From what iv'e read here and there bilko , I don't think Leeds particularly wanted rid of him, they just wanted Leeming more, They have been messing about for a year or two now with Hookers, i thought Parcell was ok but he was obviously not suiting .

But what about the players that didn't come to us as hookers who have done a great job there...
Remember Luke Robinson?? And he's not the only one.

In fairness, in my experience hooker is probably one of the easiest positions to transition into (and to coach) and any half-decent half should make a half-decent hooker nowadays

Jools I agree, however he has played there for Leeds and Jamaica and played very well, for me he's our first choice FB, he will do very well there defensively.
However if the team is more balanced with an attacking fullback and Darnell is in form, and Butterworth doesn't make the cut at hooker, then we have a very capable back up in Golding

It’s not about butterworth not making the cut it’s about having just two specialist hookers and two teams to field. We get an injury to AOB and if things stay as they are that’s potentially a (nother) scuppered season.
I get what your saying about robbo-but he was a seasoned player when he switched with bags of experience.
You reckon saints would start the season planning to switch a rookie half to hooker because they’d sold their best one.
We need another specialist to see the season right.

Agreed its important to have another hooker, I had wondered if we might have made an attempt for the young lad wire signed from Widnes a couple of years ago, Danny Walker, limited game time for them, would fit the bill of a good young english player and if Wire will release him he shouldn't be too much on the cap.

Or maybe we give Woolford an £80k payrise and bring his lad over on peanuts to save some cap?

Trout is a hooker isn`t he, that`s AOB sub .

I know Trout is listed as a second rower, but I had a feeling he turned out for Leeds at hooker a couple of times, anyone else heard that ??

He’s played prop or loose for leeds

Can't see a trout wanting to hook

He will be a flipping big unit if he did play there.

Leeming gets the Leeds number 9 shirt.

For one minute I thought I was on the Leeds board, get over it, he's gone and talk about contracted giant players.

Well when we finally release the shirt numbers I might just be able to do that.....
Or even any news at all to talk about.
In the meantime this thread is about leeming.

ken told the hgsa that anyone not wanting to be at the club wont be and we are not going to try and convince players to stay by paying them more when their hearts arent in it, kruise and mellor fell into this category so once they decided they wanted to go they were finished, good on ken i say let them go and get players in who do.
as for replacement hooker we arent bring ing anyone in as we are trying to get back to having 80 minute hookers and AOB has already done it and there are others for cover already in the squad, though no names were given like ken says its just another wage to pay for someone to play 30-40 mins and we dont want to do that.

If it was a winger I could understand it- but 9 is a key position to be gambling on. AIB is courageous-but he’s not a week in week out 80 minute hooker- it will be at a detriment to his game over time I feel. For me this is a a Big mistake. Hope it doesn’t bite them as We are one or two injuries from disaster.

jools like you i would have liked Leeming to have stayed, but only if he had wanted too, that was clearly not the case and to keep a player who wants to be somewhere else is an even bigger mistake. I feel we have other players to fill the gap if they are coached right, Is Holmes not worth a shot, yes he would have to learn but so does everyone and to be fair we have been a disaster for a season or two due to injuries, I don't see that getting better or worse due to leeming

It’s not specifically about leeming- if he wanted out (and who could blame him) then perhaps it was best all round if the club allowed him to go and get a fee- my issue is the club not replacing a very good player in a key position where we were already “light” in numbers. We now have ONE proven hooker at this level!!!! Madness. Hoping that AOB can manage 80 minutes every week and in the event He can’t holmes can “do a job” alongside a rookie in butterworth is a massive gamble. No top team would do that in such a key position.
This is t a go at those youngsters btw.
With leeming and frawley gone since our signings we must have some money available!

hooker is only another half back these days and weve plenty of cover

Still getting linked with Levi

It’s really not!!!

I agree. There's far more pressure on a half back, both in expectation and rugby knowledge.

I've said previously, a modern day hooker is easy to transition into, to coach and to play (from experience).

And this is proved by the players who we have had step up into that position when needed - we've had half backs, loose forwards, even props!

I think your pretty much undervaluing what the club is doing with this. No one knows what it happening at training. We may just have found a player better than leeming.

I think we have recruited well, so that has restored my faith and confidence

well tell that to the club chairmen and head coaches who are apparently looking at using half backs as hookers rather than specialists but hey fans on a internet page know better !!

It's not so much they know better mate it's just that they have opinions, and i don't mind hearing them myself, god knows there is little enough posted on here anything to read is welcome.

\myself i agree with you, we have players who can cover that position and who knows maybe better than Leeming who to be fair had his games but he was no James Roby, Holmes for one looked quite handy to me for the most part, just a matter of coaching and you are right who knows what is happening in training' I see what jools is getting at but we all have our priorities positions, Mine is the Pack , i want to see some go forward and some offloading so everyone has a chance to play better and i'm happy to say we have made some improvements in that area.

Definitely boosted the pack which if we get the go forward will take the pressure off the hooker. Leemings gone but with a stronger pack our hooker is only the link to the stand-off so no need for a specialist just someone who can get the ball off the floor and into the stand-offs hands quickly enough. We've plenty who can cover that job but it all revolves round keeping the strong pack on the field and that's up to the coach and backroom staff.

10 of last years top 20 SL tacklers were hookers. Hookers have to get through a lot of physical work- Its all well and good putting a half or a prop in as cover for a game or two- but to be effective in that position he’s got to be physically able to put in 40 tackles week after week after week, whilst still having the ability to see the plays. I don’t think it’s any coincidence that if you look at the season as a whole when we had leeming start we were a better side.