Sean Fitzpatrick: Sad Blues need some leadership

I found it disappointing watching the Blues against the Crusaders last weekend. It was a team on song against a team battling to establish a pattern and the Crusaders looked very clinical, very together and very committed.

I want to make it clear I'm not out to bag people and sometimes I find the commentator's role difficult - you are sitting on the sidelines and often you don't really know, not really, what is happening inside a team. I know this from my own experience as a player and a manager.

But it is clear that - week in, week out - the Crusaders deliver. They do the basics well on a regular basis. There's a high level of professionalism and leadership from the players. You can't say that about the Blues right now.

The Crusaders had Richie McCaw, Aaron Mauger, Reuben Thorne - who I thought had a fine game - Chris Jack and Norm Maxwell all leading the way. For the Blues, the leaders were the players giving away penalties.

You can't win when that happens and it rubs off poorly on the guys who would play well if they were in a performing side: the Daniel Braids and the Angus Macdonalds, for example.

I don't know what is wrong but I'm worried about player attitude. They do not look focused.

I know Peter Sloane well and he'll be hurting. A coach needs senior players to step up to the plate and that is not happening. If you look at players like Joe Rokocoko, Doug Howlett and Mils Muliaina, well, you'd have to say they seem un-enthused at present.

If you have an on-song and on-side Carlos Spencer, then you have a player of such enormous influence that he controls a match and dictates the outcome.

But none of those things seem to be happening and I am afraid I can't find an explanation for it. All I know is that it is not good. Graham Henry and his fellow selectors will have taken a lot out of that game.

I don't think the situation is irretrievable. I thought Tony Woodcock had an excellent game and worked away well - he has a huge future. I also like what Saimone Taumoepeau did when he came on and I think he has far more than just scrummaging in his skill set. Derren Witcombe has it in him to become an Anton Oliver of the future.

If you're not sure what's wrong, it's hard to recommend what to do but I do think the Blues need Gus Collins back in there. He's an old head and a kind of Lawrence Dallaglio figure for the Blues. I think they may need some leaders like that.

The Blues are often late starters but are still capable of winning the championship. I have faith in the players - but hurry up, boys!

- HERALD ON SUNDAY