Is it just me that is GUTTED we've resigned Webb? He's looking more and more past it.

Glaring errors throughout the game.

He's got to hold 90% of the blame for the Chase try. You can understand the defenders falling for the step to create the gap, he's a class act and did well to make the space, but what the hell was Webby thinking? There was loads of covering defenders to take the supporting players, he should've just tried to take the man. It wasn't like it was a 2 on 1 situation. First thing they teach kids is go for the man with the ball.

Other errors include... somehow forgetting how to pass a ball backwards. Some he got away with, some he didn't but I counted at least 3 or 4 that could've been given forward.

Another glaring error, 78:49. McGuire is playing the ball, Webb pushed Buderus (a recognised hooker, one of the best passers of the ball in the world, and somebody who regularly passes the ball from the floor) our of the way to step in to dummy half, presumably in some sort of glory hunting moment. The subsequent pass to Sinfield is about a foot too low, and two feet to Sinnie's left. Granted, he still stoops and manages to catch it but his drop goal is now chased down and Cas sprint up the field to get their own drop goal attempt a minute later.

I love Webb. He's done wonders for the club and been a huge part of its recent success, but finishing at the end of this year would've been perfect timing, BJB waiting in the wings (pun intended) to take over, and we could've sent him off with our best wishes and he'd have gone down as one of the best/most successful full backs we've had.

At this rate we're likely to all be screaming to see the back of him by the end of 2012.

He just seems to want to do too much this season. I'm all for the full back 'chiming in' to make an overlap, but I'm not fussed for Webb trying to act as an additional stand off. Simply because he isn't good enough! At times on Sunday there were too many chiefs & not enough indians - with Webb, Mags, Burrow, Bedsy & Sinny all trying to lead the attack. This resulted in the headless chicken / no one knowing what each other was doing play that seems to have dogged our season.

BJB looked a lot better when attacking from Full Back on Sunday anyway. Taking the high ball on the full and making good choices in his route of return.
Webb has been brilliant for the club, but he isn't as great a threat from full back and is now chasing the game. As for the defensive effort on Chase......hmmmmmm!

He needs to cut down on the fags for a start I attended a dinner at Headingley last year and he was stood ouutside after the meal smoking i was stunned to see such a high profile professional athlete smoking and right outside the club the he represents

webbs been poor since he had Gary over a barrel on his first big contract extension. The fact that Smith was out performing him in the FB role back in 2k8 and his poor to average form since I was amazed he got another deal when he have a better FB in BJB. He has 2 or 3 good games a year and cruises along the rest. We signed Brent Webb the international full back dangerous on kick returns a game changer. He's now paycheck "can't beat a man" Brent the 2nd/3rd best full back at Leeds.

When does Webb EVER beat the first man on a kick return?
When does he come up big in defence? That rangi no tackle was like watching soft cock Scott Donald.
How many penalities does he give away??

About the only thing he is good for is being a useful pair of hands in the final 3rd*

If we want to be great again we have to ask ourselves would xyz player walk into a top teams side? If the answer is no then he isnt good enough. In Webbs case he isnt even the best FB in our team. Let him cruise out his days at Salford or Bradford give the duites to BJB/Smith and spend the moeny elsewhere imo.

*when he isnt passing a mile forrrwarrrrd

This is inaccurate. Webb's performances in the last couple of years have nothing to do with him getting a good contract deal. Have you forgotten the serious back injury he sustained before the 2008 GF? He's never been the same as a player since - he's lost most of his former physicality in the tackle and at least a yard of pace as well. I'd hoped he would get over this injury but it doesn't look like happening now.

I'm not gutted in the slightest. It makes perfect sense. He's been one of our better players this year. 1 more year to develop BJB and give us some experience in what will be a very inexperienced threequarter line. Also one of our more creative "halves".

And I would give him no more than 10% blame for the Chase try.

15% goes to BJB for not scoring on the previous break. He should have. It was a 12 point turnaround and because Cas hit us straight away a couple of tackles later Clarkson was still blowing out of his arris. And Clarkson gets 75% of the blame. None goes to Sinfield. He didn't take Chase's dummy, he slide out to the attacker he was meant to take. His job is not to slide in whilst everyone else slides out.

In fact, why are we apportioning blame? It was just a great read and spot by Chase and a great finish. To emphasize the point I make about BJB, compare Chase's finish on the outside with much less room, btw.

Give over! Clarkson was partly at fault but not 75%! A player of his experience (i.e. not much) and given that he's not exactly the quickest on his feet to get stepped by Chase isn't exactly critical.

Webb should've known better. He should've at least made an attempt to tackle him instead of running backwards and pointing to try and make it look like everyone else was at fault.

Webb's time is up. It would've been a tough call and not one without a tear in the eye after his great service to the club (very similar to the call that's just been made about Ali) but a call that needed to be made nonetheless. We will regret having him in our squad, making mistakes, holding back the youngsters and contributing to cap space next season.

What, disagreeing with you? Never!

He wasn't stepped. He was taken on the outside because he made a lazy retreat back to the line. He was blowing because of BJBs break that he failed to finish.

There's a lot of reason's that try was scored and they didn't just start when Chase beat Webb to the corner.

The "blame" with Clarkson is for not getting back and set in the defensive line quickly enough after being involved in the tackle. That's what put him off balance and allowed Chase to get around him so easily.

I appreciate it didn't start when Chase beat Webb to the corner, and that other players were at fault (including BJB, Clarkson etc) for Chase getting to the corner in the first place.

All I'm saying is that, once Chase had GOT to the corner, it is well within Webb's (at his best) skill set to have been able to tackle him. Comfortably. And he didn't. Because he is long since past his best. And yet we've renewed his contract.

Let's face it. It's not the first time this season that Webb could have tackled someone to save a try and has inexplicably either made a poor effort, or not bothered.

He did tackle him, just as he got to the line. Webb had the devils own job once he'd broken through. He had inside support. The next inside Leeds defender was Ryan Bailey. Yes Ryan bailey.

It was just an excellent finish. I am in no way critical of Webb foir his defence on that play. You are. I am glad we've re-signed Webb/ You are not. We'll just have to agree to disagree.

If BJB gets the No. 1 squad number next year and Webb is used as cover, then fair enough.

Surely, as Full Back, Webb has to force Chase into making a play rather than standing off him and letting him dictate. In the collision there is a lot more scope to break up the play.

In my opinion BJB has good experience and by the start of next season he will have seen even more of Super League, he needs to be first choice full back.

Webb as cover? How much of our salary cap is he going to take up though?? If it has been negotiated at a lesser rate then perhaps.

Agreed. We both know that isn't going to happen.



Yep. My point exactly. He could've/should've done a whole lot more given he was at one time the best FB in the league. Running backwards and pointing is just like making his excuses before he's even made the mistake. Nobody would've blamed him for attempting the tackle and getting stepped, dummied, whatever. Just watching Chase run around him however... not good enough.

The more I consider him re-signing the more I don't like the decision. He has done some special things, but has stood out very little this year. He will clearly be first choice again next year.

To be honest, this is exactly what I don't want decision makers thinking. I couldn't care less how much we're paying any player to sit in the stands if they're not performing on the field. I'd prefer to drop any player that has strung together a series of poor performances if we have adequate cover.

I agree, but they have taken him on another contract. I would like to see BJB given the reins at full back and I can't see that happening with Webb at the club. It's a shame cos he has been so good in the past, but time to move on for me.

Or.... Just maybe.. he was using his skills as a fullback (honed over years playing top level RL) and was pointing to the support runners in communication with the other defeners coming back for them to pick up the support runners. If he makes the tackle when chase goes for the corner, it would have been hailed as top class full back play. Webb did everything right, apart from not making/missing the tackle when Chase stepped for the corner. Webbs pointing and back peddling allowed the defence to get back and prevent Chase using his support, he just didnt get his timing/positioning right to then make the tackle. Fair play, give him grief for that - but surely you cant think you've got better fullback decision making than Webb.

In that situation you have to take the man. Especially when a player like Chase is on you. So, in that situation, I agree with RR that Webb's decision making was poor.

The criticism for Webb on the chase try is very harsh. Chris clarksons late retreat from the ruck was exposed by chase leading to a poor effort from clarkson. Webb pointed to the covering defence to pick up the support, had he committed straight away the 2v1 would have left the cover short so he tried to delay chase decision making though didn't have the legs peddling back on a guy at the other end of his career.

Watch it back. Webb HAS to go for the man. He has several opportunities to attempt a tackle long before he does. The Leeds chasers (Hall who's cutting across, Watkins & Bailey - yes Bailey!) are quickly closing in on the supporting Cas player (Youngquest) and would've caught him long before the line.

Had Webb had attempted a tackle on Chase he would've a) Tackled him or b) forced the pass to Youngquest who would've been caught or c) slowed him down enough for Watkins & Hall to catch up.

You ask any coach... the Full Back in those situations should ALWAYS go for the man with the ball.

So just reading back a bit, am I right in thinking that people saw webbs pointing as him trying to pin the responsibility on the other covering defenders? If true I'd give in trying to express 'knowledge' of the game.

Also 9/10 I'd expect the ball carrier to win on a 1v1 in that situation.

It was me that said about the pointing. It was amateurish. At best. He was asking Watkins/Hall to go for Youngquest, then made no attempt to go for Rangi. That's stupid. What's the point in saying... "You two get him!" then not getting the other bloke yourself?!

I'd expect a try 9/10 in that situation too. But just backtracking and letting him run at you is more like 10/10. At least ATTEMPT a tackle before it's too late.