True. If you look at the first half of the year we were tracking for a top 6 finish before what I would say is petulant and/or unprofessional behaviour from a couple of key players derailed us.

Assuming that doesn’t happen again next year we should be more consistent. But yeah we need to get these next decisions right, which we don’t have a great track record in. RS needs to show his judgement here.

It's essentially impossible for Leeds to get relegated under the new system.

We won't we'll have a grade A licence from next year, so no relegation.

No relegation but if we are running last and playing crap even the patient supporters like me will be switching off.

As much as I am realistically positive, I’ve also said quite clearly that the mismanagement in transition from the Goldens was not acceptable. So if we’re awful again next year it’s not only RS that might lose his job at the club - fan and sponsor pressure will be immense because we’ve all had enough.

Your positivity is wobbling ...

*realistic* positivity mate

I don’t make any bones about criticising some things that the decision makers at Leeds have got wrong (IMO); we got arrogant and cocky at the back end of the Goldens and then hit by stadium and COVID costs together which was painful.

Our decisions in signings have been overall dreadful for years. Maybe had some bad luck too and that happens; but we have been too tight in many areas and then spaffed money on names with no form at the same time.

I know we have a 60/40 split against RS on here but I actually think he knows what he’s doing. He’s still learning as a head coach but if you look at who he’s moved on, where he’s trying to sign, I agree with him.

1st stage - Cautious pre-season optimism. “If we keep everyone fit I really think we can challenge for the top 4”. “I like what XX coach is doing, it’s a 3-5 year process”.
2nd stage - Lose 1st game of the season, often outclassed, normally by Warrington.
3rd stage - Knocked out of CC early.
4th stage - Inconsistent early season form ensues.

End result - Season pretty much over in March.

It’ll be starting again before you know it.

Oh another negative thread. Great.

Agreed

Apparently the club’s major sponsors will meet with Hethrington to discuss this season’s failures and discuss plans for the future. Not certain who has instigated this meeting. Suspect it may be the club ,possibly worried about sponsorship decline. Quite obviously not appearing in the playoffs has been a major blow to the club not least the revenue loss.

The club's major sponsors are Leeds Building Society. I very much doubt they are summoning Leeds to an urgent meeting to discuss on-field performance.

They are one of several sponsors. I agree it’s unlikely they will be having talks with the club regarding performances. They may question the money they are paying out. No rhinos jerseys on view on tv play off games nor sadly at old Trafford. I personally know 2 major sponsors who are seriously miffed at mid table mediocrity.

Maybe sports sponsorship isn't for them then. There is no guarantees in sport, and a sponsor shouldn't expect the team to get to a final just because they have that companies name on their jersey.

Leeds have had more than their fair share of media coverage this year. Just not for the right reasons. Almost every article carried an image of a player draped in sponsorship logos.

Despite what some on here think the club is in good health, the stadium is being used for semi finals and internationals, the club is the best supported in the league.

If fans think the sponsors are dropping like flies after ine mediocre season I don’t think they understand the commercial side of sport.

I realise it pains some on here but ‘Leeds Rhinos’ is a well run business, the mens first team will be back up there shortly.

I agree with all of that apart from the last sentence. I don’t see anything at the moment that suggests we will be back up there shortly. I suppose you could argue around the definition of shortly, so to clarify my definition would be next season. Anything longer would be mid term at best. Based on what I’m seeing at the moment I don’t expect us to be back up there in less than 3-5 years, and that depends on how quickly the kids progress.

I think 2 years, 2024 competitive 2025 up there.

Oh, I agree. Anyone who looks beyond the first team results can see how successful the club is as a whole. Sometimes I wonder if that is part of the reason why the first team seems disjointed.

The sponsors are still getting value for their money. Like I say, the publicity around Leeds is still high. The fans are still turning up. Merch is still being sold and worn

Unless we hit several jackpot signings and find a bit of luck in the league, I don't think we will be challenging for a couple more years yet though.

Good grief, you don’t think we will be challenging for a couple of years!! . Do the maths and calculate how long we have been in the rugby wilderness.
Another couple of years of the garbage on view this season would be disastrous. I will still be supporting the club and I am confident all the sponsorship will continue. However the last few years have been diabolical, unfortunately pointing this out results in being accused of negativity and talking the club down.

The maths are we won a CC in 2020, got to the semis of the SL in 2021, got to the grand final in 2022 and had a stinker of 2023

That is not being in the RL wilderness.

It's not some woke school sports day. We don't take turns in being champion material.

Some clubs have been in the 'rugby wilderness' for decades. We are lucky that we haven't in recent years. But that doesn't give us any right to expect success from mediocre players.

With the squad we have, and using tactics that we use, I honestly don't see us as champion material, or even competing with those at the top. If we recruit well and the younger players develop well, then we might. But it won't in 2024, or probably 2025 either. I hope I'm proven wrong, but I see us as mid-table fodder for the next couple of years at least. If we get to a final it will be on luck.

I'm not being negative, just being realistic and honest. I want the club to improve as much as anyone else, and I've already renewed my ST, but I'm not going to kid myself either.

Some more maths

Last 6 years regular season:

9th
8th
5th
5th
5th
8th

Won 69
Lost 75
Drew a few

How would people grade that for a club of Leeds stature?

Good?
Average?
Poor?
Awful?

That about sums it up. We have been slightly below average.

What is most frustration is that we have shown glimpses of potential - 2020 CC, 2022 GF as examples. But we have not had the proficiency to raise our standards up to that potential on a consistent basis.

Our consistency this season shows how average our squad is, and how much we rely on unreliable players. Our results look like they have been put through a random score generator.

We all already a mediocre mid-table team and have been for a while now, some way off the pace.

If you wanna do the stats game we have gone from 9th to 1st and 6th to first in one season in the past.

The standard of SL isn’t so great that a few high class signings couldn’t catapult us higher quite quickly. We have probably 2/3rds of a team which could win silverware and 1/3 needs changing out.

Getting that 1/3 right won’t be easy and we might not do it, but not everything at the club is terrible and needs burning down.

Even in the days of Sinfield, Peacock, McGuire, Burrow etc we still finished in 5th place from time to time. It's not like we were always first or second. I loved that it sent some Sky pundits and opposition fans into meltdown when we won it from 5th though. How many times did the likes of Warrington finish in the top 2 and never win the GF?

Finishing spots aren't everything.

I think it’ll be 20 years. Minimum.