Our go forward ramped up massively when Sims went on for Cooper. It's not his fault he's lightweight compared to other props in the league. Maybe its because he spend the majority of his career in the backrow. Whether to like him or not he has passion and pride and will always but his hand up to take in the balls no one else wants and he's one of the only players on the team who knows how to hit a line.

I refused to go to Leigh and watched it on the Telly box because I knew what was going to happen. At the start of the match Gidley looked at Evans and told him to come inside to take a drive, Evans looked and him and pointed to go down the blindside. Gids told him again but he wouldn't budge in the end I think it was cooper who has to run across and Gidley was shaking his head as he give the ball to coops.

Just little things like that which may seem like nothing but ultimately has an affect on the game the more it happens.

Completely agree with both statements.

Not to derail the topic, but from the stands last night I saw a similar incident. One of the few times we actually got up to within 20m, we'd set up at the PTB, plenty of tackles left. Hill was demanding it on two or three of the plays, and each time Brown opted to try something "tricky", or go down the short side.

It smacks of individualism and lack of on and off field leadership / direction.

Our "structure-less" fluid play worked when we had a settled team for a few seasons, that contained a handful of wise and respected players calling the shots.

The players we have now need coaching and structure.

You need another big man in there. Sims is useless.

Interesting stats on Andre Savelio in the paper today. 13 metres made from 8 carries. Bullied. Too small for the pack, get him in at centre instead of Evans.

Therein lies another compounding issue. Evans is our fastest player.

I agree with savelio to centre. Ive no problem with sims, he does what's expected of him - runs in hard and then offloads and his defence is usually sound....he's a decent back-up prop. He'll never bust a tackle or make great yards.....but then he doesnt select/sign/decide his share of the salary cap himself does he?

just reading the comments on here, imo I think you have size in the pack, hills a big lad Clarke good size for hooker, westwood and westerman big lads for back row, simms isn't exactly small, cooper again isn't small, we have manu and mini and Houghton in our pack and there not the biggest, just an outsiders point of view, imo you will pick up soon, good luck

Still trying to see whats going wrong...
Teams are kicking very long against us - our kicking game is dire

First two or three tackles the backs are carting the ball up from our 10m...then getting to the middle channel. Typically starts on the 10 ends on the 30. Backs are then out of the play and feeling beat up. Forwards take two or three plays - make 7-10m each - thats only about half way - we are then on tackle 4 or 5 stuck in the middle channel against an organised defense with no intention or ability to go wide - so its hoof and hope.

Forwards need to be in play earlier or more aggressive early tackle returns get us to starting between 40 or 50 and put pressure on the left or right side (like other teams do to us) then a big spread play is on

in 2011 we used to ignore the middle channel in attack and go through it with half backs linking to hit a centre or second row. Now we are afraid of venturing from the middle and have half backs who cannot take on the line or pass wide (|Gidley looks like he needs a month or 5 off)

Decision making ....theres none
Skills - low
Game plan ...nil

Other than that though you have to admit we are doing pretty well.

from a curious Rhino's fan, what happened to Ben Harrison and why not play a proper winger, Kevin Penny. Russell not really a winger is he.

no one really knows whats happened to Harrison.

Hes not a Wire player in that hes not in the squad. but he's not signed for anyone else, and he's not retired. hes currently having a Testimonial season (and well deserved) with full support of the club...except for tonights jolly ( a ladies night ) which I believe a lot of players have been told they cant attend. Harrison is 29 i'd have him in the pack on one leg rather than Savelio

Kevin Penny had a vein taken out of his ankle during pre season but apparently he is still some way off which is a bit odd for an innocuous procedure, but Smith doesn't like him anyway despite re signing him for his second stint at the club...

yes Russell is not a winger, unfortunately for him he's a decent full back that has lost all confidence under the high ball.....medium high ball and scuffed low balls as well...!!!

..,.decent FB?

The size of our pack is obviously an issue, but we're missing an important issue (I've said it countless times)......nastiness

We're too bloody nice. No one (bar a 30 odd year old Westwood) who's prepared to die for the cause. In RL, if you've not got that, you're beaten when you cross the white line.

Bar the obvious Morley and Carvell, the last ones we had who fitted the bill, were Wood and Louis Anderson. I don't remember either of these taking a backwards step. We've got all the menace of a bunch of middle aged accountants called Nigel.

Had Les Boyd got up early, and watched that excuse for a pack, he'd've done an Elvis Presley, and shot the TV screen. Pitiful.

He used to be, yep. His spell in the NRL did him no good at all, but he was still playing superbly for Scotland in 2013. I still think he's better there than on the wing. Was sorry to see him leave us, but he was never going to get much game time here (we had a certain Sam Tomkins at fb at the time).

come on Lefty when Glenn Stewart smacked Kevin Brown ...one of our pack must have shouted "hey... hey you ...cut that out"

its really the first rule of a prop forward "protect your half back"...its why Andrew Gee came over with Langer if anyone ruffled Langer in the slightest Gee was first in....

there is not a chance what Glenn Stewart did would have gone unpunished in Boyds, Gee's and Morley's era..... and they weren't lone enforcers either.. plenty of right hand men (literally) ready and willing....

sadly even Chris Hill Couldn't be bothered getting vexed.

Couldn't agree more, biscuit.

I never "took" to Gee, but whenever Langer was "troubled by the opposition", Gee was in, in a nanosecond (Flearey and Farrell at the same time).

We've become a team of doormats