You are spot on Juan.

Griffin for a number of weeks has been going through the motions. He has always been questionable in defence tracking back and his tackling technique when looked at closely is hardly textbook. But he made up for these short-comings with a good bit of direction and size with his carries. But he's hardly winning any collisions, going down way too easy, and you really have to go out of your way to notice him. He needs to step-up. I remember when he made his debut for Leeds, he just played one brief stint with Mac remarking that he had to earn his game time. In that case, more work requied Griff.

A bloke I know who follows the Giants said that Griff was more or less in the Top 2 prop performers for them week-in week-out. Maybe his move to a bigger club, where he isn't needed as much, as seen him fade into the background. Either way Kirkes out-playing him at present.

Out of interest, have you EVER seen Chisholm, Singleton or Daniel Smith (or Aston Wilson) play?

Phil Clarke is rapidly becoming tedious and ignorant just like wiggy.

He was bemoaning the fact that Wigan played a young Cook islander (Gelling) in place of a young Wiganer (Russell) on Friday nights games against KR.

I think the main reason that he rattled on about RUSSELL & KING is the fact that they are both represented by Andy CLARKE (sports agent) maybe he is spotlighting them FOR HIS BROTHER !!

There's nothing to be gained this season by persisting with the same old selections - now is the time to give some extended game time to the next generation so they can hit the ground running in 2013.

Loyalty is a good thing for those making decisions at sports clubs to have. Blind loyalty of the kind exhibited by Leeds in some of their recent retention decisions however is the path to failure.

Yes

For more than 20 minutes of Singleton?

Yes

Live and for full games? Or on grainy U20s highlight footage?

One of the two ....and it aint the latter

Needless to say I agree.

We got away with it last year with raised performances in the play offs and the belated revelation that Buderus was good for the full 80....do we really want to hope for similar again ??

The focus should be 2013 - as you state - and get those bluddy kids in now as the next generation regulars built around the likes of Watkins, Hardaker, Hall, Ward, Hood, Singleton, Amor, Chisholm etc.

Watkins, Hardaker and Hall are regulars already.

Amor is hardly young!

for leigh, maybe

Hardaker to FB (for Webb)
Smith to Centre (for Hardaker)
Chisholm to Wing, Hall to Centre (for Ablett, if suspended) (Watkins if fit)
Ward to SO (for Sinfield)
Hood to hooker (for Lunt)
Bailey to prop (for Griffin)
Singleton to bench

team of: Hardaker, Jones-Bishop, Watkins/Smith, Smith/Hall, Hall/Chisholm, McGuire, Ward, Bailey, Hood, Peacock, Jones-Buchanan, Hauraki, Clarkson

Lunt, Sinfield, Singleton, Leuluai

Have you always been a pedant ?

Can somebody tell me why we should be concentrating on 2013 now?
Have I missed something? We're barely half way through the 2012 season, have a great chance of getting to the semi final of the cup, and have still to get to the last third of the season where we generally hit some form, giving ourselves a chance of being in with a shout of the GF.

So you would rather gamble and live in hope of a repeat this season, rather than invest now for a better 2013 season ?

I'd argue that it would be a bigger gamble to play untested players who we aren't sure are ready for SL just yet and risk stunting their development.
I think the club have got the right idea by loaning/dual registering some of the young players out so they can get experience of playing first team rugby against experienced pros without the pressure of week in week out rugby at the top level which they may not be ready for yet.
If there is a chance for one or two young players to get some game time with us then great, but while we are searching for consistency I don't think this is the right time to blood these players.
I'd say at this stage of the season we look much better than how we did at this time last year, so I don't think it's living in hope of winning another trophy with this group of players.

You make a strong case

2012 is about winning trophies in 2012. I'd hope, unlike you, that the coaches, players and management haven't given up on winning trophies in 2012. Especially with a WCC in the bag and a CCQF on the horizon. Not to mention the championship not yet having been decided, well noy decided by everyone bar some defeatist Leeds fans who really should know better.

Blooding potential prospects for the future should never be a goal. Players should be selected in the first team when good enough and or when needed. That said, it's not as if it hasn't been happening. We've seen the debuts of Hood and Ward and a 2nd appearance from Singleton added to the rapid rise of Hardaker.

What an odd and completely unjustified statement. I'd suggest that Leeds sustained and unprecdented success in the modern salary capped era, particulalry given it's been built largely on a succesful youth system, would suggest Leeds retention, recruitement and promotion policies are the path to success, not failure. because, although your statement suggests failure the actual facts suggest the opposite.

My sentiments entirely. With keyman Burrow due back together with Watkins, Hauraki and a fresh JJB we should be able to step up a gear for the crucial games over the next month.

www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/s ... -1-4527017 “That’s a shame for those players and also for our game. Far too many British juniors wander about drinking beer, covering themselves in tattoos and getting excited about mobile phones, rather than rating rugby league as highly as they should do.”

www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/s ... -1-4527017 “That’s a shame for those players and also for our game. Far too many British juniors wander about drinking beer, covering themselves in tattoos and getting excited about mobile phones, rather than rating rugby league as highly as they should do.”

Damn right. Substitute the beer for coffee and not sure where this leaves Brett Delaney.

Clearly not something Zak Hardaker would ever contemplate doing.

Aye. I clocked that.

But in Zaks case, tats do help fill his arm out. Bless him.

JP has his fair share of ink though & he's not a bad role model.
It does explain why we got rid of Pitts & kept Clarkson.