There is audio of Jordan Baldwinson saying it.

Or do you dispute what Jordan has to say about the matter?

In that same audio Jordan paints it as they've signed Tonks go to keep him company.

Erm, why do you think that is what happened?

Or it could be that he is now on Double that he was on Signed for two years with an optional Third year with a Testimonial year

It's a disgrace, can't believe we have prioritized Bailey's contract deal over some of the under 12's

You don't seriously question why this has come up all of a sudden? Then less than a month ago he was in the media saying how he hoped for a new contract. Then there was Suticliffe in media just a week before signing his contract, saying that the club had not made an offer yet, and he was waiting to hear. You think Sutcliffe was offered his long after Baldwinson?

Personally I would take with a pinch of salt, any suggestion that any contract was offered to Baldwinson before the known interest of NZ Warriors. It was even posted on this very board by postes in the know (before the media got an whiff of it), that Baldwinson was offered a contract by Warriors and was still waiting to have one offered by Leeds.

But of course that does suit the apologists amongst us agenda.

No I don't. I take him at face value. which I do with most people until they come up with stuff that loses them credibility.

Was he? Do you have a link?

Was he? Do you have a link?

I've no idea. What's the relevance?

You don't accept what the player has said but you do accept the rumours posted by Frosties. Riiiiiiiiiiiiight.

What apologists agenda? Would that be those of us that are prepared to accept direct quotes from the player and the 1st team coach or would that be the gibberish posted by the knee jerkers, chief amongst which appears to be you.

Who got offered what and when is not an issue for me, you can argue the salary structure at Leeds is too rigid but GH has to balance the books.

The issue for me is the message that signing very average players like Achurch and re-signing aged players like Kirke and Leuluai sends to younger players. It says their opportunities will be limited and their progression will be slowed as a result.

We also don't know what it is like to be a youngster in the first team squad and how they are treated at training - could be that the quality of the coaching in the NRL both skills and fitness appeals more compared to the lower standard of the SL.

If Baldwinson did need a push to the NRL than McDermott's handling of him during the Huddersfield game was all the prod he needed.

Care to explain?

He put him and five minutes later took him and that was all the game time he got - this was despite JJB being injured early on which would have been an ideal opportunity for some extended game time. Judging by Baldwinson's reaction I am not surprised he has opted not to stay under such a - let's be generous - maverick coaching environment.

Well because you suggest that these 2 lads had to wait because GH was tied up with sorting out Kirke and Leuluai when in reality the latter 2 will have probably taken up so little time to sort out that they had no effect on when the youngsters got their offers. GH will have given them their offers when he felt it was the right time.....or are we trying to suggest that he would've done it earlier but couldn't because re-signing Kirke took up every single minute of his working day for several weeks?

You know again you only have to look at how many academy players have come through during GH's time to realize that his way of handling them has been fine. These 2 will have been handled the same way as the others who have gone before them....time wise and money wise. But they've chosen to go elsewhere, which just so happens to be way out of our financial reach.

Nope! The rest of his time is spent down under scouting for exceptional players - like Achurch - to hinder the progress of the academy lads - like Baldwinson.

David, I wasn't at the game but I've been told Baldwinson was all at sea and the coach had little choice but to withdraw him. What did you think?

I can't post the link but there is an interview with baldwinson in todays yep. He says he was offered a disappointing contract by Leeds before NZ warriors made an offer. Leeds then offered him a better deal but still poor in his opinion compared to what other players his age are earning.

Im a big fan of Jordans, not only his playing potential but his attitude and im pleased for him. On the above statement though G1 i'd agree, I was there and remember thinking whats going on Jordan!... Never let that get in the way of a good BM/GH bashing though!

I love the smell of burning bridges in the morning...

[urlhttp://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/leeds-rhinos/leeds-rhinos-offer-too-good-to-refuse-baldwinson-1-5857600[/url

The way that reads is that Leeds dropped the ball a bit and if they'd been quicker with a counter offer then he wouldn't have asked his agent to tout him to other clubs and would have signed for Leeds.

So, should Leeds immediately counter with a higher offer every time a player turns down a contract offer?

The game was lost by the time Baldwinson got on - everyone keeps telling me McDermott is all about striving through adversity and the benefits to mental toughness of doing so. How will young players learn to deal with this if as soon as they get into a bit of a spot they get hauled off?

There are plenty of players in the Leeds team - including all three half backs - that have had shockers this season yet they manage to stay on the field?

Absolutely no way should you have the audacity to question the Rhinos club when it comes to contract negotiations and which players to retain or release. The Rhinos club are perfectly run in every way shape and form as evidenced by 6 Ringed Bailey and 5 Ringed Kirke's recent contract extensions.

In GH we trust... etc

And add to that, a young player. We clearly have our set starting salaries for young players - I think we've offered more in this case to try and keep Baldwinson because of the NZ interest but even that wasn't enough.

[iATEOTD [/iwe can speculate all day about how Leeds could have handled it better, but it won't change anything.

Hopefully the club will learn from losing him and hopefully we can continue building the young lads that are staying and wanting to ply a part in the next Rhinos dynasty.

Steady on William , any questioning of the rhinos coaching staff or management on this site will be subject to the hard core of the thought police who dominate this site. Must dash as the clock is striking thirteen .

...and conversely I'm not a huge fan of McDermott's use of forwards and substitutions generally but given you're the second fair minded person to make such comments I'll readily accept the coaches decision to sub him in that game was the right one and not some plan to unsettle the lad.

The initial contract offer achieved that.

It's a puzzle why slight innocent or even mild criticism of GH and BM on this site is immediately howled down.
Some of the clubs signings in recent months have been poor, this is a matter of concern to me, at the end of this season I expect to see a clear out of some players. If we do this and sign some reasonable players to supplement some of our up and coming youngsters we could be at the start of a new era.
If we don't get this right we could end up like saints who have failed to replace some of the quality players who had some success with them.
Looking at some of the sub-standard games I have seen recently, it should be quite within the clubs capabilities to keep on winning silverware .
Just remember any club or organization who will not accept any kind of criticism or questioning will eventually struggle.