Jukes: “We are missing that experience”

After Leigh Centurions lost their seventh game on the spin against St Helens on Friday, head coach Neil Jukes spoke to the media.

“It’s a similar message – I don’t think other than the Widnes game you could question the integrity and effort of the boys, just at the moment we’ve not got that quality and are missing that experience,” he said.

“We are creating enough opportunities – we must have had four or five clear line breaks and only managed to get one over the line from a little push play.

“Whether it’s a ruthlessness or reaction thing in getting more bodies around the ball, we’ve got to start posting more points than what we are doing ultimately.

“At times our kicking game went too deep and all of a sudden Percival, Regan Grace and these guys- all of a sudden you are on the back foot and they have that ruthlessness within them. They have been in this environment for a long time and it told on some occasions.”

Once again injuries bit hard for Leigh and their boss.

“Jamie Acton never returned with his bicep, Adam Higson carried on with his bicep and Harrison Hansen couldn’t return, Dayne Weston couldn’t return with his hamstring so we did it tough as well on the back of your Brown, Tonga, Patterson, Hock, Higham (missing), doing it tough,” Jukes added.

“I said to the players, it is midway now, our challenge was always to be in the top eight and it’s not unachievable on paper, but it looks more difficult.

“I just think we need to get some bodies back and need to add a bit of quality as and when we can get it. It’s testing our squad and I think there is an element now of some younger guys, a lot this year that have made Super League debuts, who I’d never have envisaged them playing as many games as they have.

“They are looking a bit battle worn and ideally we can get some of these bodies back in and pull a few back, but it’s not been the case and probably won’t be again next week.”