‘Needs to change’ - Leeds Rhinos fans agree on Super League issue ahead of Salford Red Devils

David Muhl

It was always going to be a difficult trip to Leigh, they have recruited well and are playing some good rugby, unfortunately for Leeds they outplayed us in every department. It’s been a year of ups and downs but the first 30 minutes were probably the worst of the season so far. I did have slight hopes, especially after our try just before half-time, that we would do another second-half comeback, but it was not to be.

We started chasing the game, far too early in my opinion, and the errors came thick and fast. Blake Austin, despite his efforts could not produce the spark we have become used to in recent weeks.

It was not a good night for half-backs behind an overwhelmed and well beaten pack. The most frustrating thing about being a Rhinos supporter this year is watching a team that can play some excellent entertaining rugby one week and then play abysmally the next.

Our next three fixtures, Salford, Wigan and Saints will be a real test and we will have to be at our best to gain anything. Home advantage against Saints and Salford will hopefully give us a boost and advantage.

Tom Goldsworthy

After two home wins in a row, Leeds were brought crashing back down to earth after another disappointing away display. As we have seen multiple times this season, weak defence has let us down and we look disorganised in attack.

I have sung the praises of our forwards in recent weeks but they were poor on Friday, with none of them making over 70 metres. The lack of structure within the team is painful to watch and is the reason we only scored six points.

This inconsistency will cost Leeds this season and we will only have ourselves to blame. Apart from the Warrington game, the teams we have lost against have been there for the taking and we just have not shown up.

I have seen a few grumblings from other Rhinos fans calling for Rohan Smith’s head which is absolutely ridiculous. The man has taken us from relegation candidates to a Grand Final and has done wonders with this squad. Changing the head coach now would only have a negative impact on the team and put an end to our play-off hopes.

Sam Brocksom

You know the performance was bad when the pre-match band of Toploader was more entertaining. Even Wakefield could have beaten that sorry excuse of a performance. There was no desire, no passion for the badge, nothing. Then to hear Sam Walters could be leaving when the likes of Justin Sangare and Sam Lisone are still getting games is madness.

Some of the players need to take a good look in the mirror over this international break because if they think that performance was anywhere near acceptable they can get out of the club. Mikolaj Oledzki was the only prop to make over 50 metres. Compare that to Leigh, where their props easily surpassed 100 metres, it’s just not good enough.

Hopefully the players can sort something out over the next two weeks and Rohan needs to be having some serious chats with the higher-earning players. Playing for Leeds Rhinos is a dream that many people would give their life for. It is not a retirement home and a final pay check.

Becky Oxley

So a trip across the M62 it was for a Friday night hoping to add to our two-match winning streak. I think the big word of our season is inconsistency and this showed again in our performance. We started off slowly and allowed Leigh to get 16 points in front. We never got back from this and we need to start playing for the full 80 rather than trying to come back in the second half.

We have done that a couple of times this season but failed this week. Our defence wasn’t great and our attack was slow and ineffective. Maybe it’s time to actually have a captain to lead the team rather than how Rowan Smith is running the ship so far.

Cam Smith and Richie Myler seem to be trying but maybe we need the one man to take the helm. I think something needs to change. Yes we are in a better position than last year but we are already 10 games in and on a 50-50 win lose ratio. It is the international break this week so maybe this will be the reset we need and have a rest and refocus our minds.

Josh Jackson

Well Friday night produced another shocker of an away performance from us. All four away defeats have been really poor performances. We got the worst start we could have asked for at 16-0 down within 20 minutes.

We’re still yet to come flying out of the blocks this season and have been consistent with our slow starts. We never really got going at all, our attack was back to normal. There were no connections between our numbers 1, 6, 7 and 9. A team with no leadership whatsoever. I thought Leigh were brilliant and stretched us all over the pitch in that first half.

Blake Austin was trying to do stuff that just wasn’t going to come off whilst Cam Smith was running side to side not knowing what to do. Just when we were starting to find our rhythm we produce another performance like that. Rohan Smith needs to find answers quickly before the pressure starts building on him. Next up is Salford a week on Friday – they can be a great team on their day.

Iain Sharp

If only there was a phrase for it, but thanks to Elon Musk, now there is … as Leeds suffered another ‘Rapid Unscheduled Disassemblies’ at Leigh on Friday night and where clearly someone had forgotten to pack the second-half ‘Get Out Of Jail Free’ card this week.

Leigh are breaking the mold of promoted teams who come up and go straight back down again, putting in another performance that will have got the bottles twitching in areas with a WF postcode.

Meanwhile, Leeds currently are showing consistent inconsistency, by looking great one week and like a deer in the headlights the next. If it is all down to weather, then the lighter nights and drier tracks can’t come soon enough, but the current performances haven’t stopped the extreme wings of the fanbase calling for Rohan Smith’s sacking **Rolls eyes**.

Like it or not, we have hardly started the rebuilding project the team needs. The next league action is on May 5 with Salford at Headingley and hopefully crowning glory for Leeds.