition. And some people think we should have kept Sutcliffe last year!

Seriously, the signings Leeds have made for 2024 look a lot more well-researched in terms of personalities and fitness, but it is always a massive risk with so many new spine players coming in at once.

Re: Is it time for Hetherington to go ? : Fri Oct 20, 2023 2:11 pm  

I watched 'As Good As It Gets?' (again) the other day, and it underlines how close the club came to 'doing a Bradford' in 1996, and how much impact GH had in turning the club's fortunes around on so many levels - the first team, the corporate stuff, the ground, building community relationships (etc). It's hard to imagine that our last crowd in 1996 was about 4000 (IIRC). Even without the trophy success that followed it was a huge achievement to turn the club around in the way he did. It seemed at the time Leeds would always bounce back but I don't think many realised how close we were to oblivion.

As for the rest of the film, it did strike me that despite the obvious talent in the first team, Leeds were pretty lucky to come away with all the trophies we did in 2015. Even great teams need a touch of luck. We clearly had very little in 2023, although we rode it well at the back end of 2022.

Re: Is it time for Hetherington to go ? : Fri Oct 20, 2023 2:35 pm  

Once were Loiners wrote:

Some of us were trying to make the point months ago about how difficult it could be managing a team where senior players know they aren't wanted.

Smith was working with a squad where he was actively looking to replace some of the most important players, and a number knew they would be gone at the end of the year. This would have made team spirit very difficult to maintain. The collateral was Walters, Austin and probably Leeming and Macdonald as well. Omelettes and eggs and all that....

I don't think that's the only thing that happened, as clearly GH realised we needed to go big in terms of recruitment. But we've seen an enormous turnover in the squad in the last year or so, and anyone who has experienced that sort of thing at work will know that managing through it was always going to be a huge challenge.

Smith lost some skin in this process too, with a lot of people calling for him to be sacked during the season, and I think we're all agreed he's now under huge pressure at the start of next year. But assuming this was always the plan, perhaps we can all give him a break for 2023 at least. Just think how often he had to front the press after games when players he didn't rate had played poorly. He never stuck the boot in, but my word he must have been tempted....

Yep. Coaches like Powell and Watson are never far from throwing the players - often individuals - under the bus. That Smith never wavered in that regard, is a mark of the man. I hope, and I think, he'll show the coaching chops to take us forward in 2024.

[Ex-Swarcliffe Rhino]

Re: Is it time for Hetherington to go ? : Fri Oct 20, 2023 3:02 pm  

Once were Loiners wrote:

Some of us were trying to make the point months ago about how difficult it could be managing a team where senior players know they aren't wanted.

Smith was working with a squad where he was actively looking to replace some of the most important players, and a number knew they would be gone at the end of the year. This would have made team spirit very difficult to maintain. The collateral was Walters, Austin and probably Leeming and Macdonald as well. Omelettes and eggs and all that....

I don't think that's the only thing that happened, as clearly GH realised we needed to go big in terms of recruitment. But we've seen an enormous turnover in the squad in the last year or so, and anyone who has experienced that sort of thing at work will know that managing through it was always going to be a huge challenge.

Smith lost some skin in this process too, with a lot of people calling for him to be sacked during the season, and I think we're all agreed he's now under huge pressure at the start of next year. But assuming this was always the plan, perhaps we can all give him a break for 2023 at least. Just think how often he had to front the press after games when players he didn't rate had played poorly. He never stuck the boot in, but my word he must have been tempted....

Great Post.

Re: The Modern Day Leeds Rhinos Cycle : Fri Oct 20, 2023 7:05 pm  

See I don’t think it is that risky: having 9 and 6 already combined is a big plus; Frawley and Miller are experienced players and fringe NRL quality: I really don’t think we’ll need too long to look like a team. If the players are good enough they will play well together.

Re: Is it time for Hetherington to go ? : Fri Oct 20, 2023 7:17 pm  

Sir Gregory ParsloeP wrote:

Not sure if this is aimed at me Jim but FWIW which is not much I’m sure the new sponsorship deal has made a big impact to ongoing finances.

I also have no personal dislike of GH or Rohan Smith. I just think not making top 4 in 7 of last 8 years is a consistent level of poor performance which would have resulted in GH losing his job at any other top club. I may be wrong he may still be the best CEO around but our record suggests the opposite.

I hope Rohan has more success than his uncle at Leeds.i bumped into him a few weeks ago in Boston Spa and he is a nice guy. Hopefully the new signings all come off.

We look light at prop to me but as you say it’s his team now so he can play the way he wants.the 2 Frenchmen will be key.

Given he has been backed now, I hope the pre-season means we start next year better but it’s focused on having a good season and not trying too hard to get a flying start and then. Running out of gas.

The whole new spine will take time to hit their collective straps.

Not really aimed specifically at you mate; I actually think RS is proving a better squad manager than first team coach at this point - personally I agree with just about every departure bar Walters and the only signing he’s made which boils my blood is Olpherts.

We didn’t run out of gas because of RS coaching: we ran out of gas because Austin spat his dummy, Nene went AWOL, Sezer lost interest, Sangare got crocked and various others were injured or having to play out of position etc.

We still ended up thumping Cas missing Holroyd and Smith, two of our best players.

Re: The Modern Day Leeds Rhinos Cycle : Fri Oct 20, 2023 7:25 pm  

They'll have a full pre-season together to get to know each other too.

Hopefully they'll use the pre-season games efficiently this year.

Re: Is it time for Hetherington to go ? : Fri Oct 20, 2023 8:01 pm  

Agree about Walters and Olpherts.

My point about running out of gas next year was not very well explained.

I hope that Smith does not feel under so much pressure to get a big start to next year that he over trains us pre-season and then we run out of gas mid year, I think Powell may have done last year and John Kear at wakey used to apply that approach to get early season wins to avoid the drop.

I’d like to see us grow through the year and put a good full season together and see where it leads.

Not sure the pack is there to push the top 3 but think it’s important Smith can ensure we have far fewer really poor performances and we get to a better level of consistent good play.