Alarming comment coming from coach McClennan after the game last night regarding the team's indiscipline.

The team were fatigued (not helped by giving needless penalties away) and at least none of the thirteen penalties were for dissent towards the official.

Hardly makes it alright, does it?

Penalties were conceded by:
McGuire - 4
Jones-Buchanan - 2
Sinfield
Smith
Lauitiiti
Ablett
Burgess
Leuluai
Peacock

leeds disipline is bad, but referees are having more & more of an influence on the outcome of results throughout the game, we sit there watching a game & one of the lads will say so & so will get a penalty in this set of 6, & nearly every time it happens, its predictable & stage managed. a blind eye is turned as the season does not really start until september, I amongst others who have held season tickets in the past won't pay to watch the ganson show etc, much rather sit having a pint predicting when these clowns will give a penelty to even the game up.

The propensity to concede penalties - relative to other teams - has been worsening since well before Mclennan's arrival.

The style of the infringements does seem to fit with fatigued or, more likely in my opinion, frustrated players. From what I've seen it doesn't seem to be a policy from the outset but that PTB infringemens are a response that comes all too quickly when things aren't going to plan.

All teams are like that to a degree - a tired or under pressure team/player will concede a penalty. The difference is that this team tends to respond that way simply when things don't go according to plan and create pressure on themselves. I'd put that partly down to the arrogance of being champions 2 years on the trot and partly to the players under performing collectively this season.

A few weeks ago Leeds had conceded far more penalties than the rest. Before yesterday's match they'd improved to 2nd worst and were only 3 ahead of the 3rd. Overall, the relative performance was improving - possibly on the back of 6 wins on the bounce.

At half time yesterday the count seemed pretty even despite being away from home in front of a large partisan crowd playing in a what seemed to them to be a bit of a cup final. Although its a bit of a vicious circle it looke to me like Wigan upped their performance - not in the script - and Leeds responded with penalties, a couple a little harsh but for the most part fully justified for petulant conduct.

First half: Wigan won the count 5 - 4
Second half: Wigan won the count 8 - 3 (after Leeds had got the first two in their favour, so 8 - 1 against from that point.)

After listening to his aftematch interview on Leeds website Bluey understands the situation. The majority of the penalties were given away due to fatigue and not dissent - Bluey said so.

So that's ok he knows what the problem is but obviously doesn't know what to do about it. We had tired players - no wonder!!! We ended up with 15 players. Buderus injured and a forward sub who never came into the reckoning.

This assessment is spot on. We hear every week they need to work harder and improve. It's not rocket science, improve the discipline and the performance will follow. It seems to me that Bluey is not having any effect on the team which seem to please themselves what they do. It is true a sense of arrogance is being displayed through being champions. If the players cannot apply discipline then Bluey has to impose the same on the players but he won't or can't. Tony Smith would never have stood for this, during his time players were pulled off for indiscipline or even committing a string of errors in a short period of time.
It is time Bluey took a stronger line and stopped trying to be the nice guy!

Though the standard of refereeing has deteriorated, (this due more to what they don't pull up against what they do) Bentham had a decent game last night.

Come on David, this is not an isolated issue. Its' a huge problem and has been for a while. Everyone on here and everyone in the league is beginning to recognise it.

Its' all well and good asking me how he stops the players giving away penalties but its' not my job, its' McLennans and it seems to be beyond him.

Would I drop the players you mention? No, but I'd most certainly drop McGuire. The team needs to know the penalties are not acceptable and four from one players makes him the scapegoat. It would give him a rest and send the team a message.

To give tiredness as an excuse is just unbelievable.
I suppose other teams don't get tired then ?
If this is all the garbage he can spout and not correct the situation(which he sems incapable of doing) then he needs to be on his way.These days no team can consistently concede penalties the way we have this year and expect to win anything.

Our discipline was a porblem last year.

That didn't stop us getting it right when it mattered and theres no reason we can't again.

We need some stats if we are going to unravel the problem.

What are the highest amount of penalties we concede?

Dissent, lying on, high tackles offisde?

You don't really need stats to know the general area Leeds (and all teams) concede the most penalties in.

Interference at the play the ball.

On refelection, should Tony Smith have been sacked in 06? 3rd in the league, out of the playoffs in the 1st round to Warrington and mullered in the cup semi by Giants?

Sack the coach. Wait cut some more key players from his squad, don't replace them, then sack him.

I don't understand people syaing McLennan should sort the discipline out. Surely it's him that has put together this game plan that Leeds seem to use all the time now, i.e. slow the PTB down at every single tackle. To be honest I'm amazed you don't get penalised more as you hold down, mess about and lay on every single time. It's all the more irritating because Sinfield and Diskin moan to the ref constantly about the opposition laying on when they're not (at least not to the extent Leeds are).

I know you'll say I'm just bleating because I'm a Saints fan but I'm not. Leeds have loads of fast skillful players and don't need to play that way, it would be a far more exciting game if they just lpayed the way they used to.