There is absolutely no evidence that the team under Smith is progressing to be consistent top 4 side. The style he wants to play is one that gets an occasional one off performance (as it even did last season) or it looks chaotic and when that's not happening it becomes one dimensional and passive. Smith is not the long term answer.

This Is exactly why I my excitement over the long range trys in the early rounds was tempered because they're not really worth much when much of the rest of the play is below the standard required.

So if I disagree with you it’s just because you know better?

Maybe you’re a better and more experienced player than Sam Tomkins too right?

Why can't people understand , Bentley is an all action grafter/tackler , he does not break the line as he is not big enough or fast enough and he is certainly not going to be an intelligent player , put him in the Saints team and he is fantastic unfortunately in our team we do not have the players to compliment his style . If we had bigger , faster forwards then he would be seen as a key cog

Saints are better than us man for man in every position and we haven't beaten them since 2017 at home & apparently the coach needs sacking. Smith will, at minimum, see out his contract and probably get an extension even if we finish 6th this year and next. We won't improve until we replace most of our forward pack.

There were a few iffy calls but nothing too mega: we’ve conceded a few unlucky tries (as RS alluded to); but the point is we’re at risk of conceding them because we’re defending our own red zone too much.

And yet Saints let him go to us and haven’t exactly fallen apart without him have they?

It’s not that I can’t see what he brings, and I thought he played well last week. I just don’t think he’s as good as you do.

We need maybe 2 new forwards and that depends on how some of our younger lads develop.

Hanley & Newman would get in the Saints side but i would not swap anyone else out?

Leeds missing Walters this season massively

Exactly, we need more than two new forwards as the younger players aren't ready. Smith isn't perfect, but he is rebuilding the team and that will take time. Put Nathan Cleary at half-back and we still lose last night.

You are not quite getting it are you . I am not saying how good or bad he is , i am saying what he does and in a good pack with bigger , stronger and faster players then the job he does is invaluable .
As for Saints letting him go , Bentley wanted to play for his boyhood club and was offered a great deal . Saints would have gladly kept him .

I take it we lost last night then?

I think with that comment , i remember my Dad saying when i was young , if you have nothing worth saying then say nothing at all

A disappointing night - ask yourself this, if Rohan Smith was available as coach would any other SL club be willing to take him? What I can't understand is why the club is so poor at progressing players and coaches through the system. Peet came through the system at Wigan, Wellens at St Helens, we have >10 coaches at various levels and have had for many years - why have none of them emerged either at Leeds or with other clubs?

I don’t think you’re quite getting that I am not going to agree with you. Bentley is over-rated, and has too many deficiencies at this level. He’s not the only player who gets stuck in and is competitive.

I don’t think Bentley is our main problem right now as it happens. I agree he’d look better partnering a different type of back rower who offers more presence.

RS is clearly a fan of Bentley and re-signed him and prefers to start with him, but the irony seems lost on this thread.

I fail to see what the coaching staff see in O'Connor - once again Clark had his number 10 metres out - did he not learn anything from last week. Oldeski, fans need to stop making excuses for him and open their eyes. He is not the player many on here think he is. Holroyd maybe there is an excuse with the injury but his impact reduces week on week.