So what is the way to go then Gotcha?

And if you don't play Sutcliffe at 6, given Leeds are set up to play with the extra big man at 13, where do you play him?

Based on his performances in tandem with McGuire last season, Sutcliffe deserves first shot in 2016. If it doesn't work, then you can look at making changes for 2017, but at least give him the opportunity that he's earned first.

Me, I am not the one arguing. But I will be very surprised if that half back pairing works out a success, and then we end up writing off a good individual player who has a lot of potential.

I would have signed a top class scrum half, who can organise and move the team around the park, and I would have put McGuire back at six, with Sutcliffe on the bench where he can play a lot of different positions as we need it, to learn a bit more.

It might take a while to gel properly but I'd go with McGuire & Sutcliffe in the halves. We should have a pretty strong pack and 1-5 are sound too. By my reckoning, there ain't going to be a much better environment for a young player to learn the ropes at 6.

That is all well and good but which top class organising half could we have got? they are a very rare breed, perhaps only Brough comes close for me in SL.

I think McGuire and Sutcliffe will work well as a pair.McGuire as skipper is more than capable of of stepping up to the plate now he will be seen as senior half back, he has already adapted his all round game well the last couple of years since his pace went. Sutcliffe will only get better now the more he plays and with faith shown in him by the club.

We have a strong looking forward pack, and are a winning team high on confidence, with plenty of experience. There's no better time for a young half to come into the side. We just have to be patient.

Can McGuire not be the Dunneman to Sutcliffe and Lilley whilst they develop? McGuire is certainly a more decorated and talented player than Dunnerman was.

I have some sympathy with stevo's dentures regarding putting too much on young sutcliffe. the game management part we lose with sinfield will take time and big games to play and probably lose like sinfield did in early 2000s. To paraphrase Mandy Cohen "Liam is not the messiah". As others have said patience will be the key. However, the bit that concerns me more is if he is the goal kicker next year as well as at 6. That duty means you can never switch off and pressure builds quickly if you miss a few. I hope he is getting trained well and practising plenty because once upon a time it messed up the play of the best player I have seen at leeds, John Holmes. And he did not have to follow a legend. The big thing in sutcliffe's favour is that if he needs a break we can play mcguire and burrow. Hope the wider fan base have the patience of the regulars on this board if he hits a run of poor form and confidence dips. Also hope zak is practising goal kicking along with his kicking off.

Agree about Zak.....it will take a lot of pressure off Sutcliffe if he (Zak) becomes first choice kicker.

There are several different ways to play a rugby league game. Our game management will change without Kev, but that doesn't necessarily mean worse. Mags and Sutty will do something different, and the space left by Kev might allow others to do things. Cuthbertson looks a great organiser n the forwards and Ward (when he comes back) might be able to do more with the ball.
I'd like to see some of the workload taken from Ward, so to the original question of the thread, I'd still like to see us sign a quality, fit, high work rate back row forward - ideally British.

Yes especially at the start of next year because as we've seen with Sinfield practise makes perfect and Sutcliffe probably hasn't been able to kick a ball for several months due to his knee injury which is far from ideal if he's meant to take over the kicking for goal duties.

any ideas who you would like?

huddersfield seem like they may have a player that could do a job just dont give him any viagra

Aye. I think the club have planned for this well in advance. There was clearly a conscious decision made to get bigger in the forwards, win the ruck more and have less pressure on the halves by giving them more space and freedom in which to play.

this years stating the obvious prize goes to...................................

when i started watching in 1980 there was a run of testimonials and 20 yr testimonials for the 60s (holmes and smith ) and the 70s players

a generation has grown up before there's been as many testimonials and as holmes stood out in a different era so does sinfield as a man of utter out and out professionalism . hardly stepped out of line , hardly said a wrong word and played above himself by commitment to win games.

tbh i don't think danny should be captain because he's next in line i would go for ward or zak .

so many tried and failed to be the next holmes , dick, or ward and we've never really replaced diskin

i hope sutcliffe and lilley do succeed and we can have continuity in the hb's as well as the three quarters

Sutcliffe's never a stand off...

This the same Sutcliffe that was keeping Sinfield out of the team before he got injured, right? Same guy?

Sooty has excelled in the halves since his debut in 2013, and was being talked up as the best young half in the country before the Widnes game. Yes, he has things still to learn. You know why? because he's still only 20. Kev was far from the finished article in 2000 - like him, Sooty needs time to grow into the role.

We also have Lilley who, on his showings so far, will become an excellent halfback. From my POV it seems that Sutcliffe, despite being bigger, is the one with the running game whereas the more diminutive Lilley is the passer, kicker and game manager.

As for further signings I'd love to get Ferres (if he'd fit in with the culture of the club), but with Ablett, Ward, Delaney, Achurch, Keinhorst & Walters fit at the start of the year we're probably fine in the back row.

Squad was a little thin last year, it was much better than i had been the year before, but I think we were one injury from falling away at the end of the season. If there are players, particularly in the pivot positions, that the coach would be willing to give a few games this year (and have faith to play in them to play, not just sit on the bench) then we might be ok. But if we don't have that then we should be looking outside the club to plug that gap.

Sutty wasn't "keeping Sinfield out of the side." Mac knew he needed to see what his options were for 2016 so he had to leave Sinfield out at some stage. He was obviously that convinced about Sutty being a 6, that he tried to sign Widdop!

Ferres and Widdop would complete this team.

That's what I was thinking. Adding Galloway etc. looks like it will give us some go forward up the middle, and if we can get quick ball from acting half against a retreating defence we should see the best of Sutcliffe.

Oli Holmes for me ,Ferres would have been ideal if he wasn't a complete c#*#!

It takes two to tango - perhaps if Mrs Massey and Mrs Huby had a bit more respect for their husbands these unfortunate situations would not arise? It isn't all the players fault.

And for those that haven't seen Mrs Huby, it would be hard to understand, but for those that have .......

Sometimes any port in a storm

The act of having an affair isn't all the players fault.

The act of betraying their teammates is their fault.

Nathan Massey would be a better bet and probably much less on the cap.
Frees Cuthbertson to play prop too.

Jamil Idris talking to a couple of leading SL clubs according to the Mole