The coach is making mistakes though.

When he was appointed, having seen what he did at Leeds, I said he wasn't up to the task. He makes mistakes, he panics, I just don't think he is a good coach.

You look at what he did in the World Cup last year, England spent more time and money being ready for that World Cup than any other in their history, and sure they players are not good, but they turned up completely clueless about basic things.

Now you look at that game against France and Smith said they were nervous. Find, maybe they are playing against a side with a handful of semi professional players in its ranks.

The problem is the tactics England had were dreadful. When they didn't blow France off the park in the first ten minutes they had no plan B.

It took the French side to just wear itself out before England found anything at all.


You look at that first English try, the way the French defense compressed, even someone that doesn't watch Rugby League would know that if the defense reacts like that, you go back to that. Get them compressed then spin it wide....and they didn't.

If the coaches job isn't to prepare his team and give them some extra tips on how to break down the opposition...then what is his job?

Who selects the players? Who plays them out of position? Who is responsible for them gelling? Who refuses to put two props on the bench? Who goes on an overseas tour with only four prop forwards and lets Leeds players room with Leeds players and St.Helens players room with St.Helens players? Who is supposed to come up with cohesive tactics to break down teams like France and PNG, let alone Australia.

I agree that there's not exactly a long list of replacements, and our current crop of backs is so mediocre and Australia's so outstanding that the team would probably be soundly beaten even if it was well coached. But it's not well coached, and it's certainly not well managed.

This may or may not be true...but a coach going on about players being too excited and dewy conditions has lost the plot. This is one time I am happy that the press do not pay too much attention.

Don't quality players adapt to the conditions.

That is telling me you actually believe what Smith is saying. I find it much mroe interesting that he has to blame "dew" for us being a very very poor side last night. We had no ideas agianst a team that we should utterly destroy.

I think he is talking rubbish and that you have misunderstood me.

If we'd have had more than just the odd world class players on show last night, he wouldn't be moaning about dew!

We made incredibly hard work of beating an average side.

hes the best coach in the frickin world!!

In Smith We Trust

Would that be why you finished 10th?

Champions mate

Cup winners, fool. Oh and tenth.

Champions.

And how many finals did you get to?

League position was irrelevant, we lost the league when we announced Lowes as head coach late last season. Smith had 6 months with the team and made them champions for the first time in 35 years.