Good post and I agree.

A very good point. We do seem to have a somewhat tarnished reputation down under and don't seem to have the best "inside track" on players / agents etc from the NRL.

Blease is big pals with Jackson Hastings too.

Wouldn't rule out seeing him in blue and amber at some point in the future.

Blease should be given time to carry out a full review of all rugby related matters at the club from coaching at all levels,support staff and playing roster. This will take time as in order to deliver the sustainable change that is required the right appointments need to be made and we don't have too much salary cap space at first team level.
I would hope that the vision should be to create a structure where all levels of the club prepare a pathway to he first team. There should be an identity and a way of playing through the club which makes transition into the first team straightforward for young players. This is a problem for RS as currently his style of playing is not one you would want replicated across the club.
As such the ball in RS count buy into the new reagime or move on. Who know he might step up but I believe there will be a parting of the ways at the end of the year.

I'm not trying to be controversial, but it will take more than using the words "winning" and "identity" for me to buy into Blease. Wanting to win, and being able to win, are entirely different things. It's not like the current staff we have are trying to lose.

Salford have managed to punch well above their weight, IB clearly was a big part of that. We desperately needed a fresh perspective and we have that now. We also needed some effective reach into NRL. What I'm looking for is better judgement on individual players, and getting the overall mix right.

Blease needs to decide on props/back rower combinations that will give us a better platform, on the 7 shirt, and obviously on whether RS is the right man or not. Said it before but although I'm not totally given up on this season (85% given up) - I don't think there are any excuses for Leeds not challening for all trophies in 2025. The thing Blease and others need to get right is: it isn't good enough to catch Wigan or Saints or Warrington, we have to assemble a BETTER team and coaching set up than they have. To do that, we are going to have to sign BETTER overseas players. Look at the impact French has had on Wigan for example - huge. We have Frawley.

Not sure Frawley is the best comparison with French. But even Miller and Croft aren't delivering the same kind of performances as Field and French.

Not too long ago we beat Wigan, and Harry Newman battered Field and French into submission. Harry hasn't come near hitting those heights since, either defensively or with ball in hand. Genuinely not sure who takes responsibility for that - I guess it is in Blease's remit now.

Yup.

I honestly think if we get those two - three big forwards and play to a "normal" game plan then we will do better next year.

I'd prefer it wasn't RS as I think he seems stuck to his way of wanting to do things and last year + this year hasn't sunk in for him.

If continue with it we will start to lose players that want out while they still have a name to attract contracts

French and Field didn’t deliver those performances for Wigan in their first season either to be fair.

French and Field didn’t deliver those performances for Wigan in their first season either to be fair.

Field was injured for most of his first season at Wigan.
Was player of the year in his second.

I have a slightly different take, Jim. Whilst acknowledging the importance of recruitment from the NRL (Blease has an excellent track record) I think the biggest challenge is getting the coach, be it Smith or A.N Other, to get the best out of the home-grown talent. The likes of Smith, Oledzki, Holroyd and Newman have now seen a few coaches come and go. How many of them can look themselves in the mirror and say they have progressed in line with expectations? To be as good (or better) than the big boys, this has to change. We can't expect every overseas signing to miraculously change things. Wigan signed Cade Cust and when he wasn't performing they gave Harry Smith his chance and never looked back. We signed Frawley, who has been poor to average, but the coaching staff and quite a few posters on here don't think young Sinny is up to it yet. We have to change that or be reduced to playing perennial catch-up.

So he didn’t deliver in his first year



French took a couple of years and a position switch to be the ayer he is now.