The root problem is one of confidence - both individually and in each other. That may or may not affect the players' view of the coach, but the conspiracy theories are a doubtful starting point (and the mock outrage from the trolls, the simpletons and the Twitter bore can be safely ignored in the same way they were when Leeds were winning). The players just don't believe in themselves and there seems to be no way of easily turning this around - every week they start brightly, look OK for about 10 or 15 minutes before conceding a try and their heads going down. The coach sends them out as best he can, after which the outcome of the game is largely in the players' hands - or in the players' heads.

Paradoxically, what to do about the present situation may actually need some simplistic action to resolve. I have a huge amount of time for McDermott and really don't hold him individually responsible for the present situation. I think a combination of factors have made this season a disaster which almost any coach would struggle with. Look at the way the team performed earlier in the season - if just a couple of the closely-lost games had been won the situation probably would never have spiralled like it has now.

Sadly and unfairly however the easiest way to effect change at a poorly-performing sports team is to replace the coach. After Friday night I have unwillingly come to the conclusion that this would be the best option. It's expedient, of course, and it places blame that I don't want to place on the incumbent. But since we can't change the squad much at this stage it is the only big lever we have available to pull. It isn't fair and doesn't feel right but we are in a position where there is probably no option if we want to quickly turn things around.

Who could we get? I say immediately Brian Smith, because I know he is available and I know he would take it. I'd give him only to the end of the season, a bit like Wakey did (for somewhat different reasons). I don't think he is the long-term answer but I do think he would be the kind of person who could come in and give everything and everyone a fresh start.

I suspect there is limited room for manouvre in the salary cap, especially since Ferres was unexpectedly signed late in pre-season. A few could be moved on and there may be better championship players or out of favour NRL players who could play the 2016 roles of Nathan Picchi or David Hulme. Other than that we go with what we have and hope that a new coach can effect a shock to the system that we need.

The consequences of relegation are not palatable. The team would not, of course, have to go part time, but the financial impact could be severe in damaging the core of the business that Hetherington has built. It would not be a remotely happy experience - if we were confident in bouncing back after one season the club could, to a degree, breeze through it, retaining much of the scale of the organisation as it stands and taking the player and financial losses on the chin. But just as the current setup means that we are protected from going right down, getting back up again would be challenging to say the least. Caddick would be supportive for a short while as he has done well out of Leeds but subsidising losses of say £1m for more than a year would probably not be something he wants to have to do. It's the wider impact I worry about - the club subsidises all sorts of community work and I worry they would be forced to cut this if they started appraising budgets for areas to prune. Fortunately the ground redevelopment works are mostly self-funding (although the pile of cash we have will be used up and the Meanwood element has predictably run into NIMBY opposition but that's another matter).

2016 roles of Nathan Picchi and David Hulme?

David Hulme I get (1996) but in what way does Nathan Picchi deserve a mention here?

rlBollox to the club in this instance!rl

The team needs a reboot. The only way that's going to happen IMO is a new coach. What an experienced coach would be able to do is what BM claims to have been doing all year - get the team playing as a unit. They should also be given the remit that survival this year is all that matters - if that means the sacred cows of JJB, Burrow and McGuire don't play then sobeit.

That may be unfair on BM, but the reality is that as a group they are playing terribly both with and without the ball.

I just can't see how BM can survive if we don't improve markedly as we near the Middle 8s. GH would be negligent in his role if he wasn't proactive in trying to prevent relegation at that point.

Agree with BrisbaneRhino and Ghost of '99.

A reboot and re-invigoration of the first team can only happen in the short term with a new coach; unless they are willing to bring others in (e.g. sports psychologists etc) who can achieve the same effect while working with the coach.

I still like McDermott and would love to see him prove everyone wrong, but I don't think the club can afford taking the risk... Unless 'El Presidente' still has enough influence with the RFL to change their current relegation policies

We need to win 5 of the next 7 games to enable Super League survival as playing 3 s/league teams who have already beaten us this year and 4 hungry championship teams wont be easy. Which coach could manage this in the short term ?

16 points will not be sufficient to see Leeds into the top 8

I think we will win five. But don't think it will be enough now to get In the eights.

The issue is Defense. We need to replace the people who are struggling to Defend and send them back to Defensive School.

The middle is missing a good defensive Hooker and the Wings are missing good defensive Wingers. The Props are slow as Snails too.

Defence Defence Defence.

It's like a Pair of Ann Summers Fishnets at the minute.

Im curious to know which 5 you think we could win from here. I really can't see us winning away at all as we haven't done all year yet.We can't expect a win against Catalans this week so that leaves Widnes and Salford as the two games we have a realistic chance in but certainly no gimmes on current form.

I'll be honest and I said this weeks ago, I cant see where the next win is coming from.

We really are THAT bad.

You always had confidence that we could dig ourselves out of just about anything, for some reason this year, we don't look like we could fight our way out of a wet paper bag.

I said the same thing s few weeks back, that we would beat Catalans, Salford, Wakefield, Widnes, and Hull KR. I wouldn't be surprised to see us also beat Wigan. But all It really does it paper over the cracks. We are still a poor team, and poorly run.

I know I have never been the most optimistic....but this echoes my feelings. All those predicting five wins from the remaining seven are obviously seeing something I haven't seen and can't see.

The team looks more shot than it has all season. The forwards are incapable of defending; we lose every collision; there is no leadership; we have no kick return; there is a complete lack of ideas close to the line; 6th tackle invariably means turnover or a feeble kick; our halfbacks are either full of effort but no guile, or have some guile but go missing when the going gets tough, or offer nothing at all. All very depressing....as you say 'where is the next win coming from'?

To the original question, what can GH do? I watched a half strength England RU team trounce a full strength Welsh team that only a few months ago ruined the WC hosts tournament. What changed for the team that hadn't won a six nations for years and was the first team in history to go out in the group stages of its' own World Cup?
How did basically the same players win a grand slam and now look in with a good chance in a test series against Australia.
They replaced the coach. Ironically the RFU were so happy with what Lancaster had done up to the WC that they gave him a new 4 year contract. If England had bodged through the group stages (and a draw against Wales would have done it - and we had a kick which the serial idiot of a captain turned down) Lancaster would probably have kept his job to the next WC.

Coaches can make a difference with the same players and they all have a shelf life.