why was Cross singed anyway ?

If by doing that it increases the chances of the team to improve - Yes

Did we stop working with Gareth Ellis when he said he was off to the NRL - No - did it bring results yes I think we won the GF in his last year!!!

So did Gareth Ellis - didn't see you spewing out this bile at the time?

You never know when your paths might cross again - no need to create enemies needlessly - basic business!!

I would be very concerned if we are tightening our belts to secure a ru team that has about 2 fans and will never take off.

Agree with the last paragraph. Well put my only concern would be if mac has made these decisions and will be here next year

Some Quins fans held the view that if for any reason a player crossed Mac they'd be out. Despite living with a Quins fan I was never convinced of the argument, but I'm afraid this does convince me.

TS & Bluey seemed to be able to manage players who'd declared their intentions to move to other clubs in SL, NRL and even the other code. Ellis, Scruton and Smith come to mind and we won grand finals with them playing their final game as Rhinos.

I don't have strong views about Cross going (Mac seemed to make it clear from day 1 he wasn't keen on the signing) but Burgess going out on loan is ridiculous and just provides more evidence that Mac isn't up to the job as Head coach.

Perhaps Burgess can blow up and burst a rubber glove in one breath and Mac hasn't mastered the art yet!

I think burgess leaving is dissapointing but it has been on the cards for a long time, don't really see why he has to be loaned out, should easily be in the 4 top
Props at our club

It appears as though we are trying to free up cap space for this season, which either means we've got a signing lined up or somebody has messed up and we run the risk of going over the salary cap if both Burgess & Cross continue to play.

Or it's terrible man management.

If it's a signing it better be good to risk this kind of disruption, although it's been obvious that there's been something with Cross for a while.

If i was to guess... Terrible man management.

Don't think it proves anything without knowing the facts of what has happened

I'm yet to be convinced that BM is the right man for Leeds but I find it hard to see how you can lay all the blame on BM...read and contrast the quotes on Burgess and Cross - seems pretty clear to me that Burgess has thrown his toys out of the pram:

On Cross





On Burgess:

this is worrying. With Kylie 33 and JP nearly 34 you'd think next year will probably be their last. Which means unless Amor & Ambler seriously step up, we will have only Bailey (then 29) in 2013. Biff & Bailey you would imagine as having been the 'pack leaders' by then. Personally I don't see who we'll be signing to fill the gap. Crabtree or Mason from Huddersfield wouldn't be bad signings. Adam Blair from Melbourne would be fantastic, but i doubt we'd get him.

The names being banded about on here and other furums seem to be Chase,Griffin and Lynch which probably means none of them with be joining us

i would hope not either

I've not read all of the previous posts

Regarding Cross, i posted weeks back that his non selection could possibly be a ploy to make him wish to move

Regarding Biff, as promising a player as he is, he was never going to fulfill that promise at the Rhinos, he has an apparent desire to join his brothers in OZ, whether he will move over there or sign for another SL club is now clearly in his own hands, lets hope that he hasn't put all of his eggs into one basket!

The interesting thing is why would we be prepared to release 2 players wages from our cap space in mid season?

Does this mean that we could have someone lined up or merely that both players weren't deemed likely to play again this season?

Quotes from management very telling regarding the situations. But we are all just guessing the quotes could just be spin from the club and bare no truth at all.


I think the bottom line is it's not the end of the world. We are losing the potential of burgess but we were always going to at the end of the year anyway

This and the post you made afterwards seem to suggest you are comparing Burgess to Ellis or indeed a team's chances of success with a player of Burgess' capabilities to one with a player of Ellis's capabilities.

You're not are you?

Talking up a player that we need to offload from an overlong contract? No ulterior motives there at all



Either Burgess has done something to upset GH or the loyalty policy has gone out the window

I heard griffin wanted to move to the dark side of the pennines?

Not at all - it is about how you treat employees regardless of ability all employees should be treated with dignity. As the saying be kind on the way up because you are sure to meet them on the way down

Could the same not be said about employees attitude towards their employer? If, as it appears, Burgess has thrown his toys out of the pram should the club treat him in the same way as a player who did not?

There could be some spin on cross heard from alot of different people that cross issues have been off field discipline.

I'd heard that Mcdermott always finds someone that he doesnt get on with( a stool pidgeon)and makes it very hard for them and it looks like Burgess is it.This was from a players agent.
Also told that its Big Earl thats already signed for next year,but my source for this part could have got him mixed up with Griffin

Might be wrong but couldn't see erol wanting to join us

It gets worse....I'm hardly instilled with confidence with recent decisions at the club, starting with the actual recruitment of Cross at the expense of Ambler in the first place. No effective plan to cover for the known long term absentee at the top of his game and the other coming to the end of his more effective days.

Persistence in playing yesterday's men.

This season has been a huge disappointment so far.

McDermot as coach. Ughh ! Kirke,Bailey and Hauraki in favour......Burgess, Ambler, Amor out on loan. Singleton and Clarkson languishing in the reseves. Great

The club is creaking to the finishing line for 2011 ...the halcyon [imid naughty[/i period is well and truly over

Burgess has signed for Souths,and Griffin has signed for the Rhinos.