Richard Agar spoke to the media following Leeds Rhinos' defeat to Salford Red Devils. Here's everything he had to say during the press conference.
General thoughts
I thought we worked hard, we're trying to overcome 12 men, we've seen what a big impact it's having on the game, eight to three six agains, we couldn't get any ruck speed on that second half.
But I thought we were in a position to win the game and grind it out when we had a four-point lead. There was a big turning point in there, a big shift in momentum and unfortunately for us once that first try went it we didn't get a look in and we didn't show enough grit or resilience. The last two tries were a capitulation.
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If he feels as deflated as last week
We're a proud club, I have a lot of faith in the group of players we put together before the start of the year. Clearly at this point in time, the start to season we've had isn't good enough but the manner of the performances too has not been good enough. We've just been saying in there, what we're dishing up there doesn't look like what we're serving up in the week and that's my major concern because people think coaches have all the answers but what we're seeing in the build up in the game is not reflecting. At the moment, it's tough, really tough.
How does he go about changing the team's fortunes?
Good question because I don't think wholesale changes are the answers. We've still some guys injured but we need more collectively and individually. I thought our collective, again, I thought we tried manfully to overcome the 12 men and we handled some of those periods alright but some decision making things just leads you scratching your head as coaches and making decisions like that. Some of the errors, kicking the ball early when we've got 12 men, the kick from Aiden that went to Burgess on the full, maybe confidence-wise we're not coming up with some answers at the moment.
Assessing the current situation the team finds itself in
Clearly we've some important people missing and a lack of continuity in our lineup, but for me, the manner of which we've fallen apart there tonight is worrying and concerning, a couple of no shows in Wigan and Hull are really concerning for us. I think we've proven we can't carry some of the betters out of the team as well as we thought we would and we thought we had a squad that would cope better than that.
The comparison I'll use is that I think we had the same record this time at this point and we ended up in the penultimate game of the year. We can't keep saying that. I think when I look back to that we've got a lot of disruption in our lineup, but we were competing a lot better and for longer periods too. It's one that, I think, we've got to give a lot of thought to where we're at in this moment.
The decision to take Blake Austin off
We felt Kruise was playing really well, he's always got a hunger to get his hands on the ball and Brad (Dwyer) would give us an injection in that last 15 minutes of the game, that was more the reason, to be honest.
How much are you hurting?
It's difficult and we understand coming into work on the back of a win and good performance is a damn sight more enjoyable than the situation we find ourselves in at the moment. It's tough for every person in the organisation and the supporters as well. of course, in these situations the heat turns onto the coach and I get it.
Are you feeling the pressure?
We're searching for some answers, I don't know what you want me to say but I don't think a press conference is a place where I'd discuss my own position. But I'm an experienced coach, I've got plenty of wool on my back and I know how the land lies. I'm not sat here under any illusions that we're travelling alright, I know that.
On the sin bins
I hate six again, we just felt, we got three, maybe that's because in my presser this week somebody asked me about it and I said it was a rubbish rule. The six agains were the ones. Sin bins, Zane's, I've no complaints and I imagine we'll get a phone call Monday morning, Bodene's I didn't think there was much in the tackle, I didn't think it was a slow ruck, he'd pinged us for two and three before and felt obliged, but when we're talking about sin bins at the moment, none of us know.
How does he go about having conversations about the current situation?
We've lost, so naturally, we're the story, the coach is under pressure, we're 20 minutes in the aftermath and I felt we had a good week and that's the head-scratching thing for me. We don't look like the team I know we can be and we don't look like the team I'm seeing in preparation for the game. The style of footy we're playing, the decisions we're coming up with, I'm just now seeing. For me, as a coach, it's my job to get a better reaction. The first place I'll always look is myself.
It's about what you do at the weekend. The way we've fallen away in some games is a major concern for me.
