Anybody know how Corey Johnson has been going on at York? See he started at half again today. Hope he is rediscovering his love for the game.

Hes going well but Leeds asked him to return this week with Dwyer facing a covid test and he said he wasnt ready mentally or physically for SL yet which i would have thought he wouldve jumped at the opportunity. Bit of a concern. He was at the game Thursday.

Yeh he's going pretty well.
Been playing at 7.
And he's even been kicking some goals!
I went to watch the game against Widnes a couple of weeks ago and he did pretty well.
But it reminded me of Leeming covering in the halves. You can just tell it's not his favoured position.
And I agree, I don't think he's physically ready for SL yet, but getting back going again at York will do him good.

Fingers crossed that with a proper pre season in him he will feel ready to take the step up. Convinced he has the talent, and then some. With Dwyer off contract at the end of next year he has a great opportunity to force his way into the first choice 17.

Yeah we do, i respect your opinion. Nothing wrong with disagreeing now and again, Chevs one of those occasions. I think he's one of the reasons theyr under performing.

Yesterday wasnt the reason i dont rate him, the result, but more importantly the performance, are just another layer on top of what i already thought. Like i say, hopefully he goes on to prove me wrong.

Think we saw early season with the 1st team that if your spine is no good you cant do much as a team. Half backs and hookers, other than Corey, in 19s have been poor for a long time. The game isnt producing many at all unfortunately.

I can understand Corey’s thoughts there - he will know he’s missed loads and probably doesn’t want to come back in to Leeds feeling underdone.

It also wouldn’t surprise me if he decided it still wasn’t for him after this season. He’ll be into a pretty brutal pre-season at Leeds leading into next year and will need to be up for it.

You guys really know your stuff, lots of respect for you both. I don’t think hookers and halves is a new problem.
1 decent player in these positions every couple of years is about the form.

I am very encouraged by the quality of some lf these younger lads. The youth of today gets a bad wrap in some quarters but there are some diamonds at Leeds which bodes well.

A full strength Castleford would beat a full strength Leeds in my opinion.

You've mentioned twice about Leeds playing against Hull KR under 17s. Hull KR didn't play any under 17s matches.

The under 16s match between the 2 sides was a decent, if error ridden, contest if that is what you meant.

Yeah it was. It got confusing with mostly same players playing as 16s and then as 17s a week later. KR was best team we played but the 2nd half was a knockonathon it must be said.

Would be a good game, the Cas 2nd years are the only team iv seen outplay a Butterill coached nearly full strength Scholarship side in years, we'v dropped the odd one when playing lots of u15's to give them a game, but cant remember a defeat when playing a strong team apart from that cas game. Our first years are much better than Cas first years though, many of which played and excelled in the origin game playing a year up, theyr also better already than our 2nd years in most cases.

Not sure how many 3rd years Cas use, we'd probably only use Tindall and Hall in our strongest side.

Matt i wouldnt think too much of the Origin game. Lancashire was hit hard by covid and was a pretty weak team.

Marty, they played well, playing a year up, you can only go off what theyr doing in the games they play, Lancashire missed a few with covid, but they were still as talented than any single club Academy the lads will play.

Leeds are in a very strong position.

We have a flood of talent which is looking promising - as I said before we have almost a full first grade 1-13 in prospect which is great.

Serious question: does the club try to recruit just the best players it can regardless of position into Scholarship/ Academy, or do they focus on key positions?

Not sure how they do it but there will be changes under Bastian.

You say weve a flood of talent Jimbo but which ones from academy/scholarship programme do you see making it at Leeds. Im mot talking of the full time lads now.

I've only seen a limited amount of junior when the games have been put on YouTube, and they don't look great to be honest. Max Simpson looks a good prospect though

Think thats pretty much my opinion too and he needs to defend better. Hes a talent tho, no doubt. As is Gatus who is well liked. Second rower Jack Johnson looks ok i but he was playing outside Sinfield who put him into gaps i know Johnson has signed a deal for Leeds but not sure if its a full time one.

Gonna be difficult for kids to break into 1st team full time squad these days

Im not sure either on how we plan our recruitment, if i had to guess id say its somewhere inbetween. We'v given scholarships to some extremely poor props in the last couple of intakes which would suggest that they try to cover every position, but then the best fullback in Yorkshire this last intake was from east leeds, he chose Warrington, the 2nd best was the Hunslet Parkside fullback who chose us, which suggests if theyr good enough, we'l take 2 or 3 deep at the same position and take it from there.

The clubs have to inform the RFL of which players they want to offer scholarships to, the RFL then send a letter to the players parents/guardian saying which clubs are offering that kid a scholarship, they then pick which club they want to Join....Thats the official way its done, so would be hard to plan by position not knowing who the players going to decide to go to... Although im sure theres more goes on than that behind closed doors.

Interesting thanks.

By “flood” Marty I was talking about the ones who have come through recently or are on the fringes now. I listed players earlier but what we need right now are only 1 or 2 a year that’s of quality. E.g. you’re going to have to be a flipping good centre prospect to get past Newman, Sutcliffe (!), Broadbent, Edwards, Simpson, Hall and whoever else is currently at the club in that position.

Same at second row and loose.

Anyway Bastian should be a Good Thing.

Very good win for the 19's tonight, 32 - 6 at Wakey, Wakey have been very good this year so really good result.

I went to Wigan but by all accounts a good and pleasing all round performance by the team.

I watched the highlights v Wakey, some great tries scored. I’d like to see the whole game. Again Simpson & Gatus looked good.

19s at Huddersfield Fri night. Lockwood Park.

I believe Jack Sinfield will start playing 19s in a couple of weeks. Be a big step up for him if he does.

Do you know which other 16's have been kept on Marty, Sinfield and iv seen you mention J Johhson but havnt heard who else? Any from other clubs scholarship?

Heard Warrington have took Noah Booth from Castleford.

I believe they are still working thru it Matt. I know they have offered amateur contracts to play academy to Blake Morgan, Charlie Lovering and Jacob Mitchell but dont think any have signed yet but I would expect them to sign. They are only ones i know. Sinfield and Johnson have both signed pro deals and I believe Riley Lumb has also signed a pro deal.


Theres very little money in the game so wouldnt expect much movement and players signing amateur deals. Leeds' budget has been cut considerably im told.