New Leeds Rhinos Coach

[Chrispmartha]

2 minutes ago, Tommygilf said:

A genuine quote in the post match "we did a lot of decent things today, we actually defended Field and French really well".

I'm sorry but the coach is delusional and out of his depth.

They did actually deal with French and Field, they just forgot about the other 15 players

[DavidM]

3 minutes ago, Tommygilf said:

A genuine quote in the post match "we did a lot of decent things today, we actually defended Field and French really well".

I'm sorry but the coach is delusional and out of his depth.

Wow , it’s like that bloke in the Iraq War saying they were destroying the enemy as all the tanks roled up behind him 

[Damien]

3 minutes ago, Chrispmartha said:

The bigger picture is getting the right players in and bringing through the kids.

The academy has also been neglected since McDermott was there and afterwards aswell.

None of that should be conditional on a head coach. Yes they can lead, direct and instill a good culture but at most clubs much of the good youth work is done by a head of youth, academy coaches etc. If that isn't the case that seems a club failing, rather than coach, and improvements should be led by the club. That is why Wigan and Saints have consistently done well and had such continuity at youth level. Whatever the head coach the youth structures continue.

[Damien]

5 minutes ago, Tommygilf said:

A genuine quote in the post match "we did a lot of decent things today, we actually defended Field and French really well".

I'm sorry but the coach is delusional and out of his depth.

Easy to defend 2 players if you don't bother to defend the other 11!

[Chrispmartha]

Just now, Damien said:

None of that should be conditional on a head coach. Yes they can lead, direct and instill a good culture but at most clubs much of the good youth work is done by a head of youth, academy coaches etc. If that isn't the case that seems a club failing, rather than coach, and improvements should be led by the club. That is why Wigan and Saints have consistently done well and had such continuity at youth level. Whatever the head coach the youth structures continue.

Im agreeing with you that’s why im saying Smith isn’t the issue, it’s too simplistic to blame a coach after a big defeat

[Tommygilf]

7 minutes ago, Chrispmartha said:

They did actually deal with French and Field, they just forgot about the other 15 players

Only someone completely disconnected from reality could think saying that was a good idea

[Damien]

11 minutes ago, Chrispmartha said:

Im agreeing with you that’s why im saying Smith isn’t the issue, it’s too simplistic to blame a coach after a big defeat

So in the 16 months of what can be attributable to Smith what has got better? I accept these things take time but why should Smith deserve more time than say Powell at Warrington?

[Chrispmartha]

Just now, Damien said:

So in the 16 months of what can be attributable to Smith what has got better? I accept these things take time but why should Smith deserve more time than say Powell at Warrington?

He’s cleared the squad out, he did also get us to a Grand final, Powell got Warrington playimg well for about 8 games with the squad he assembled. Smith hasn’t had chance to get his squad yet due to poor recruitment- retention before he joined

Smith has also played a lot of young players, and players like Cam Smith have got better under him.

Leeds’ issues will take longer than 16 months to sort

[Tommygilf]

To quote an excellent comment on Facebook, "Rohan Smith is a top coach he just needs another 6 years to get "his team""

[LeeF]

2 hours ago, Chrispmartha said:

He’s cleared the squad out, he did also get us to a Grand final, Powell got Warrington playimg well for about 8 games with the squad he assembled. Smith hasn’t had chance to get his squad yet due to poor recruitment- retention before he joined

Smith has also played a lot of young players, and players like Cam Smith have got better under him.

Leeds’ issues will take longer than 16 months to sort

Other than Cam Smith who else has actually got better 

[OnStrike]

11 minutes ago, LeeF said:

Other than Cam Smith who else has actually got better 

O'Connor?

[Tommygilf]

7 minutes ago, OnStrike said:

O'Connor?

Who was lets be honest, bang average at best to now just above bang average.

[LeeF]

17 minutes ago, OnStrike said:

O'Connor?

Has he?

[OnStrike]

10 minutes ago, LeeF said:

Has he?

I think so. Gone from a fringe player to a key part of the team. Wasn't he loaned out last year? I rate him anyway...not sure if it has anything to do with Smith mind

[Tommygilf]

2 minutes ago, OnStrike said:

I think so. Gone from a fringe player to a key part of the team. Wasn't he loaned out last year? I rate him anyway...not sure if it has anything to do with Smith mind

He is a pretty average dummy half who does what Smith wants; that is tackle and pass straight to first receiver 99% of the time. Very few other top flight clubs/coaches would want such a limited 9.

[Chrispmartha]

47 minutes ago, Tommygilf said:

He is a pretty average dummy half who does what Smith wants; that is tackle and pass straight to first receiver 99% of the time. Very few other top flight clubs/coaches would want such a limited 9.

Smith wanted to sign Danny Levi for next year.

[Tommygilf]

1 hour ago, Chrispmartha said:

Smith wanted to sign Danny Levi for next year.

And did he???

[Whippet13]

Must disagree with Rohan Smith.

Leeds did not deal with Jay Field at all, he scored one and had a hand in creating half a dozen Wigan tries, thought he had a really good game.

As for French, Wigan seem to be turning him into a 6, at which he is a work in progress - he would have carved Leed up from the wing.

Leeds are in a big mess on and off the pitch, clearly some very deep and current issues looking at their (ongoing) recruitment decisions.

[Tommygilf]

8 hours ago, Whippet13 said:

Must disagree with Rohan Smith.

Congratulations on your move to the land of the sane!

[GeordieSaint]

14 hours ago, DavidM said:

Wow , it’s like that bloke in the Iraq War saying they were destroying the enemy as all the tanks roled up behind him 

Comical Rohan…

[meast]

11 hours ago, Chrispmartha said:

Smith wanted to sign Danny Levi for next year.

So did half the SL coaches including the one who held his contract 

[rhinos78]

Smiths had a shocker this season, anybody saying otherwise is deluded.

His approach to pre-season was a ###### take

He's got a phobia of playing players in their strongest position, Morgan Gannon a prime example, confidence looked shot yesterday at the end of Smiths season long obsession of thinking he can play 6, centre, or whatever else, because he did for siddal u12's or something

Wants to be the smartest person in the room, trying to reinvent the wheel of how the game should be played, often going against the core principals of successful RL, as the table suggests

Now we'r in this constant cycle of the Leeds coach needing time to get ‘their squad‘ and another 'rebuild' that takes years, when coaches at Salford just about yearly and this year Leigh, put squads together on the fly, and have them playing good rugby and finishing above Leeds.

He oversee's error ridden bunch who play some of the dumbest rugby you are likely to see and often dont seem ready for a game against teams in and around them at the bottom of the table. Listening to the players they seem to think its acceptable to scrape into the play offs (even failed with that) which all screams a poor attitude which a coach should be on top of.

All that said, he was a breath of fresh air last season, and he may turn it around next, i really hope he does, but this season, he's got too much wrong. Its the hope that kills you, this year was the first time in a long time i was going into a season thinking we had the right coach at the helm...Then Pre Season started.

[Tommygilf]

7 minutes ago, rhinos78 said:

Smiths had a shocker this season, anybody saying otherwise is deluded.

His approach to pre-season was a ###### take

He's got a phobia of playing players in their strongest position, Morgan Gannon a prime example, confidence looked shot yesterday at the end of Smiths season long obsession of thinking he can play 6, centre, or whatever else, because he did for siddal u12's or something

Wants to be the smartest person in the room, trying to reinvent the wheel of how the game should be played, often going against the core principals of successful RL, as the table suggests

Now we'r in this constant cycle of the Leeds coach needing time to get ‘their squad‘ and another 'rebuild' that takes years, when coaches at Salford just about yearly and this year Leigh, put squads together on the fly, and have them playing good rugby and finishing above Leeds.

He oversee's error ridden bunch who play some of the dumbest rugby you are likely to see and often dont seem ready for a game against teams in and around them at the bottom of the table. Listening to the players they seem to think its acceptable to scrape into the play offs (even failed with that) which all screams a poor attitude which a coach should be on top of.

All that said, he was a breath of fresh air last season, and he may turn it around next, i really hope he does, but this season, he's got too much wrong. Its the hope that kills you, this year was the first time in a long time i was going into a season thinking we had the right coach at the helm...Then Pre Season started.

I absolutely concur with that assessment. All started to go wrong in pre season for me.

[Harry Stottle]

16 hours ago, Chrispmartha said:

The bigger picture is getting the right players in and bringing through the kids.

The academy has also been neglected since McDermott was there and afterwards aswell.

Weve had poor performances but weve also only been hammered twice, weve also had 3 senior players leave as I say next year is smiths big test.

I must applaud you 100% Chris, you really are the most optimistic poster we have on these pages as far as your team is concerned.

[Harry Stottle]

16 hours ago, Chrispmartha said:

He’s cleared the squad out, he did also get us to a Grand final, Powell got Warrington playimg well for about 8 games with the squad he assembled. Smith hasn’t had chance to get his squad yet due to poor recruitment- retention before he joined

Smith has also played a lot of young players, and players like Cam Smith have got better under him.

Leeds’ issues will take longer than 16 months to sort

Read that back to yourself Chris and consider the points you make, as far as Smith hasn't had a chance of putting 'his' squad together does he not get consulted who should join the club, you have already said he has cleared out some dead wood, so he is just a hench man and as nothing to do with recruitment, well if that is the case no coach will get what they want need or require under that system, it just won't work who ever the coach is, if the coach has a game plan he needs the right player's to make it work,  if you want a comparrison look at Adrian Lam, he signed who he wanted with the assistance of Chris Chester (within finances) and told Mr Beaumont that part of accepting the job is for him to keep his nose out of team affairs, and all done without the luxury of having an academy, in that situation Leeds would be close to relegation now.

The bottom line is, if you employ a coach the team is his domain, and he should live or die by his own actions not interference from elsewhere within the club.