So we should of matched the deal bradford offered and broke the wage structure that's help keep the club solvent and build a squad capable of competeting every year????
Scruton left for the money and there was no way he was gonna that deal within our structure.
The eastwood deal falling through has hit harder than a lot predicted(me included) but even having him here,a new centre and retaining scruton on a contract he didn't warrant wouldn't of made a difference to a squad so low on form and confidence.
This current squad is good enough to win the GF imo but at this moment in time it's not happening for a number of reason's and i'm sure the coach's and the player's will put that right,if the chance arise's to sign quality i'm sure GH will do so.
It's frustrating and painfull to see this squad play how they are at the moment but it's what we are stuck with and i'm sure we can come out of it.

how do you know it would have broke the wage structure. only reported as been that leeds only offered him a year deal, bulls offered him 3 (irc).

scruton was one top props everyweek, so the rest of the props where either crap, or you're wrong and he did indeed deserve a upgraded contract. (going that i guess he was on a fairly small contract, with the in and out of the team with injuries in past years)

it may well be, but its not good enough not to turn up and still win. this hasn't been the case in the pass. a few years ago a poor leeds game normally meant we only won by 10, now its an easy defeat. so if we're not careful we're going to end up 3rd/4th/5th in the league, not a great way to go about winning. if we're really not carefull, we're going to turn into wigan, average all year and then have a good run at the end of the year....just look at how well thats turned out for them

if you really think eastwood and a new centre would make no change...then surely you've got to be question what the coach is doing, why are we so clueless in attack atm, why aren't players interested in doing the hard work, why are we supporting players. What was his planning (if any) for the year. GH may do the money dealing, but mcclennan is the man to tell GH the position that needs filling, what players to be looking at, how much we need them, a range (in contract figures) as to how good he thinks he is, etc

These are question's that always arise when a team is in poor form and low on confidence,don't forget this is still a squad full of quality and skill and i'm sure the coach's and player's will put it right.
As for the planning issue do you not think thing's are ongoing behind the scene's??
Then the other thing to consider was the concious decision made in pre-season for a slow build up because of the world cup/injuries!!
This imo has had a major impact and maybe the gamble has yet to pay off.

GH is (or should be) the money man, not the contract length man. again mcclennan should be telling GH whether he's in our long/short term plans.

if he wasn't in our long term plans, where's his replacement ? where's the short term stand in (for him or in the same role burgess was given last year)
which becomes a problem, when our coach is looking more and more like a big game coach, not a day to day man.

indeed it is an on going things, but 2 signing, 1 who didn't even make it. when we were losing 5/6 regular first teamers (includging anselme). stinks of poor planning last year/this off season, especially when we didn't have the biggest of squads last year.

other teams don't seem to have an issue, but as you said that's one we'll have to wait n see for.

Scruton was offered a new deal but chose to take the much more lucrative one one offer at the Bulls.

I think the recruitment has been disrupted big time with the new visa system and with hmrc looking at the "image right's" plus the current strength of the £ to the $ oversea's signing's are less likely to occur.

I honestly don't know the full involvement bluey has re-contract lengths i'd guess very little as GH is the CEO who from the outside looking in decide's on those issues.
Whilst our coach is being questioned at this moment in time his staff have been around a long time and i'm sure they are all well aware what needs to happen to turn this around so if it is just down to bluey i'd expect the staff and player's to point that out.
I've no doubt we could go sign 3/4 player's tomorrow wether they'd be the right quality at the right price is a different story!!
All we can do is continue to support the lads and take the rough with the smooth afterall it's not like we haven't been here(and worse) before.

so we can only look overseas?

he should have the major role in it, after he's the boss of the team. its mcclennan who's going to get fired if the team fails not GH. GH is (should) be there to let mcclennan know how much money we have to spend, then try get the players (that mcclennan/coaching staff tells him) one the least amount of money under what mcclennan thinks he's worth to the team.

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That's a hell of a boot Burrow has on him.

By this can I take it you are writing Burrow off?

Not bad for a little fellow

It's what David does best, writing players and coaches off. Especially champion ones. Unless it's Mcguire of course

David has had an agenda with Burrow since he broke into the 1st team ahead of his beloved McGuire.

How he can single Burrow out from the two halves from Friday is a joke. McGuire has lost his pace and is creating little or nothing plus he is swatted off in defence with too much regularity. At least when nothing else is working for Burrow he can create something on his own, like his try.

Harsh on McGuire - and Burrow. Not many half backs look good when the pack is useless and they have limited options in attack and no game plan.

Freudian?

I guess we have been at full crap for the last few weeks though.

Correct. Half backs can't do much when they are playing behind a beaten pack.

I wonder when David's agenda will start with Bluey?

Won't take long if results keep going like this for "our greatest ever coach" or even quicker if he has the temerity to drop McGuire.

Unfair - but you are entitled to your opinion - I agree re McGuire he has been beefed up so much to aid his defence that the turn of pace he had he has no longer - Burrow only got the try because JJB held back the man so not sure that is Burrow creating something out of nothing anyone can run through an artificially created hole!!!

We will never agree Gareth about McGuire he is a player who polarises opinion - on Thursday night Graham Murray was all glowing about McGuire saying he had watched him in various training sessions and on the field and what a great player he was on the radio on Sunday Schofield basically said this losses are all down to McGuire so if the experts can't agree what chance have we - you pays your money you makes your choice.

It will be interesting to see if McClennan can turn it round - let's face it it took your Uber coach a further three seasons to repeat what he did in year one - there is no way you will McClennan the latitude you have gave Smith that is for sure - it is pretty rich when you critisise others for doing to McClennan what you have done for Smith.

All I have said about McClennan is that some of the rugby played in 2008 was the best Leeds have played in the SL era far superior to anything I saw under Smith - his record in 2008 compares favourably in every department to Smith's in 2007 with the same players.

Yes they are having a rough patch which has given you/stanningley some amo can he turn it round this season who knows let's face it his record cannot any worse than Smith's in 2005 ie 0 cups. Sadly that fact seems to have completely avoided your radar in the Smith love-fest.

I feel Bluey can turn it round. We need to look no further than the run up to the GF. Bashed by Saints in the playoffs, then turning up on the day and retaining our title. It can be done. I know the specifics are different (lack of any real form all season/lost last 3 at home etc), but the thing that Bluey has on his side is time. Leeds have the time to turn it round, and lose it again! He has work to do, no doubt. I will just be intersting to see how he turns it round on the pitch. Because line up shuffles are limited with our compact squad. IMO he is bemused with the lack of tempo that was so obvious last Friday, but he's gonna have to work that one out ASAP.

I expect Buley to turn it round and I certainly hope we are not as bad as we were on 2005 although we did make the CC final that year.
My point was made tongue in cheek about agenda but you have come out with pearlers in the past about Smith and how he got on with his players,one has now joined him at Warrington.
We did play some great stuff last season but we also played some great stuff under Smith especially in his first season and in the last one.We certainly aren't playing attractive rugby at the moment but I expect that to change.

can anyone think of any other finals in that worst ever year?