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BLUEY'S VIEW | EXCLUSIVE TO LEEDSRHINOS.BIZ

SENDING OFF MADE IT TOUGH
By Shamoon Hafez June 23 2008
Bluey's View is a new feature to the website where you will be able to read the full post match press conference made by Brian McClennan after each Leeds Rhinos home game. This is the only place on the internet where you can read IN FULL, what Bluey had to say after the game.

vs St. Helens- Friday 20th June 2008.

Super League Round 18 

Headingley Carnegie Stadium, Leeds

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Where did that game slip away from you, Brian? 

I think in the third quarter we started giving away some penalties and had to go through a tough period where we had to defend a lot. Nick Scruton got sent off and that made it difficult.

In the first half at 12-6, I thought we were in the game and it was a good contest and that territory was well shared. It was boding well for a good game.

In the second half, we had to endure too much defence which took its toll and took the juice out of us.


Do you think offloading was an issue when with the ball in hand?

A couple of times in the first half we made some splits and it would have been better in the fifth tackle to hold on to it and we could have been more aware of that.

I think the key for us as a team at the moment is that there was a better attitude and commitment by the team and we had a better crack at it as we’ve been disappointing by the way we’ve performed the last few weeks and it was a step in the right direction especially against a St. Helens team that was pretty clinical and made the most of their possession and made it count when we went down to 12.

It’s a sign of a quality team but it gives us confidence as we are no too far away ourselves. We’ll go back, lick our wounds and come back stronger.


Any complaints about the sending off? 

It’s always difficult in the heat of the moment and I have seen some of those put on report before but he’s been sent off and young Nick is remorseful. It will go through the judiciary who will have a look at it and analyse it from there.


What about Steve Ganson refereeing his home town team St Helens; is there an issue there? 

I don’t really want to go down that line of looking at where a referee comes from. You start to question the integrity of a person when you do that.

Having said that, our fans were very upset. There’s a bit of confusion amongst our ranks on some of the decisions but that’s part and parcel of the game and we have to move on from there.

We don’t all have great performances all the time but I am sure the RFL will look into that performance.


Do you think you have discipline issues in your team having been given six successive penalties in the second half? 

No, I don’t think so. I’m pretty pleased with our discipline. The club is known as one that prides itself in good discipline and doing the right thing and I think we are carrying that on. I’m happy with our side.

 

Have all the England players come through ok? 

We’ve come out of the game with one injury and that is to Carl Ablett so I can’t fully answer that question.


We’re you tempted to call the game against Castleford off because you will have a lot of players on international duty? 

We’re playing Saturday night and I don’t know exactly how many players will be missing and it will be a big challenge for us against Castleford.

We can’t call the game off. We have to fulfil the fixture that day. We want to see the players representing their country and not have the pressure of having to back up with the fixture for the club the next day and so we’ll be doing the best with our young ones.


Shamoon Hafez

 

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