After the first of the 2 games I thought were the worst possible at this time for RS, it's played out as I feared it would. A win but by a slender margin and an uninspiring team performance with no signs of improvement. So what for Friday? A win by 50 does what to improve things?

Not looking forward to Friday, Leeds need to start really well, some early errors or a London try is going to sour what little atmosphere there will be.

I'd give Roberts a go at centre as that's his position and have Lumb and Edgell on the wings dependent on who is back. Can't see Frawley being dropped but it would be a good game for Sinfield to have a crack.

I'm not sure the first part is correct, the break by Walker was because it was Frawley who turned his hips to the sideline to close the gap that he shouldn't have left and Walker knew that it was a sure thing Frawley couldn't turn back on his inside shoulder to make the tackle. I can understand that the constant bagging of him doesn't help him (if he pays attention to social media that is), and I've tried to stop doing this as you all know already my thoughts.

We are currently 8th and could finish anywhere between 5th and 8th but that should not be seen as good enough for a team like Leeds that in theory has everything going for it off the field. We have minimal off contract for next year so barring a couple of new faces what we have now is what a coach needs to work with. Ultimately until the forwards create a better platform our backs are always going to struggle whoever starts. Too many players seem to be lacking confidence or direction. Thats not a great environment for young players and that would be my biggest concern. RS does not instill confidence that he can install that confidence and we lack on field leaders to maintain focus during games. Unfortunately in season what is the alternative as its definitely not within the existing back up team.

Smith needs to turn things around pretty soon. If not the players may throw him under the bus regardless of whether they like him or how much their own poor performances are down to their own efforts. They don't need to say anything to do that - just keep playing sh*te and eventually the situation will become untenable. Its happened time and again in all kinds of pro sports, including at Leeds (Agar admitting he couldn't do any more with the team etc), and quite possibly at Hull recently as well.

I don't think London matters that much unless we lose, in which case I cannot see Smith staying until the following game, but Cats and Sts away could get very ugly. We really need to show signs of turning the tide against those two teams if Smith's going to create any sense that he can really improve things.

The big thing I want to see is a more disciplined performance. We should be making fewer errors than London, clearly winning possession and territory as a result. RS needs to make a selection which delivers on that.

If you give any opposition over half possession they’re going to have a good go at you.

If it was me I’d give our starting back line another week to recover (Handley and Newman) and rely on youth for London.

Can’t see Mom being fit after Hull.

It does worry me that the south stand hecklers will get on the coach and players again very easily here so let’s hope the performance denies that.

Best way to turn the tide and get fans back on side is with quality performances that are worthy of our great club. The coach has to get this team moving in the right direction and competing at the top end of SL. If he continues not to do that then the discontent will naturally continue to grow and so it should - this is Leeds, we are a huge RL club with big resources and big expectations (however there's the right way to go about showing your discontent at the right time).

Miller
Croft
Frawley
Oledzki
Ackers
Martin
C Smith
O’Connor
Lisone
McDonnell
Sangare
Goudemand
Sinfield
Ruan
Roberts
Edgell
Nicholson-Watton
McCormack
Littlewood
Lumb
J Smith

Don’t expect any returnees this week so I reckon this will be the 21

Yep we are a big club who should be doing much better but this is hardly new is it? We’ve been bad for a very long time, CC trophy aside.

We need a strategic approach to a strategic failure. The head coach is part of that for sure. Anyway frankly I’m pretty bored of every thread on the forum turning a “Smith Out” thread… not being funny but personally I’m not getting much out of posting on here.

Anyway YEP reports that Mom, Handley, Newman, obviously Fus unlikely to play, also worryingly still Holroyd.

Again this is an area where I would criticise our recruitment, we all knew we were a good prop short and we just didn’t address it. We need to recruit someone who is probably our best prop, and put the rest of the pecking order down a peg.

I’m not sure whether we play Martin in the centres again (well, RS will…) or just play Lumb, N McCormack, J Smith, Roberts and let them have a crack with Edgell bench again. Martin in the pack gives us a better platform for the backs IMO.

I do think RS will get sacked if we lose this, half if this forum will be supporting London!

Is Max Simpson fit yet?

Its a fans forum Jim and we're a huge club who are not performing and haven't for years. It's bound to have a lot of negativity on it. There's not a fans forum on this planet that's any different. it's human nature. There's always glass half full people and glass half empty... we've just got to not get wound up with either side of that outlook..

Don't agree with the heckling of the coach or players at the games as it makes the problem worse however on a fans forum as long as its rugby based and not personal I think its completely understandable that fans want to express their opinions on our performance and the way we play. Thats part of the game and we probably all believe their is a coach in each of us! If the performance is poor and there is complete silence thats probably just as effective in terms of sending a message upstairs! People only have so much money to spend on watching sport and the number attending will go up or down based on the quality of the product on show. Personally I have seen enough over the last 2 years to tell me that Smith will not take the club back to challenging consistently at the top end of the competition. The players have changed but we keep playing the same way and repeating the same mistakes interspersed with the odd good run. Under Smith I think we are always going to be a mid table team.
Notwithstanding that there is even less point dismissing him now as the next manager should come with a full team of their own backroom staff and a clear identity of how we want to play. They are not going to be available next week.

We won't lose but the manner of the performance and winning margin are key, as they were at Hull. As I said, these are the worst two games for RS at this time. We'll come out of this period with 4 points but RS could be under so much more pressure than before we entered it.

The negativity really is a mystery given the dynamic performances, impressive results and general signs of the team marching towards a top 4 spot. Not to mention the signings who are all vying for man of steel nomination. I'm glad our first choice 1, 6,7,9 and 13 have been fit and available every week otherwise we might have an excuse for lesser performances akin to last season, we're really reaping the benefits of this consistency in key positions...

If it's not too much bother could I have the Euro millions numbers please? Tia.

Truth is, substantially changing a team with new signings (like completely changing the spine in a season) rarely leads to instant success in British RL.

If it did, Dougie Laughton would have more trophies to show... And back then Leeds were one of the only full time professional clubs and there was no salary cap.

There are many different layers between 'absolutely crap' and 'instant success '. There's no sign of us even being near the middle of that scale.

London are possibly the worst side to grace super league. Hopefully a relatively easy run out ,might give the side chance to put in place some structure and moves together. Expect a big game from Miller . The only hope I have for the rest of the season is for Smith not to sign any new players or be involved in contracts discussions with existing players.

Standard out of context. The way I see it is the majority of Rhinos fans desperately want the team to do well however at present performance on field is quite frankly baffling the forwards get bullied and the backs look like they just met before the game, Brodie Croft is quality and man of Steel to prove it but at the minute he looks lost,then we have players getting injured left right and centre something isn't right and someone is responsible for all of the above,as one poster said there is Morons spreading Cancer at the club on the terraces I think maybe they got into the changing rooms aswell!

It’s funny, nearly all the discourse around struggling coaches will be that they need results.

But Smith needs performances, there needs to be something in the performances that shows progress.

At the moment Leeds fans are being zombified by the performances.

Tbf I don’t think the two are mutually exclusive, especially this week. Squeaking past London for a result shouldn’t be enough. There needs to be a massive uptick in performance to go with it.

I'm already looking forward to Rohans interview where he praises a 'spirited London', and describes the dourfest as a 'tough hard battle'

Sorry to disappoint you Backwoodsman, but Rohan Smith will still be in charge. In his own immortal words “training is over rated for some of these dudes”. Expect more of the same, players receiving passes stood still, painfully slow decision making within the opponents 20 metre line, and Cameron Smith needlessly carrying the ball into three defenders on the 5th tackle 20 yards from the try line. The only structure on Friday night will be me parking in the same place, drinking in the same pub, and moaning to the missus yet again that our home kit is now a yellow, blue and white Leeds United kit

Best post of the week

I know another Rohan Smith word salad Bingo aficionado when I see one.

(doffs cap)