Re: Dead wood out?! : Mon Aug 27, 2012 3:45 pm  

Fat Boy wrote:

Jesus Christ - we lose one game, albeit a very important game. but still only one game and this board gets infected with posters who believe we should clear out half of a Championship winning team.

I don't want to open up the whole play-offs debate again, but I think if you are honest, last year's GF win, while it was a great acheivement after such a mediocre league campaign, only served to hide the problems that you obviously had, and still have.

It wouldn't be far fetched to say that, for the last 3 seasons, you have been a fair way behind both Wigan and Wire, its just that you have a small core of a side which occasionally can raise their game and match any side around.

I wouldn't go as far as to have a huge clear out....As I say, you have a very talented core in Sinfield, Burrow and McGuire, and have a number of able and talented players, but you do have a small number who seem to be carried along (Bailey and Ablett would be the most obvious two who could be replaced by better on similar salaries).

Also, and I know he already has his detractors among your fans, Brian McDermott's position must also be questioned....Being a Wire fan, I've seen first hand just how much of a difference a coach can make - I think nearly all Wire fans can now see the folly of keeping Paul Cullen for the length of time we did (similarly, the madness of replacing him with Lowes).

I sense a similar thing with McDermott, in that he fails to get the best out of what he has at his disposal.....I honestly think if you had the same sides, but swapped the coaches around on Saturday, then Leeds would now be celebrating a win.

Re: Dead wood out?! : Mon Aug 27, 2012 3:52 pm  

Nor did we replace Big Ali either.
I think the last few games have also shown that maybe Lunt is not the answer.
Get McShane back and play the lad FGS
Also bring back Amor and release Kylie who admittedly does a job when he is on the pitch.
But he is not on the pitch for long which is a problem with the number of interchanges nowadays.
JP needs to pick his games.
Ablett needs to play in the pack so does Sinfield but again he thinks he is stand off.
We need a Briers type half back a centre and an Ali type back rower as new signings.
Burrow or McGuire at SH
JJB, Clarkson and Bailey need to up their game or move on.
Moore and Griffin should be given another year.
I also think Achurch will play prop next year.

Re: Dead wood out?! : Mon Aug 27, 2012 4:00 pm  

What is really needed is a new extra person in the coaching set-up, someone to work on the defence because if you think the defensive structure is bad and gets caught out now when we have plenty of experience in our side, guys who have played in hundreds of games and many finals and seen it all, then what hope do you reckon the defence has if we put together a much younger and less experienced pack? Sure they'll have youthful enthusiasm and energy but you've got to still have great team structures in place especially in your own 20m to keep the oppostion out and if the current lot are struggling with it then i don't see how less experienced guys will manage it.

As for some individuals,
Peacock - some said we should make this his final year but i've always thought he should still be here in 2013. We should follow the route Warrington did with Morley though and have him starting on the bench a bit more next season. Given the enormity of a CC Final he was able to roll back the years but on a weekly basis can't be your number 1 prop all the time.
Bailey - copping a lot of flak for his CC performance but i think this season he has played quite well. He pretty much got dropped into the Loose Forward position out of the blue when Ablett had to revert to centre and Clarkson underperformed but has had some good games there. I've been fine with him selected there these last few months but for the 2013 season i think Ward will be ready to start games there, so reverting back to prop/possibly 2nd Row on the cards.
JJB - Maybe like Peacock, time for him to be starting games on the bench a bit more in 2013. Depends on two things really, how well Achurch does, and if Ablett is returned back to the forwards with Keinhorst gettingt the 4 shirt.
Lunt - is he worth signing? If we had no one else then yes, but he's solid usually with the good game here and there and we have McShane and Hood in the wings.
Clarkson - Still worth holding onto for 1 more year unlike Hauraki to see if this year's hoped improvement comes in 2013.
Moore - gave a good account of himself when given a chance but can't see the point in keeping him ahead of giving Singleton the 4th bench spot on them occasions instead.

For 2013,
Outs - Hauraki, Webb, Moore, Lunt........Clarkson (loaned to another SL club if possible)
Ins/Promoted - Someone to work on the defence, Achurch, Singleton, Hood, McShane, Amor or a new STARTING prop, not a 3rd or 4th choice one (if so then possibly Kirke to leave too).

Re: Dead wood out?! : Mon Aug 27, 2012 4:44 pm  

We badly need a game breaking forward.something most have suspected for a while,but after saturday needs to be made a priority.we will not progress with our current crop.as soon as i saw our bench compared to wires on saturday i feared for us.no impact whatsoever.

Re: Dead wood out?! : Mon Aug 27, 2012 4:49 pm  

chapylad wrote:

Nor did we replace Big Ali either.
I think the last few games have also shown that maybe Lunt is not the answer.
Get McShane back and play the lad FGS
Also bring back Amor and release Kylie who admittedly does a job when he is on the pitch.
But he is not on the pitch for long which is a problem with the number of interchanges nowadays.
JP needs to pick his games.
Ablett needs to play in the pack so does Sinfield but again he thinks he is stand off.
We need a Briers type half back a centre and an Ali type back rower as new signings.
Burrow or McGuire at SH
JJB, Clarkson and Bailey need to up their game or move on.
Moore and Griffin should be given another year.
I also think Achurch will play prop next year.

Generally I agree with your suggestions. I agree that Sinfield should revert to loose-forward and Stevie Ward in the second row. I think a new quality half-back with a good kicking game and who can direct play would be an advantage and Danny at scrum-half. I would have Rob coming of the bench in the hooking role. The other signing would be a quality starting prop if Kylie and Jamie are going to start more often from the bench. I don't think it needs a revolution but we need to do something to keep us as one of the top 3/4 sides in SL. I would think that with only a few weeks to go to the end of the season, Gary H has already put some plans together for next year.

Re: Dead wood out?! : Mon Aug 27, 2012 5:02 pm  

Don't think we are going to see masses of new signings, personally wouldn't be supprised if alchurch is the only incoming, maybe Amor, but personally think he will be very tempted to stay where he is

Re: Dead wood out?! : Mon Aug 27, 2012 5:04 pm  

What plans are those rhino 2009?

Re: Dead wood out?! : Mon Aug 27, 2012 5:24 pm  

rhinoms wrote:

What plans are those rhino 2009?

What I said was "I would think with only a few weeks to go to the end of the season..... that GH has put some plans together for 2013". I don't know the details but on separate occaisons both GH and BMcD have referred to planning for next year. For commmercial reasons with next years season tickets going on sale soon then they need to fill us with optimism again!

Re: Dead wood out?! : Mon Aug 27, 2012 5:31 pm  

It'll be interesting to see how he now views the teams/squads efforts since his public out-burst i hope he sticks to his word.!

Re: Dead wood out?! : Mon Aug 27, 2012 5:43 pm  

I agree that we are more than likely to stick with the majority of current squad as has been the way for last few seasons.it is getting worrying now though as we are losing kylie and jp very soon and we still rely very heavily on them.the rest just dont seem to be able to make the step up to the required level.

Still,i spent many years following leeds home and away when we couldnt even get close to finals or titles so a few years of rebuilding after many years of great success i can live with!