how certain are you andy that sinny's decision was his alone?

The playing personal is one topic (personally think having Burrow and Delaney not fit/fully fit at the start of the year helped with picking Aiton and Ward, likewise when Sinfield went down and Sutcliffe came in.

The other is how we are playing in terms of style and adventure. We went to Saints last year when they had more injuries than this year (and we were pretty much full strength) and we dominated a lot of the game yet just tried to barge over the line in repeated lack of ideas style (or cautious didn't want to play risky error filled style) and ended up losing because we couldn't score enough points even though we spent enough time down near the opposition tryline (a reoccurring theme throughout 2014).....12 months on, similar squad and we look like the most risk taking, adventurous, entertaining side in the competition.

Coaches throughout their careers will have varying success......but throughout even if they change clubs with different personnal you can still see their teams play a similar style under the coach in question. It's extremely rare to see a coach oversee such a varying style of play from a team they're in charge of, especially just several months apart with so few squad changes made.

If you'd have watched our performances in 2013 and 2014, then watched what we've done in 2015 so far WITHOUT ever knowing who the coach was in that period, you'd probably guess that they'd been a coaching change before the start of 2015.

Brian Mac IMO has a very good record at Leeds and has quietly got on with the transition under our noses. He has brought on the youngsters gradually and responsibly and obviously has the respect of the players. Contrary to the opinions of some he has shown that he can get the team to play attractive and quality rugby and is prepared to allow the players to show their skills. His big game plans are usually well thought out designed to fit the occasion and he has demonstrated he can get the team to stick to the game plan. He is refreshingly honest and he clearly wants his players to play tough but fair. - So why would we want to replace him?

Bringing in a new coach will not somehow produce a new Sinfield or a JP will it? So why not allow Mac (and GH) to continue to evolve a team that while keeping the Headingley ethos plays in a different style and one that suits the skills of the changing squad so that we will not miss Sinfield and JP quite as much. I think Mac has shown us that he can develop a new style of play which relies on a running game with offloads and movement to suit the players he picks. A lot of pre-season work has gone into developing the way we are playing and of course the introduction of Cuthbertson has greatly helped as has the new improved Aiton which I feel sure has something to do with Big Mac.

There are some who are loathed to give Mac any credit and are despite our superb performance to date they are saying - ah but wait until the end of the season before giving Mac any credit. Many things can happen as we go towards the playoffs but loss of form and injuries are not the fault of the coaching staff. So I would argue that if we fail to achieve anything at the end of the season it will be more down to the players and force mejeure than the coach. He has proven that even with some long term injuries to key players he can get the players to maintain the style of play shown in our win against the Saints with 8 tries scored by our backs when we were without two of our best strikers.

I'm pleased McDermott is showing more faith in a larger pool of years. I think he's developed into the role and whilst I've never been part of the "out" crowd I have been critical of many decisions.

Right now he certainly looks like the right man in the right place.

Agree its a tough one - you either change the team or you change the coach - there is only so long that the players can hear the same message.

It looks like the change the team option has opened up for McDermott. I would like to see both JJB and Burrow co-opted onto the coach team, they are both gifted coaches.

Funny thing is that at the end of 2011 and 2012 when it ended so successfully that some posters weren't content with the end result as the league season had disappointed so much.....now we have to wait for the end result before enjoying a SO FAR enjoyable league campaign......I believe the phrase "papering over the cracks" was quite common place shortly after being crowned SL champions in '11 & '12.

April 13th 2003 - we beat Saints in the CC semi, whilst it didn't lead to any success in the 2003 season I think most look back on it as the game that kind of kick started the Golden Generation period and suggested to us that they could lead us to trophies in the future.

April 17th 2015 - we beat Saints away in what is a typically bogey fixture for us with a team filled with younger players that looks like it could go ahead and win things in the future.

Like 2003, this season could end up trophyless. We know how hard getting over the final hurdle in the CC can be and with the playoffs now condensed into just 4 teams and two weeks then any of the 4 who make it could hit form and win imo. But I think regardless, we possibly will look back on Friday's game in years to come as a similar significant game as to the win over the same opposition almost 12 years ago to the day.

100%. I'm pretty sure he'll have looked at what was best for the team and decided it would be a good time to move on and try something he has always expressed a desire to do before hanging his boots up.

I wasn't a fan initially, but I'll admit BM appears to be doing a pretty good job.

I agree that Sinfield and Peacock pulling the pin has probably enabled BM to try a few other options. Probably the most interesting position is halfback, where it looks as though Sutcliffe-McGuire is now the preferred option.

Perhaps with Sinfield leaving the view is that so long as he lasts the season he can play 13 and take his knocks, as there's no requirement (from a Rhinos perspective) to prolong his career? I seem to recall that was the original rationale behind moving back to 6.

Aiton's form has also demanded that he be given more game time, at the expense of Burrow. Even without Sinfield its hard to see Rob getting significantly more game time unless Aiton gets injured or he starts to spark as he did a few years ago.

It will certainly be interesting to see if these remain the preferred selections when it comes to sudden-death matches, or whether BM will become more conservative.

Rob Burrow will no doubt prefer to be on the field for 80 minutes, but there is no denying that he's still lethal coming off the bench in short stints against heavier legs. I see that being a role he takes quite a bit this year.

I always rated McDermott. What's really pleasing is that he still seems prepared to learn. Not necessarily an accusation I'd make of one or two of his principal rivals.

I think Brian has earned some criticism tonight. He got all the tactics all wrong.

Warrington are rubbish and have been for the majority of this season. They were there for the taking and the Rhinos fluffed their lines.

No point blaming injuries or referees for a defeat to a second rate side.

good game bruce?... good game?

what you you get for a pair in this game brucie?

I thought Wire were very good and their tactics were spot on. They've a big set of props and an excellent backrow alongside 2 cracking hookers. They used that to their advantage and ripped us apart down the middle.

I don't quite see what was wrong with our tactics. It was our tired-looking performance that was the issue. No support for the ball carrier and not enough men in the tackle. That's nothing to do with tactics.

What about the "tactic" to use our starting props for the entire first half (Cuthbertson for the first 60 minutes)? Or of leaving Sinfield on the bench throughout the first half when we desperately needed control and some form of kicking game.

Honestly, just when you think BMac knows what he's doing he defies you. (To be fair, he also has a habit of defying you just when you think he doesn't know what he's doing. He's a very peculiar coach.)

Well Peacock is definitely capable of doing 40 mins and IIRC Singleton went off in the first half but I can't really recall when.

I also can see why he left Sinfield off. We looked like we needed pace and energy rather than steady as she goes. If anything I'd say we needed Burrow on rather than Sinfield.

I don't think the props, in isolation, or the kicking game was the issue. We just didn't support each other either in attack or defence.

We didn't support the ball carrier, there was nowhere enough bodies in motion when we had the ball except on a couple of occasions in Wire's 20.

And we certainly didn't get enough bodies into the tackle. That's why Wire got quick play the balls which Higham and Clark took advantage of.

I also think it was one of those days where the luck doesn't go for you. If the ball was going to bounce it would bounce in a way that favoured Wire. On numerous occasions we tackled hard enough to dislodge the ball but it went backwards and into a Wire hand. By contrast the times Wire did it to us it went forwards and was a knock on.

There was also a not insignificant effect on the game by the Work Experience Lad with the whistle.

I think Wire's tactics played perfectly to their strengths.
I don't think our tactics not the interchanges were the primary reason for our poor performance. I think the players not playing well enough was the primary reason.

Maybe the effects of Easter and a small squad catching up with us plus missing Briscoe, Hall, JJB & Leuluai, plus Wire playing well, plus us not playing that well.

For me the biggest impact on the game was the ruck speed. The registered seemed to allow the tacklers to lie for an age. Warrinton played to this but we seemed to jump off the tackle and gave them quick ball.

What nonsense. Wire are a good side that have been struggling for form (and to find the right settled team/system) after several major squad changes

I'm never sure if its just my own bias but I've often thought we're poor at taking advantage when refs are allow a slow play of the ball

i agree. It is quite a fine art though and Leeds probably don't train so much on it. The likes of JJB and peacock get pinged for it as not quite fast enough to peel away in time.

as this topic is about brian mac and you question

in mac's case it's 2 grand final wins that make a pair,come back when you can make a pair of grand final wins....good game,good game

I think JJB is dreadful at it, always really blatent even when he isn't penalised.

I'm sure there is a big contrast between how much time different coaches are willing to spend on the "dark arts" such as slowing the PTB. I've always got the impression that Tony Smith for example is quite heavily focused on skills and individual coaching and wouldn't make much time for it.

JJB is like Senior used to be.Good for at least 1 penalty for holding down per game, (or so it seemed).Frustrating to watch at times

It can be frustrating but we missed it so much on Friday. Our play the ball was so slow, yet we failed to control the Ruck when they had the ball.

regarding penalties that jjb concedes i believe that the more tackles a player makes in a game then he is far more likely to concede penalties, as is indicated by our best player this season stevie ward being guilty of conceding 7 penalties despite making 486 tackles imo jjb was having a great start to the season performance wise but he was found guilty of giving 5 penalties away,i'm not sure if these 5 penalties were all tackle related but when you look at his tackle stats in the games that the penalties were awarded against him you will find that his tackle counts were pretty high in those games www.superleague.co.uk/matchday/player/271 would you rather have a player in your 17 that gives away 0 penalties but who makes the odd tackle when hes on with also a couple of misses thrown in too? if you do then who is going to make those tackles? jjb will easily make our starting 17 each week when fit,especially when the big games come around irrespective of the annoying penalties he gives away

regarding penalties that jjb concedes i believe that the more tackles a player makes in a game then he is far more likely to concede penalties, as is indicated by our best player this season stevie ward being guilty of conceding 7 penalties despite making 486 tackles imo jjb was having a great start to the season performance wise but he was found guilty of giving 5 penalties away,i'm not sure if these 5 penalties were all tackle related but when you look at his tackle stats in the games that the penalties were awarded against him you will find that his tackle counts were pretty high in those games www.superleague.co.uk/matchday/player/271 would you rather have a player in your 17 that gives away 0 penalties but who makes the odd tackle when hes on with also a couple of misses thrown in too? if you do then who is going to make those tackles? jjb will easily make our starting 17 each week when fit,especially when the big games come around irrespective of the annoying penalties he gives away