I think it’s a bit harsh to say the pack doesn’t work hard enough—I really don’t believe effort is the issue. From what I’ve seen, there’s no lack of commitment, but sometimes that effort is misdirected. In the games we’ve won, our go-forward has been on another level, and that’s made all the difference.

The reality is, we’ll never win games if we don’t complete our sets. Basic handling—catching and passing—is the foundation of everything, yet we seemed to forget that against Catalans. It’s frustrating to watch, but hopefully, we’ll sort it out quickly.

I agree with the handling errors part, and you could also throw in penalties conceded. My point, which I'm sure you also understand as clearly you're knowledgeable about the game, is that without the front row "working harder" gaining more metres and winning attacking and defensive collisions, we will continually be under more pressure with the ball, making the handling errors and conceding penalties as the game gets too fast for us. I'd look to fix the front row problems (and winning collisions more generally) to relieve that pressure and we break the cycle.

Not easy, but we have to do it.

How many of the handling errors against Catalans were forced because our pack wasn't making yardage? A few perhaps early in some sets, but it didn't feel like we were being perpetually penned in our own half like in the days of Rohan. One or two of the errors leading to tries were caused by backs bringing the ball out of yardage, something they should be able to do irrespective of who is in the pack. IIRC most of the frustrating errors came when we managed to get into better positions on the field, or at least looked like we had started to build momentum within a set.

I think we have gone a long way to addressing the pack, but not yet far enough. I feel comfortable that we have four good props (when Holroyd isn’t self destructing)  and if we replace and upgrade Lisone at the end of the year we'll have five. I have no doubts that Gannon, injury permitting, will become a back rower of international class, but we need a real physical specimen from the NRL to partner him. That would sort the pack for me, but it's not a this year thing, which is very frustrating. Arthur was probably trying to offset this with yards from Hall (who would have made a difference against Catalans) and Sivo, whose injury was just wretched luck. 

Yep, which is why losing Sivo was a hammer blow to us this season... we will do well to finish higher than 6th imo. 

Yep all our plans to use Sivo/Hall to get us out of our half have gone to pot.
I would still consider it a failure though if we didn`t finish 5th this year.
No doubt another year next season of rebuilding.
Think that takes us to 12 years now.

I know Ben Littlewood is currently injured, but I hope they have got him on a major gym programme as he has the basic frame to put a lot of muscle onto and for him to be the dynamic runner that we are looking for to partner Gannon. It's very early for him, but the raw materials are there.

Things built in less than 12 years. 

Panama Canal - 10
Hadrians Wall - 6
Colosseum- 8
Canadian Pacific Railway - 4
Channel Tunnel - 6


Oh, and from a standing start, 8 to put a man on the moon and only 13 for Alexander the Great to establish his empire. 


Conclusion - at the end of our epic, nay legendary, rebuilding programme,  we'll surely have a team and infrastructure to dominate RL forever. 

Superb !!! LOL LOL LOL 

Quite staggering 

Leeds have built a team (multiple times) in the course of the last 12 years. The problem is that it just hasn't been very good, except in very rare patches. This could go on for years and years. Warrington have thrown money at their team for a lot longer and still not won a GF.

Share the general sentiment, but why 12 years? We won the treble in 2015 and the GF in 2017, so although it feels like a dozen it's a mere 8.