I'd agree with that except the last part. Luke Briscoe was a very highly rated prospect when he signed for Leeds. However, I think his utility value is what counted against him in the end, he was never given a long enough run any particular position to properly develop IMO.

Rob Mulhern

JJB.

Jaimie Peacock

I'm pleased to see that Mulhern has signed a contract extension & been (sic) given squad no. 25.
Size wise I view him as a better prop prospect than Singleton.
From his brief video on the website he seems to be a sensible young man, let's hope he develops in the best way possible.

Yep agree with all of that. Thought since the end of last season out of our young props he looks the most physically ready for the step up. That said singleton has worked hard on himself in the off season and I do like his spirit, generally runs the ball up like he means it,

Started putting ins and outs for 2016 at the bottom of this thread.

Elliot Minchella on loan to London for the rest of the season. Change of environment for a while might do him good, and being away from home could help him mature.

Exposes him to a higher standard than the 19s, also potentially creates an opportunity to step up to that level for Cameron Smith.

Good move that he's gone a bit stale of late and seemed to be treading water somewhat of course the off field distraction may have played a huge part in all that but the time is right for him to play some open age RL week in week out imo.

Win-win situation for all involved.

Found out at game from a very reliable source that burrow has agreed to join Castleford next season. We've also got a massive signing on his way but no name was mentioned.

Well George rose is OOC at the end of the season

It would be a shame to see Burrow go but, he's been a legend for this club at 33 we've certainly seen the best from him.

Yup, thanks for everything Rob and enjoy your retirement.

Clears a pathway for Robbie Ward if true.

Is the burrow to Cas rumour an annual tradition?

The difference being that this year he is actually out of contract and there's been no talk of him extending his contract with us and rumours that he's not happy having limited game time off the bench and he's a Cas lad

I still believe that Burrow is a valuable member of our first 17 & may continue to be so for a further one or two years if he does not have to play long minutes.
He may be a Cas lad but I thought he was a life-long Rhinos fan.
Why would he leave a team that would seem to be in contention for winning competitions for one that isn't in such a strong position, unless he's to be offered a substantial salary increase?
Is that likely at Cas?
I can see why they would want him, he has to be better than Liam Finn, whose only strength is his ability to kick the ball a long way up in the air - he offers no other threat whatsoever, isn't a better defender than Burrow & is also knocking on in rugby terms.
Will Burrow be offered a position on the Cas coaching staff, they have Ryan Sheridan & Danny Orr, two more ex-half back coaches already on their staff?
Unless our coaches believe that Lilley or someone else coming through is, or shortly will be, a better option than Burrow why would we encourage Burrow to leave?

I agree with you Old Feller however with him being out of contract it is now in Rob's hands really.Maybe he has made clear pre season it will be his lasy, or before this year Leeds could have offered him a deal and he has turned it down.Could explain why he has been used as nothing more than a late sub in most games so far.All speculation but it doea seem now more than ever the rumours have more substance.

Whatever, i hope he does stay but if he decides to leave he would go with my blessings.Great player for us and his performance in the 2011 final against Saints is the best individual display by a Leeds player i have ever seen

No player of his ability and stature can be happy with playing second fiddle to a pretty average overseas import - let's be frank Aiton is no Buderus.

If he goes I wish him good luck he has been a brilliant player for Leeds and deserves a chance to show what he can do in a more creative role.

I agree with you OF. He still has a lot to offer and even his critics must have seen in very recent performances how he can win a game. After we finally won the Cup last year the senior golden buys have a full set and so much of the group ambition has now been achieved. Obviously there have been some deep discussions in the off season and we have seen the outcome in the announcements of JP and then Sinfield. Perhaps Robbie too is part of these same changes with a clue perhaps in his non automatic selection (although this could equally have been his long term injury) However no news of a new contract would suggest otherwise.

So if he too is set to leave I can only think that we have lined up a major half back signing for next season as Sutcliffe despite showing promise is not yet a shoe-in and his kicking is not up to par, and if Mags gets injured again we would have a big problem. Signing another prop will not solve this serious potential weakness. Thurston or Widdop then!

What a signing Thurston would be - sadly just a dream.

I wonder if the alleged massive signing is contingent upon Superleague accepting the marquee player exemption, therefore, any announcement has to wait until that is ratified.
If so then maybe we need to acknowledge Dr Koucash's role in bringing that about.
Or maybe these are simply groundless rumours?

I agree with all you say....but would be very (pleasantly) surprised indeed if Thurston was en route to Headingly.

Burrow IMO has always been best utilised as the impact super sub and nothing this season has changed my opinion on that: he continues to be a brilliant game changer from the bench. Long may it continue.

However, in the past it was obviously considered not a role to satisfy the player enough and so he became Leeds' starting hooker. The present circumstances do suggest that the player's wishes are no longer paramount and that any discontent is not so important anymore.

Still a lot could happen before next season. With burrow, peacock, Leuluai and Sinfield going, that's a lot of cap space. I think a few others like Duckworth, Minns, Keinhorst, L Briscoe will leave the club too.

Whilst I agree Aiton is no Buderus, he's easily been one of our top 3/4 performers week in week out so far this season. In terms of purely what both bring to the 'hooking role' IMO it's more accurate to say Burrow is no Aiton.

Granted he brings other things to the party, from the bench IMO but obviously Rob has decided that at this stage in his career he needs to be starting every week and IMO for the best interests of the team, out of the two Aiton has to be the starting hooker.

Whether Rob should be/should have been our starting 7 is a completely different argument but IMO that has more merit than him being our starting 9