.... why should it imply grievances against the coaching staff?

Radford has been lambasted for criticising players in public, and I'd imagine he has to be careful what he has to say about individuals in front of all the players.

What the players say amongst themselves is another matter.

Next up for you are Wakefield and the Derby. Much as it pains me to say it, that's currently the weakest two teams in SL. If you play like you did for the last 60 minutes on Thursday, you might come a cropper. Might.

More likely you'll play with something resembling competence and rollover both pretty comfortably. And that's the thing, you'll meet enough weaker or out of form teams to make the 8, at least - even without a plan b. How much more than that, if anything, Radford needs for an extension is an interesting question for me.

As Jake said, we probably need to win half our remaining games to make the 8. Unlikely on current form. With the "immediate" wins that Peacock has said will happen for you now Webster is in place, we'll be looking up at you come Easter Monday. Oh well.

I have had similar thoughts to you regarding the nature of Radford's appointment and how I have viewed his progress since then.

Chronologically, my feelings have been outrage, denial, disbelief, resignation, more resignation, optimism and latterly wild excitement. Spattered of course throughout with hope when we've strung a good patch together.

I've never wanted him to fail, just expected him to and I've explained my reasons for that more than monotonously over the last few years, so won't go there again.

But I just can't get my head around what's happened in the last three weeks. It's just not logical to see such a capitulation within a side as we've witnessed.

I agree completely with your interpretation of the 'hand dismissal' as he walked out of the dressing room. Look at the reactions of the players, particularly Frank and Ellis. That's a clear indication that something's not right and the player's meeting afterwards backs that up, even if it did only mean the senior players wanted privacy while they rallied the troops. Why the need to rally disconcerted troops in the first place and why couldn't Radford do it? This smacks of a split at best in the dressing room, even if it's not yet completely lost.

And how many times have we seen that before?

Given this, that Radford has once again been 'loose tongued' in front of the media (and it's not the first time he's done that either - Shaul, Lineham?) is [inot[/i the issue, it's the fact that the senior players felt the need for that unprecedented meeting in the first place.

Just my interpretation of events and hope I'm wrong.

Don't worry we'll probably scrape a win against wakey and yourselves to paper over the cracks then he will probably get a new 4 year deal.

Who said anything about senior players 'rallying the troops'? Both Ellis and Taylor have stated it was a clear-the-air session between ALL the players after an embarrassing performance.


This type of meeting is not unprecedented in RL. Just because it hasn't happened here before doesn't mean it hasn't happened elsewhere - the press have provided a couple of recent examples including a very recent one from the NRL.

Watch Radford's exit from the dressing room again, and Ellis' and Frank's reactions. Don't care what was said to diffuse the situation afterwards, the fact the meeting took place after that half-time exit necessitates concern, and the responses of two of our most senior players on video reflects that, imo.

As for 'rallying the troops' what other reason could there be for a players' only meeting? If it was a 'clear the air meeting' there is clearly discord within the troops that the senior players had to diffuse? Hence a rallying of troops? My argument - as is that of most objective observers - is 'Shouldn't Radford have been part of that?' If the answer to is that is in any form a negative, then the implication is that things needed to be said that Radford couldn't be party to.

And what a can of worms that opens up.

I'd be interested to see what the after effect of all such meetings have had on the clubs.

I have no problem with the players meeting.
They are ultimately responsible for the performance at Widnes .
If Radford had kept his mouth shut to the press , we would be non the wiser .

I didn't see the half time incident so I won't comment on it.

Both Ellis and Taylor said that the meeting was for the players to clear the air about what had happened during the game. Neither said anything about diffusing any discord. Neither aid anything about rallying troops. Both specifically stated that it had nothing to do with the coaching staff and was about the players taking responsibility for their own performances. Under those circumstances the exclusion of the coaching staff makes sense and, as pointed out, has happened before at other clubs. Most objective observers - in the press at least - have accepted this at face value, pointed out similarities with other player-only meetings, and said that had Radford not made his ill-judged and emotive comments at the press conference there would have been no fuss.

I understand and share the concerns in the wake of a dismal performance at Widnes and the idiocy of the previous two games but there is a danger of reading too much into this. We'll find out a lot more by seeing how the team react and perform in the next few games.

Exactly.

Agree with the last part, proof of the pudding will be seen on the pitch.

I'll just ask one more (rhetorical?) question. Do we think what trusted players say to the media always are a true reflection of events that occurred, particularly in the wake of a public foot in mouth situation such as this?

And also, I'd add, after live footage has been seen on TV (showing people who do not realise their behaviour is being aired) which has given cause for concern, rightly or not.

Going against Kaths orders was his downfall #Sandwichgate #DontbeatkathsbelovedLeeds

There was a " dressing room meeting " after the Wigan game also ,Views aired & words exchanged , Doesn't seem to have done any good though .