The timing rather suggests that or introducing funds to attract other investors for the new RU company.

Halfway'ish. Are you getting nervous Sal?

£50 is not the issue for me that it appears to be to you

- it is going to a very worthwhile charity so as before its a win-win.

Could care less about the money, it's not like you're paying me. The charity wins either way.

Showing you up once again though....


Must be a killer to get it so wrong, year up on year upon year.

I can live with it - believe me - long way to go yet

Gotta say.....Gary's email did the trick, or Mac and his players knew that they'd come good eventually. As Sal has said, there's still a long way to go, but we've come a long way since last seasons woes.

Everyone mentions the email, but is it not more likely that he gave the coaching staff (and probably the players) a big dressing down in private as well?

Im not sure we are playing that well, we are certainly not carving teams up, but as long as we stay in and around the top 4 Im happy, Wigan showed last year you can jag wins all year with poor performances and come good in the last few weeks to win the title.

The email was just a way of letting fans know that GH was concerned and being more active this year than last at signs the season could end up going pear shaped.

My feelings are similar. Kudos to everyone for the remarkable turn around, performances have been, in general solid enough to get some consistent results. Thing is, i'm not sure what the ultimate level is of this current group. Before, with JP and Sinfield we always knew we had more gears to go to when the big games and moments came but can this lot? What level will the y need to get to? barring a miracle i don't see Saints and Wire being in the 4 this year and the rest of SL is hardly stellar right now. for all Cas's great play they will still find the business end tough with no experience so that leaves us more than likely needing to get over Wigan who when they have something like their full team out will be a real force and tough to get over.

Anyway, whatever happens, good to be talking about the possibility of competing for trophies again after the doom and gloom of the first couple of months

A hooker!!

We heard a multitude of excuses for last years failings but not one of them was player recruitment. Leeds NEEDS a free thinking, free running hooker. Without one we look lost and clumsy. We need a quick PTB and a dummy half that can distribute sharply to our 'off the cuff' style of play.

Our form took 180 degree turn the second we signed Segeyaro and look at us this year with the only significant change being Parcell.

Burrow isn't a hooker, neither is Lilley, if we had signed Segeyaro at the start of 2016 I honestly believe we wouldn't have had such a dire season - we wouldn't have been contending, granted, but I seriously doubt we'd have been sat at the bottom of the table for a majority of it.

I agree, it would seem that whoever recommended/scouted Falloon has much to answer for.

It's the most important position in the modern game. I don't doubt for one second that McD, GH and everyone involved with coaching and recruitment at the club didn't know we needed a genuine 9 desperately. Hence the signing of the Falllloooooon in desperation.

How we ended up in that sort of mess in the first place is another question though.

In all fairness he didn't fully play did he? he was injured a lot. And in further fairness to the coach here, the deal he wanted wasn't Falloon, and that only happened due to the pull out on another deal to chase someting else. As you all say an hooker was definitely needed, so when things get desperate you take your chance, better that leaving it.

True.

Anyone else find it worrying that we don't seem to be able to produce our own 9 from within? not even one that seems capable of doing a job off the bench for spells. I know we have had a few flirt with the first team squad over the last decade like McShane (who obviously is now a good SL player at Cas but it has taken a lot of time) and Hood, but only Diskin stands out as really holding his own in the squad during the SL era for me.

Hopefully it is going to be an area, as well as in the halfs, we take a serious look at development over the next few years.

Hello..newish here. There was Robbie Ward as well who ironically gave one of his best performances in last match when Leeds played NZ...think Burrow rated him highly ,even Mac was impressed with performance after that game.

We do have a young academy player who I rate highly. Some say he was no good last season, but then he was injured for majority of it , took time finding his form so was not picked as first choice hooker. Seems though this season is showing signs of his early form. Harvey Whiteley..He has scored I think in every match with last against London Broncos getting on sheet twice. Think was coached by Burrow at U16s n has a similar running style. ..his physique reminds me of Shoey seems powerful player. Not saying he finished article but he getting better as each game progresses....I would prefer to see him on bench when we short at hooker than either Lilley or Hallas...also best place to learn would be in seniors have him come on for 10 mins as a sub to Parcell. Also hopefully with Moz in charge of academy we can retain some of the talent instead of seeing them vanish or get poached by other clubs. Mom needs to say to Mac..give these players game time..will do them good.

the step up from acaeemy level to open age is massive nowadays, the players need longer to develop longer physically to be able to stand the riggers and physicality. yes the game is not brutal like 30 years ago, but the high athletic fitness levels and impact play is much faster. so many younger players look great at under 19 but just cant make the big leap up to open age. that is why A team rugby is /was so vital to development of players. the likes of diskin, JJb had 2-3 years in the A team and gradual induction into the first team. with dual reg the only option some players just cannot break through.
i also believe for some the jump from under 19 to open age championship rugby is too high. an A team probably fits in between league one and championship and gives players that extra year or 2 to step up physically. no obviously some players can jump straight to championship level and super league, Oledskiz looks like he will go straight through, but that's rare, likes of baldwinson really struggling to make impression in super league at 21 years old. Diskin became a regular around that age, would Diskin be able to jump from academy to super league now, hard to say, but certainly those couple of years in A team rugby helped him make the gap not so big.

so in a pivotal position like Hooker which requires being physically up to it as well, the strep up is proving too much. so the likes of Harvey Whiteley may never be able to jump up the 2-3 levels required.

that my take on it.

I completely agree with you on an A team or reserve team..which for me would not only be beneficial for age grade players but those returning from injury or whose form has dipped....I have spoken to GH on this n he will not go down this route..too expensive...Personally I disagree with him, can't imagine senior players like going on dual reg to Fev when returning from injury...whilst Mac has said he thinks DR works for club...in previous interview he also said there are only so many players that can be sent on loan or DR...as a result we are losing players. So since GH is not going to budge on this issue...can't see RFL making it compulsory then the best way for an age grade player to learn is directly off a senior player...Wigan n Saints are able to push youngsters through into senior squad mind they also have reserve squads. Personally would disagree think Harvey Whiteley will be able to step up..but time will tell.

Wouldn't disagree although losing players and losing players we need aren't necessarily the same thing. I too would like to see us run an academy but without knowing the financial ins and outs I couldn't possibly judge its cost effectiveness.

I do actually like dual reg I think there is a place for it, but it is not suitable for every player, but piano no players to other super league clubs is just as good if not better, see Keinhorst, recently, Richie Mathews nick scruton all had good loan spelles in the past.

Interesting that last year some linked our league position to not having a reserve side compared to the league position of those who did. This year ourselves and Cas are top and the likes of Wire and Saints well off the pace.

Saw a couple of weeks ago that Wigan even cancelled one of their reserve fixtures due to lack of players with injuries biting the first team, which is an ever increasing issue for teams nowadays.

I remember Keinhorst making his debut for seniors and scoring...was still playing in U19s racking up an impressive tally in U19s. Yes did well on his loan spell but remember when he came back at short notice, might have been 2015 season due to injury after match he said it was difficult because of the adjustment n switching from different systems of playing...even though not score that match he gave a try assist. Mac said think in interview yesterday that DR was working well , he also was at pains to say the different systems used was /would not effect the players..that he knows the coaches is in touch..etc

Sorry not sure how to double quote..so this links onto Printer The post below.

I must admit I was one not on here as only recently found this forum, that felt a reserve team would have benefited our players. I still believe that is the case.

Yes we are joint top of the table at moment , we have been playing some exciting rugby of late whilst at the same time....though clog up of fixtures was part to blame, dropping of pace n making errors.. I still think best is yet to come.

For me though a reserve squad would benefit in particular for those whose form has dipped beyond what is expected of them.. Having a reserve team you are still keeping them within the rhinos fold...They have then an incentive to win their jersey back. Similarly someone in reserve team can get promoted. More intense competition for the jersey should increase the quality of the squad over all. Then allowing you also to rotate players in senior squad reducing injury. Mac said tonight one of mistakes he made last season was bringing players back to soon from injury as they then picked up another...that happened to Ablett last season..He said he learned but is Handley completely over his injury, Brett or Stevie ?


The other point whilst DR or loan can work.... not all players get game time..have seen a few times where Featherstone has not used a player who was on loan to them n they were not playing for us. They don't always walk straight into that team.

Saints might for the moment be off the pace but Wigan are 3rd....would also say they better than us at using there U19s in the senior squad, not afraid to give them a decent period learning from experienced players.

I think it could benefit if all SL clubs had a reserve team. Last season in the reserve comp there was several weeks between fixtures, this years still gaps between games and some of the opposition are lower level in Keighley, Halifax, Featherstone reserves. At the moment the current setup/lineup of the reserve comp I don't think we're missing out too much.

The standard of the A Team doesn't matter as much as the ability it gives to get and keep players fit and ideally playing in the same style as the first team. For younger players it gives them the chance to play against grown men in a lower pressure environment. The old A Team league used to be full of really ordinary reserve teams from the likes of Batley and Keighley - it was never a high standard. On the cost side I think part of the problem is wanting players to be full time. The old A Team used to have any number of players that played for a few quid but worked as well, and were seemingly quite happy to play at that level for years rather than go elsewhere.

welcome to the forum mate

. yes, forgot about Ward but he is another a bit in the mould of Hood whom they didn't seem to see a future in at Leeds or trust with game time but i still believe they were right in that assessment at the time, and it has taken them plenty of time at lower clubs to get up to even standard SL level, time both would never have got at Leeds.

they are two good examples of the benefits of having an A team may produce. We may have been able to keep at least one hanging around for longer to develop here, indeed over the last 18 months there would have been ample opportunities open up in the first team for them to come through properly like they have now elsewhere.

This is how i see it. There are plenty of benefits in having an A team. A good stepping stone between juniors and first team.. there is a good chance you will be playing against some established SL players most weeks and like you say, it is a great way of getting players their fitness back or keep players fit who are not in the 17. Add to that, it gives the opportunity for players (particularly young half backs) to learn team patterns so when they are thrown in for a chance, it is not so alien to them, something they can never get playing in championship or league 1.