Maybe he won't, but he should. Defensively we're carrying him, he never had the pace to play stand off and has since gotten slower, and of late even his passing/kicking game has fallen away. Unless Kev can rediscover his game, he'll be 33 at the end of the 2013 season, will have played for Rhinos for 17 seasons over 3 decades. That's a fine career, but it has to end soon.

Two things.

Sinfield has played stand off in two grand final winning teams so to say he's never had the pace to play it is, well, just daft.

Secondly, on the list of people who get to say when Sinfield's career "has" to end, you would be quite low down the list.

As is that comment.

It's not even as if pace is an absolute pre-requisite for playing in the position anyway. Not all stand-offs have been blessed with pace and some of those that lacked it were still absolute quality - G1 (or more precisely his avatar being but one example) but also legends of the game like John Holmes and Wally Lewis immediately spring to mind here also.

So, if he's played it he's had the pace to play it, especially if pace isn't even a p[re-requisite.

PS, thanks for putting me in such esteemed company, I have also played stand off at a rather leisurely pace in the past.

No worries Cliffy. It's a position where one size/type clearly doesn't fit all. If it did you wouldn't have had such diverse talents as Wally Lewis and Brett Kenny competing for the number 6 shirt on the eye-opening Australia tour over here in 1982.

Tyke's/Rhinos No. 1 Fan's Sinfield stand-off critique using just pace is somewhat basic and somewhat flawed. If pace trumps all other aspects of the role (game management, passing, tactical kicking) why wasn't Offiah ever tried in that position?

While I completely agree breathtaking pace is not a requirement for a stand off, Sinfiield would be slow for a prop. I have to say I am struggling to think of a slower player or one with less acceleration.

Lee Briers?

I think we are moving for the following formation:-

1. Hardarker

4. %NewSigning%

6. McGuire
7. Moltzen

9. Burrow

13. Sinfield

No Senior ?

......or is that your 'new signing' ?



What about Sinfield at 9 and Ward at 13 ? with Burrow on the bench........ OR Burrow to start at 7 with the freedom to jump in regularly at dummy half, with McGuire on the bench (see how he likes it

)

These options, however, don't leave room for Hood or McShane ........so maybe just maybe, let Sinfield go to the highest bidder (with Peacock thrown in as a sweetner). Ruthless aint I ?



At all costs keep Burrow.

But who would we get to kick the goals if Sinny leaves?
Maybe Zak could do that for us.

Burrow might not be here if he takes Wigans offer.

Just how many half backs are Wigan signing next year?

When is burrow contracted up then

Thats right fleece the fans again then f**K off, nice one Rob

Burrow (if he doesn't depart to Wigan of course)

You think Moltzen is wanted by GH for a half back role (is this based on your inside information!) ?

Richard Moore.

(Courtesy Sportinglife.com, Sunday 24th June at approximately 3:20 pm)

Well Daryl Millard has signed a 2 year extension with Catalans so people can rule him out as a possible centre signing.

Anyone hoping to see a decent big name signing is going to be very disappointed.

Pace is not an asbolute pre-requisite for a standoff, but Sinfield is now so slow, that he has almost no ability to make line breaks, or to start fast-paced moves for the backline. This is compounded by Buderus' departure, and McGuire's loss of pace due to injury. The only person within anything approaching real pace in the halves is now Burrow.

I love Sinny, I really do. But we have to accept that he's getting on, and by the end of next season will be one of the oldest players in the League. Briers will be retiring end of this season, and he's ancient for a standoff. Sinny has next season, and maybe, just maybe, the one after, but no more. We cannot afford to screw our eyes shut and pretend Kev will still be leading the team out in 3-4 years, because he won't. Either Ward will replace him at SO, or, of current prospects, Briscoe will.

I'd much rather see Kev retire when he still had another year in him, than, like Senior and (maybe) JP, stay on a year too long.

I think we've got a future core to the side post-2015 (eliminating all players now over 30, or turning 30 this season) of

1. Hardaker
2. Jones-Bishop
3. Watkins
4.
5. Hall
6. Ward
7.
8. Bailey
9. McShane
10.
11. Delaney
12. Ablett
13. Clarkson

14. Hood
15.
16. Amor
17.

but we need to serious look at bringing through players in key positions from the academy, and making signings where we can't do that.

I didn't think we'd get Millard, don't even think he was properly rumoured, but i saw a few people mention him previously as he was OOC so thought i'd put it on here.

I don't think we'll make any big signings btw, probably pick up someone from Bradford and maybe someone else around the Hauraki/Griffin/Moore level of recent signings.

Theres also potential in the likes of Chisolm ,Watson ,Aaron Brown(wild-card) and Luke Briscoe.
The potential in the u18's is also very deep with stand outs such as Sutcliffe ,Sunley ,Finder ,Minns ,Harper ,Baldwinson ,Teasdale etc etc etc.
The acadamy imo is as strong and has as much depth as i can remember and we could/should be well served from it for a long while yet and from what i hear about the U15 AND U16 Scholarship teams the quality and potential will still keep on coming if ALL goes well.
So if we are to recruit from outside the club imo the quality has to be there and back in line to when we got Ali and Webb or the other way ala Hardaker.

If that's out first-choice backrow then we should get used to a lot more seasons like this one.

you seriously letting Burrow go ?

End of the 2015 season Burrow will be 33. If I had to pick one player to still be doing what he is now, then, it'd be Robbie. But so much of his game is based of agility and pace that, were it to go, I think he'd fall away from his (currently very high) standards quite quickly.

Weller Hauraki could be on his way to Castleford apparently.