Cam Smith designated as Captain for the 2024 season.

Solid pick.

Disappointed. Probably a nice lad who is well liked, but I think he holds us back in attack. Looks like he’s guaranteed a shirt every week now.

I think your letting last years team performances skew your view. Last season, yes Cam did get caught with the ball too much, but that was because our half backs weren't creating anything and he was trying too hard to make something happen.
With a better more balanced team around him.... i think Cam will shine as a loose forward with a good pair of hands.

His role will be very different this season to last, he admits himself that some of the things he was doing or trying to last season were because those who should have been doing them went missing. He was good for the most part last year, he’ll be better this. As for Captain, speaking to him about this a little while ago, my view is he will be very good.

I agree with Batley. He took it on himself to pick up some of the slack last year when people around him weren't performing. He shouldn't need to do the same next term, and will likely address any on-field issues in a more vocal way now he has the armband and his role is clearly defined.

Whilst he stifled the attack from time to time I do think he was our best player overall last season.
He was certainly up there as the leagues top tackler and put in the effort far more than others around him.
Not sure he has the stick to beat some under performers but do think he has the carrot to get the most out of others as our captain for next year.

Obvious choice really.
Not the most vocal, natural leader.
But he will lead by example with his effort and workrate.
The others need to follow his example.

He consistently posted good stats last year. If you went off the stats alone, he was the best 13 in the competition. His workrate was phenomenal.

You know the saying, “There’s lies, damned lies, and statistics”. It’s never been more true than in modern day R.L.
I base my judgement of Cam Smith by what I see with my eyes. I’m not kidded by how many tackles or carries he’s made on a stats sheet. Most tackles by players nowadays are where they are second or third man in, not rushing out of the line and smashing someone. There was a theory last season that Leeds were adopting a passive approach to defending, when in reality it’s probably down to the fact that they were not physically capable and unable to keep up to speed of the opposition. That is why they weren’t getting off the line and smashing people. As for carries, depending on who is carrying the ball it can be a negative if you have someone who is just carrying the ball down dead ends and not asking questions. Cam was guilty of that last season, and I’m not gonna start blaming other players for his failings. He was poor in his own right, as were a most of the other players, that’s why we finished in the bottom half of the table. Cam needs to up his game, along with everyone else next season. He should now be playing the best rugby of his career, he’s at his physical peak and has plenty enough games under his belt and experience at 25 years old. Only time will tell.

Smith was waaaaaay down the list of poor performers last year.

In a team sport any speccies views can only ever be subjective. I stood behind the sticks last season and Smith drove me mad at times, his poor decision making near the line in attack more than anything. I’m not gonna assassinate the guy by throwing other perceived failings into the mix, he’s a trier and that’s to be lauded. Having said that, it seems that certain players get the plaudits for “effort” when lads like Handley for example seem to get overlooked for doing a lot of hard carries out of defence when our forwards go AWOL. I often wonder who fans are pointing the finger at when lack of effort is cited ( not you by the way).

I really don't understand the Cam Smith bashing when he was comfortably our best and most consistent player last year.
Strange.

Smith was doing the job of 13 plus that of 2 half backs at times last year while running his blood to water, ill forgive him the dips in form/decision making he had at times because there was very obvious mitigation. Next year I'm sure you'll see the player he really is (even though he was still one of our best for large chunks of a trying season).

Well, while he was one of our best players last season, there's still plenty of room for improvement. There are reasons he's not yet first choice for England, for example. But I would disagree with those who see him as a problem - as has been pointed out, it is only when other players are not doing their jobs properly that he ends up stifling our attack. If he's getting through so much defensive work it's a big ask for him to be organising our attacking plays as well. I'd like to see him playing a bit more direct, and choosing more carefully when to play the old fashioned ball-handling 13, rather than trying to be one of the halves.