Quote ="Uppo58"Honestly, how can a great team go from heroes to zeros ? Overnight metaphorically speaking.
I know 3 very good players have retired, but i think too much is being read into that. At the end of the Grand Final you had arguably 16 truly outstanding players.(not including young Walters).
McGuire had just won the Harry Sunderland trophy as much for his organisation and leadership as his 2 tries. Adan Cuthbertson had been the stand out prop all season for his amazing ball handling as well as his grunt. I would have been equally if not more concerned if it had been Moon, Watkins and Man of Steel Hardaker who were leaving the club, or Briscoe, Cuthbertson, McGuire.
In comparison, since that same Grand Final, Wigan have also lost Matty Bowen, Joe Burgess, Larne Patrick, additionally Mcilorum has hardly kicked a ball, neither has Bowens replacement Sam Tomkins, and their own talisman, injury plagued O'loughlin is out of the side as much as he's in it these days. Those key 6 players are arguably as influential as the loss of the Leeds golden 3. But Wigan are still doing it, how's that then ???
Leeds should have had enough class all over the park to cover for the 3 losses. The choppy waters of this transition period should have seen the vast winning experience of JJB, Ablett, McGuire, and Burrows guide the team through this period. Internationals Hall, Watkins, Ferres and Briscoe should have fitted easily into "bigger boots" The class of Moon should have reached a new level, Cuthbertson and Delaney had the chance to become leaders.
The truth is no-one has delivered, players or coaching staff. The ready made excuse was always there and quite a cosy place to hide behind. and indeed they have.
Many teams this season could argue they have been hit with even greater losses of personnel than Leeds, yet the likes of Wakefield and Huddersfield, Wigan et al have dealt with it, they've not had a ready made excuse, apart from plain bad luck, and yet all these sides and more have shown Leeds the way to play in adversity.
Some bad decisions have to be owned up to. The Aichurch and Garbutt projects are proving to be just that, projects. Kangaroo and Origin veteran Galloway is either proving to all he is just a veteran or he has come for his pay check. His best days look well behind him at the mo.
Maybe Hetherington should be asking himself why on earth he didn't stagger the leaving of Peacock and Sinfield. Kev was still playing well in 2015 and could have easily gone round again for the good of the club, if he had been cajoled and sweet talked for the good of the club he loves.
But all that is History now. It is simply time for this gifted squad to man up, grow a pair, stop blaming bad weather and retirements of seasoned players AND GET ON WITH IT !!! The fans are owed that much.'"
This is pretty much one hundred percent how I feel. I think the buck stops with McDermott and he needs to step down. I manage a large team at work and if they fail to perform I'm the one who is ultimately responsible. I love what he has done( with some BIG help. ) to our club but I think we need to change. I'm not a glory seeker, I've seen lean times but when performance, desire and general appetite has gone we have to change.
