We sure need Devine intervention. We what have a prophet (JJB) and are waiting for a messiah (Zachariah?)

It’s absolutely ridiculous but something needs looking into, it can’t keep happening

I'd agree there that the game is over analysed in all departments with the apparent outcome being lower playing standards and higher injury rate.


Digressing, but I took my team as u14s to Kirkstall some years ago and the detail the performance analysis suite went into to break down the biomechanics of every players movements just seemed counter productive to me, as someone whos career is in sport development.

As an aside on that trip I remember Simon Bell saying to these 13 year olds 'if we approach to sign you and you turn us down, we won't be coming back for you. We only want players who 100% want to play for leeds'. While I understand the stiment to a degree, this seemed over board (especially at their age) and an indictment of this leeds sense of being entitled.

Glad you’ve seen that too, and seen it at Grass roots. All looks very shiny and impressive though don’t it?!
JJB was going on about I how they actually employ someone to do stats and graphs if the players performance . He said some of the players look ‘awesome’ on there. I just thought they’ve lost the plot….how about teaching some of them to pass and catch? Put a man through a gap. Defend in a line!

One of the reasons I stepped away from scholarship coaching was that its over coached and not at all player centred, the performance environment just goes against my coaching ethos.

Theres a lot of money in Sports ‘Science’. Degrees and clever people with fancy letters after their names…. I work with a few too…!

You’d still be a brilliant coach mate and actually what a young player would need to have some vision and make the game exciting and fun….!

Did this approach all come from the 'Moneyball' in baseball where they identified players on stats? Completely agree with Shabs that they need to spend more tike coaching the basics like accurate passing, dummy running and dominating tackles. There's a place for the science but it should be in the background, not the basis of everything else. The players these days are ripped, but can anyone say the skill levels over here are any higher? Hence why we can produce forwards to go to the NRL but struggle with backs where they need more rugby know how

The problem that exists with any technology, rugby or otherwise, is that every innovation is seen as a positive and moving forward but it really isn't as it goes too far and what it takes away from the human element is the unintended consequence. It inhibits any use the technology had in the first place (there's so many examples of this in society ie the impact on instant gratification).

It was my passion for many years and found a coaching philosophy that was successful not just in results but in people and player development, putting them at the centre of the process, not this painting by numbers coaching that's sterilising the game. I could bore anyone for hours on where I think It goes wrong and the anecdotal experiences that I've had. I could have gone on the coaching pathway but it continually pulled the opposite direction to my beliefs. Anyway, I get my joy from teaching in schools now, enabling young people of all ages to enjoy being active and achieving their own success.

Someone asked about Tetevano and walker, Newman and holroyd’ appearances, can’t remember who.

Zane played 14/27 in 2021 and after Hull KR will have played 7/12 in 2022. Think 6 at start of this season is most consecutive games he has played. Think has been suspended 4 or 5 times.

For our talented young guns who have suffered badly with injuries and of course all out at the moment.
In 2018 we played 33 games,Walker played 19 + 3 subs, Newman played 3, Holroyd 0+ 1 sub.
In 2019 we played 31 games, Walker played 22, Newman played 22 and Holroyd 0+3 subs.
In 2020 we played 21 games, Walker played 10, Newman played 12 and Holroyd 3+6 subs.
In 2021 we played 26 games, Walker played 0, Newman played 14 and Holroyd 4+12 subs.

A few things stood out for me. 1) the decision to go with Holroyd as prop 4 with no prop 5 looks even riskier given his bad luck.
2) the fact we have had seemingly endless injury issues since 2020 yet we only played 21 games in 2020 and 26 games in 2021. Of course now we are 11 games into 2022 and completely busted, having been able to play 1-17 in the pre-season game v Hull. In general we seem to have little durability.

I’d love to speak to you mate. Let’s meet up. We definitely need to go backwards to go forwards. Leeds have the best resourced club in the league, yet lowest skill levels and most injuries. Go figure….!