In my view only McAtee has demonstrated laziness this season. We are short of players though that “set the tone” for the rest of the team to respond to. I mean demonstrating that every match and indeed every challenge is important.
Gillead, O’Malley and Onaraise are the only ones who have done this consistently this season which is probably why most fans like these guys. Karajan did it from the moment he appeared although he seemed subdued against Exeter the other night. I am prepared to put that one down to fitness.
The four of them lead by example but none have the vocal presence the likes of Bishop and Murphy used to have. If you didnt work hard enough when those guys played then you knew about it fairly quickly. Imagine how Murphy would have reacted to McAtee trying a hopeful backheel and then slowly walking back to the halfway line.
The rest of the team work hard enough but only just enough unless the team are having a good period in the game. They can all disappear or go through the motions when things are not going so well. I would have like to have seen a few players furious when they walked off after the game on Tuesday – not because we lost to a decent team but because we did not even compete with them.
I think it is less about laziness and more about intensity. Does it matter enough? Am I afraid of getting a bollocking from my peers for letting my team down?
