I don't agree. You can't dip your toe like this. For teams to commit to crossing the globe for a match there has to be something at stake. A friendly match in no way replicates any meaningful contest. I can't see why either side in the exhibition games would take it seriously.

Get them over for a fortnight, two from NRL, two from
SL, semi finals week 1, final week 2 and you might be onto something.

Play a Roses match as a curtain raiser for the final for players not involved (or even te Exiles match if that's your thing) and scrap the Magic weekend.

Job's a good 'un.

There was back in round seven....

Ahem! I think I got shot down in flames for daring to suggest this !!!

Admittedly I might have been deceived by Cas having a chance of winning the GF (that's most likely to be Wigan)...BUT it was patently obvious what the players wanted this season. It must be hard to motivate yourself enough to go the extra mile again to win the championship after having so much previous success there......that's where the good coach enters the equation of course with his motivational abilities and selections.

Leeds are potentially making the mistake of rewarding the core players of a hugely successful era just a little too much with excessively extended contracts.

As supporters we owe this team a great deal for what they have given us to cheer about....I just hope we do not see them slide into an ever decreasing pale shadow of their former selves. Some are already there (McGuire is, apart from a couple of good performances this year significantly epitomised by his CC final appearance) and some are damn close (Sinfield and even Burrow are - when was the last good game the latter had?)

. ..renewing Peacock's AND Lleulai's contracts seems particularly daft and sentimental.

Roll on 2015

Sinfield is liability now, he offers nothing in attack.

You cannot say that on here!!

Why, sentiment in sport gets you nowhere, GH needs to show some guts and get rid of done of the old guard.

What King Kevin ! Not been the same since the headbutt

really? he did ok at wembley i seem to remember

Pure genius and yes you were shouted down by several who appear to be oblivious as to the direction the club is sadly now heading.

And if anyone could be d looking, they'll find a few totally contradictory posts by you too.
Well done for covering all bases though. [i#armchairfans[/i

Funny...i am sure it was sinfield that cut through the Cats defence to gift JJB what should have been the match winning try.

Sinfield stepped up in the second half when quite a few didn't.

"didn't" or "couldn't" there is a difference! IMO it's couldn't. Sod sentiment, we'll remember the old guard for many many years but some use of the moth balled cheque book is urgently required. Over to you Mr. H.

There's no individuals in a succesful team

To blame individuals isn't fair

TBF it wasn't an "old guard" thing last night, we had errors from guys of all ages, Briscoe and Hall drops....in their 20's. Ablett who I thought was probably our best player last night gave an almost identical penalty away to the McGuire one when Catalans were pegged back near the line in the first half.

The team looked mentally cooked last night, and that can and did happen to all ages. I think Sinfield retiring from Internationals is very important to how we go next year, hopefully the fewer who get picked by England this November then the better.

how many pens do we give away for ball stripping? it seems to be 3/4 every single week. drives me mad

Thought Catalans played quite well tho'...

...or doesn't that count ?

From a club point of view I hope none of our players get picked for England but I know that is just wishful thinking

What if Catalans get to the Grand Final.

They're making up the numbers. Whipping boy rabble. Only a matter of time until they stock up on lube again, wteher that be against huddersfield or saints.

They played ok but nothing more in reality. That Leeds were so poor and we were still only one caught pass away from holding on to beat them means Catalans couldn't have been that great really.

The season is history now. Write it up and move on.

The older players deserved their CC glory but I think it was at the cost of a more successful season but hey we still won a trophy many other teams would gladly change places with us I think.

Lets now take the tough decisions and move a few on and then revamp the coaching set up as well for next season.

I dont mean McD MUST GO but perhaps a redefining of roles and some additional personel might be called for, so that we benefit from the younger talent we have developed.

fair comment

Leeds will not be in it. Their league placing and elimination in the play off means they cannot now qualify.

good job GH runs the RFL and refs or we would of lost that game last night!!!! oh wait....