Wrap - Leadership Vaccuum

"Ricky said to make the tackles count"...

1. Mick Potter has fallen for the 'Steve Kearney Syndrome' as a first year NRL coach. Here's how it works:

STEP 1. You talk up your pre season and say how fit, keen and well every player is...great expectations.
STEP 2: You compliment the players and talk of likely successes and 'learning' after a couple of cheap early season wins.
STEP 3: As things sour and injuries occur, you talk of "positives", "building blocks", "works in progress" and similar.
STEP 4: As media and Board level tensions mount, put pressure on your leading players and leaders(who have a proven record of discarding coaches...the Australian one no less).
STEP 5: Cast yourself as "taking a stand" and "getting tough". Watch your back as your star players approach the Board and seek releases...
STEP 6: Get sacked as players stay.

Ask Ivan Henjak, Jason Taylor, Kearney..  Can anyone really believe that the International coach of the NZ team runs the water for the Brisbane Broncos?

2. My guess is that the first sacked NRL coach will be the Warriors' Matt Elliott. What price a return of Tim Sheens to the coaching position? Humphries gone and they are still paying Sheens. It would be a triumphant return. I suspect this is why his contract position has not been sorted in any great hurry.

3. Referees reverse sledge. Imagine if a ref said the following after yet another whinge from a desperate, lying NRL player: "Bad decision? What about your hands - and the drop balls...you blokes make bad decisions all night - and you get paid a heap to do it poorly. When I get sacked, I will see you in the NSW Cup".

NRL officials need to get tough on these captains and their ridiculous time wasting enquiries...Jamie Lyon, Paul Gallen, Kurt Gidley....

4. Parramatta trainer to dejected huddle: "Ricky said to make the tackles count"...

5. Hayne. Five errors at least on Saturday night. Hardly captaincy material. A bit like Dave Warner who will claim he was hacked on Twitter of course, but it was really him. Ill disciplined pretenders.

6. If your surname is Toutai, you need to be banned from the NRL. Parramatta keep signing them and finding error laden players.

7. Quayde Cooper. Omitted from the Lions squad as Deans keeps his long memory rolling along against players who he dislikes...Giteau...Cooper...Great to see Folau there. We will struggle as injuries mount.

8. Beckham Retired. Golden career, headlined by his shot for goal from half way in his early years which beat a straying keeper.

9. IPL Corruption. Who would have thought? The number of hangers on in that part of the world provide the perfect conditions for the shady deal and influential suited type infiltrating the game. The Indian Cricket authorities will be desperate to sting International cricketers now to show it is their vigilance that is stopping this happening. Who will be the first rabbit?

"Ricky said to make the tackles count"... I wonder how long Ricky's ineffective impact on the worst bunch of footballers in the competition will last. They train all week for that? 11/13 are now Polynesian. Talented, wonderful players, but leadership? Who is driving and uniting them?