Whilst delighted to attend yet another cup final, I find myself in two minds, especially since I was such a critic of him and the team just a short time ago because of the on-field performances ....

- Is he just a 'big game' coach ?

- Do the team really just cruise through certain blocks of fixtures in order to give themselves a run at games like the Semi ?

- Shouldn't we have better squad rotation to ensure that we win the games we otherwise didn't win this season (a la 2004) ?

- Why can't we play like that for most of the season ?

- Why I am still skeptical over our coach when he's already taken us to four major finals and, at the moment, as only lost one of them ....

Because he isn't an Aussie?

Being an Aussie doesn't have anything to do with it ...

- Cr*p home performances against the likes of Wigan and Saints

- Going to Bradford and looking ordinary

- Half the squad playing like they've never seen each other for half a season

- Unfathomable substitutional policy, including not playing players when we're behind on the scoreboard or bringing someone on for three minutes at the end of a half.

My own guess - based purely on results and performances since BM took over, so no inside evidence at all - is that the team more and more often pick and choose when to turn it on. BM himself couldn't afford many bad performances like wigan at home, but a lot of the team could. I suspect the team are more than happy with BM as coach, as he simply doesn't have the authority to challenge their power.

The best players in the team are in the twilight of their careers, so they don't have it in them to play 100% week in week out anymore, so they fire up for certain periods and games.

I don't know. Maybe they are trying to go full throttle every week, it's just other teams are better....but then they somehow manage to turn it for the big games, and periods of the season.

It's weird. I can't remember a team looking so pedestrian so often during the season, whilst still winning trophies and making finals on a regular basis.

Maybe it is the team that is effectively running itself .... I recall a quote from Lee Jackson, who was at Newcastle Knights during the ARL War and the time that Malcolm Reilly was there as coach ... During that time Newcastle won the Grand Final and the words Jacko used were "We won it inspite of Malcolm, not because of ..."

I find it difficult to grasp the idea that you can turn on or off the brain farts that lead to penalties, dropped balls, missed passes, positional confusion etc at the flick of a switch.

I could be persuaded to believe that the training regime and preparation throughout the week might have a bearing on the mental attitude with which a player approaches each game, which would surely influence the standard at which they play the game.

Apart from a few missed tackles most of the team played clinically, with intensity and composure in the semi-final. Something they've pretty much failed to achieve collectively all season, apart from maybe the WCC.

I'd imagine such planning is the work of both the players and coaches working collaboratively. Being able to make such plans work is probably down to experience in those kind of matches as much as anything else - something the current Rhinos squad has plenty more of than any other playing squad in SL.

I would say the answers to your questions are

- No

- No

- Possibly

- and...Because it is sport and runs of good form and bad form are part of the game as are getting on the wrong/right side of officials decisions and the effects of injuries to key players.

I guess too much is expected of coaches and in these days of blame culture it seems, for many, it always has to be someone's fault. So they quickly blame the coach when the team plays badly or is in a run of poor form. At Leeds we have a nucleus of key players that have been around for a long time and perhaps are mentally jaded particularly after last season and getting up for the WCC this year. However they do need to play regularly to keep physically match fit so resting them all is not a realistic option although I would have given a bit more game time to a few of the youngsters.

After last year I would have thought the "taxi for McD" brigade would have kept their heads down but too many have rather shamefully repeated the impatience of last season.

I fear we have become a casualty of our teams consistent success in the silverware department. We are demanding permanent success as of right. It seems our aging stars now cannot produce the goods week in week out when the opposition provides a stiff challenge as perhaps they get mentally fatigued but still have what is needed to win the key matches. If so it says a lot of the coaching staff abilities to get them to peak at the right time.

Most teams fans suffer defeats and are outplayed on a regular basis as there are few winners in sport as any Leeds fans with long memories will testify. If I had to make a choice I would pick seeing quality and entertaining rugby on a regular basis over frequent crap rugby but winning the trophies. But life does not provide these choices and we just have accept the sport or walk away!

I fear we have become a casualty of our teams consistent success in the silverware department. We are demanding permanent success as of right.

So who has said this JC??
Once again you take the completely wrong end of what most have said this year and each performance has been discussed on it's own merits and rightly so.
The rotation policy has been questioned which again was the right call imo given what we were witnessing from some.
The structure was questioned which again after a few games that was also warranted.
We have those who questioned whether the coach was up to it and each to their own.
However not once has ANYONE posted we have any divine right to win RL matches and the expectancy has never gone beyond that of wanting us to be competitive given how well we know this lot can play as shown v Manly and yesterday.
There's nothing wrong with discussing and offering opinions when the performances have been dire just as there's nothing wrong with offering due credit when we've been good.

I really don't need to contribute on this forum.....99% of the time I think I must wholeheartedly agree with what you have to say.

I've said elsewhere the criticism made all season after the WCC match is still valid; it does appear to me that Leeds are player-power-led.

Once again rhinoms you get the wrong end of the stick. I was expressing an opinion not making a quote.

The OTT comments made against the coach once again this year appear to be based on a lack of patience for proven players who were out of form and therefore in your opinion it was all BM's fault.

You question the structure and the abilities of the coach as though you attend the coaching and planning sessions as a qualified observer. I question the judgements of those who rush to critical comment as back seat drivers. Brian Mac has coached us to Wembley two years on the trot, Won the Grand Final and the WCC all in his first season and a half yet you are persistently dissatisfied. Therefore I have reason to assume you have a very low tollerance of any lack in performance.

Rugby players cannot train and play at their highest intensity all season, coaches cannot big up every match as a must win match.

Leeds players will not go out to make errors etc. but they won't be as pumped up for every match and thus intensity is lost, that with the bounce of the ball going the wrong way and decisions going against you can get you off to a bad start in a game.

Leeds will up there intensity for a few weeks and then reduce it again. Obviously victories breed confidence and losses bring negativity. When Leeds are upping their intensity they will come in on a Monday and be focused for long hours throughout the week and keep upping that intensity for a few weeks till the big game, they will then calm it down and have more relaxed weeks.

The key to been consistent through the season is to have a large squad, so that squad rotation and competition is high and also to have a good team structure in place so that any one of the squad can come in and run the same lines and defend the right channels ala Wigan.

So yes the players intensity would drop which I would expect, we just need a larger squad, with more rotation and better structure throughout the year.

"Low tolerance" ?

It is indeed fabulous that Leeds are again at Wembley and indeed when it "matters" the team again has succeeded. However, for most of this season (and indeed las)t those performances have been rare in regular league games.....is this really what the paying spectators deserve ? Are you saying they should put up/shut up with that majority low intensity 'commitment' from the players and coaching staff, knowing that Leeds will 'turn it on' for the big ones ? I'll save my money thanks.

Firstly i never said it was all BM's fault but he had to shoulder some blame through selection ,lack of rotation and some more than questionable substitutions ALL of which were pointed out by many others.
As for low tollerance is it ok to get pasted more than once perform WAY BELOW their obvious talents and continue to make the SAME errors week after week?
Like i said each game was treated and commented on it's own individual merits not just by me either.
I'm also very aware of the Teams record since BM arrived but does that make some of the performances OK then?
You can sit there and "ASSUME" all you want EVEN the playing and coaching staff have 99% agreed with those of us about standards of performances at certain times and openly admitted their errors.
My opinion is no less rellevant than yours and whilst i continue to pay the money i do then i will continue to offer opinions on each individual performance whether you consider them "back seat driving" or not it doesn't make the 50-8 at home defeat any more acceptable at that time.
RL88 All fair points but even with a lower intensity surely with the calibre of the team we could/should be still competing in most games?

Is it just me or does anyone else think Nat is a d!ck ??