We are miles off competing with the top teams based on this season so far and the last 2 weeks in particular. Yes we beat Catalan, but spent most of that game defending our line. Last week for 30 minutes we ran harder, moved up quicker and tackled harder than the opposition and looked the better team. Unfortunately that type of performance has been a rarity under Smith. That 30 minutes apart we have shown no improvement in our style of play from last season.
We may need 3/4 better players to compete with the best teams, but the players we have rarely play to the best of their ability as a team under Smith.

I admire your optimism,and you make some valid points, sadly you gloss over the facts we never really troubled the Saints defence, they however made easy yardage against our defence. The big question is are we a good team playing poorly or just an average/poor team.

EVERY team makes easy yardage against us. Seeing teams go 80m in sets is frustratingly common and we are becoming more and more reliant on wonder plays / individual efforts to get ourselves out of our own 20. "passive defence" Im yet to be fully sold on.

it's a tactic. let the other side camp in our 40 for 70 minutes and, if we have any energy left, we'll win it late.

groundbreaking. all those great coaches over the years have got it all wrong.

The further you have to kick it the more time the defenders have to get under it.

There's a difference between an kick to a specific area of the field where your defenders know what to chase and the receiver knows (roughly) where to be to catch it on the full, and a varied kicking game that asks more of your chasers but puts the receivers under much more pressure. That difference is coaching and game plan, and we've clearly decided on the less risky strategy, which also gives the receiver an easier time and more yardage.