Confirmed by club that both free to find other clubs

Phase 1 of the Headingley Jumble sale begins. www.loverugbyleague.com/news_581 ... lease.html? Cross, happy to see him off the cap. Burgess, sad to see him go just as he was developing into a class player. He'll go to the NRL and in the future could line up next to Sam in an England jersey because of that. [i "Luke will be available on loan for the remainder of the season subject to us being able to recall him should injuries to the squad occur"[/i So just Cross off the cap pretty soon. Wonder if GH will sign anyone for this season.

Phase 1 of the Headingley Jumble sale begins. www.loverugbyleague.com/news_581 ... lease.html? Cross, happy to see him off the cap. Burgess, sad to see him go just as he was developing into a class player. He'll go to the NRL and in the future could line up next to Sam in an England jersey because of that. [i "Luke will be available on loan for the remainder of the season subject to us being able to recall him should injuries to the squad occur"[/i So just Cross off the cap pretty soon. Wonder if GH will sign anyone for this season.

[i"given the outstanding form of other players in their position..." [/i

I assume this means Bailey & Kirke are getting new contracts as we cannot afford to lose any more prop options

I also assume that it means we are at least in advance negotiations for at least one other top class prop. Well either that or we will be found seriously wanting in the pack again next year.

The biggest single reason that we have looked so poor against the top teams is that our pack gets steamrollered and we never get the chance to show anything else. This is typified by the "hot potato" rugby we have to play when we are going backwards at a rate of knots.

Not bothered about Cross going, but disappointed that we can't give Burgess regular first team footie, given the other options...

Andy Lynch.

Do we think GH will use all this cap space on improving the 1st team next year given the loss of Burgess,Cross and possible losses of Webb, Ali and Senior or will he just promote from within and think Amor,Ambler and Singleton will suffice to 'strengthen' the pack and use the spare cash to help pay for the new South Stand?

Not happening. Or at least he knows absolutely nothing about. Or at least he certainly didn't up to last Thursday.

As for Cross and Burgess, would not surprise me to see either/both end up at Bradford even. I think the management at our club are going further and further down in the credibility stakes as time goes on. To release Burgess at end of season is bad, to do it now is criminal. To say the other props have been outstanding is just taking the absolute pish.

Either that or cheap replacements like the recruitment for this year.

Can't understand how Burgess does not got a look in over Kirke, Burgess upto not been selected was one of our top performers, massive dissapointment in this decision

Cheeky, I don't ever see Leeds not spending the full cap allowance if that was what you were insinuating. Now getting value for that money is quite another question...

Look, Leeds IMO have 3 no-brainer ideal props picks in (Bailey, Hulk + JP) that leaves one spot free.

Which on form over the season should see Biff play regular rugby in the 17, excluding injuries etc.

But if Biff is going at the end of the season, like he has hinted at, we are only cutting the rope a little earlier. But Biff offers a more working hand than Kirke.

As for Cross, meh. We shouldn't have signed him in the first place and it hasn't worked out. My acumen on the money again. I only presume that Caddick's lastest site job has been completed.

On a serious note, it does leave us light down the middle it injuries occur. I know we could recall them back, but I wonder if injuries hit they may be more likely to bring back Amor/Ambler. As I strongly presume one or both of these will be back next season, or before, rather than a new signing coming in. Which makes it more likely that Kylie and TMFMISL will be playing a little longer in the blue and amber, which is fine with me.

Calling the rest of the pack is 'outstanding' is just putting a bit of gloss on it. Lets not take it 100% literally guys.

Just an obvious spin on things, what do you expect them to say, 'biff is going but he's one of our best prop' - yeah right.

Am I missing some cunning part of GH's Masterplan?



Our pack is a longways from being the best in SL, yet he's looking to offload 2 props mid season!

I look forward to the top class replacements being unveiled in friday's YEP.....and that doesn't include Andy "Brainfart" Lynch, although he has all the deficiencies necessarily to fit right into the current Headingley setup.

He may be looking to offload 2 props midway through the season, but his thinking is probably something like "we have 2 props who are not currently playing (regardless of the reason), I can send them packing now, and if we have any injury problems I have 2 props out on loan getting valuable experience who I can call back".

I'm not massively worried about letting either Cross or Burgess go, but I am disappointed that we didn't feel that Burgess offered more than Kirke as a specialist prop.

I hope not but let's face it the club have other pressing needs for their cash and GH may just promote from within/top up some of the youngsters pay and just before next years season ticket deadline will anounce we have cap space available next season if anyone of real quality becomes available.

If the other out of contract players I've mentioned do go then you'd hope it means some real quality being brought in next year....IMO lynch at his age is not 'real quality' and no better than what we've just released

Great GH quote what does he watch....................

"Both have become frustrated that they have not been unable to force their way into the side given the outstanding form of other players in their position and feel the need to move to pastures new to gain first team rugby.

Hope so.

Hope not. Specifically what will the Andy Lynch of 2011 bring to Leeds that they couldn't have had by keeping Burgess for example.

Lynch this year is hardly better than Cross, nevermind Burgess, not to mention he is 8(?) years older than Burgess...

I hope we try and loan Burgess from the Rhinos while we're without Hargreaves. I rate him.

Someone on the Hull FC board says they've had a text saying Chase to us in exchange for Burrow and JJB!! Is a done deal for next season.

I don't believe it like but stranger things have happened like releasing 2 experienced props half way through a season

we're not ageist up at HQ wasn't Cross (30+) brought in as a replacement for Easwood (23)

Bizarre news really. Only explanation is that you have made one or two massive signings and want to fit them in for a run on the playoffs this year. But who?

Guess you have not seen his stats then.
Age doesn't matter with props. Ask the 3 England props: JP, Moz and Carvell.

Burgess is by no means the finished article as a prop, but I thought he'd shown great improvement to his deficiencies this year (flat-footedness, ball-retention) and was looking like becoming an excellent forward. Fair enough, he may have been looking like becoming an excellent forward in Sydney not here, but he's still on Leeds' payroll and was our best prop in a poor first third of the season. I can't understand why 1) He's not playing. 2) We're offering him a release to strengthen our opponents for the rest of the season.

Cross was a poor signing but has been treated very shoddily.

I fail to see what Ian Kirke offers over either of them.

Not really. Its clear that Burgess will only be used for injury cover as he is going out on loan. He desperately wants first team rugby to earn an NRL contract, going out on loan suits both parties.
Cross hasn't been any where near the side since the Cas win just after Easter. He might aswell go.