Leeds Rhinos fans blast pack, question effort, predict loss v Wigan Warriors after Salford Red Devils defeat

Rhinos are four points adrift of the play-offs places and that is a gap they can’t see the team bridging in seven matches, especially given Leeds’ tough run-in which begins at home to Wigan Warriors this weekend. Last Saturday’s 22-16 defeat at Salford Red Devils left our panel of supporters questioning the players’ quality and effort, particularly in the pack and wondering if there’s any sign of things improving for next year.

TOM GOLDSWORTHY

Once again my optimism has come back to haunt me as Leeds put in a disappointing performance against play-off rivals Salford. While it is still possible we can make the top-six, we need something just short of a miracle to get even close.

We saw the best and the worst from Leeds on Saturday in a game that summed up our season. In the first half we looked impressive, especially when we went 12-0 up within 10 minutes. However, 10-minute performances do not win you games. The second half was the same old Leeds, unfortunately: no discipline, no effort, no desire to win the game. I don't think Salford deserved to win it either, we just threw it away as usual.

There are too many players within that team who do not deserve to wear the famous Blue and Amber shirt, whether it be through a lack of quality or a lack of effort. I don't think we need a complete rebuild for next season, but something has to change. Another season without making the play-offs should not be happening at a club like Leeds.

If Leeds again don't show up, like last Saturday, Wigan will have a field day with us. It will be the Warriors’ third game in just over a week, but I still think they will have the quality to put us to the sword and it will be another tough afternoon for Leeds.

DAVID MUHL

That was a disappointing evening for the Rhinos. Even the most optimistic of supporters must realise our chances of a top-six finish are gone and our season is, for all intents and purposes, over.

Leeds started well and I felt a win was on the cards. Going 12-0 up had me feeling this was going to be our night, but for some unknown reason everything collapsed and we went back to our usual game play: unforced errors and silly penalties and our kicking game went to pieces.

I’ve backed the players all year, but I’m starting to wonder if they just aren’t good enough. The effort is there most of the time, but players who can’t do the basics - passing, tackling, playing the ball - will not win games. It doesn’t matter if you’ve got the greatest coach in the world, as my old man used to say, ‘you can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear’.

We’ve known all year we were short of a big go-forward prop, but other than Mik Oledzki we have no one among the forwards who can dominate a game. Our backline on paper looks world class, but cannot operate behind a beaten pack every week. It was a scruffy game not helped by over-pedantic referee Tom Grant who seemed to want to blow the pea out of his whistle, including giving the most bizarre knock-on decision I think I’ve ever seen.

We have some difficult games coming up; Wigan at home followed by Warrington at Magic and then back to HQ for Catalans. I can’t see us getting anything from these three fixtures. All we can hope for is that Brad Arthur improves the players we have and improves the discipline in the team for whoever comes in next year.

BECKY OXLEY

‘Frustrating’ was the word of the day for me. A sunny Saturday in Salford started fast and positive, but soon turned scrappy and, to be honest, it was a poor performance.

We came out on fire and I thought we were in for a good game of rugby. How wrong was I? Once again the ref was very involved in the game with penalties and yellow cards, but as I always say, don’t play the ref.

We didn’t heed his warnings and that led to sin-bins and penalties we didn’t need to give away. That’s our fault and Cam Smith needs to be getting us together on the pitch and controlling us and leading, but that doesn’t seem to be happening.

I felt like we went backwards in this match and every game now counts. We are still within reach of the top-six as results have gone our way in the last couple of weeks. To achieve this though, we need to sort ourselves out and play as a team. There were so many one-man plays and that doesn’t work. We looked at times like we had no idea and were forcing plays that weren’t going to go anywhere or achieve anything.

We’ve got Wigan this week and we need to get into gear and get the two points. They have been up and down at times this season and it’s anybody’s on the day. Let’s keep keeping the faith.

IAIN SHARP

August is traditionally the month for holidays and that includes Leeds, who seemed to head for the departure lounge partway through the game at Salford last Saturday. The defeat leaves Leeds in limbo, good enough to avoid relegation this season, but poor enough to miss the play-offs.

Clearly the issues with the team are structural and have been known to most of us for most of the season. The pack is not good enough to generate the sort of platform our backs, no matter how talented, can use to win a sufficient number of games. The disappointing aspect is that other clubs have wheeled and dealed to try to improve themselves, whereas Leeds have adopted a make do and mend policy.

Another concern is that we are in the period of the season where there is horse trading going on and players are moving clubs for next season, including Rhyse Martin. Leeds, though, remain ominously silent regarding any new blood incoming. Either there is someone exciting lined up for pre-season or we are unable to attract the sort of talent we need to lift the team out of its current malaise.

Finally, we come to the first meeting with Wigan this season. That’s bonkers considering Leeds have played other teams twice already. If the RFL wants to enhance its credibility, then balancing fixtures needs to be addressed going forward.

GAVIN MILLER

For 20 minutes it looked okay, for the following 60 it didn’t look great at all. I have been saying since round one Leeds won’t win anything with this set of forwards. Even with the obvious improvement of Leeds’ defence under Brad Arthur, if you don’t have the personnel to make a difference you don’t stand a chance.

Once again the pack looked small, not aggressive, not decisive, not impactful and just not at the races. As soon as you come across an opposition pack that is all those things, you invariably lose rugby games.

I cannot name a single one of the 17 from last Saturday that gets into any of our title-winning sides. Even our better players, Harry Newman for example, did not perform. The collective group is simply not good enough.

Brad Arthur is going to have a good crack for the next few weeks, but as I said when he was appointed, we return to square one when he goes back to Australia and have to dig around for anyone that wants to take on this lower mid-table set of players. There’s not much in that playing squad that would entice someone to do the job.