McGuire missed the last 7 seconds of the Wigan away play-off and all of the Headingley one. Doesn't get more "business end" than that.

I don't think I've ever seen a thread on which a large number of people have rated Lee Smith as highly as you seem to think. Perhaps I just missed them. Most people seem to think he's a decent player, and one who finds big plays in big games.

Since you bring it up, I haven't liked anything U2 have done since that one they did for the Batman Forever soundtrack, and would happily feed Bono to starving children in Africa. With a side-order of Chris Martin.

1st team squads usually roughly comprise 20 elite players + 5 progressing through the system.

Say the usual contract duration for the majority will be between two and three years I guess a club would expect to have around 8 senior players coming out of contract in an average season. This season Leeds had 10 having extended some contracts by 12 months last season.

Some of those extensions were pretty uninspiring and have added to the current situation I guess.

Its certainly going to be interesting how GH does his recruiting over the next 2-3 years and how many of the present squad are still here next season

In fairness, if you look at eh spine of the multi-title winning side, I can't remember seeing any team (Leeds or anywhere else) where so much of it came through the club's academy quite so close together. Having so many players in key positions come through so close together was always going to create a fairly unique challenge as they all, inevitably, retire or pass their prime quite close together too.

You could argue that it could have been managed better, but there aren't loads of precedents for this.

I haven't really liked anything that Smith has done since he leaned forward and duped the VR into thinking his feet were behind McGuire, and would happily feed him to the people of Wakefield. With a side-order of Ben Cross.

Pleasing to see the sense being talked by Andy Gilder and Bullseye on the previous pages.

Is it any coincidence that they are of the same generation as I, have watched Rl the same length as I and clearly have a better and balanced perspective as a result? I think not.

As mentioned, the club had already achieved the unheard of when it won 2 GFs in a row. Then it did 3. Did everyone expect or demand 4 and 5?

As also mentioned, GH has put the club on a footing where it is not reliant on on-field successes going forward.

I actually can't believe, even though I am not surprised at, some of the drivel directed to GH by the usual suspects. I guess they have been building up to this through three or four years of frustration for them but success for the club. Now is the time to release. Ooooh, It must feel soooooo good.

If I had to pick a CEO to run my sporting organisation would I pick Sal, Gotcha or GH?

There was no duping .... Smith was clearly onside.

At first I called it as offside too but was happy when that initial view was proved incorrect.

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Hardly unheard of considering the feat had already been achieved by St Helens during the SL Era.

The third Championship was unique though.

but I think 2 in a row let alone 3 was exceeding our dreams at Leeds after our record in the 80s-90s

You could hear those branches snapping 10 minutes ago. It was like thunder as it got nearer and nearer and nearer and nearer. Then became an anticlimax.

I too would have GH as CEO of my sporting organisation before Sal or Gotcha, it's a no brainer. But I certainly wouldn't be sucking his purple helmet even when he's put in a poor 18 months performance.

No question. I'd have settled for one in a row at the time much as I would a Challenge Cup now but that doesn't make G1's statement of fact correct now does it?

For us it was.

Yes, I just re-read what you wrote and knew that was coming next.

I agree wholeheartedly with that.


GH manages to lead us to 3 in a row, and 4 titles in 6 years. You'd think that would cut him a bit of slack? But NOOOOOOOOOOOO! HOW DARE HE LOAN OUT BURGESS?!

Quantify how GHs performance has been poor plz.

BTW, a therapist would go to town on that post of yours. Clearly fixated with me and a number of sexual references. I too am married but I am flattered by the interest and mildly curious.

That you had me didn't you?

I feel dirty.

It's good.

Only mildly curious?

It could be a boxed ticked. I'm open minded. Life is for living.

No but I thought I did. Only a matter of time .... I can wait.

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Re Burgess. The issue isn't just that he's been loaned out, it's that Kirke has been selected to play prop in his place. I expect most props would feel pretty peeved at that level of insult.

I agree.

It's a baffling decision on the coach's part. But I've been baffled by softKirke's continual selection for about 18 months now dating back to Bluey's time.

That said, GH must back the coach in such matters as to undermine him would make what might be a bit of a mess much, much worse.

We have to separate McDermott's decision to play Kirke ahead of Cross from GHs handling of the subsequent fall out. The former s a head scratcher. The latter seems by the book.

Kirke or Shirk hasn't played his way into the team but he's there.

Maybe I'm hoping but in the cold light of day - Cross was no-where near selection after a run of games putting himself in the shop window which is fair enough and Biff was always going to leave at the end of the season to achieve his own goals, we just cut the rope earlier, which is fair enough.

The likelyhood is that Ambler (or Amor or both) will be back at HQ next season alongside the ideal 3 (of TMFMISL - lets not fall out over that today - JP and Kylie). Singleton is moving nicely along in terms of development so I would be surprised if Kirke is here next season, let alone in the 17/19 man squad. It's time to give another average prop a chance to see if they can step up. But in the meantime Kirke can fill in doing his 1 stint and half a dozen drives - that will help.

Kirke/Shirk isn't a prop of course he's filling in and not enthused doing it either. With the way Ali was driving the ball up against Saints away the other week maybe it's time to give Ali a run there, where's the harm?

Being left with 16 fit players for 75 minutes of the game?

Please see Ian Kirkes stint against KR as a direct comparison.

Again, where's the harm?

You think Bailey, Peacock and Kylie are your ideal props - unreal