Headingley's hardly compact is it?

I was always under the impression it was pretty much full size. Much like myself.

This is the best Leeds side I have ever seen! ......In fact, this is the best rugby league side I have ever seen (including Australia)! ......And to think, some of your supporters were actually saying that your coach should walk early on in the season!!!! ......Talk about being complacent and overly use to winning!!!! ......Haha!!!! ......Those that did don't know a good thing if it bit them on the nose! .......Get a grip Leeds fans who actually question your coach and the way your team plays in 2015! ......You are without a doubt the best team within the world today! .......That said, Cup final day is a completely different kettle of fish! ......Haha! ......Come on Rovers! .......Fingers crossed!

Indeed. And there has been a deafening silence from this group of keyboard coaches in showing any credit for what Big Mac has achieved so far this season. It seems they are waiting for Leeds to slip up before they start on him again. If we don't win the treble it will be the coaches fault for sure. When Mac first came he tried to get us to play the same way but the team were not quite ready for it, but BM was slated for playing "Harlem globetrotters" stuff with no structure and these same critics have been consistently calling for a new coach since.

I was on here at Easter saying how structured we were and his good BM had done. however to say they weren't ready is absolute rubbish. he's had 5 years with more or less the same players.

Like most jobs you are judged on results.

This season could still go all 2005 on us.

Leeds will win at a canter, we have no threats and can't defend. This is the best Leeds team ever and sending off a few legends.

As long as Leeds have that mindset we are in with a chance. Lets face that's what Wigan and Wire thought in this cup.

For all the great play Leeds have they also have a stinker in them, lets hope its at Wembley.

Easter!! I know things are a bit behind in Tadcaster but surely Welles Fargo runs through there by now?

But since news has not reached you yet .....we have been top of the league for most of the season, we are a Wembley finalist and in a good position to finish in the top 4 maybe even in first place. We are playing a most attractive style of rugby admired by opposition fans and coaches alike. Even if we end up missing out on all three Cups the coaches achievement this year deserves great credit already.

Yet the best you can recall saying is something vaguely positive about our structure at Easter! Which underlines the point I made that Mac's long term critics will never be satisfied until he has been replaced which tells you a lot about their judgement and/or stubbornness which explains their deafening silence on the subject.

With regard to the offloading style: if the team were ready why did we change from the offloading game experiment 2011 then? Were you one of those that were critical of "the Harlem Globetrotters" style at the time?

In those five years he has won everything except the hub cap and even becoming Champions from 5th in the table during which time he has seen over the ongoing transition. Despite this achievements in each and every season the same gang of critics have been on his back so even when his team wins Cups

The current team is quite different from the one which beat Bradford at the Millennium Stadium in 2011. In fact 9 of the 17 are no longer with us and only Hall retains his place in the backs. It is likely that only 6 of that same 2011 team will be turning out for us this Friday against Wigan with only 3 in the same positions

So if you have finished chomping on your Easter eggs long enough to digest the fact we have an excellent coach who has answered his critics on the field. He has shown he can get the team to win cups against the odds and now play with structure in defense and free flowing in attack in a most entertaining fashion. On top of that he is managing the difficult transition so far with sound judgement too.

It would be nice for you to acknowledge his fine achievements.

I believe McDermott had far too much credit for previous achievements, which I don't think was deserved, and just followed the course of previous coaches with the players at his disposal. The rugby under him was dour, and poor to watch, and he continually flogged players to death with no idea of player welfare.

However, I don't think anyone can argue about what he has done with the side this year. This is his team now, and I said that at start of last year, but last year he failed in the main. This year however, the rugby played is a joy to watch, and far better than anything previous during his reign. I don't think he is flogging players, and I think in the main his tactics have been spot on. I think he has learned from his failings, but pity it took so long. I have always said 2005 was our best side, and we didn't win anything that year. I think this team playing is the equal of 2005, and if we win nothing this year, my opinion will not change, McDermott deserves credit for what he has done this year with this team, as cups or not the performances have been first class most of the time.

I agree.
Having grown up supporting Leeds in the Roy Francis era, I loved watching the team play open and attractive football, and accepted that sometimes we would be outplayed by teams who played more negatively and conservatively. Would I have had them change their style?
Definitely not!
The same applies this year. If we win nothing, I will still retain some great memories of the entertaining way we played and the skills which were exhibited over the season.
(Of course, if we do win one of the three on offer, I would be delighted, especially for those who are departing after giving so mush to the Club and its' supporters).

i have always have recognised his trophy winning. however I also have pulled his failings such as his use of replacements at times.
I also have said, and I said the same of smith and mclennen, that we had no structure, no plan B. it was the talent of the players that was relied on.
I could have praised him last easter but then, cup apart, the season ended like a crock of sh*t, partly due to over playing players.

what I said was this season has been brilliant because he introduced a structure, set plays and made us a joy to watch.This has been long overdue. the majority of KEY players have been around for all of his tenure, and whilst he deserves every praise going this season I would still question why it has taken him so long.if he continues in this vein I look forward to him staying as long as possible.i also think he has become very tactically astute. perhaps he was happy to let the older players continue as they have but waning powers have forced him into a rethink? who knows but he certainly looks a top coach this season.
whilst i'm happy to explain my reasonings i'm still waiting for the better full backs than hardaker, any time you feel like naming then feel free

I do think he must be in with coach of the season, given our previous low finishing in the tables.

If we keep 1st going into playoffs and get the CC it must be nailed on

SL is in the entertainment business and we have entertained. Even if we don't win the Oscar we have been the best so far so why hold back on giving credit when it's due

Can't see us being complacent with Sinfield and Peacock, they won't allow it to happen with it being their final year.

We haven't conceded more than 16 points in our last 8 CC games stretching back to the start of the 2014 competition and that includes games vs Saints x 2, Wire, Hudds and a Cas side who scored points very well last year so it's going to be very tough for HKR to score enough points to win IMO.

I think looking back at his early years at Leeds then yes McDermott was learning on the job (one he inherited 12 months early) and of course made mistakes, he also seemed awkward and uncomfortable which made it hard for people to at warm to him personally regardless of results.

Key thing I think though is recruitment which I'm not sure you can lay at his door, around that time it was our poorest for a long time. Ben Cross, Moore, Griffin, Hauraki, simply not good enough as well as losing our first batch of 'core' players in Senior, Webb and Ali. He's too often been left with a squad that he's clearly not fully confident in a chunk of the players. Switch to the last couple of years and he's been recruited Briscoe, Moon, Cuthbertson, Garbutt and finally seen the likes of Stevie Ward and Singleton ready to play weekly to a good standard.

Interesting several weeks back I read GH talking about Cuthbertson saying we tried to sign him 5 years ago but it didn't happen. Could've made those early McDermott years very different if we'd have pulled off that singing at that time.

So now you have changed to say KEY players. Which ones are you talking about then from the team I mentioned at the Millenium in 2011 ? who were?

Web BJB Delaney Senior Hall
Sinfield Burrow
Kylie Buderus Cross
JJB Ali L
Ablett

Bench: L Burgess Kirke Pitts Watkins

Remember Mac started in 2011 without JP & Mags who were both on the long term injured list. Delaney was in the , Senior later got injured and Ablett stood in then a young Hardaker and Watkins was just a youngster making the odd appearance.

Since then Mac has made 1st teamers out of youngsters Sutcliffe, S Ward, Singleton, Watkins, & Hardaker converting the latter to a FB. Also new players were signed Moon, Achurch, Briscoe, Aiton, Cuthbertson and Garbutt. So the team has been evolving throughout the McDermott era.

You talk of structure and set plays when in fact our attacking style of play is unstructured with less emphasis on set plays. You talk of how long it has taken him to achieve as though every other team is playing the same entertaining way. You discount the fact that BM took over a team that had lost its way the previous season and whose stars were ageing and with key men injured yet he was able to produce back to back championships and then a long awaited Challenge Cup. You talk of overplaying players as though you are an expert in such matters and were in possession of all the facts at the time.

How many times have you expressed your "joy" regarding our coach this year?

Which Leeds coach has a better record at getting to finals and winning trophies and then creating the most exciting side in SL? He doesn't look a top coach this year he is the top coach this year.

I mentioned credit for finals twice. how many times do you want it repeating. I know you are ageing but surely not that forgetful? JP and mcguire may not have played that game but they were both around and had been for seasons. clutching at straws to suit your argument?
if you think we have no structure then you need to look again. the offloads are only part of it. the running across the line, drawing men into the tackle and going wide early, while sounding basic, is done to a very high structured standard. it's been worked on and worked on, for which, again, I have given plenty of credit.
hardaker played full back at Featherstone and plenty on here, including me, were calling for him to go there before webb retired. it was hardly rocket science, although he has got far better than I expected. best full back in then SL by miles, but not according to you!
whilst he deserves credit for evolving the team, which again I have said a few times, the real crunch is next season. this would be same whoever is the coach.
as for being an expert on over playing players when forwards can hardly walk and he has used 2 subs in an hour you don't really have to be an expert to ask questions.
we have played some awful stuff when he took over. dour, boring rugby. last season he started changing the style and has taken it further season for which, plenty of times, I have praised him for. unlike you who fail to see his shortcomings I call it as I see it

It's the way the cookie crumbles.

what is 2005 more memorable for? 2 final defeats or slaughtering Wigan in fine style 70-0 at Headingley?

IMV it's most memorable for being cheated out of a Grand Final win because the Bulls cheated the salary cap to bring Adrian Morley over.
The cup final defeat was self-inflicted.

Classic southstander some would say



A few weeks before that final IIRC Bulls schooled us at Headingley. without Morley!

That was the game before the CC final where Senior got injured and the season started going tits up

[urlhttp://www.therhinos.co.uk/rugby/matchcentre/10609.php[/url

Thanks for that, remember it clearly now.

entertaining a great but picking up cups is better.

If you ask most players and coaches, they'll tell you entertainment is a distant second to winning.

My post that you first challenged made a first point that Mac' critics are quick to throw stones but find it difficult to give him credit. How many times have you praised Mac this season Tad? Your reply rather demonstrates this point.

You also "absolute rubbish"ed my second point that in early 2011 the team were not quite ready to play the new coaches chosen style saying that "he's had 5 years with more or less the same players"

Having pointed out to you that the majority of that team have left you moved your goal posts and changed your point to say "the majority of KEY players have been around for all of his tenure" as though this was a reason that the team were ready of the offload game at the start of Mac's tenure in 2011.

As you kindly pointed out my age gives me an excuse for memory loss but I do not need to use it on this occasion ....what is your excuse young lad? Given that Mags and JP missed the first 3 mths of 2011 and by the time they returned the 'harlem globetrotters' experiment had been phased out so you are left with Sinny...... A majority of one key player! So how does this disprove my point that at the start of 2011 the team were not ready for the offload game?




I do not think I have said we have no structure. I believe this has been one of your calls over the years. There were plenty of clues in how we got to our many finals under BM that we had good defensive structure but you are one of those that assumed that whenever the players failed to keep to the structure you assumed it was because they had not been coached correctly.

On attack Mac prefers to give the players some leeway on the back of plays well worked out on the training field. When they come off they look great but when players are not at their best things look bad. It is at this time that you critics strike and blame the coach which I think shows a complete lack of understanding of what is within the control of the coach once the players take the field. So when I argue against his critics it is not because I believe him to be mistake free but that you should look at the players first because it is they who either make it happen of not depending on their form and timing.



Yes he did but he was primarily a winger in those days. Now once again Tad you are behind the times. What was said in previous seasons is valid or not at the time. I have stated my up to date views on Hardaker however my glasses do not have the same rose tint as yours.



Yes next year will be a crunch year and one made more difficult by losing Kevin Sinfield earlier than perhaps had been planned and with serious injuries to JJB and Sutcliffe. However GH & Mac have made a good start with the pack but I do think we need some extra cover at 6 now we are losing our No1 key man.



You are not aware of a coaches choices due to form on the training field, or knowledge of the players recovery time. Mac's tactics despite what you say have been successful so far this season.



The players have played some awful boring stuff but why do you choose to blame the coach before the players?

You certainly call the negatives a lot quicker than the positives as you see them but remember t is only as you see them.

and you don't call things as you see them???