I honestly couldn't place a name. I just know it is an important facet of the game that needs to be covered on the field, and we don't have anyone who can do it, yet people seem to be missing this completely, and instead looking at the players we have as a quality and assuming they can fill the role.

McGuire and Burrow throughout the golden era, have played in important roles in that side, but they concentrated on those specific roles and did it to a quality standard, whilst someone else did the kicking side of things. McGuire and Burrow, can come up with a quality kick from time to time, make no mistake, but they can not continually do it, and are much better at short kicking rather than clearing the lines when you are pinned in. Sutcliffe too has shown nothing to suggest he too can do that kicking role for us.

Dureau is a good shout as he can kick and he can goal kick, but I am sure there will be others. I bet Dobson comes available. I think Leeds had it right in their goal to get Widdop who I think is a fit that covers all the boxes and suits the Leeds way, and I can understand why they have focused on that.

I think the position we have is the downside of having Sinfield these years, if you can say that, and something you have said often. Because everything relied on him to do these things nobody else was developing that side to come to the fore.

I agree for reasons stated we need a new playmaker whose also a good kicker as well. Dureau is OOC, has loads of SL experience and wouldn't cost a lot? On twitter they're saying we've got somebody but not a superstar like Cronk, to be announced soon?

Is Sam Williams out of contract at Canberra, assuming he recovers fully from his punctured lung?

Very impressive in his short spell with Catalans. Good field kicker and goal kicker too.

Its a fair point, and we will lose a lot in this department with Sinfield gone. I personally feel though that we should be looking at the forward pack as our first major area for improvement this year.As we all know JP is, and has been 75% of the front row for a decade now.With Kylie gone too we will be missing so much in the way of grunt, go forward and obviously experience.Singleton has looked much improved this year but is still far from the finished article.Thankfully Cuthbertson has been a great signing and hopefully Garbutt turns out to be a good squad man, we will see.But there is no doubt we will need at least one more quality player in this position.

Of course if GH has a quality Half and a top class prop lined up i would be made up

Also, we do have only a limited amount of time from both Burrow and McGuire who are getting to the age when we won't see many seasons from them. The Sutcliffe injury is a big blow. I suppose Lilley can get a try if he is considered at a level. We may need him to be able to step in early next season, if sutcliffe is not available

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From what I've heard indirectly the new halfback is not going to be a major star, whoever that is, but a good nrl standard and good goal kicker

I wouldn't be surprised to see them going back for Ryan Brierley. With McGuire being praised up by McDermott this year he's obviously going to be the mainstay at half back for next year and the thought of Brierley's lightning pace alongside him would be pretty frightening. Another prop is essential with maybe Hardaker on kicking duty ?

Brierley will be a Leeds player if Leigh don't get promoted, the deal is already in place. Leeds have until 19th September to be able to pull out of the deal if he doesn't perform to their ability (which at the moment isn't happening) or they sign someone else.

Pete Smith on Twitter "There a Leeds Rhinos announcement coming. Under embargo so no clues, but keep an eye on @leedsnews tomorrow morning #yeplive"

Probably just your usual fluff piece of some office hours change or another reminder about childrens day.

Or that the Saints game is sold out.

Not sure they would put that under embargo, ha! Maybe a new contract though, Zak?

Zak putting pen to paper would be a MASSIVE boost, not just for tomorrow night but for the rest of the season!!!

I think YEP may have ballsed up on the whole embargo thing.... https://twitter.com/leedsnews/status/616693211835273216

I think YEP may have ballsed up on the whole embargo thing.... https://twitter.com/leedsnews/status/616693211835273216

The deal has been done for ages. His little 'mishap' put a delay on announcing it. Good news that it's gonna be confirmed.

It Is hardaker signing a new deal

Quote ="tony1983"I think YEP may have ballsed up on the whole embargo thing.... https://twitter.com/leedsnews/status/616693211835273216'" Page no longer exists, so I guess you're right. How are they

Quote ="tony1983"I think YEP may have ballsed up on the whole embargo thing.... https://twitter.com/leedsnews/status/616693211835273216'" Page no longer exists, so I guess you're right. How are they

Well it can't be that, you have "known" for a long time that he was leaving

Well waddya know

I thought we did Ok without Sinfield earlier this season, or was it my imagination? From what I've sen if you go back to two halfbacks rather than however many Leeds seem to want to put on the field (up to 4 at the same time), then I don't have a problem with Sutlcliffe and McGuire being given the role to start with. It takes time to learn how to control a game, but the only place to do it is on the field, not on the bench watching an NRL never-was running around.

I just see zero point in signing a substandard NRL half for next year.

G- Called this months ago which just goes to prove that fans do hear about signings/contracts etc and when posted maybe some shouldn't be so quick to dismiss it or sling sh##!
Just saying.

I completely agree. At the start of the season Kev wasn't playing that well and the Sutcliffe McGuire partnership looked to be blossoming. Its only since Kev said he's leaving that he's really kicked on. Yeah we'll miss Kev's goal kicking but show some faith and Sutcliffe and Hardaker and get a specialist coach in. Theuve both got potential to be good kickers but probably need to fine tune their techniques...after all, Kev wasn't the greatest to start with but worked hard to improve.

Also, Zak has a massive kick on him so using him as a clearing kicker could cover that area.

When a legend leaves its hard to replace them with like-for-like. We saw it when Harris went. Instead, you look at how others can step up and fill roles.

If much rather see Sutcliffe and Lilley given goes, and maybe Golding to see how he does there. We've seen Warrington and Wigan give their young halves a go and whilst they might be consistent yet, the exposure to SL will make them better in the long run

rugbyleagueweek.com.au/cronk/?ad ... 9635615955 That's the Cronk rumours put to bed.

rugbyleagueweek.com.au/cronk/?ad ... 9635615955 That's the Cronk rumours put to bed.

But confirms we are in the hunt for a quality half. Widdop might happen after all.