We've no God given right to win any matchs, simply because we've had a pretty decent run over the last 7 seasons. That said, the squad we had at the begining of the season, was (on paper) our strongest, and coming off a Triple winning Final should have been pretty awesome this season.

A CC final in which we competed for 10 minutes, and a possible 4th place must be viewed as a lot less than awesome. And before the kneejerking begins, I'm not intrested about the 20/30 barren years which preceeded this era, or how you stood in the freezing rain for all of them. I was there too, so STFU. Injuries are not an excuse. They are a fact of life in this game for all teams, so what's gone wrong?

I think it's simply the fact that other teams have worked out where this particular Squad has strenghts and weakness, and tailor their game plan accordingly. I used to be fairly relaxed that in the last 15 minutes or so of a match we would still be running at our starting levels, whilst the opposition would be running out of puff. Not any more, all the other major teams have raised their fitness levels to ours, and we no longer enjoy that cushion.

We've always had outstanding individuals in the squad, perhaps we've become a little too complacent about the basics of the game, safe in the knowledge that one of the backs could dance his way through the opposition if need be.

Much has been discussed about the differing coaching abilities of Tony Smith and Bluey. Each has been outstanding for us, but there is a natural end to anyones period in control of a sporting team. Smith took us as far as he could, and I think he left at the right time. Similarly, I think Bluey's tenure is approaching the end as well. Both deserve all the plaudits for what they have acheived at Headingley.

Some fresh ideas from a new coach/coaching set up could provide the neccessary impetus, along with a couple of shrewd signings by GH, and we will once again be the team to beat.

20/30 barren years preceeded this era and I stood in the freezing rain for all of them.

Did you not hear? he told you to STFU.

No. I never read his drivel.

Pants on fire ! !

Well can you stop quoting him so I dont have to.

You were lucky! Who'd a thought 20/30 years ago we would all be sitting here drinking Chateau de Whinos whine, eh? Back in them days we were glad to pay price of a freezing cup o'cold Loiners. Aye, a freezing cup o'cold Loiners. Without milk or sugar. Or tea! In a filthy cracked Yorkshire Cup. That's when we 'ad a Yorkshire Cup. We used to 'ave to drink out of a rolled up copy of Rugby Leaguer or Green Final. But ya know, we were 'appy in those days, though we were sh[ii[/it... because we were sh[ii[/it. My old Dad used to say to me 'Success doesn't buy you happiness". And he was right. I was happier then and we had nothing! But you can't tell the young people of the day that. They won't believe you.

Now STFU...

I've no idea what you're talking about. My online personna may be that of a 39 year old Northern bloke but in reality I am a 17 year old girl who thinks Sinni is well fit, innit.

Your right about all these ridiculous accolades like "Most Feared:::::etc"

now STFU

We do not need wholesale changes but never the less changes are needed. We have enjoyed a tremendously succesfull period with largely the same group of players. Everthing comes to an end .... with age .... injuries etc so you cannot just standstill and judge the teamsheet on paper. There have been worrying signs all season. So we have to identify our weaknesses and risk areas.

The team on paper does not reflect the team on the park as performances have proven this season. Kylie is no-where near the player he was 2 years ago. Webb has not fully recovered from serious injury. Delaney has been a dissapointment on attack. Ali seems to be unable to complete a game. Senior is coming to the end of his centre career and leaves worrying holes in defence and we have two ageing hookers. Add to these a serious injury to JP our main tackler and go forward forward and that chance that Eastwood will return down under. So we do have problems to solve and should be planning replacements to integrate over the next couple of years.

On the plus side we have Watkins returning to fitness and the emergence of Clarkson and Ambler and possibly McShane and BJB back from loan, however most of these are prospects and not the finished article yet.

IMO we have an urgent need of a big prop who can penetrate and I think some future planning should be done to recruit some cover at half back eg youngster with all the skills. Some of the salary cap budget should be held in reserve in case we need to replace at short notice some of those who do not fully recover from injury.

My sentiments (nearly) exactly.

I still think Buderus has much to offer this year and next ...IF we allow him to play the full 80.... McShane (and Burrow/Sinfield) can cover his position when he's not fit (needs 'spelling' during a match) respectively.

Diskin for loose forward cover/signing autographs for his hero worshipers.

That's another load spent over Buderus.

When will your man crush end?

When you heathens and apostates see the light and conform to the one true God.

I don't think this argument to play Buderus for the full 80, yet spell him with McShane (and Burrow/Sinfield) really makes sense. Basically, all you're saying is sack Diskin and play a less experienced hooker that is still learning, and proven that at the moment he is not quite up to our standard. Don't get me wrong, I like McShane, I think he's got heaps of quality, but I don't think he's quite ready to step into either of our first choice hookers shoes yet. Certainly not just to appease the Diskin haters.

Do you really expect anything different from the resident fookwits?

That's because it's total boll0x. I realise that you may be attempting some irony here (and done it quite well), but really? Winning does make you happy. I shudder to think what this board would have looked like had it come into existance right after the CC semi defeat to Widnes in '84. The end of the false dawn of Mo Bamford and the beginning of 15 potless years (sorry, not even I count the Yorkshire cup triumph over mighty Castleford). There would have been on-line suicides every week, and when Peter Fox inspired us to avoiding relegation on points difference, well.....you get the idea.

Then I only had my mates to moan at, and they were even more miserable than me most of the time. Our club motto was "Leeds never fail...to disappoint". This really is a golden age and the things I read now are nothing compared to the b!tching and crying in beer that went on 20 years ago.
I was outside a pub in North London numbing the expected pain before the '95 CC final when a bus full of pie supporters went past. The banner they had on the side of the bus said "Leeds ha, ha. Some folk never learn!". And even before the match had started I felt $h1t because I knew the f*****rs were right.

Aaaah! Halcyon Days!

Yes, winning does make fans happy. However, the consumption of continual success and the level of satisfaction or happiness derived from it is subject to the law of diminishing marginal utility. For example, the consumption of that first bar of chocolate makes you happy. Consume further bars of chocolate soon after and the level of satisfaction or happiness derived from each additional bar of chocolate will be less than the satisfaction or happiness you derived from eating the one before - and the one before that - until you eventually feel sick!

You - along with the club, the players and many other Rhinos fans - appear to be the victims of consumerism and the binge society. You've over-indulged on success over the past few years, you've embraced the gluttonous expectation of continued success, you've accepted the consumption of quantity over quality, but more importantly you've become unhealthy and burnt out in the process.

A period of starvation is the necessary cure in order to generate a renewed period of enthusiasm and happiness.

I don't eat chocolate, but I'm sure even I could manage one big tin of Quality Street every 12 months.

But imagine all the threads about Peter Sterling signing.

The server would have caught fire after the 10 tries Offiah scored.

the robbery of 86 & gouldings kicking game in 93 followed by kicking cars in 94

I think there is something in that