How will history look on these four in particular?

Don't really post on here but to observe every now and then but have noticed that the above players do come in for a bit of stick now and then for one reason, or another, petty little things like.

As more of an LUFC fan, I'd have loved to have seen that great team under Revie in the 1960's and 1970's play; you know, the likes of Giles, little Billy, Madeley, Clarke, Jones etc - no doubt people on future generations will say the same about this Leeds RL team we have at the moment.

Personally, when people talk about the Leeds greats I think of Lewis Jones, Gary Schofield, Alan Smith and such... but say in 30, 40 years time, how do you think history will look upon the four players mentioned? Despite the criticism they get on here...

When I started supporting Leeds around 1998, we didn't have a team a patch on this one, and the achievements since Tony Smith took over in 2004 would have been beyond my wildest dreams little over a decade ago - the emergence of Sinfield, McGuire and Burrow from the academy, as well as Senior from Sheffield have pretty much been at the forefront of Leeds' most successful team, ever... and it's quite possible that Leeds may slip into the same sort of substandard plight that Bradford, Wigan etc after the losses of Vainikolo, Peacock, Fielden, Vaikona, Paul Brothers and Farrell, Robinson etc of Wigan.

We may never have a great side like the one we have at the moment, so let's enjoy it eh?

So, how do you think Sinfield, Burrow, McGuire and Senior will go down in history? I reckon up there with the best. Legends.

I certainly reckon Senior and Sinfield will be certainties for a Hall of Fame. Senior's services to the club are pretty much unparallelled in my life time. Sinfield has captained the club to one of it's most successful periods. The debate over who is the "greatest" this that or the other can continue, but their place alongside the club's legends is pretty much certain.

McGuire, well, his try-scoring alone will earn him a place in the memory for a long time, but the fact that he's scored clinching tries in 2 Grand Finals and opened the scoring in another, combined with memorable and vital tries in the best CC game I can remember should secure him a good spot in the history books too. There's more to his game than that, but that will be what he's remembered for.

Burrow I'm less sure about. He's been hugely iomportant to this period of success, and deserves his place among the legends,in my book, but history can be a funny thing and perhaps he might not have the obvious highlights to be remembered for. In 50 years time, what will elevate him above Leeds' previous scrum halves? I reckon his medal haul might do it, not many 7's have matched that at Leeds.

Senior should not only be discussed amongst the Leeds greats but also should be mentioned amongst Super League's greatest ever players. He's played more games in SL and scored more tries than any other player. He's had a lengthy international career and is certainly one of the greatest centres of the modern era.

Sinfield has captained the club through an unparallelled period of success. 3 championships and 2 World titles. he's collected a host of records and a Lance Todd Trophy along the way. He is a Living Leeds Legend and he's not done yet, unless he goes to Warrington



McGuire. His try scoring feats, his Grand Final tries and his medal haul will also give him legendary status.

Burrow. The equal of McGuire. He doesn't have the tries but he does have the Harry Sunderland so when people look back in the annals his name will be there.

All four are Leeds legends and are still adding to their folklore.

Your bloody right there G1.



We need to appreciate them a bit more than we do. I think majority of us me included take these players for granted at times. These are players that are all part of what has been a golden period for Leeds. The sort of times and players that my dad tells me about i.e lewis jones, arthur clewes, smith, atkinson, kevin dick, david ward etc..

For me Burrow has some way to go before then IMO.

I don't mean this in a negative manner, but I think currently the other 3 have more strings to their bow.

In time no doubt he can rival these.

Pretty much spot on here, as usual.

Seniors a freak.

And his curent form, at this stage of his career, is always a strong handful for his opposing centres.

Sinfield especially will have the stats to back up any arguments about his worth. On top of the stuff Gareth posted, there's a good chance he could end up being the highest points scorer in the clubs history.

As for the others, can't really add to what Gareth wrote. Burrow will maybe end up being the "lesser light", but he'll still be fondly talked about.

IMO they're are legends, great players, great servants to the club and great servants to the game of rugby league.

Keith's obviously signed up for a further year but he may need to drop down to second row to prolong his SL career but hopefully with the other three we'l get a few more years before their levels dip

Good post can't disagree with any of that.

That's not what you reckoned in April 2008:



And no I didn't keep it for this glorious day I just happened to read it this morning when looking up my Sinfield prediction.

You're right, I remember posting that. Since then, due in part to the excellent stats provided by your good self, I've changed my opinion.

i also think jamie peacock will also be among those regarded as hall of famers from this particular group ,although he has only been at the club since 2006 what he has done in that short time as qualified him for me ,and i think he will go on for at least 3 more seasons yet

If Peacock ends up there, what about Ali and JJB, even Bailey. All 3 of them have got 3 winners rings. So's Diskin for that matter.

Let's face it, this particular group has done something that no other set of players has done in the club's history, there's a good argument for all of them to be spoken about as legends.

Peacock is another who'll be a SL great, whether or not he'll be a true Leeds great is open to discussion, so much of his success was in Bradford colours.

Well so far you're spot on and managed to back both ways just in case.

Good work.

i'd have thought that peacock will be up there as a leeds legend he had to overcome some stick early in his leeds career and has gone on to win 2 gf's a wcc. in the gf win's he did (along with ellis) 80 mins which is a monumental effort in the "modern" game, like someone else has said alot of his good time's came in a bull's shirt but nobody can deny the effort he put's in whilst wearing the leeds colour's. but like you say lp it is open for discussion.

I thought that was the whole point of posting on here, make sure you've posted different views, then you can say you were right all along?

You're not wrong... again. One day I'll understand how it works.

__________


The player with the most Grand Final wins?

Jamie Peacock - 5 (3 with Bradford, 2 with Leeds)

Most of the Saints lot, KC, Long, etc have 4, is that correct?

recently there was a reunion for the 1968 cup winning team .i like to think it was from the whole what i call the francis squad which carried on into the early 70s .in years to come i think this squad from say 2004 and not finished yet, will be celebrated in the same way.

When a fair sprinkling of them come back from Australia with the Ashes (a world cup or even tri/quad nations would do) then they will rightly be held in the same esteem as Smith, Hynes, Atkinson, Shoebottom, Seabourne, Holmes, Clawson and Jeans.

Until then......

They'll all be at Warrington next year

You can hardly blame the players of today's generation for the gap in standards between us and the Aussies that those who run the game today allowed to set in after the generation of players you mention had finished.

The players you mentioned achieved great deeds for the international side and that is something, rightly, to be proud of.

One wonders why they didn't quite live up to their status domestically, unlike this generation.

Between the 1966/67 and 1972/73 seasons Leeds topped the table five years, won two championships, one Challenge Cup, three Yorkshire Cups, one John Player, one BBC2 Floodlit trophy, one European Club Championship and beat the New Zealand touring team.

From those Leeds teams of that era Smith, Hynes, Atkinson, Shoebottom and Seabourne helped GB win the Ashes in Australia while Atkinson, Holmes, Clawson and Jeans helped GB win the RL World Cup in France.

Today's individual players have a lot to live up to.

Between 2004 and 2008 today's players have won 1 more championship in 2 less seasons. They have 1 more seasons to get a CC. They have 2 WCC to the 1 European Club Championship and as we no longer play Yorkshire Cups, John Player Trophies, BBC2 Floodlit Trophies or touring teams then its' hardly the basis for a comparison.

As for your league leaders comment you have pointed out elsewhere how flawed that was, given that we played predominantly Yorkshire teams. Were any of those seasons played under 1 division?

Well done for completely ignoring the point I made about comparisons of international achievements. However, many of them have played in a series win against NZ (one of them being player of the series).

Today's individual players have nothing to live up to. They've exceeded yesteryears domestically in a shorter time-span than you have selected.