Basically, if we sack BMD and Lowes, then the end of one of our problems would be the start of another .... Who would we replace them with ?

Well, in our hour of need, may I suggest the return of Graham Murray ?

- Not doing any big time NRL coaching at the moment

- Might be willing to come back, if only until the end of the season (where we can offer a deal to some bloke from St George

)

- Noted for his ability to develop players and make even the average ones look good (Andy Hay ?)

- Could be just the bloke to boost some of our up & coming stars

- Guess his daughter will be old enough not worry about school

- Prodigal Loiner hero for the '99 cup run and the legendary warning we got off the league for 'tackling too hard' (not something we're in any danger of at the moment)

- Won't cost a vast amount of cash to coax away from anywhere else

Interesting that, I remember talking to him in the WR Centre when the '99 squad got together for their reunion. He said then that he had thoroughly enjoyed his time at Leeds and would be very happy to come back in some capacity in the future should the opportunity arise.

Who knows, maybe it will?

What I wouldn't give for another letter from Red Hall about our tackling too hard right now...

The same thought crossed my mind. Just till the seasons end he would be perfect

Interesting idea Re: Murray.

After his stint at the Cowboys, he returned to his former career teaching maths at high school IIRC.

There'll be no ted bollox from him about entertaining, free-flowing rugby involving lots of passing at any cost.

There'll be no ted bollox from him about outlawing 3-man tackles, or 2-man tackles only allowed when you've got the opposition in possession nailed inside their own half so you're not allowed to apply further pressure.

There'll be no ted bollox from him about completed sets and errors being unimportant and too cringeworthy to be worthy of consideration.

What you'll get from Murray is a clearly-defined defensive structure, an intimidatory smash-em up front psyche and an organised game plan in both attack and defence. He'll also provide the requisite kick-up-the-@rse for all the prima donna, fancy dans in the squad who are way too busy admiring themselves in the mirror in attack, whilst going AWOL and preening themselves when they ought to be learning how to defend properly.

Unfortunately, given the [i'New Way Forward'[/i is Hetherington's idea and McDermott is simply implementing and parroting the bosses pre-season ideas, I suspect Murray's coaching philosophy and game plans will no longer be considered appropriate.

Bring him in, call him a "Coaching Consultant" or whatever to save face and BRING BACK THE BIFF.

GH is the problem now. The recent failings have all been down to him: bad inexplicable signings epitomised ultimately with the present coaching staff.

The problem is that he's backed himself into a corner with his ill advised comments about weegan and can't just come out and say he's been done up like a kipper.

He would be great. I remember how physical we were when he coached us before. He would definitely put some backbone into our defence, assuming of course, that we have players who can defend if properly coached.

Get a reporter over to Oz. Publish the article on his interest to return to the Rhinos. Get the south stand chanting Bring back Murray. Fan power, lets do this

I thought you were against playing & coaching staff coming back for second stints Keith?



FWIW I'd love to have Murray back but doubt it will happen any time soon. Sacking Brian Mac would mean a big loss of face for El Presidente. McDermott will be allowed to fail for at least one season, let's just hope that GH doesn't have the same level of patience that Peter Hood did with McNamara.

If we are still going poor at the end of the season then hopefully he wont have the patience of Hood

The current chances of one of our forwards receiving a letter from the RFL for "tackling too hard" are too small to calculate.

I've opined that about playing staff before but I don't recall opining the same WRT coaching staff. However, having considered it, I'm not too keen on coaching staff returning for second stints either, though I'd make an exception in Murray's case. He's the best coach Leeds have had during the SL era by a mile.

I'd suggest the current malaise is as much to do with inferior recruitment/retention policies as whose name is on the head coach's door.

Too many players in a well paid comfort zone, coasting along on past glories. Loyalty to your players is all well and good, but there comes a time when you have to be ruthless and send them on their way if they're not performing.

07505526965

That'll be GH then?

Don't be shy. Just say it.

Just because he's delivered before shouldn't mean he's exempt from criticism.

GH is the one who announced about a year ago that Leeds had the best squad ever.

GH is the one who backed up that bold statement with the MAGNIFICENT SEVEN announcement, of which two have since reneged on their one year extensions (THANKFULLY) along with two more who have been Leeds worst performers this season and are clearly past it.

GH is the one who set the *challenge for a more entertaining, expansive and free-flowing brand of rugby alongside a thinly-veiled critique of other clubs more successful style of play and tactics.

GH is the one who appointed McDermott to carry out that absurdly ridiculous challenge.

GH is the one who left recruitment late, so Leeds end up with Cross and Hauraki.


*One could be forgiven for thinking the motivation behind the challenge is a realisation that Leeds no longer have the squad to succeed, therefore rather than admit that's the case and that other clubs have overtaken Leeds in the pecking order, the spin is those other clubs are adopting tactics preventing Leeds from playing and continuing to be successful. GH will be whinging about the arm-wrestle and lobbying for two referees to keep teams apart next, or influencing his coach to make absurd statements to the press about outlawing three-man tackles. Oh... I believe he's already done that.

Neither you nor I know for certain Keith just exactly who had what input into some mediocre decisions over the last 2-3 years, so I'll leave my comments to stand on their own.

Whoever was responsible for offering extensions to Senior and Lauitiiti, or signing Delaney (as a centre) and Hauraki for example, needs to have a word with themselves.

GH has a history of poor signings in the wake of successful seasons/eras. For Hauraki and Cross see also Bell and Barnhill from the post-Murray era, for example. In his defence our squad would have been much stronger this year if Eastwood hadn't left us in the lurch...

Unless things change substantially over the course of the season I think Leeds would benefit from a player clearout in a similar vein to when Sheridan, Hay, and Ben Walker were let go. [iBarring improvement[/i, I'd be looking at the following: Senior, Burrow, Lauitiiti, Cross, Kirke, and Hauraki. The club also need to ask themselves if the likes of Webb, Buderus and Leuluai are providing value for money at late stages in their careers.

Can't argue with any of that.

The front row is a huge area of concern IMO, particularly if Burgess does decide his future lies in the Toyota Cup.

Leuluai, Cross, Buderus and Peacock are all coming to the end of their careers, Kirke's never going to be more than a stop gap solution and I'd say the jury is still out on whether Amor and Ambler are going to reach the required standard for a club with title ambitions. It should be the focus of recruitment for 2012.

By the same token, neither you nor I know for certain just exactly who had what input into some very good decisions prior to the last 2-3 years.

I'm pleased we've cleared that up.

The deification of GH remains on hold then

Believe in The Sleeve, as a concept, is beginning to look as relevant as Creationism.

A spot-on analysis but unlike when Sheridan, Hay et al were being ushered towards the exit door, there is none of the junior talent that was then awaiting their chance....I can't see a new McGuire, Burrow, Sinfield, Walker, let alone even a Calderwood for goodness sake, in the lower grade teams at present.

Maybe the best hope is that Cas' don't get their licence so that GH can go and raid Daryl Clark, Craig Huby, Rangi Chase and Joe Arundel. Would anyone put it past him to engineer such an outcome ?

You put it so much more elequently and comprehensively than I did elsewhere. Thank you

Too true.

Yet you appear to be calling for one to take Senior's place in 1st grade?