YEP Jury: Time for Leeds Rhinos to show their true colours in derby after near miss at Catalans

LUKE CROSSFIELD

What a shame we didn’t bring back the two points from a brilliant trip to Perpignan last weekend.

The weather was superb especially for the time of year. We did perform much better than the past three weeks. However once again the last 20 minutes of the first half let us down.

Sam Kasiano came off the bench and changed the game for Catalans with his monster runs. It is exactly what we are missing – a metre-eating prop. Our left-hand edge in attack was devastating just like Catalans was.

I don’t understand what Brett Ferres was thinking, going in with his knees and getting sin-binned and he is supposed to be one of our leaders.

On to Castleford at home tomorrow who were poor against St Helens and the scoreline could have been a lot worse for them.

I wish they had saved that performance for us, however they will turn up to play against us.

For the confidence of our team we need to get the two points as soon as possible and build some momentum.

ANDREW SUTCLIFFE

Rock bottom of the league and no win in five games does not make good reading. Again there were big positives to take from the Catalans game but they were compounded by some individual errors and penalties conceded at key times.

I’ve been looking at the stats for the game and it was probably one of our best this season, but still it wasn’t enough.

We started well and showed some good defensive fight but old habits kicked in and we lost another close game.

The sooner the ruck in our game is cleaned up the better. Playing the ball into an opposition player who hasn’t had the chance to disappear from behind the tackle is awful to watch.

Yes I know we have had the benefit of it too! Watching the NRL shows how it should be done, including using the foot to play the ball!

Tomorrow’s game is at home and against Castleford Tigers. They’ll be sensing blood especially after their embarrassment against Saints last week.

Perhaps it’s this week we show our true calibre and give us all something to smile about!

OLIVER HAWKHEAD

I don’t think most of the boys could have given much more on Saturday. Brad Dwyer, Ash Handley and Nathaniel Peteru put in especially spirited performances and we looked much worse when they were off the field.

Our goalline defence was given a good run out in the first half which was a result of poor discipline once again. We were 16-6 up without actually playing much rugby, however things looked much improved.

When Dwyer was taken off we lost our edge in attack and our tackling was last ditch on every play.

Sam Kasiano only added to our woes and I was surprised he didn’t play a bigger part in the game.

In the second half it was clear that the lads gave everything they had and we did create chances to go and win the game.

It was good to see the passion and frustration as it showed that the team really does care.

There were many positives to take from the game and picking up a victory seems like it is getting nearer; the worrying thing for me is that we gave everything and still didn’t get two points.

THOMAS LAWRENCE

Another week, another contemplation of what could have been. An improved performance from Leeds but performances don’t get points, and at this moment in time I’d be happy for Leeds to scrape an ugly win against anyone.

Despite the positives, it was the same old pitfalls for Leeds: game management and discipline. When doing the hard work and getting a lead, Leeds just aren’t showing the required composure to hold on to it. For example, having just survived a defensive set on our line when 20-16, Leeds just didn’t settle down with the ball and fell behind for the first time in the game two minutes later after an unnecessary Kallum Watkins knock on in what should have been a composed set of six – five drives and a grubber to the corner – make them go 90 metres to score. Our game management must improve.

Tomorrow we welcome a wounded Castleford team to Headingley, who will definitely have no sympathy for our fortunes at the minute. We certainly aren’t incapable of victory, but must be at our best against a very physical, fired-up and structured opponent – maybe tomorrow night will be the night, who knows?

TIM NUTTALL

In seasons gone by, a four-point defeat away at Catalans Dragons would not be considered all that disappointing; however, one win from our first eight games (a game more than some teams) has to give real cause for concern.

My overriding emotion after the game was one of frustration; frustration that we held the lead on two occasions but couldn’t see it through and, in fairness to the lads, frustration that the effort they put into the game didn’t give us the two points we possibly deserved at the end.

Our failure to win the game comes back to the same issues that have been the story of our season so far; poor discipline and the right edge defence that teams are having so much success scoring against.

It wasn’t a completely poor performance, we had some good spells in the game and for a bit more composure at key times, we could have won it.

It doesn’t get any easier with the visit of Castleford tomorrow; we know our recent record against them is awful.

A win at Headingley could turn things around.

KATIE BURROWS

I thought we were unlucky to lose out in Perpignan last week, but once again poor discipline cost us the game.

We showed an improvement, which is what I’d hoped for, and the result could’ve easily gone the other way but wins for Wigan Warriors and Huddersfield Giants didn’t do us any favours.

I can’t work out if Kallum Watkins is fit, or whether he needs more game time to improve his confidence, but he’s a weak link defensively at the minute.

We’re conceding too many soft tries down our right side and teams will continue to target us.

On to this week and I never look forward to playing Castleford! I don’t think we should take much from their result against Saints last week, as they always seem to up their game when they play us.

Greg Eden came in for a lot of criticism for his defensive efforts last week, so hopefully he’ll have another off game and we can pose a few problems. I’m not expecting a win, but we do need to start picking up points, so hopefully I’ll be proven wrong.