it would help if BJB could catch

Rangi chase would be a bad signing.

He is not a winner. He would go missing for us against the top teams and in the big games.

Our priority surely has to be at hooker and in the pack? We are getting battered week in week out.

good post. we need two top class, hard as nails props and a top class hooker

Agree our pack has to be a priority to sort out a average winger from down under is not going to change our performances

Apart from the one he dropped in the GF after taking a bang on the head I can't think of him dropping that many. His concentration is a bigger problem.

Williams has been one of the form wingers in the NRL.

Granted I haven't watched much NRL in the past 2 seasons but I just don't think we need him and I imagine he will take a large chunk of cap space.

I haven't seen him a a SOO or Aus shirt recently so assume he isn't one of the best. Also masively underwelmed by him in WCC. I know it was first game back but still would prefer money to be spent elsewhere

IMO we need 4 tough young-middle aged forwards, someone who can direct the team around the park and a hooker, plus someone to fill the Senior-shaped hole at LC. My current shopping list would be:

Amor-loan return
Ambler-loan return
Elima-OOC
Bateman-Bradford
Kopczak-Bradford
Hood-loan return
Millard-OOC

to balance this off, release Peacock, Kirke, Smith & Clarkson. Leaves a Front row group of Leuluai, Griffin, Bailey, Kopczak, Ambler & Amor; and a second row group of Jones-Buchanan, Ablett, Elima, Delaney, Hauraki & Daniel Smith, with Bateman at LF. McShane & Hood to fight for starting Hooker role, with Burrow benching as standard, and look at starting Ward at 6 ahead of Sinfield, with McGuire to continue at 7.

Also, make a decision asap on who the next captain will be after Sinfield. Arise Sir Carl Ablett.

The only person on that 'shopping list' I can see playing for us again is Hood.

Agree with others though, an NRL Winger is not a priority and a waste of Cap and Quota space.

IF Williams is signed it will probably mean Chisholm ending up on loan somewhere and then ending up at another SL team some time down the line.

Chisholm may or may not end up being a hit in our first team at SL level, but I'd sure as hell like to see him given a chance before we sign an NRL winger.

There's a history on here and with sporting fans in general that when the team is not going well, players out of the team are always 'bigged' up as being the answer, ''get him in'', 'he's going to be a star etc etc.

We've seen it with McShane, Hardaker and to a lesser extent with Hood and Lunt already.

Many didn't want to see Buderus kept on this season because they saw McShane and Hood as the answer to our prayers but both have had some critism on here when they have played and been found wanting in defence.

Lunt is then brought in despite us having these two great next generation hookers and after his debut is compared to Buderus etc and there's a longing to sign him FT yet a few games later his contribution is now getting questioned along with those of other multi GF winning team members.

I fear the same could be true of Amor and Ambler.

When both have played the odd game for us many have slated their performance, or lack of and stated they'd never make it etc they go on loan and yet when we start to struggle, suddenly they are seen as almost our pack saviours.

I suppose it's the fickle nature of sports fans in general that everyone in a team that suffers a bad run is past it, not good enough, waste of a shirt etc and the call is to bring the 'reserves' in who are then 'bigged up' for a few games before they too are deemed not 'upto SL standard' and the axe in then demanded on them as well.

People on here that were slagging off their own team and players this time last year were then pronouncing the very same players to be the best ever after the 'run in' last year to our next GF triumph.

I think and would hope that this group of special players in our history have earned the right to try and rectify matters this year before the calls for many to be axed.

Nothing lasts for ever and granted some changes will need to be made over this next couple of years and are already been made in terms of the integration of Watkins,BJB,Hardaker,McShane,Hood etc into the 1st team but will our fans be happy to accept a couple more years of 'under performing' whilst the next generation learn their trade at SL level?

The 'problem' with winning so many GF trophies in recent years is that fans expect, even demand that success to continue but it is very hard to maintain that in any Salary Cap sport and this group have excelled in reaching 6 GF's in the last 8 years and winning 5 of them.

Our club spent many years 'splashing the cash' in the hope of winning trophies and it didn't work and nearly bankrupt us before the Caddick & Hetherington 'rescue'

Williams has more of the skillset to play fullback than BJB. Could that be the plan?

this time last year everyone though Chase would be an awesome signing! now i agree his form this year has being no where near as good as last, but i reckon that is down to the pressure of being at Cas, even with Millward saying they are not a one man team and wanting to take the pressure off him.
I think Chase would thrive at a Leeds with other players like Burrow and Mcguire around him, who when played in there correct position can also break the line from nothing.
In view of that i would consider Chase a good signing, that being said i do not think it would happen as he only signed a new contract at the end of last year!

I don't want Chase. Although he would be a good replacement for Webb in terms of getting frustrated when things don't go his way and then throwing the toys out of the pram.

It very much could be. Look at Amos Roberts at Wigan in 2010. He's primarily a winger but he tore sides to pieces in Super League whilst at fullback. I also reckon Chase would be a quality signing but we'd be left with Sinfield, McGuire, Ward and Burrow, who I'm not really convinced is a hooker. How do you pick your halves and loose out of that lot?

Chase is good playing behind a strong pack.
So that should rule him out of doing anything with Leeds.
And if we do sign Chase where does that leave one or more of Sinfield, Burrow or McGuire?
Unless of course Sinfield moves back to LF and Burrow becomes interchange hooker.
Without doubt we need one or two decent props and an Ali type of BR.

I agree with the desire for an Ali type of BR.....but how easy is that going to be ? Would Eastwood come back ? Would he be welcomed even if he did and wanted to ?

As for the props, has it not been reported that both Amor and Ambler are well valued elsewhere at their respective 'loan' clubs and are ripping things up ?? They're at least long over due that chance to prove themselves with Leeds ( [iif[/i they still want to of course ).

Williams is just underwhelming full stop. If you were to splash big cash on an overseas player you'd want one who'd be able to win games for you. Williams is a good winger when given decent ball. Without it, he's not going to do very much.

"Wlliams" isn't. Rather irrelevant point.

Absolutely agree about the props.
But I have a nagging doubt we wont be bringing either of them back.
The same probably could be said for McShane who should not have been loaned out in the first place.
As for Williams no thanks.
Stick with Chisholm and BJB.

Neither 'signing' would move us forward much to be honest. Like many I think our problems lie in the pack.

I can't see Chase coming in unless someone like Burrow or McGuire moves on. I'd prefer a more organising half like Dobson, who can control the game & put some structure in place. Chase is another headless chicken, who is great against a broken or retreating defensive line, but ineffective when the pack is being bested. I'm not sure who that player would be though as really we should be looking at Kev's long term replacement.

I think the coaching style needs to be looked at first, whether that means moving BMD on or not. We have to adapt our game plan to get the best out of our squad. Sure, some new faces will help, but I think the approach is wrong. We are too off the cuff, and the players aren't where they were 3 or 4 years ago when even then it was hit and miss

I agre with all this. Even though I think Chase is a special player and very good to watch, I just can't see him fitting in here. I believe a good organising scrum half and Ward outside him would be an ideal way to go forward. With Sinfield at loose.





I dissagree with parts of this. We are as far away from "off the cuff" this year as Ireland is to New Zealand. Our play is plodding and predictable. The only time we ever look a threat is when our play turns to a few offloads. We are constantly playing one man rugby with our props. Props that but for one make very little yardage, and that one is really doing far too much. Our backrowers show no signs of moving a ball on, and again just run into the tackle.

Yep I'd agree with that Gotcha. The problem also being in that we offload very rarely too. We are sort of in the worst of both worlds at the moment in that we are slow and predictable but also aren't building any sort of pressure. I could deal with the slow predictable game if we were forcing extra sets at the end but we're trying to score on every set instead.

The David Williams one I believe as I heard that a long time ago and mentioned on here, but the Rangi Chase one is a new one to me.

Doubt he'll be interesting the Leeds CEO in that case.

Will be interesting to see what happens with Williams, could be a good signing if he stays injury free!

I think Williams will be a good signing. Manly supporters rate him and do not want him to leave the club.Can he also play fullback?

I'm not sure on the Chase rumour and any other players that GH might be interested in signing.