Good players in key settled positions (spine) is the only way to get structure. Everyone will look alot better when we get some halves back....

Hope you're right mate...

I would make it an extended break if i were you

You say we are too reliant on Luke Gale , yet he has not exactly set the world on fire since he arrived

Gale has been excellent. I wish we had signed him day Sinfield left. We was in desperate need of someone like him from that day.

Totally agree. If he had a quality stand off and a hooker who could pass to him with accuracy he could be sensational.

Thanks for the advice, Soz but no.

Stop being greedy. Thats far too much to ask for.

We still had Mags at the time so probably thought we didn't need him.....

Again it’s money etc but Leeds really should have a champion 6 to go alongside Gale. Having the best half back pairing in SL would go some way to regaining success.

I worry about those fans pushing for Agar's departure........ taxi and all!
I can appreciate there are other options moving forward but such an early departure in the current climate will not add any value to the playing staff. If he leaves it should be planned at the end of a season with a replacement signed up.
As to concerns about the team and results it hasn't been good this year. Despite our poor performance at the Giants on any other day we might have won.......the opportunities were there. And that is despite all the injuries and suspensions everyone keeps talking about.
However, when all players are fit I still have concerns with the playing roster.
1) Speed is missing in the threequarters and we have been badly exposed over the past couple of years ..... and not just by the the top sides.
2) Creativity in the centres. Despite the youth everyone keeps harping on about we have no real quality in either centre position. Potential yes........ but not the quality I want in the team. I know I need to be patient but two young inxperienced centres worries me. Hurrell worries me too. Yes he can be exciting, but not the quality we really need.
3) In the half's we need someone to complement Gale. Not sure who, but someone with a creative kicking game combined with a turn of pace over 25 metres or so. Unsure about Eastmond ...... we need to give him a chance as thus far everything has been against his development.
4) In the forwards its not so concerning. A ball playing back rower or loose would be good but otherwise it depends on possible retirement / departures at the season end and how Holroyd recovers. Another prop would be a bonus but much will depend on how the pack progress this year and whether King improves....... its early days for him. Big question for me despite his supporters on here, is how Smith progresses. Fans see things in him that I simply don't. Thus far its all been about potential but I sense he doesn't think quickly enough to actually create the opportunities and so often runs up blind alleys. In his position I want someone who reads the game much better and provides opportunities for others to have real opportunities. I'll give Smith 10 for effort but otherwise I hold my breath.
When the squad is fit we will trouble most teams but we do need much more moving forward as indicated above.
As for the coaching staff, which is a team in itself, they need some stability in key player positions to have any chance for the Rhinos to impress. So far they have had little to work with. Fingers crossed though.....things can only get better. I sense they will! Unfortunately after the past 18 months we are all impatient.

We have been absolutely spoilt wrotten as fans, and the predicament of last few years is hard. But we got some good people at this club and we'll get there.......

This is a brilliant and realistic post. Think we've been spoilt with our club for a long time. Must look like kids throwing toys out, to a true suffering fan like you.
I empathise and have utmost respect for you posting on here......

Agree with most of the post. The last part is spot on re frustrations of fans, we’ve had enough of struggling and after the relative success of last season we want to kick on now, had enough of struggling at the bottom end of the table over the last 2 to 3 years. The transition is going on far too long, yes injuries are a major reason but there some built up frustrations for a lot of people

Bit of optimism to start the day. How would this team look to start next year.....?
Wouldn't even need any signings.
Pace and strike in this team. Hurrell retained but for second row.......

Walker
Broadbent
Newman
Sutty
Handley
Gale
Eastmond
Smith
Hurrell
Mellor
Tet
Leeming
Mik

Bench-
Holroyd
Dwyer
Thompson
Walters

Watchable but would still need upgrading assuming a gf is the ultimate aim. Unless Eastmond proves to be a genius signing l don't reckon those 1,6&9 positions are collectively strong enough otherwise.

Realistically GF wouldn't be likely next year....
Another year of young blood and building I think....

Broadbent to wing is an option - I think you could get the wrong impression with him matching McGilvary that time, he had the angle on momentum on him, I don’t think Jack is wing-quick really. Tindall is the fastest man at the club I believe.

I’m really not sure about the Eastmond signing. Jury is out.

Hurrell to back row is an option but he’ll have to keep hold of the ball in traffic.

Walker is very talented but made of glass and also has errors in him. Not been too impressed with his skill at times. However a great player going forward and time on his side still.

I think honestly what we have is 1 or 2 too many reserves for positions where we just need 1 star quality player with the next best Academy lad behind them. We have a load of mid-table quality players in depth.

Yeah I agree. Realistically you can't just sign star players anymore though. Think we've been pretty lucky with Tet and Hurrell.
SL marquee signings have generally been very hit and miss...

Remember we had 4 tries chalked off, and 2 of those were shown in slow mo which proved the ref wrong, so the difference in the score would have bee signifantly higher, having said that I was quite impressed with the Rhinos performance as key players are out, but all teams go through injuries and you still end up with 13 v 13 it`s up to ther players to step up, and Leeds did give us a good workout.

The frustration for me is the inability of the club to compete for or attract the top talent - Leeds were in for Hastings he went to Wigan, Jai Field at Wigan etc. We shouldn't be scratching around singing the likes of Eastmond, King etc it looks like there isn't a coherent strategy about the long term development of the squad. Gale is a good player but a player in decline, Lui the same - Hurrell very poor signing - where is the quality the club should be better - is this a coaching or a cash issue?

Leeds didnt sign Hastings because at the time a fee had been agreed but Hastings wanted an NRL clause so we pulled put and rightly so.Why pay a large fee when the player could have walked away within 12 months.You mention Jai Field he hardly got into his former team so im not convinced he is top talent.Hurrell has made the dream team for the last two season so not sure how you come up with poor signing.Lui was brought in after the failure to secure Hastings and did his job of keeping us up.Tetavino was brought in on marquee money and if rumors are correct we beat a few clubs to his signature.Prior has been an excellent signing.King is a project signing on 12 month contract if he doesnt improve this will not be renewed.Too early to say whether Eastmond is a bad signing.

Field was another player Leeds wanted to sign and it fell through - maybe a blessing indisguise given what has happened. Very few people outside of Leeds would say Hurrell's form - not his hype deserved a place in the dream team. Poor defender and a very hot/cold player - perhaps Dean Ware would have been a more positive centre signing?

I said Lui and Gale are both in decline - even you must admit their best days are behind them . On King why are we not developing our own project players rather than hoping for a miracle NRL transformation? Eastmond is as old as Gale and hasn't played RL for >10 years - how will that end well - do we have so little faith in Mclelland again another poor project signing.

There doesn't seem to be a coherent strategy in squad development.

We're continually in transition because we keep renewing the contracts of players that should be moved on and continue to buy players we want rid of within a year or so. Our squad management has been terrible. We've built such a boring side.

I think Gale was just what we needed a half back with plenty experience who can boss the team. Lui has I said earlier was brought in to do a job. I doubt he'll be here next season. We are developing Broadbent Walters Holroyd A Sutcliffe plus there is Gannon and Edwards who I think we'll see quite a bit in the next 18 24 months. have all come through in the last 18 months. If Eastmond signing doesn't come off then we need to go and get a 6.We are still short of a prop and a winger. Plenty of players off contract so should be enough cap space. The team is more balanced and has a much better team spirit than it did a couple of years ago.