I had largely lost interest in Leeds' season this year.....but lo and behold I have just watched the Wigan match having deliberately avoiding the result: easy down here in South Cheshire.

What a difference in intensity, tactics, commitment and utilising the exceptional backs after laying a foundation in hard running forwards.

The answer to the hooking problem is proven to be resolved with the sharing between Sinfield and Burrow
.........McShane will surely be following Hood out of Headingley.

Peacock, Ablett and Hall were all exceptional. Singleton has surely now played himself into a starting position.

What a contrast to the rot we have seen for the majority of the season.....and yet Leeds finish 3rd



Not only do we need to pity the Leeds season ticket holders, but also the rotten standards in SL this season no doubt partly due to the format of having 8 teams in the play offs.

I pity the handful of Huddersfield fans that made their way to Bradford this afternoon and paid £20 to see a 2nd/3rd string Giants team get slaughtered by Bradford.

nantwich-I'm genuinely not sure if you're being ironic or not, such is the flippancy and tone in your post, particularly the term 'rot' in reference to the majority of the season.

I purchased a season ticket this season, and I don't feel pitiful or that I've been ripped off. In fact, in the regular season we've seen much improved performances, as the fact that Leeds finished 3rd suggests. The table doesn't lie-Leeds have been the third best team this year, meaning they have been pretty consistent results wise, which is all you can really ask for.

As a matter of fact, the only truly bad part of the season was in May, when we lost four in a row: against Hudds in the Challenge Cup (it was a one-off game, and they were just the better team on the day), Saints at home (one we probably should have won, but you have to give credit to Saints-a team full of kids, coming back from 16-0 down away at the Champions), the Wigan game was probably one of the best games (and performances) of the year, so there's no grievance there, and as for Hull, same as the Hudds game.

What I'm getting at is that a torrid month aside Leeds have been consistent with their results, pulling off some big wins against Wigan and Warrington at home, the 18-all against Bradford (which was an absolute classic), away at Catalans and then away again at Wigan on Thursday.

As well as all this, we've seen the blooding of a lot of youngsters (something I'd have thought you, of all people, would get excited about!) and, as you say, Singleton has nailed down a first-team spot. You might say that this was only brought on by injuries, but that only makes finishing 3rd even more impressive.

In summation, I feel season ticket holders have had access to some rich entertainment throughout this season, and even the games that weren't particularly skillful or entertaining gave us a chance to look at the future of our team, which is always intriguing.

Oh, and I really hope your lack of interest doesn't persist over the next few weeks-I have a feeling Leeds (and SL fans in general) will have quite a lot more to get excited about. But never mind, I'm sure there's a lot to do down in South Cheshire.

I believe Lord of the Idiots has a bright future in the polishing and marketing of regular season turds.

I don't want to pick fault with you being a newbie and all but the thread is about season ticket holders, ergo home games.

So lets look at our home games this year:

Catalan Win – [ihardly what you’d call exciting[/i
HKR Loss – [ione of, if not the most boring games of rugby I have the displeasure of watching[/i
Wakefield Win – [inarrowly beating the team that ultimately finished 12th[/i
Widnes Win – [iletting the team that finished 10th put 28 points past us[/i
Castleford Win - [iletting the team that finished 11th put 24 points past us[/i
Saints Loss – [ishould have won but not a bad game all in all[/i
London Win – [idrubbing of the bottom place team, hardly an exciting game[/i
Warrington Win – [igreat game, an exciting and narrow victory[/i
Bradford Draw – [iOnce again a really exciting and good to watch game[/i
Wigan Win – [ibest home game of the season, one really worthy of purchasing a season ticket[/i
Huddersfield Loss – [igetting hammered by a team that had nailed us on every aspect of our game plan[/i
Salford Win – [ihammered the team that finished second to last[/i
Hull Win – [ifirst game of the season was the only thing that made this game exciting, Hull never really turned up.[/i

If I were not a season ticket holder and had the ability of hindsight I would have probably only paid to watch 50% of the home games this year.

Several posters have said that they no longer purchase season tickets, instead picking and choosing the games they want to attend - after this year I am starting to see why.

Anyone who buys a season ticket out of some sense of PR invented "loyalty" rather than taking a purely financial decision on the matter deserves to be treated like the idiot cash cow that they are.

the wigan performance vindicated my decision not to get a season ticket this year. all the big games have been on sky anyway.
not missed going TBH

Who brought coerced loyalty into it? Do you think that some of the people stood around you are not of your intellectual standard and therefore, not capable of making a rational judgement on how they spend their money? Not saying your wrong but, if let us not have an elephant in the room.

The original post, or did you miss the title ?

I've stood and sat next to people at RL games, particularly finals, who were not capable of remembering their own name until they looked at the label that their mums had sewn into the collar of their jacket, so the answer is probably yes.

Fair enough, I can't say I have had a very different experience over the years! Still can't see where the issue of gullibility was brought into it though, just because we are deserving of pity does not mean that we were coerced. I had a pretty good idea what garbage would be on offer for at least some of the season but, it beats the hell out of watching Eastenders!

Hasn't the whole foundation of the club over that last 10 years being built on loyaly?

I really need to stop buying season tickets whilst this coach operates this way. My problem is not so much loyalty or financial, as just the thing I do. Having been a season ticket holder for 35 years this year, I just can't seem to let go of the tie. But I do fully agree with the likes of Tad, and need to man up. Can't do another season like this.

I don't always agree with the OP, but until we get back to a top 5 playoff this is going to be the case. Teams like Leeds can afford to go through the motions on too many occasions in the regular season with the top 8 format rat is currently in place.

For me persoanlly there have been too many games this year when i've actually not wanted to attend prior to the game but having a ST swayed it.
Also although "a win is a win" i've left HQ thinking too many games were pretty poor.
Saying that though seeing Foster ,Minns ,Duckworth ,Singleton and Sutcliffe break through has been a real highlight for me this year as has watching JP and the few times we've got quality ball to our back-line.
As it stands though i'm "picking and choosing" next season or at least until GH throws a ST buying jedi mind-trick my way!

Most of you who buy into the "loyal" brand do so for exactly the same reason, its hard to kick the habit of thinking that you need a season ticket despite all logic pointing to the fact that you don't (unless you PARTICULARLY want to keep the same seat you've sat in for 35 years), factor in one weekends illness and another on holiday or like me being on call one weekend in two for anywhere between Nottingham and the Highlands of Scotland and you're starting to look like a mug punter.

They have around 8000 "loyal" customers who have bought into the brand and can be guaranteed to buy a season ticket and a shirt every year, thats money in the bank before christmas, nice business if you can get it especially as you haven't yet done anything to earn that cash or indeed then need to do anything in particular in the coming season except finish in the top half of the table, those punters won't desert you next year - very nice business actually, I wish I could have applied the concept to my own business.

Season tickets are usually bought for one or more of the following reasons:

[list=1[*Habit[/*:m
[*Financial[/*:m
[*Convenience[/*:m
[*Present[/*:m
[*Blind loyalty[/*:m[/listicon_surprised.gif

I buy one for reasons 1, 2 and 3 but after this years servings I'm starting to question this mentality.

I agree that the season format needs to be renovated, but until the sport itself becomes mind-numbingly dull, I will never grow old of watching the sport I love, and even in very low-quality games I find the physicality of the game still enjoyable.

I understand that a lot of people have financial constraints, and some have other commitments that make purchasing a season ticket plain daft, but for some (like me) who don't buy into Sky (maybe I just don't believe in better) going to games is the only way to see them, and the money I don't spend on Sky I spend on a season ticket.

And on the idea of loyalty, it is important not to buy into someone's manufactured idea of loyalty, but for me it is important to remain loyal to the sport: a sport that provides me with entertainment, a decent amount of sociability and just something other than TV Boxsets on a Friday night (rock n'roll, I know). It seems logical for me to repay the game by at least attending matches. As a result, my season ticket this year feels vindicated.

I vote for no. 5. Being a fan is always about blind loyalty to some extent: after all, it's not a particularly rational way to spend your time - deriving reflected glory from the efforts of others. And there's nothing wrong with that.

OK if you spend years following a team that wins nowt - I'm sure many of us are old enough to have done just that - then fair enough. But surely someone who isn't fundamentally loyal to their team even when they win stuff isn't really a fan at all? If the thought of a season ticket makes you feel unhappy, why not take up, say, fishing instead?

This coach and team has done great things [iwithin the constraints of the comp[/i. They merit loyalty IMHO.

I find some of the attitudes on here shocking quite frankly.

Yes, we've won the title for 5 of the last 6 seasons
Yes, we finished 3rd in the table
Yes, we look primed to go on and retain our title this season

But it's not good enough. Because we haven't hammered some teams enough.

Could you be any more ungrateful to the work that GH & BMD have put in over the last two and a bit years?

Taking your ST away won't make the club better able to hammer everyone, it'll make it harder as they have less money to spend on the kind of players you (apparently) want to see in the team so that we can hammer everyone.

For goodness' sake, just keep a bit of damn humility in mind. I imagine 10 years ago Bradford were saying exactly the same about their performances in weekly rounds. I guess now they'd be happy to see ground-out wins against all but the best teams and good performances in the playoffs. You lot really do seem to have lost any sense of perspective. Success isn't enough any more, it must be domination and anything else is a failure.

If you want a succesful Leeds Rhinos in 2014 and 2015, renew your season ticket. If you want to feel good today and for us to be winning sod all in a few seasons, by all means don't.

Who has mentioned anything about HAMMERING TEAMS?
Also just so you know what about those of us who paid for ST's and extra ££££ following them home and away when we were over-spending on superstars and failing miserably or when SL 1st started and the Club was on it's knees??
Before ejecting yer Teddy and Dummy re-read what people are posting NONE are"glory hunters" just questioning the value of the product on offer for a ST especially when some have to save all year and/or use birthday and xmas money to afford one or even miss games through work/holidays or other commitments the value doesn't add up!
The "bigger picture" is totally different to the one your painting and as if not renewing shows dis-loyalty or being ungrateful for whats happend under GH or the Coach what a load of BOLLOX.
Most fans will still attend games home ,away ,CC and play offs NO-ONE has said their support will stop and who the feck are you to pass judgement and call people ungrateful or imply they're dis-loyal!

We have 8000 season ticket holders (which has dropped significantly over last couple of years), yet we average over 15,000 for home games. Nearly 40% of the home support don't have season tickets, yet a couple of buffoons are calling these supporters ungrateful and not deserving.

Some of those very fans travel from the north east, Scotland, midlands, Lancashire,etc.

I bet those same two buffoons don't have season tickets themselves.

You pay for a product, it is entertainment. If the product doesn't meet the value, then you have a choice to make. You pick the matches only where you feel the value meets the product. I have absolutely no problem in people doing that at all.

It is the clubs responsibility to change if it wants to attract something different.

How much is a Leeds ST? Are you seriously questioning the value of it given the quality of player Leeds produce & the performances they have put in over the last 8 or so years?

Leeds have finished third thanks to the fabulous development policy they have.

You could always go & watch Leeds United to compare value for money

You realise without those ''idiots'' going to most games we wouldn't have a club?

You realise without those ''idiots'' at all teams we wouldn't have the game of rugby league?

People like you should be treated with the contempt they deserve.

So does a club that regularly wins the comp and attracts lots of loyal fans need to change, or not?

As a season ticket holder I don't really care whether anyone pities me or not for my purchase. It would appear that for every Nantwich Exile or jerry chicken that chooses to stay away, there are more than enough to step into there shoes on a regular basis. I'm sure our resident statistician Mr Eve will confirm that Leeds are the only Superleague club to have grown their average attendance this season. In the midst of a recession and through our most injury riddled Superleague campaign ever that's quite a feat. The sporting public of Leeds have voted with their feet and have intimated by sheer numbers they are happy with our team and it's performances. Whether the majority return next season in similar numbers is not something i'm unduly worried about, I'll be there and so will plenty of others. I'm sure the great weather has helped boost crowds, and from a personal point of view I've relished a chance to see the youngsters in action. For what I've spent on watching Rugby this season I don't think I'd have got the same value for money elsewhere, other people obviously think differently and act accordingly. Their choice, good luck to 'em.