when i went to peacocks book signing on a freezing saturday morning snow and ice on the ground Tony Smith was there standing for photo's with kids with the SL trophy.
he was'nt even leeds coach he had left months earlier

He was getting his book signed.

If rumours are true Lowes will be off at the seasons end to the Bulls amongst other suitable employees out there.

One thing that is for certain is that TS does not, or will not, condone someone who has "taken his bat and ball home"

Not sure Brian McDermott will be flying across the pennines?

Bastion had gone well before Smith went anywhere near Warrington as for Cummins a bigger yes man you are unlikely to meet - right down Smith street.

Don't see many players either flying across the pennines - just maybe they see that success is equally achievable with - in your view - a very flawed coach.

Given McClennan's record at Leeds compares favourably against Smith's in any way you want to compare maybe the role of the coach is overrated given your constant critic of McClennan's shortcomings.

How else could you explain their relative records?

I've only ever questioned Mclennan's inability to sort out our discipline.

I have questioned many times the double standards by which our fans have critiqued him and TS.

Personally I feel that the normal season has been more of an extended training session for the lads, and that the poor discipline has been part of that, as we've been winning games and staying in touch with the top of the table, there has been no need to sort it out, as the class of the players is usually good enough to get us through.

Had we have fallen behind the pack, then we may have seen us sort the discipline quicker, however, to win with one hand tied behind our backs is a better exercise than winning by a country mile.

We're now in the part of the season where performance and confidence are key, and surprisingly both have improved along with the discipline.

Bluey may be a cleverer coach than many give him credit for

If that's the strategy then it's a dangerous game to play. It may allow you to practice your defence but if players get used to playing a niggly game they may find it difficult to revert back to a clean game.

the players did there pre-season after the season had begun! there was always likely to be shock losses and poor performances early doors. i have every faith the coaching staff will get the boys to peak at the right time. i think some people would prefer us to win all season and lose in the play offs!

Which ones?

Most I read on here appear to want Leeds to win every game, nothing much wrong with that as a supporter.

i'll re-phrase that.some people would like us to go flat out all season hammer everyone it seems. it took us a while to learn the regular season counts only for form and play off places. the play offs are what really count

The statisticians?

Surely 2004 and 2006 (as well as Wigan glory days) prove that its possible to be fantastic all season and win in the Grand Final?

What's wrong with hoping your team can do that?

hoping is ok but lets get realistic. wigan were the only fully pro team and cherry picked the best players.nobody else had a chance.

2004 was a one off and while we were supurb the standard of the league was average at best.

don't forget the world cup at the end of last season had a big say on this season too

The 2008 World Cup finished no later for Leeds' players than the Tri-Nations series have in the recent past.

The gap between seasons has been roughly the same.

I have to agree with Tad's point about the short pre-seasons

Playing for your country is the ultimate for any player, but when the same successful sides keep providing the bulk of the GB/England squad it does inpede into their rest period and ultimately their pre-season

To quote JP after the JJB testimonial game in the pre-season against Hull FC, he said that when he spoke to the FC players they said that they had a 15 week pre-season whilst he had 6 training sessions!

Hull FC have not justified this extra time in their pre-season cos they've been e, but i would love the Rhinos players to have a 15 week pre-season

IMO this season has been well down in quality from last seasons top two sides and If the representative sides continue to be made up mainly of Rhinos and Saints players then we will continue to see much more of the same in the forth coming seasons

lets be honest, for the majority, the World Cup ended earlier than most of the tri-nations events in recent years!

Plural, which is my point. I don't doubt that it's an issue only not an issue specific to a World Cup or to this season when there has been an International series at the conclusion to every season at least since the introduction of the first Tri-Series. GB being required to play a minimum of four Internationals in each Tri-series, the same as England played in the last World Cup. Leeds have seemingly always provided more than their fair share of Internationals for these series.

So what makes the short pre-season of 2009 unique and if it isn't unique why was it a big deal this season?

Tad Lad
Thanks a lot

welcome me old mukker

Because this pre-season we've had MORE internationals involved in the world cup than just england players plus Webb and Buderus both missed pre-season through injury and it's more likely previous short pre-seasons and international involvement are catching up.

Not all tri nations have been held in Aus, which is a factor.

I've no idea what makes it unique. I never claimed it was. I do know that when the players returned they were very, very fatigues - possibly mentally more than physically. That is why the pre-season and early season sessions were rightly adjusted.

Also, perhaps its' because the World Cup was a culmination of four or five off season internationals in a row for the likes of Peacock, Senior, McGuire etc

So we can add another season to the same old, same old (except for Senior) after this season's Quad Nations (I don't know the format) for next season then.

Who normally makes the annual trip to Jacksonville (except for Ryan Bailey who is always strangely injured for that one) and will there be a Jones-Buchanan Testimonial match early in the year.

Could Leeds do more to rest and prepare their International players or do they do as much as they can already?

I don't know. I do know that the players came back from the last tournament in a worse state than they have returned from previous tournaments. I am not talking about physically.

The world cup was a tumultuous affair for them and I think it tooks its' toll, not just physically.

I think Leeds are doing it right. They seem to continually show the ability to get their players to peak in October. The price of that might be a lack of success in the Challenge Cup which is a shame but in this day and age nobody seems to be able to do both (see Saints in 07 and 0icon_cool.gif and if you had a choice......?

Then also add into the equation the WCC.

Stiff challenge.

If I had the choice I would move the Challenge Cup back into it's traditional May time slot and get it well away from the Super League play offs altogether.

My choice would then be to target both.

In it's current place on the calendar each Challenge Cup round would be my priority until eliminated from the tournament.