I think there is truth to both sides. That the club struggled far more than they expects early season because of the disruption, then chose to use the remaining time with player development as a higher priority. I know it doesn't match the 'club doesn't play yoingsters' myth some put forward but we gave a lot of youngsters a lot of playing time last year and I suspect there were a few injuries that in other seasons may not have ruled players out.

And as I pointed out yesterday, your opinion is completely the oppossite of what McDermott stated they actually did. Where he admitted the mistakes of last year, and stated deveopment of players was sacrificed for a desire to get wins on the board.



Which was of course which was stated by a few on here last season. Just throwing youngsters into an injury crisis is not development under any view.

God knows what you read but I'm not seeming to say that at all and god knows where you come up with that one from.







I don't know the exact length of time lost, i said it will have been in the weeks rather than the months someone else mentioned. One coach (Davidson I believe said they ended up losing 2 weeks worth of training between Boxing Day and the season start).







Hetherington will have planned the Kiwi game, that left McDermott little option but to start preseason later. He obviously isn't going to criticise the decision to play that game for obvious reasons. They will still hoped to have enough time to be ready. Maybe they could've handled the later preseason start without the floods......Maybe they could've handled the floods had they started preseason at their normal early November time......but later preseason start AND floods together proved too much.

Agree with all of that!

I have no doubt he did say that. There is very little to be gained by coming out and saying we gave up and gave the youngsters a go.



It seems smart management to me to claim a massive injury crisis to blood the kids. It takes all the pressure of the youngsters and doesnt create a scapegoat of the experienced ones.

Can't do it this season with his imaginary new contract, so looks like brilliant prescience from Bmac.

What new contract?

motm tonight with a try and 3 try assists as Cas swept Warrington to 1 side.

All the more reason to be totally gutted when GH won't sell ala Hudds/Lunt.



The better he is the bigger the price tag.



Leeds get the fee they always wanted or get a better player back now he's learned to pass.

Deal/price already agreed though so doesn't matter even if he ends up having a stormer of a season for Cas, we don't get any more £££ for him than already agreed and he isn't coming back to us. Cas have the option on Zak in their favour and if he continues to play like he did tonight not a cat in hells chance they won't take it up

Would have stopped two of those Salford tries last night too, with ease, and that is not a slight on Golding. He always was and still is the best fullback in this comp by miles.

I loved zak on the pitch but he had to go. some of the stuff off the pitch, lots never coming out in the press, meant enough was enough.

good luck to him but he had to go

I agree although it's interesting he's doing everything Dorn did in attack something Coaching guru Juan Cornetto repeatedly claimed he couldn't do!

Juan wasn't on his own with that one though. Not sure what they were watching like, as he always had it in him and displayed it continually, and why he was seen as long term half. He would do a much better job as one of our halfs now than the current lot do.

It seems that a change of coach, or some would say an actual good coach, has unlocked his attacking potential.



Further evidence, if needed, that we need to replace ours asap

What did he do last night that we didn't see him do for Leeds?

zak is not the only one of our players who would look miles better in that Cas set up. Imagine the damage Watkins would do running off Gale and how many tries Hall would get. It is a coaching issue at Leeds. The whole set up is so stale it reeks. Can't wait for the shake up it's long overdue.

Apart from making breaks when being in space from kick returns he offered nothing in attack other than coming into the line as an extra pair of hands. He offered no threat whatsoever.

His passing game is better than most on here thought , due to the fact he gets chance now as Cas bring him into the line , a tactic we rarely use . A great previous post Watkins and Hall would be outstanding at Cas . Our coach has had his (lucky) day .

Hardaker's passing and decision making in the attacking line was always the weakest part of his game. In fact, it was atrocious at times. Judging by his interview last night, it's something the Cas coaches have been working on, and it looks to be working. He has 4 try assists already, in his last 2 seasons he only managed 11. Good for him, and England IMO. Hopefully the Leeds coaches can get similar improvement out of Golding.

I repeat , we rarely brought him in to the line .

Not under this set of coaches and with our game style, not a chance imo. Look at Hardaker after two games in the Cas set up, looks a real threat now with ball in hand, never looked that way with us. 3 try assists in one game, how many was getting a season at Leeds?

Don't think any of us thought Zak had lost his skill or ability.



But let's not forget his antics off the field at the club were becoming very difficult until eventually his employment at the club became untenable.



I'm pleased he has a fresh start at Cas and hope he keeps it up on and off the field once the honeymoon period is over.



But grief, people are quick to forget what happened last year.

Watched the repeat of the Wire/Cas game when I got in and let's be honest though Cas where playing against a tired looking defence from Wire's WCC effort, a lot of their tackle attempts were as soft as you'll see.



Thought Cas actually made hard work it considering the advantage the WCC gave them (to put it into context most people's tip or bottom only just lost by 2 to Wigan). They had a 10 minute purple patch where they scored most today their points then were out scored 22-8 the other 70 and three of the tries they conceded were woefully soft. Should've ran away with it from 22-6 up against a tired Wolves team.