Shame you took your bat and ball home on this one Rob. The role of captain was discussed in RL Extra on The Station Formerly Known as GMR.



They asked Leulai what O Loughlin and Wikki are/were like as captains. Apparently neither are very vocal but both lead by example (Wikki's example presumably being that of a world class RL player, O Loughlin's being a crushingly average ham and egger). Leulai didn't seem to think it mattered how shouty a captain was and that deeds were more important than words.

and out of the 2 most sucessful notably kc + ks . have you seen these two hand out a verbal bashing? cos i aint.

I think it's extremely hard to just go out and 'buy/sign' a leader. For me, it would be a little strange if we done what Hudds have done this year, that being signing an overseas player and making him captain immediately. I just think that a captain is the kind of role you grow into, and I'd much rather it be somebody who's been at the club for a longer period of time. I know he gets his stick, but I think Clarke's a good option at captain, he's already vice and I feel his communication skills are fairly good on the pitch. I'm not sure what he's like off the field, but he comes across as quite a professional lad.





As for the leader/motivator, I'm not sure if it's possible for one player on a rugby field to motivate 12 others. I have no clues about psychology, but is it not possible for the players to take on the responsibility themselves? Instead of having one player shouting at 12, why can't, let's say King, try and motivate Grix? Or Landerson? Why can't Hicks or Westwood give Riley or Gleeson a smack on the backside and gee them up?



When we played Celtic, I seen King speaking, agreeing and kind of giving Grix tips during the game, and I remember when their player knocked on from the kick off and Briers went straight to Riley, give him a pat on the back and said well done. Is it too much to ask for all, or half of the players to be like this? We have experience all over the field, and I feel if we have players giving each other the necessary respect, then the motivational side of things will come with.

What we should get to is a situation where fellas don't need that much leadership really. You look at a Leeds player, they drop a ball or throw a crap pass, their hand goes up as an acknowledgement of rubbishness, but their well aware that they've let the team down, and you can almost sense their desire to put it right, how many times you see in the next set, someone puts in a big shot, or chases the kicker a bit harder, or they force an error etc, and half the team start dishing out high fives, and the initial error maker gets a hair ruffle etc. They don't need picking up, guidance, leadership etc, they are well aware of the expected standards, and well aware of the levels expected of the team etc.



More often that not now, behind the posts, water carrier comes on, he's delivering a specific message from the coach, obviously something that's been noted, a weakness to exploit, or to tighten an area that they are loose etc, and this will finish with a Sinfield or whoever giving a quick hand clap and a "Let's go" and they zoom off back to halfway.



Anyhow, if everyones picking a captain who they'd want, I'll have Ben Westwood as mine. Nobody gives him a mention, I know that he's prone to the odd mad moment, but he puts it in every week, leads from the front and has qualities that I like, he gets my vote.

That is what I think as well. Leadership should come from all players. However the Captian does need strong communication skills as they do need to be able to pass on instructions from the coaching staff and they need to be able to have a reasonable conversation with the referee when needed. That tends to rule Westwood out!

One image I cant get away from is that of Sinfield with his gumshield in his hand, talking. He does a lot of it, To his players and to the ref, he appears to be a good communicator.



I realise that a lot of the players know what to do and when to do it but Sinfield could be just telling his team to keep things tight for another few sets or he could be saying now is the time to start offloading as the opposition is knackered, Again this is likely to be in line with what the water carrier is saying.



Never seen him dish a serious beat down out so as far as I know he could be telling Robbie Burrow that his missus is doing steak and kidney pud for tea?



I have got a lot of respect for Sinfield in terms of how he conducts himself.

I cant belive all the talk of Captain with no mention of Farrell.

Probably the greatest captain I have ever seen

I know where your coming from, in saying that though, Lee Briers was a very vocal captain and got slated for it, folk used to moan like hell on here about his chatter with the referees, so we can't have it both ways. We do have players who communicate alot, Briers & Monas are constantly chattering to the team.



Loads of times I've seen Briers,



a. Talk behind his hand.



b. Put five fingers up on one hand, and one on the other, I think it's to signal 'big next set' or just to let Westwood have an update.



c. Shout '74'.

not as good as ellery hanley.

Not the most vocal of captains.

no but one of the most sucessful my friend.

So he was a better captain than Farrell, purely because he won more trophies?