Griffin left anyway not far into that season. We had Richard Moore and Ian Kirke and Ryan Bailey all of whom would have had takers.

And we're talking about the Amor who signed for hard-up Wakefield, not the one who went to Saints. I doubt he was on more than Griffin for example.

I have no doubt Gareth Moore would have been brilliant had we worked with him, and give him a shot, also. And possibly would have worked the same with Dan Smith also.

GH will be minimum of 100k under the cap and Amour would not have cost anything like that to retain. GH has always stated there is room under the cap for a star signing if they came available mid season e.g. Ali. That suggests that Leeds are at least 100k if not more under the cap

Given that the only stars who become available seem to be tainted such as bird or carney, the policy may need some revising given GHs views on such signings

He was quite happy to retain the likes of Walker and Bailey - a tad hypocritical in my view.

GH knows with Carney in their side Catalans will be a force next season especially after their end to this season. He knows deep down this team is finished as serious contenders and will be for the foreseeable future. I will take another three years to remove all the golden oldies and replacing them will be almost impossible given the inability of the current youth system to produce the quality required and the unavailability of quality elsewhere.

It will take a monumental effort for Leeds to finish in the top 4 next year - Saints, Wigan and Warrington are shoe-ins and the last place will be between Leeds, Catalans and Huddersfield. Leeds' inability to perform consistently throughout the year under McDermott will cost them especially as the back end of the season will be games against the better sides and area where Leeds have always struggled. It is not beyond the realms of possibility that Leeds will fail to make the 8.

Tough times ahead for GH unless he is prepared to make some radical changes, put his hand in pocket or sort out the obvious coaching issues the club has.

You can see Hull KR and Wakefield outside the top 8, and the rest is completely up for grabs. We are not, as we stand, much better than a stronger Salford, Cas, Or Hull. Potentially Widnes could be down in the bottom four, but Leeds have just as much chance of been there as the others. Saints, Wigan, Wire, Catalans, Huddersfield, are far better teams at this moment for next year than we are.

Cuthbertson is a very good signing. But Leeds need at least another two big signings, including changes at half back, to be anything near challengers.

I agree as I said it is not inconceivable that Leeds will not make the top 8 - that would an interesting rallying call "come and see some teams you never thought you would" Salford could be an interesting side next year I think Cas were one season wonders, they look a lot weaker than they did last season and team spirit will never be a substitute for quality. Hull are the enigma, they have a huge pool of junior players in the area they should be able to do a Wigan with youth development. Someone like Tim Sheens/Brian Smith would be an ideal coach to sort the structures out.

The half backs at Leeds will be a problem until both the current incumbents go - one is too slow physically and the other has always been physically slow but his decision making has always been good, last season that wasn't the case his indecision/wrong options were possibly a throwback from the WC. There is still the thorny issue of the coaching - at all levels - that needs to be addressed!! Perhaps a very poor season might concentrate some minds?

Quote ="Sal Paradise"He was quite happy to retain the likes of Walker and Bailey - a tad hypocritical in my view. GH knows with Carney in their side Catalans will be a force next season especially after their end to this season. ..... '" If you believe that Walker & Bailey's cases are on a par with the serial miscreant that is Carney you really are delusional. Here is a summary of Carney's misdemeanours: www.abc.net.au/news/2014-06-29/t ... le/5558332 I for one applaud GH's attempts to keep him out of Superleague. What a grubby character he appears to be. superleague.co.uk/article/31223/ ... o-register. His past record does not suggest that he will last the course over here. I don't care how talented he may be on the field.

Quote ="Sal Paradise"He was quite happy to retain the likes of Walker and Bailey - a tad hypocritical in my view. GH knows with Carney in their side Catalans will be a force next season especially after their end to this season. ..... '" If you believe that Walker & Bailey's cases are on a par with the serial miscreant that is Carney you really are delusional. Here is a summary of Carney's misdemeanours: www.abc.net.au/news/2014-06-29/t ... le/5558332 I for one applaud GH's attempts to keep him out of Superleague. What a grubby character he appears to be. superleague.co.uk/article/31223/ ... o-register. His past record does not suggest that he will last the course over here. I don't care how talented he may be on the field.

Quote ="Old Feller"If you believe that Walker & Bailey's cases are on a par with the serial miscreant that is Carney you really are delusional. Here is a summary of Carney's misdemeanours: www.abc.net.au/news/2014-06-29/t ... le/5558332 I for one applaud GH's attempts to keep him out of Superleague. What a grubby character he appears to be. superleague.co.uk/article/31223/ ... o-register. His past record does not suggest that he will last the course over here. I don't care how talented he may be on the field.'" So what has he done that is worse than a two on one violent assault serious enough to warrant custody? Basically he has an alcohol problem and gets easily lead astray a bit like Hardaker? He doesn't appear to be a violent individual, he doesn't beat up women, he doesn't appear homophobic - personally I would welcome him to SL. This competition needs quality urgently. It will only get this quality if something is tarnished in their past. You either have to live with that or not, if you can't then you need to apply those standards to your own homegrown players!! No doubt you would not have taken either Joel Monaghan or Greg Bird? Both of those players have added massively to this competition who is to say Carney will not do likewise?

Quote ="Old Feller"If you believe that Walker & Bailey's cases are on a par with the serial miscreant that is Carney you really are delusional. Here is a summary of Carney's misdemeanours: www.abc.net.au/news/2014-06-29/t ... le/5558332 I for one applaud GH's attempts to keep him out of Superleague. What a grubby character he appears to be. superleague.co.uk/article/31223/ ... o-register. His past record does not suggest that he will last the course over here. I don't care how talented he may be on the field.'" So what has he done that is worse than a two on one violent assault serious enough to warrant custody? Basically he has an alcohol problem and gets easily lead astray a bit like Hardaker? He doesn't appear to be a violent individual, he doesn't beat up women, he doesn't appear homophobic - personally I would welcome him to SL. This competition needs quality urgently. It will only get this quality if something is tarnished in their past. You either have to live with that or not, if you can't then you need to apply those standards to your own homegrown players!! No doubt you would not have taken either Joel Monaghan or Greg Bird? Both of those players have added massively to this competition who is to say Carney will not do likewise?

Quote ="Old Feller"If you believe that Walker & Bailey's cases are on a par with the serial miscreant that is Carney you really are delusional. Here is a summary of Carney's misdemeanours: www.abc.net.au/news/2014-06-29/t ... le/5558332 I for one applaud GH's attempts to keep him out of Superleague. What a grubby character he appears to be. superleague.co.uk/article/31223/ ... o-register. His past record does not suggest that he will last the course over here. I don't care how talented he may be on the field.'" And yet criminals like Gareth Hock and Martin Gleeson are allowed to play. The man is a rugby player so let him play rugby. He would improve our team immeasurably and still has an awful lot of rugby in him.

Quote ="Old Feller"If you believe that Walker & Bailey's cases are on a par with the serial miscreant that is Carney you really are delusional. Here is a summary of Carney's misdemeanours: www.abc.net.au/news/2014-06-29/t ... le/5558332 I for one applaud GH's attempts to keep him out of Superleague. What a grubby character he appears to be. superleague.co.uk/article/31223/ ... o-register. His past record does not suggest that he will last the course over here. I don't care how talented he may be on the field.'" And yet criminals like Gareth Hock and Martin Gleeson are allowed to play. The man is a rugby player so let him play rugby. He would improve our team immeasurably and still has an awful lot of rugby in him.

Bailey and Walker got into a fight - that they didn't instigate - while drunk.

Little different to the one Richard Owen got involved in the other Christmas, except they did more damage and were punished accordingly (indeed some would say excessively, given what other Leeds based sports stars have got away with in the past).

Personally, I'd say getting behind the wheel of a car while drunk at least twice is significantly more serious than getting into a ruck outside a nightclub.

I disagree.i think we will make top 4 provided the trusted spine of the team stays fit.The problem is our squad depth is clearly lacking in the required quality and a few injuries could see us struggle.Next season we should be fine, its where we go beyond then that worries me.

How can this team possibly compete for a top four without changes? We are miles behind Saints, Wigan, and Warrington, and with the strengthening of Catalans , Huddersfield, slipped behind that.

No chance without changes.

Agree with that. It's 2016, without Peacock, Leuluai and maybe more, that worries me.

I agree - the other sides have strengthen and we are regressing not sure how logically we can compete. We also have a squad that has shown its hunger for the GF isn't what it once was.

I don't agree that Leeds will struggle to compete next season, and some of the predictions like "not making the Top 8" for instance are kneejerks of the highest order from the usual suspects.

Leeds should at least scrape into the Top 4, not because they have advanced forward and improved the squad in 2015, but simply because the vast majority of SL teams are absolute pants. A more enlightened approach to the regular season and less tossing it off ought to suffice.

As our squad stands it is not miles behind those teams lets not be so melodramatic. Problem is its coming to its curtain call, too many players we rely upon about to exit at around the same time. 1 more season, 2 tops and the walls come crashing in.

Think calls of us not making the top 8 are a little drastic. Could easily see us missing out on top 4 though. As it stands ON PAPER, we are scrapping for 4th with a few other teams. As others have said I worry for a few years time.
I understand that being loyal to players giving good service to the club has enabled us to continue success and stability but for me next year is probably at least a season too long for some of them. it's a difficult balancing act which I am not sure we have got right but time will tell. Unless we can see a marked improvement from our young half backs or some good signings I think we will continue to slip down the pecking order

It's not a case of a few years, it's quite easy to sort, it's just the club management willing to do it.

For example, if Leeds went out now signed someone like Carney, or even just Scott Durue, moved Sinfield to loose, and do a swap plaus money for say Crabtree and Partrick. Instantly that team goes from one competing for the 8 to been a top two team comfortably.

As it stand though, it regresses and regresses.

The wife is out so just watching the recording of the 2011 grand final. How much poorer with the ball do we look without the threat from Buderus, Webb, Lauitiiti? Sinfield, McGuire, Peacock, Bailey and Leuluai are all pale shadows of what they used to be...

We'll make Top 4 next year. We spent most of this year in the top 2 and a few weeks at 1st and it wasn't even the priority.....next year it will be. Until we threw away 4 points with weakened teams vs Bradford and London we were on for a top 1/2 spot, not a mistake that will be repeated I feel.

A year is a long time in an over 30 rugby player.

This, along with a 30+ defeat against Wigan/Warrington/St Helens in round 4 of Challenge Cup next year

Yeah I know, for example we finished 2013 with nothing.....a year later we win one of the two major finals, one that had alluded a much younger better version of this squad for over a decade........a year is indeed a long time