If HKR go down doesn't Lunt become a free agent?
If so we should go after him.

Great news that he's staying. Now just to sign a half back with a decent kicking game and we'll make the top 4 next year.

Just for people's information, Robbie Ward is at Featherstone.

Is that right Frostie?
First team or training with a view to signing?

My mistake, thought he was still on the southern side of the equator, he's been at Fev since May

Unless Hallas is considered able to play big minutes at hooker we should line up a decent backup IMO, as we will be one injury away from Burrow having to play 80 minutes ona regular basis.

Hallas is being loaned out for the year or at least thats the plan. Not sure signing a back up hooker would be a good spend of remaing cap space. Burrow is more than capable of filling in when needed. Dont get the hysteria on here about him.

I disagree, playing long periods, and by that I mean multiple games with Burrow at 9 is a big problem for us. With our current set of pretty immobile forwards including 13 our middle defence cannot cope without a hooker who can tackle in the middle.

A back up hooker should be very high on our shopping/development priority list.

I agree. When Chicko leaves we need a starting and back up 9.

I don`t buy into this Burrow as stand in hooker talk sorry Marty.
There lies the problem he cannot make the 25-35 tackles in a game to free up our centres.
Our centres are having to compensate for this by putting in 20+ tackles each game that nulifies their attacking ability.
You can play Burrow at acting half back every now and then but not as a full time back up hooker.
For me we need two hookers one flipping good un and one pretty decent one plus a half back or two if Lilley isn`t going to get a gig and a go forward ball handling tough as old boots prop.

Not asking for much I know but we need to stay with the pack next year and papering over known cracks yet again will not see us make the top 6 imo.

Hetherington says he knows Segayaros decision but isnt going to announce it which seems a bit weird. If hes made his mind up to stay get the contract amended and tie him down FFS

Most important player on the pitch and you don't have two specialists? We have at least 6 back row forwards (more if you count Singleton and Cuthbertson who sometimes start at 13), but only one actual hooker?
Burrow is the problem. His ability to "fill in" for a spell at 9 and his now complete inability to play 7 has meant that to shoehorn him into the 17 we've not had a nine starting and one on the bench. Who would want to be the second hooker at Leeds? You'll never get a game.
When Aiton broke his arm last year we went from being virtually untouchable to a side running on empty, squeezing by the absolute narrowest of margins across the line for the LLS and the GF. Burrow can't play as starting hooker but while we have him he has to play 9, or backup 9 because he can't play 7 anymore.
Some might say that you don't discard players like Burrow while there are miles in the tank, but the disruption to squad planning over the last few years because of that has been significant.

Agreed DHM. its a tough one because Burrow is a great asset to have off the bench when the big games come around, he has proved it time and again but these days he is a luxury player. He has already made it clear in the past he is not happy playing a bit part role though so like you say we are forced to find ways of fitting him into the 17 week to week. it is clear we are far stronger with a rock steady 9 who can work well from the ruck and tackle in the middle, that is clear now with how we were with Aiton playing, then the gap without Aiton when we slipped away in standards game by game to now with Segeyaro when we suddenly look a unit again. coincidence? i think not.

I am not saying get rid of Burrow BTW before people come in with the usual to defend him. i love the guy and he is a legend of the club but sometimes you have to do whats right for the team, not an individual.

Agree with this and DHM and my post before that of course!
We cannot carry players out of sentiment.
We are in the business of winning and not to give ourselves a handicap to make the League fairer to others.

Aiton broke his arm against Warrington, after that Burrow played 6 games,
Leeds Rhinos 25 - 18 Wigan Warriors
Hull FC 22 - 36 Leeds Rhinos
Hull KR 0 - 50 Leeds Rhinos CC Final
Huddersfield Giants 16 - 20 Leeds Rhinos
Leeds Rhinos 20 - 13 St Helens
Leeds Rhinos 22 - 20 Wigan Warriors

That isnt a side running on empty, thats a fantastic run.

and as I have said time and again, that's last season. 12 months older is he still as effective? not for me

He would have been just as effective if he had a decent front row and goal kciking stand off to play with.But alas...

Take the CC final out of the equation because that was a cakewalk, KR froze. We had some shaky games before the Hudds. game mixed in with those other wins, to the point where after the defeat at home to Cas we looked shot. Phil Clarke said we wouldn't win a game for the rest of the season. Of course we somehow got the right side of those three games at the end of the year to complete the treble when all three looked gone towards the end by sheer will power and a few moments of individual brilliance, but we were certainly not the same dynamic, solid looking team after Aiton got injured.

Should point out that Burrow only started at hooker in those final three games. After Aiton's injury.....

Vs Wigan - Cuthbertson 'named' at 9, Burrow on bench
Vs Hull - Robbie Ward hooker, McGuire rested, Burrow in halves
Vs HKR (CCF) - Cuthbertson 'hooker', Burrow on bench
Vs Saints & Catalans - Cuthbertson 'hooker', Burrow out injured
Vs Cas - Lilley hooker, Burrow out injured

Vs Hudds, Saints and Wigan (GF) - Burrow at hooker.

No he hasnt been. But is that because his skills and physicality have diminished or because we as a side arent playing off the front foot as much?

We were missing Burrow that game. We looked shot without both. With Burrow we set records in the CC, beat the team who finished second twice, beat the team who finished third, and the team who finished 4th.

To say that is a 'shot' team is crazy. It really was a fantastic run of results with Burrow as our primary hooker. I really dont understand this rewriting of history.

probably a bit of both

After winning the cup we lost the next 3 games, including a walloping against Catalans. Perhaps shot is the wrong way of putting it, but we weren't the same team. Basically, the team led by JP and Sinfield did what it had to do to get the job done at the end, credit to them. It was obvious though we needed a proper hooker and Falloon was a dud, the lack of quality in that area (not the only area granted) has stood out like a sore thumb for most of the year till Segeyaro arrived.

Again, i'm not bagging Burrow, he is brilliant at what he does but he holds the side back now as a unit if we are forced to play him as a regular nine. Just my opinion.

and I agree with you