What are they defending themselves on? I don't know maybe rumours spread by your type that ALWAYS portray them as bullies and unfair tw*ts in negotiations.

Do you honestly think you don't portray them in an awful light? Because I'll tell you now you do, you make them sound like the most cold hearted b@stards each and every time. It was embarrassing every time Hardaker f*ckef up and you came running on here to say the club has let him down with their response, You might has well have worn a I ❤️ Zak tshirt

It is no surprise that those who regularly watch the junior teams play will mingle on the touch line with members of the player's families. As such they will get to hear a one sided version of the 'unfairness' of how the apple of their eye is being treated, be it selection or non selection, lack of coaching and even confidential contract discussions.

While some of this touchline/bar room comment may well be true it should be accepted that the source will have a strong emotional bias who only wishes to pass on information that shows the club in a poor light if things are not going well for the off spring.

Basically it is a basic employer v employee situation but in sport it is very difficult for the club to satisfy all their young players individual demands as the club has has to take into account how a special deal for one player impacts on the others in the team, because first and foremost it is the overall team that is the most important thing to keep happy.

Walker is an outstanding prospect but even so has to accept that he has to be part of a team with all that that implies. The club have another fine young fullback in Golding who has made a very good start and will only become better especially as he has already shown great respect to the club and very mature professional attitude.

So really it is exactly as I said, you don't really believe what you put. You have changed course on this argument so many times now in just a few posts. The club put out it's statement to force his agent to change course, and nothing more. In doing so they hung the lad out to dry and put undue spotlight on an other player, nothing more. There was nothing out there before that announcement other than the fact an initial derisory offer was made and wouldn't be accepted. This confirmed in the club statement in pointing out it's new offer.

The club could simply have said, and quite rightly, if they wanted to put out an announcement "having made a final offer to Jack Walker the club have reluctantly accepted that it could not meet the terms requested. The club have offered an excellent deal for someone so young, a deal that we feel meets our faith in the player to progress. Unfortunately, Jack has requested terms that can not be guaranteed by the club, and has a desire to listen to offers from other cubs. We have a duty to plan our squad and budgets for next year and can not wait for an answer whilst this takes place, so we move on"

They could even had the more realistic "In an effort to appease our most gullible and worshipping supporters, we felt it best to announce this so we are not held in any fault when any player chooses to play elsewhere, and therefore we would like them to spin this into nothing but praise"

Let's be honest here mate, the club could behead your grand parents and pee down their necks, and you would still make out your grand parents deserved it.

Isn't that the very reason the Walker is going - rightly or wrongly he sees Golding as the preferred choice in a position he sees as his best opportunity to make a career out of professional RL.

Luke Gale is probably the best player in SL but he would never have got a chance at Leeds because no matter how good he was he was never going to replace one of McGuire, Burrow or Sinfield. Sometimes timing plays an important part of whether a player gets the opportunity or not.

Flip your last paragraph around, thats your take on the people in charge

Flip your last paragraph around, thats your take on the people in charge

Well Golding of course is currently the preferred choice as he has earned the No1 shirt with his performances last year in an understrength and out of form team which he followed up this year with reliable solid displays until his injury. This season Walker has shown his own skills to great effect in a much more confident team who are playing well.

But a handful of promising displays is not enough to command the first team fullback spot now and if Walker does not like the idea of having to compete with other talent to earn the shirt then he is showing a character flaw which is just as well to have been exposed now.

As you say Gale was unlikley to replace Sinfield, McGuire or Burrow because in those days he simply was not in their class. He has developed his game to his and his coaches great credit but has only become one of the best players in SL in recent times and in part due to the dearth of talent at halfback.

What surprises me about Walker is that he is rejecting the chance to play as a 6 where he could be a huge success. There is such a shortage of class in the halves that someone with his ability could rapidly become an international at a young age.

Leeds have given Golding a 5 year contract - that would suggest the club see Golding as the long term option at FB. That is all Walker has said - he sees FB as his best position - and the club have nailed their colours to the mast in Golding. The club would have serious egg on their face if they replaced Golding with Walker - it simply will not happen. So Walker is doing the right thing for him because the coach has shown how stubborn he is and that has/will affect the opportunities afforded to young players.

With regards to Gale - he could have developed quicker if he had ever got the chance - it was never going to happen and that can happen to young players.

I actually see Walker as a very classy centre but there you go.

Another thread taken over by Laurel and Hardy I see!

Gale will be exposed for the mediocre half back he really is when/if he gets to play against some decent opposition in the World Cup.

Hoping for an improvement from last autumns series, but he is in the top 2 HB options available to England

The only reasons I could see Leeds releasing the statement is to inform supporters that they had tried their best to retain a big talent or to act as a tactic to push Walker into signing a contract for Leeds.

I have nothing against Golding: he tries really hard and he is good defensively and I would be willing to give him this season and next season to prove himself but until he improves his attack then he is just an average SL player.

I completely agree with both your statements.

Golding has shown nothing/zero/zilch with ball in hand, but been remarkably good in defence. Unfortunately for him FB is such a critical position in attack that unless he can bring this to his game (& he may yet) his worth will plummet.

(For those argumentative types, this has NOTHING to do with the Walker situation, it has EVERYTHING to do with Golding's performances this year)

Walker is 17, by the time Golding's contract expires he will still only be 21.

These are the words said by Leeds Rhinos. [i“We offered Jack a full-time contract two months ago when he completed his studies at Leeds City College. We revisited it again last week because the lack of a commitment from Jack was becoming an issue within the squad and also affecting our planning for the future.

“This is obviously disappointing for us and unusual too as I cannot think of any other player to turn down a promotion to the Rhinos first-team squad from our Academy during my time at the club. Several of our senior players have spoken with Jack and I have personally met with him, his girlfriend and family to discuss the matter.”

“However, Jack has made it clear that he wishes to only be considered for one position and has requested assurances that are never given to any player, irrespective of age and ability”, [/i Gary Heatherington

[i“As a club we have a proud record for over 20 years of developing and rewarding our young talented players.

“So much of our club is built on the foundation nurtured through our academy. We recently announced that two such players, Danny McGuire and Rob Burrow, will bring down the curtain on their Rhinos careers after 15 glorious years. The nature of our sport has meant that some players have also left the club during that period to seek better terms for themselves at other clubs whether that is a starting position or financial reward. Clearly on each occasion that has been disappointing but has enabled us to reward those who want to take the club forward and be successful at the Rhinos.”[/i Brian McDermott.

Your hypothetical statement is pretty much a paraphrasing of what the club actually said. I can't see a meaningful difference between what the club said and what you think they should have said.

Don't we tend use ex pats or players with an England heritage playing in Australia rather than anyone plying their trade in Super League these days?

Are you suggesting he waits 4 years so that potentially an opportunity might arise - seriously?

McDermott's press conference pre-Wigan was impressive IMO. Tellingly, he said when he became coach GH said to him don't worry about trying to bring academy players through in equal numbers across positions- don't worry if you get 5 half backs - just sign good players. It was a pretty clear message to walker/Golding that they will find a spot if they are good enough. It's not Golding v walker. At moment I reckon Liam Sutcliffe is a better FB shout.

As many others have said golding's defence has been good but in attack he seems to be still adjusting to the pace of super league. He has shown class in the past at international level, I remember James Graham raving about him v Aussies.

It's in there. Getting that first try might just get him going.

Some of the talk on here is disrespectful to Ash Golding
IMO Ash Golding has still got plenty of improvement to come in his game, especially in attack so lets not write the guy off yet guys

I would love Walker to stay at the club and I'm sure that if he did that there would be a place for both just as there always has been for players competing for similar positions like Sinny, Magsy and Burrow

We also had Webb and Zak in the same side together despite both being out and out FB's

not the point, if he was good enough he would soon claim the spot, i find i hard to believe you and gotcha are leeds fans, do the decent thing like william and foxtrot oscar

Perhaps he's intimating that Walker could stay and fight for the shirt like a professional should.

No, im saying that as of right now, When Walker is 21, we dont have a fullback signed up. If Walker is good enough, over the next 4 years, whilst he is learning and developing, he can take the No.1 shirt.

Walkers argument rests on three points,
1) That Goldings contract blocks his progression for a significant portion of his career. It doesnt. When Goldings Contract expires Walker will still be a young fullback. Walker will be 21 when Goldings contract expires. At 21 Sam Tomkins wore the number 6 and Zak Hardaker no. 4.
2) That having another fullback on the books means Walker wont get the first team games, which is ludicrous because no side worth playing for are going to go into a season with a 17/18/19/20 year old fullback and no decent. competent cover.
3) that playing in other positions will be a negative to his development as a fullback, which is also ludicrous when we consider the overlap of skills, the transferable skills, between half and fullback, not to mention the value of a fullback able to operate as a third pivot.

Bet your wife hates you.......talking sense and all that.

I would say 4 years out of 15 is a big chunk of your career

Leeds had Golding who else was the cover and don't say Sutcliffe? There has to be reason Leeds have given Golding a five year contract and the number 1 shirt and that cannot be ignored. As I have said the club would be serious egg on their face if they suddenly said Walker your now our FB - also that would be grossly unfair on Golding.

I would agree with the last point - maybe he just doesn't want to be shoe horned into a position that suits the club and not him?

Lets not forget that realistically Leeds will have planned for Hardaker being the No1. This idea that Leeds have invested everything in Golding being the Fullback for the next decade simply isnt true. Goldings promotion to the No1 shirt was in a response to Hardaker being Hardaker and Goldings performances, and again lets not forget that Golding had already played on the wing and in the halves.

And Leeds have never been shy to move on when a youngster stakes a claim. Brent Webb was moved on for Hardaker, Senior went when Watkins was ready, Donald went when BJB was ready, Smith was moved in to the centres when Hall took his place,