Our recruitment has been mostly terrible for about 10 years mate, I hate to break it to you again - at the risk of being called repetitive.

I think all on here agree , we have a lot of problems with the squad / recruitment.



Many including me think RS was also a problem. It’s not mutually exclusive.



Not sure I quite get the reference, but think we have too many wee donkeys in the pack

Squawk. I'm certainly sick as a parrot. It would be churlish to point out (but I am, so I will) that Bentley was a Smith retention, and Lisone a Smith signing. I'm not one for kicking the ex coach while he is down, but ultimately fitness and .mental strength are qualities a good coach should insist on in the former and look for in the latter. It's a right old mess. I just hope Arthur sticks around long enough to correct it.

Jim you seem like a nice guy, but you talk bobbins sometimes. I offered my thoughts on What burgess seems to be creating, you seemed to suggest Arthur hasn't improved us in the short time he's been here then also contradicted that post by saying we're moving in the right direction. I'm not posting anymore boo.hoo

We’ve got a poor squad that is full of bad habits in part down to how they have been coached for the last couple of years. The players need to be accountable for their own performances (where have I heard that recently), but the culture that BA is trying to change has been in place for years.

I don’t disagree with you about the recruitment, which is in part down to the players that coaches want and these that GH makes available and signs.

I'd say we're all in violent agreement - Smith was part of the problem in terms of on field performance, and the squad is the other problem. However, Smith was also responsible for most of our squad being here, so our cruddy squad is also mainly down to his choices.



At least we've changed one variable - the coach. Now we can see the other problems more clearly. A small pack with very little punch, no punch at all in the backs to compensate, too many error-filled headless chickens across the board and no sign of any on field leadership. There really aren't many players in the whole first 17 I'd care about losing individually. Handley, Oledzki. Maybe Croft although he gets given a free ride too often for such a major signing. Pretty much every other player in the squad could be individually upgraded.



I'm not suggesting we can or should replace everyone. A big off season under Arthur would undoubtedly help change some players for the better, but it really looks as though we're far more than one or two signings away from being a top side.

I think that`s spot on OWL and of the 3 mentioned above I would add McDonnell and possibly O`Connor.

The rest bottom 4 standard at best.

I`m giving Croft the benefit of doubt but at a cost of 200k plus I`m sure a very high salary he should be doing better.

He was a stand out for Salford who let`s face it didn`t have the best pack in the world certainly on paper.

A big decision looming for BA as staying here next year could seriously damage his credentials or if successful would be high on the list of NRL suitors and would most probably leave us yet again looking for a coach.

For me I would look to get Holbrook on a 3 year deal.

Agree with most of the above.



I think there’s a magic tipping point in a team where you have just the right amount of high quality players to win more games than you lose; that then feeds into virtuous circles of confidence and every other player looks better too.



Practically we can either load the side up with more cheap punts/ projects (NoooOoOoOOoOooooo!!!) or focus on high quality and work with the youth. I’m very much a Camp B guy. Or just camp.

I feel sorry for Croft.

When you look at his trys / assists / stats they are pretty good despite how little attacking position we get.

Ypu can see how much it means to him to win, like in the Burrow Game.

I don't understand the fascination on here with Oldeski - he has been terrible for three years - his defence is suspect to say the least and his lack of go foward is a major comtibutory factor to the lack of progress the Rhinos are able to make

Lack of Go forward? He is consistently our only prop around/over the 100m benchmark. Defensively lacks real bang but is by no means an issue. Last year he wasn’t great but played most of the year busted and has needed time to get to speed this year, while still trying to carry the pack, arguably trying too hard.

In my opinion he has become a bit of a scapegoat and I’m not sure why.

He's our best prop by a considerable distance. I'm not sure how anybody could draw any other conclusion. Surround him with a couple of others of same, or better quality and our front row problems are at an end.

Personally I want to see Rowley at Leeds. I think he is a good fit for the club with no baggage. I think he will be good for bringing on academy players which is the only way we win anything. You can’t buy a team. Big name signings will destroy morale for the up and coming lads.

I don’t want an Aussie whose family may not settle.

Yep fully agree. For me the responsibility for the failure over these last 7 or 8 years is ultimately Hetherington. He made far too many mistakes with coaching and player recruitment. Rohan built this squad which is woefully inadequate and the players have been poorly coached which is plain to see. Whoever the next coach is, it’s a massive massive appointment and one we have to get right

That's literally Salfords M.O.

He doesn't have much competition to be honest - he simply hasn't developed into a top prop. Would he get into the team at Saints, Wigan or Warrington?



The way posters laud him on here you think he is Glenn Lazarus.

Absolutely he’d get into those teams and I’d suggest he’d look better as part of stronger more balanced rotation.

He'd get into any other SL team, he's an ex-England international and pretty well thought of.



Whether he'd be starting prop for Wigan... not sure.

Whilst I agree with all you have said mate the last sentence is like rinse and repeat and something we have been saying for 7 years now.

When you look at a team like Leeds and all their success over the years and look at the squad now. Most agree there`s only 4 or 5 players in that squad we would keep is an embarrassment.

Yeah spot on mate. I’ve personally grown very weary of our failure to even compete at the top end of the table.. it’s been tough to take.

Agree with you ,as I am a supporter from well before super league I am battle hardened to failure And false dawns. However I will still support the team. As I have posted several times it’s a given fact we are a poor team but we are a deeply flawed team. Example ,at Salford Bentley faces an attacker , simple task to leg tackle him. Can’t do that has to give him a head high tackle. We never have the mental capacity to protect our lead, we start giving daft penalties away, or trying over ambitious passes. Won’t go on anymore as I know I am becoming repetitive.

I dunno, RS played his hand with Frawley, Mom, Croft, Ackers, Miller, plus a couple of re-signings and projects - and it hasn't worked.



If Arthur can be persuaded to stay, he'll have had a good look at the squad before pre-season with fresh eyes and high standards, and I think he and Blease can work out a plan. We do have talent waiting in the wings so I'd expect us to be more resilient next year. The actual first choice side might be quite similar though, which is a worry.



Whether we get 2x props or 1x prop and 1x back row I don't really mind as long as they're the right standard of player for Leeds. Will that be enough to turn this side into title contenders, with a different coaching and conditioning approach? Not convinced.



If we could bring Kal back in plus 2 good props I wouldn't hate on that. We are going to need another cull after next season though.

Lets have it right though Jim bar Frawley (who in fairness is one of those thats in form) most people were happy with those signings you mention, and I personally still am.



Get some decent forwards in and we’ll look a totally different side.



The mistakes in recruitment were relying on Holroyd as a starting prop snd not adding another big prop.